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Lauderhill orders forensic review of COVID-era spending, seeks $1.6 million reimbursement
Summary
City manager says letters of interest for a forensic audit are due July 10; reimbursement request for $1.6 million has been submitted to the federal government but further funds from closed grants are unlikely.
Lauderhill city officials said they will pursue a forensic audit of COVID-era programs after public concerns about $1.6 million in disputed reimbursements and other grant expenditures.
City Manager Kenny Hobbs told the City Commission that a solicitation for letters of interest is open with a July 10 deadline and that staff aims to present recommendations to the commission on July 14. Hobbs said if a selected firm’s contract exceeds the city manager’s signing authority it will be presented to the commission for approval.
The audit request arose during public comment and subsequent commissioner questions about the fate of federal grant funds. Resident Mae Smith and several commissioners urged caution and transparency while others pushed for aggressive steps to recoup misspent or unreimbursed dollars.
Hobbs said the city has submitted a reimbursement request to the federal government for $1.6 million and is working with the grantor on that request. He also said the underlying federal grant has closed, so no additional award dollars tied to that grant will be available beyond any reimbursement that might be approved. Hobbs described the planned review as both a financial and process audit intended to document where money went, how decisions were made, and to produce recommendations for corrective action.
Commissioners and members of the public pressed for clarity about timing and possible legal options to recoup funds. Commissioner Campbell asked whether the city could pursue other remedies if auditors find improper expenditures; commissioners also recommended asking program administrators who managed the funds to provide a detailed report. City staff said they have provided available documentation to the auditors and are collecting older, off-site records that may be needed for the review.
The audit procurement timeline Hobbs provided calls for letters of interest by July 10, internal review and staff recommendations to the commission on July 14, and selection by the city manager if within signing authority; otherwise the matter will go to the full commission. Hobbs said the audit’s scope will include the $1.6 million reimbursement request plus related COVID-era grants and associated financial reporting.
Officials did not announce a firm cost estimate for the forensic audit; Hobbs said a determination of contracting and cost will follow the letters-of-interest review. The city said it will provide additional public updates as procurement and the audit proceed.
Ending
City officials emphasized that the audit is intended to produce an evidence-based accounting of expenditures and processes and that next updates on audit procurement will come after the July 10 letters-of-interest deadline and the planned July 14 commission review.
