The Lynn Haven City Commission voted unanimously to ask State Senator Jay Trumbull to request a special state audit of city finances covering fiscal years 2021 through 2025. The motion — amended to accept the senator’s offer to make the request so the city would not bear the audit vendor cost — directs staff and elected officials to define a scope that emphasizes procurement, policies and compliance.

Why it matters: The request follows residents’ and commissioners’ concerns about prior spending, procurement irregularities and high‑profile controversies; a state audit could provide an independent review intended to restore public trust. City staff cautioned that while the State may shoulder the audit cost, city personnel will still need to devote time and resources to produce documents and assist auditors.

Scope and next steps: Commissioners discussed whether the audit should include a broader period going back to 2018 to capture Hurricane Michael recovery spending and prior procurement items; the motion as amended limits the formal request to FY2021–2025, with commissioners and staff agreeing to clarify specific procurement and policy questions for the state request. The city attorney and staff said they would coordinate with Senator Trumbull’s office to define the exact form of the request (letter, resolution or minutes) and refine the scope.

Representative quotes: “We will not have to pay for it if we go this particular route,” a commissioner said referring to the senator’s offer; city staff warned that staff time to pull records would be significant. Commissioner remarks ranged from urging a thorough forensic-style review to urging careful scoping so staff time and expense were managed.

Ending: The commission voted to accept the senator’s offer to request the audit and directed staff to coordinate with legislative offices to craft the formal request and a clear scope covering procurement and financial compliance for FY2021–2025.