A new Palm Beach County audit this week reveals significant oversight gaps in a multi-million dollar renovation of the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office headquarters in West Palm Beach.
Nearly $1 million in public funds were paid out without proper documentation, reports the Palm Beach County Inspector General. The agency examined the ongoing $54 million PBSO headquarters overhaul.
The audit found that the construction manager was overpaid by more than $223,000.
The manager billed extra for everyday costs and insurance but they either couldn't provide receipts to prove they actually spent it or they charged more than their contract allowed, according to the OIG's office.
That includes $2,527.65 in unsupported construction costs and $220,715.65 in insurance, bonding, and risk fees that exceeded contract terms or lacked documentation.
Even more concerning, county workers paid over $903,000 for extra or unexpected work without getting the required approval from county commissioners first.
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In some cases, they handed over the money up to nearly a year and a half ("355 business days") before the work was ever officially authorized.
Investigators recommended that the county recover the overpaid money ($223,000) and require full proof like receipts before handing out future payments.
That includes setting clear limits on extra charges in future contracts and improving the tracking of project budget changes.
The $54 million renovation is funded by Palm Beach County residents, specifically a little over $47 million from the voter-approved one-cent local government infrastructure surtax.
County commissioners agreed, according to the report, with these specific recommendations and adopted new rules to make sure taxpayer money isn’t handed out without county board approval.
