Broward Office of Inspector General outlines ILA role, limits and funding to school board

Inspector General Jody Breeze and Kathy McIntyre, general counsel for the Broward County Office of the Inspector General, presented the office—s authority and how an interlocal agreement (ILA) with the school board will work.

The ILA, the presenters said, took effect Jan. 2 and makes the county OIG responsible for investigating allegations of misconduct and gross mismanagement involving school board elected and appointed officials, employees and vendors where the alleged misconduct relates to the school board contract or duties. Breeze said the school board has paid an initial fee of $659,000 to cover OIG services through fiscal 2025 and that the OIG will submit budget requests for future years through the county—s normal budgeting process.

Why it matters: The ILA gives the county—s independent oversight office the authority to open investigations and to issue reports that can lead to referrals to enforcement authorities such as the State Attorney or Florida Commission on Ethics. At the same time, the OIG told the board its jurisdiction is limited to school-board-related conduct and that confidentiality protections govern complainant identities and active investigations.

Breeze summarized the office—s statutory and charter duties, including its authority to investigate violations of federal, state and county law and to report on gross mismanagement defined in the Broward County Charter as "a material waste or significant mismanagement of public resources." She told the board the OIG will maintain confidentiality for complainants and for materials in active investigations except where disclosure is required by court order or other law. "Independence is the hallmark of an inspector general or any oversight agency," Breeze said. "Without it . . . we don't have the trust of the public to do the job that we're engaged to do." (Inspector General Jody Breeze)

Scope and limits: McIntyre and Breeze said the ILA covers: - School board elected and appointed officials and school board employees; and - Persons and entities that provide goods or services to the school board under contract, but only to the extent the alleged misconduct relates to the contract or school-board-controlled matters. They said the OIG will not investigate school allied groups such as PTAs or school advisory councils unless individual members are otherwise officials, employees or covered contractors.

Reporting and records: The OIG described its process for issuing preliminary and final reports, the 30-day opportunity for responses to preliminary reports, and the office—s statutory duty to refer probable criminal conduct to the State Attorney or U.S. Attorney when warranted. Breeze said the OIG will provide the school board with any OIG reports that involve the district and will include a school-board section in the OIG—s annual report.

Budget and staffing: McIntyre and Breeze said the school board paid an initial $659,000 fee to cover OIG services through fiscal year 2025 and that the OIG will submit an anticipated budget for future fiscal years. Breeze said the OIG is recruiting three positions dedicated to school-board matters (a special agent, a special auditor and an investigations manager) and that the office expects school-board work to account for roughly 25% of its caseload when fully operational. She also said the OIG had budgeted $115,000 (approx.) for a modest buildout of office space and described the OIG—s current office location and public reporting options (browardig.org and an anonymous hotline).

Board questions and follow-up: School board members asked how confidentiality and —good faith— complaints are handled, whether complainants are notified when a tip is not pursued, and whether the office would advise complainants to pursue other remedies (Breeze said the OIG does refer people to other agencies when appropriate). The OIG said it will provide the board with a breakout of school-related tip counts and other statistics in its next annual report and that it will transmit budget requests to the board in time for the county—s budgeting cycle.

Public guidance and contacts: The OIG reiterated reporting channels for alleged misconduct: online at browardig.org, by hotline at (954) 357-7873, or in person at its office in Plantation (1 North University Drive, Suite South). Breeze closed by noting the OIG—s intention to remain independent and to follow the charter and relevant law in pursuit of misconduct and gross mismanagement.

Ending: Board members asked that the OIG provide its anticipated budget as soon as possible and requested that the board—s general counsel coordinate timing for any additional briefings requested by the board.