[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6566282,"mediaKeyId","3206131-fc40a18d52e5fde67c6062eb18d590ce","parentId",3206131,"title","Inspector General: City procurement-card review found isolated issues but no widespread fraud","audioSeconds",588,"startMs",201000,"endMs",789000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3206131-fc40a18d52e5fde67c6062eb18d590ce&start=201&end=789","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3206131-fc40a18d52e5fde67c6062eb18d590ce/thumbnail_201000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6566282/Jacksonville/Duval-County/Florida/Inspector-General-City-procurement-card-review-found-isolated-issues-but-no-widespread-fraud","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6566282-29bfd0b457be22e721294e4c8900a354/orig.mp4?Expires=1771180805&Signature=dFmST4aw0fud9shr~g537Qumb8O37TWwnF2frSbyA9V-lZlm5fBr6~cCJGdo-36vO7Zr4McmO1L68FjffboqCww2kk3K7xVijCDynxCNt5jbLsYUd1SBCbxuS0GB3xHKa14LPQMWctaG2hVauHvejv33X~rsYNCIMXBJ~idsqHjMvf7qg7fjwnPYskRpoDyI8sYs3K0tiPqMyKJsZb0Ih-aXtLMrkuefYNYryUj9W7P3kzRI0P6EWMf2iXPyz9ulIIQNhvebfC4-pzCbDZqPtnWLQ~hnfF-AT75WfjbdfJCUOaWsXe0rT~~6ucRnDSv1bb5q2YrvFsK3oBqNj6Wr6g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Jacksonville, FL","date","2025-05-06T00:00:00Z","article","David Johnston, deputy inspector general for audit with the Office of Inspector General, told the Duval Doze Committee that the office’s review of city procurement-card (P‑card) usage identified isolated problems but no widespread fraud.

Johnston said the office opened an investigation after a complaint from the Supervisor of Elections in late 2023 that identified “questionable purchase card payments” with missing supporting documentation. The office analyzed roughly three years of P‑card data and asked the city's Technology Solutions Department to run a machine‑learning review with vendor NLP Logix, he said.

The dataset covered transactions from December 2021 through February (the review period provided by staff), Johnston said. NLP Logix and the audit team separated transactions into two initial categories: expressly prohibited charges (fuel, printing, cash advances, alcohol, tobacco, personal charges, utilities and capital outlays) and “red flag” transactions (weekend purchases, potential splitting/structuring to avoid approvals, foreign transactions and third‑party platforms such as PayPal).

Johnston said the data showed about 11 employees held P‑cards during the period and total P‑card spending of approximately $4.7 million. The majority of purchases—about 80%—were under $500 and about 94% were under $1,000. Departments with the greatest transaction counts included the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, Neighborhoods and Special Events; Technology Solutions and the Fire/Rescue Department had higher mean purchase amounts, he said.

The follow‑up, investigator‑level reviews of flagged transactions showed some personal or mixed personal/professional charges, often through third‑party services such as PayPal or Uber when a card was saved in a user’s account. Johnston said many of those instances had already been identified by finance and reimbursed by employees. The office found “no widespread abuse or fraud” in the sampled, red‑flagged universe, but noted the review was not a line‑by‑line audit of every transaction.

Johnston said the OIG identified weaknesses in how the city’s standard operating procedures addressed missing‑receipt affidavits. The SOPs were updated in February 2023 to add language limiting excessive use of affidavits and requiring card users to acknowledge the procedures. The OIG recommended that employees reimburse the city for unreimbursed personal transactions and that finance and management pursue additional front‑end monitoring.

Committee members discussed an administration plan to bring a private‑sector monitoring product to a meeting next Tuesday that would provide near‑real‑time P‑card oversight. Johnston confirmed the OIG was invited and had participated in the initial presentation. Committee members expressed support for real‑time monitoring to catch questionable charges earlier.

Johnston also told the committee the OIG had intended to review travel purchases made on P‑cards (hotels and flights) but deferred that work after the mayor’s office changed travel approval policy—moving approvals out of departments to an administrative (central) review—because the new approval pathway altered the control environment.

