Mayor Derrick Henry: Daytona Beach will fully cooperate with operational audit

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - Daytona Beach will undergo an operation audit – following a unanimous vote by the state Joint Legislative Auditing Committee (JLAC) on Monday. 

Now, Daytona Beach Mayor Derrick Henry says he welcomes that audit. 

What we know:

Daytona Beach previously underwent an audit looking into the city's travel expenditures and car allowance. 

During a Dec. 3 city meeting in which council members discussed findings from the travel audit, Henry acknowledged the city having "some issues," in these areas. 

Now, following a JLAC vote to launch an Auditor General operational audit for Daytona Beach, Henry said in a statement, "We are confident in our financial management and view this as an opportunity to demonstrate transparency and accountability."

Allegations of Daytona Beach's spending

Sen. Wright claimed the city has several "irregularities" with P-Cards – the city's system of purchasing low-dollar goods directly from vendors rather than traditional purchase orders. A single-limit transaction is up to $3,000 and a monthly credit limit is up to $24,000, the city website said. 

Wright listed these irregularities as: 

• Vague or misleading missing justifications
• Inadequate documentation
• Questionable expenditures
• Insignificant internal controls to prevent building permit issues

Wright also said the city has accumulated substantial and unnecessary surpluses in building permit revenues well beyond what is permitted under Florida law and has made questionable vehicle purchases. 

Florida Sen. Tom Wright sat before the state Joint Legislative Auditing Committee (JLAC) in Tallahassee on Dec. 8 to discuss a series of "troubling financial management practices" he said that’s been occurring in Daytona Beach for the past several ye

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Full cooperation

Henry said the city will fully cooperate with the audit process. 

"This process allows us to address any misconceptions, rebuild trust with our residents and business partners, and continue driving Daytona Beach forward. We are committed to addressing any findings and maintaining the city's positive trajectory," the mayor said in a released statement. 

During the Dec. 8 meeting, Wright said he wants to find the truth about what’s going on and then decide what to do next. 

"If we find that the audit was not necessary, we apologize and move on. If we find that the audit is necessary, my particular personal feeling is that we’re going to find more," Wright said.