City staff will draft a revised whistleblower policy for Winter Springs after the City Commission backed a push from Commissioner Mark Caruso to widen protections for employees who report wrongdoing, Oviedo Community News reported Wednesday. Any rewrite would have to return to the commission as a resolution for a final vote.
The discussion took place at the commission's Oct. 26 meeting. It followed an anonymous Sept. 15 email to all commissioners alleging that some city employees had for years been driving city vehicles home and using city fuel. The email included photos of vehicles parked at homes, according to the outlet, which did not name the employees because an investigation is ongoing.
Police internal affairs handling the complaint
City Manager Kevin Sweet asked the Winter Springs Police Department to investigate because the email named him and the human resources department, Oviedo Community News reported. Police Chief Matt Tracht told commissioners the internal affairs review is looking for city policy violations and is not an effort to identify the email's author.
Caruso, who once worked as a state corrections officer and has described himself as a whistleblower, wants the 2023 anti-fraud policy expanded.
His proposal would send complaints involving the city manager, department heads, supervisors or elected officials to independent investigators; set deadlines and monthly updates for people who report; cover waste, abuse and policy violations as well as fraud; and spell out protections against retaliation for both reporters and witnesses.
"Our current policy is not strong enough," Caruso told the commission, according to Oviedo Community News.
