Early reports from a Broward County special district inspired legislation bolstering such districts’ ethics rules and now a board member of the water utility says that issues a state audit found will be fixed.
The North Springs Improvement District (NSID) provides water and sewer services to 40,000 Coral Springs and Parkland residents in a county of nearly 2 million people.
The Auditor General’s report that Democratic Rep. Dan Daley requested identifies district practices and procedures in seven areas that either don’t comply with state law or raise questions.
The district has 30 days to respond to the 13-page report to describe actual or proposed corrective actions.
Among the report’s findings:
— In four of nine contracts the audit examined — involving more than $23 million — the district did not allow 30 days for potential vendors to respond, as state law requires.
— Competitive bids were not solicited as required by state law engineering and construction services totaling $7.8 million and instead awarded the contract to an existing, continuing contract.
— The 2017 sale of a 25-acre vacant land was sold for $4 million without an independent appraisal and the district…