The committee did not take formal action on the presentation. Committee members and staff agreed to continue coordinating with administration offices on the proposed monitoring contract and on future audits once the new travel‑approval policy has been operating long enough to assess its effectiveness.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City of Jacksonville, FL - Duval DOGE Special Committee - May 06, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","David Johnston, deputy inspector general for audit, told the Duval Doze Committee that a machine‑assisted review of three years of procurement‑card transactions flagged red‑flag and prohibited purchases but did not reveal systemic fraud.","taxTitle","Jacksonville, Duval County, Florida","taxId",2881,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6566273,"Auditors identify $17.8M of dormant CIP balances; council questions encumbrances on Monument Road and splash pad funds",373,2803000,3176000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3206131-fc40a18d52e5fde67c6062eb18d590ce&start=2803&end=3176","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3206131-fc40a18d52e5fde67c6062eb18d590ce/thumbnail_2803000.jpg","/articles/6566273/Jacksonville/Duval-County/Florida/Auditors-identify-178M-of-dormant-CIP-balances-council-questions-encumbrances-on-Monument-Road-and-splash-pad-funds","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6566273-971127465ff17895ce0037a33f595f85/orig.mp4?Expires=1771180805&Signature=jjTaVd4Mh24UFENRMN8h72G2MUhe~QJWxnyVyaVdN12ieSHyB-KFq~2qyXQMU7Pa4nIX0L9dyoHfhdZ9xSpWMDxXWMM17P-gpDA-LaUM0chgAdwD69xUafnr3Atoccr-QZFdWapEw3ERbsfw9ILbaG-Rj~Or4p7HoFpwqs2dKykBAPnoqELvh4gWY5OmZsau6KfYwP6-gapZQ~j7Qi9iVsjpceuhi-BrorPHBfUrMhUgKe~NMxlQRl94~x0nGcaZ-fscgPzaib9pqdvq10sSnxesvcSrxps6vje3TEoGwv3~Pm5eOoho8qhVDfpMbtIZfhN7ox8YTPnKcFtsoFR~Rw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Council auditors told the Duval Doze Committee they identified hundreds of capital‑improvement projects with little or no recent spending and recommended closing completed projects so available balances can be repurposed.

Kim Taylor said the auditors compiled a list of projects with no expenditures since Oct. 1, 2023, totaling roughly $1.3 million that departments agree can be closed and reallocated. A supplemental set (item 3b) included another $112,644 that the auditors said could be closed after removing non‑cash accounting entries. Taylor said that approach would bring the committee’s identified closeout total to about $17,815,340 when combined with previously identified closeouts.

Taylor also reported lists of projects that departments had said must remain open; those lists include roughly $2 million in balances, some dating back to 2014–2016, and the auditors circulated them to council members for confirmation. Taylor and staff said totals will change as departments and council members reconcile district priorities and funding sources (PAYGO versus debt).

Council members raised two district questions. Council Member Adamo Arias asked about a splash pad project in his district showing $97,000 available but no expenditures; Parks Director Daryl Joseph told the committee the splash‑pad appropriation came from prior district discretionary funds tied to an earlier council member and that site constraints at Fort Family meant a splash pad could not be installed there; once the original project is closed, the money would revert to the district for repurposing.

Council Member Salem pressed staff about a roughly $500,000 project for a target on Monument Road: auditors said about $450,000 of the $500,000 had been encumbered (committed) after the auditors’ report was run. Public Works Manager Nina Sickler and Taylor said they would follow up with traffic engineering to confirm whether the encumbrance reflected a legitimate, feasible request or was an untimely commitment that should be reversed before funds are assigned elsewhere.

Taylor also summarized broader process improvements under discussion, including establishing a small warranty‑holdback pot for one year so projects need not remain open while awaiting warranty inspections and recurring needs; the administration and public‑works finance staff were evaluating whether to centralize that holdback in non‑departmental expenses or include it within project budgets.

