ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — CareerSource leaders have handed over a $1.9 million dollar grant provided by the Supervisor of Elections to Orange County leaders after weeks of backlash over the supervisor’s spending, county leaders confirmed Friday.
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“We want to thank the Executive Board at CareerSource Central Florida for doing the right thing and terminating the $1.9 million contract with the Orange County Supervisor of Elections. The monies rightfully belong to the taxpayers of Orange County,” said Mayor Jerry Demings in a joint statement with Comptroller Phil Diamond. “In the meantime, the returned funds have been deposited by the Orange County Comptroller and will be added to the funds that the SOE previously returned to the County for General Fund use. The Board of County Commissioners will determine in the near future how these monies could be utilized, in a way that will make the most sense for the residents of Orange County.”
The job training nonprofit signed the agreement with Glen Gilzean on September 30, the final day of the fiscal year. The money was meant to re-train the more than 100 temporary elections workers whose jobs ended last week and help them find permanent employment.
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Gilzean said the money came from cheaper-than-expected elections last year, which included the Presidential Preference Primary that Democrats opted to not hold and the regular primaries.
However, CareerSource alerted county staff about the agreement after WFTV revealed Gilzean struck a second deal with Valencia College that provided $2.1 million in scholarships to graduates of Evans and Jones high schools.
County leaders and the mayor were outraged that none of them had been consulted about either contract in advance. The county’s budget provided funding for the elections, staff, security, and technology upgrades – not scholarships and job training.
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A further analysis showed 33% of the office’s elections staffing budget and 94% of the postage budget appeared to have been diverted to the two causes.
County leaders said any leftover money should have gone toward its intended purpose of turning out voters, making voting easier and strengthening elections systems. Beyond that, funding should have been returned to the county for commissioners to repurpose.
Gilzean maintained he, as a constitutional officer, had the right to do with his budget as he saw fit.
Lawmakers in Tallahassee said because of this controversy, they are having discussions about changes to rein in spending by constitutional officers in the future.
Glen Gilzean’s office has not responded to multiple requests for comment.
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