Vice Mayor’s call for voluntary state audit dies for lack of a second

Vice Mayor Taylor Dingle urged the Vero Beach City Council to request a voluntary audit by the Florida Department of Government Efficiency, saying the review would "demonstrate through action" the city's commitment to transparency and could help officials make budget choices before any state-driven property-tax changes take effect. Dingle read a prepared statement describing the audit as "not a threat, rather a test," and argued it could show residents that the council had explored all options before making service cuts.

Mayor John Cotugno and other councilmembers sought clarification about how a formal request would proceed; the mayor noted a motion was required for the item to move forward. Dingle made the motion, but no councilmember seconded it, and the motion therefore failed for lack of a second.

Council discussion during this agenda item covered concerns Dingle anticipated—possible staff time and privacy issues—and Dingle responded that the state office already received much of the City's prior data. The remainder of council conversation shifted toward other transparency and outreach options; several members later supported funding public communications on potential property-tax changes instead of pursuing the state audit at this meeting.

The motion’s failure leaves the question of a voluntary audit open to future consideration; no formal directive was adopted at this session.