Orange County officials will ensure elections office employees receive their final paycheck of the year. But they intend to make the payment, circumventing Supervisor of Elections Glen Gilzean. It's a move that both Gilzean and the payroll company would have to sign off on.
A recent audit found that Gilzean’s office has already spent about $5 million more than it legally can, sent out large checks without informing commissioners and overdrawn its office account by more than $782,000.
The month-long feud between the county and its elections supervisor reached a point that Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings said he wished it hadn’t needed to.
“He’s put us in a difficult position where we’re engaged in helping him manage his office,” he said. “I want to get them to a point where he’s held accountable to manage the funds that he’s provided.”
Gilzean told county officials that he may not be able to pay his employees ahead of their Dec. 12 paycheck. The office managed, but now he’s saying the same thing ahead of payday on Dec. 26.
A county auditor found that the supervisor spent more than he legally could in each of the fiscal year’s first three months. Some county officials were curious as to if spending in October and November – prime election months – could be adequately explained. In December, however, District 6 Commissioner Mike Scott said the overspending was significant.
The office spent nearly three times the monthly budget by Dec. 12.
As it stands, Gilzean leaves successor Karen Castor Denel with less than 50% of the annual budget. She will be sworn in Jan. 7. Although it is uncertain if Dental will inherit the red bank account, Gilzean has tried to recapture some of the office’s money.
He went after the funding county commissioners withheld at a board meeting earlier this month. Citing the decision, Gilzean filed a lawsuit against Orange County and Comptroller Phil Diamond to reclaim these funds in order to pay his employees. A judge said his claims were legally sufficient and the county had 20 days to respond.
Commissioners questioned why the supervisor made hefty payments to several nonprofits if it meant he would not be able to meet payroll. One of these nonprofits is the Central Florida Foundation, which Gilzean paid $1.137 million to at the beginning of October without permission.
Gilzean was also asked to retrieve this money and cancel his contract with the Central Florida Foundation.
Following the meeting, the supervisor said he appreciated the board’s help in an emailed statement. He said the bottom line is: he is in this position because of the county.
“Unfortunately, our office was put in this position due to lies told by the Mayor & an astonishing misunderstanding of elections by the Comptroller,” he said in the statement. “We will continue to fight in court and shine a light on the laws the county broke."
Gilzean accuses county leaders of trying to sscore cheap political points using taxpayer dollars.