No formal legislation was adopted at the meeting. The auditors will circulate the closure lists to council members, who can flag projects they want retained in their districts; departments will confirm feasibility on encumbered items and return to the committee with clarifications.","Auditors told the Duval Doze Committee they had identified thousands of dollars in CIP project balances that departments say can be closed, and the committee pressed staff about a Monument Road encumbrance and a splash‑pad appropriation in a council member’s district.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6566278,"City auditors flag rising overtime costs; committee discusses staffing, contracts and budget implications",892,1034000,1926000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3206131-fc40a18d52e5fde67c6062eb18d590ce&start=1034&end=1926","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3206131-fc40a18d52e5fde67c6062eb18d590ce/thumbnail_1034000.jpg","/articles/6566278/Jacksonville/Duval-County/Florida/City-auditors-flag-rising-overtime-costs-committee-discusses-staffing-contracts-and-budget-implications","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6566278-4c4e48cdd67fd76a60a8e91bcb5c765d/orig.mp4?Expires=1771180805&Signature=Gy-AINRkAU4DJZr74QF5SLMOXmut~sHYEcViRXcen85DVzdeS~NEswBAzgBSgy~AsmIvsE8emqyqVC32-8iWCKRnGcZJDTbFi7-~fpADlUvW4hBku81G9hcxCTJ9qDzfwe9G2GWBzkZnRD5X3XcsdDYENo~SJrYwWD~i-MHsKULX4PrqdN~vepnmABhIDlrOSBHWxPhsn2N8YIAoiS5T5sDzU2I3UmNPwnVr4oeIZ4JoKVYKHTFwt~NhktgRn4JWn9U1uaKis3RZC7nNp8X7DrfAf2~CA44MW9e-ZbKo0~k7hEm~OsVeAW6aUUL1nWD3oqU7CQ-xAHs4QnpYVCS-sQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City auditors told the Duval Doze Committee that overtime costs have risen substantially since fiscal 2017–18 and that the auditors’ historic analysis will be useful as the council reviews the upcoming budget.

Kim Taylor of the Council Auditor’s Office told the committee the auditors had prepared a two‑page overview and a more detailed breakout showing general‑fund overtime history. Taylor said the general fund’s overtime budget rose from about $27.7 million to roughly $65.7 million in the most recent budget cycle—a reported increase the auditor characterized as roughly $38 million when compared across the series—and that actual overtime paid increased from about $31.8 million to $77.1 million over the same span. The auditors separated public‑safety and non‑public‑safety overtime on a follow‑up page.

Taylor and council members discussed drivers of the increases. For public safety, the auditors cited growth in personnel needs, new fire stations, comp time usage triggered by COVID‑era policies, and collective‑bargaining pay increases. For the sheriff’s office, Taylor said a long‑running pattern of corrections staffing vacancies and special events work drives persistent overtime costs.

On non‑public‑safety spending, Taylor highlighted Parks, Recreation and Community Services, where overtime rose largely in playgrounds and center rentals; library overtime increased primarily for contracted Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office security; and Public Works overtime grew in mowing/landscaping, right‑of‑way and storm‑water response tied to more roadway miles and vacancy‑driven gaps. Taylor said departments are expected to analyze whether adding positions or using overtime is more cost‑effective before requesting new hires in the budget process.

Committee members pressed Parks Director Daryl Joseph on alternatives to overtime, including flex scheduling, hiring weekend‑schedule team members, and contracting some services to private providers. Joseph said Parks already uses a mix of flex time, targeted weekend hires and contractor support; he noted summer peak demand and safety reasons (pump‑room access at pools) sometimes limit staff flexibility. Joseph said Parks plans to recruit staff whose primary workweek includes weekends for high‑demand sites.

Council members raised the use of private security at libraries and whether that could be adjusted. Taylor said the library security increase was tied to JSO deployment and security arrangements rather than ordinary staffing changes.

Council members also cited an Inspector General review at Waste Management that tied supervisory scrutiny to a 37% reduction in overtime after changes were implemented, and urged stronger supervisory oversight across departments. Several members recommended using the auditor’s workbook during the coming budget deliberations to align initial budgets with historical actuals and known staffing pressures.

Taylor told the committee that the overtime numbers shown were gross costs (not net of any fees or user revenues) and that fee analyses—such as for rentals at parks—are performed separately by the budget office. Members asked for additional district‑level breakdowns and for parks to identify which specific operations are producing overtime overruns.

The committee did not adopt formal policies at the meeting but directed staff to use the overtime analysis in the budget process and to provide further breakdowns and options for reducing overtime, including potential private contracting and targeted hiring.

","City auditors presented historical overtime trends showing large increases in public‑safety and general‑fund overtime; council members pressed Parks, JSO and Fire Rescue on vacancy‑driven overtime, use of private contractors, and whether overtime or additional hires are more cost effective ahead of the budget cycle.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Inspector General: City procurement-card review found isolated issues but no widespread fraud

Auditors identify $17.8M of dormant CIP balances; council questions encumbrances on Monument Road and splash pad funds

City auditors flag rising overtime costs; committee discusses staffing, contracts and budget implications