Questions raised about Winter Springs commissioners’ spending at hotel

A Winter Springs activist program has expressed concerns with commissioners using tax-payer money to pay for hotels in Orlando, room upgrades and alcoholic beverages — all of which oppose city policy.

City manager Kevin Sweet, mayor Kevin McCann, deputy mayor Cade Resnick, commissioner Mark Caruso, commissioner Sarah Baker and their spouses attended the Florida League of Cities Annual Conference in August. Questions were raised by the Winter Springs Residents First organization, which requested documentation from the city showing the purchases using a P-Card, which is like a government-issued credit card, from the commissioners during the conference.

“ … all they’re trying to do is disparage as much as they possibly can. They’re being rude,” Resnick said.

The FLC conference was held at Signia by Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek, about 33 miles away from Winter Springs. In compliance with Florida Statute 112.061, the City of Winter Springs’ handbook states that the city will not reimburse lodging within a 50-mile radius of Winter Springs without written approval by the city manager.

In an email chain with Resnick and Sweet, the city clerk Christian Gowan wrote that since the conference was in Orlando, the team “would normally not get hotels.” Resnick responded, writing that “two years ago, the mayor and I stayed at the Orlando hotel” since the team had to attend 8 a.m. meetings and work until the end of the day.

Gowan sent Sweet the Winter Springs’ travel policy as a response, to which Sweet replied he would “need to look at this a little closer,” and that he would be staying in Orlando for a different conference and the policy “is not a one size fits all for all cases.” Gowan replied that he has had to drive to Orlando multiple times for clerks conferences to comply with the restriction.

Sweet did not give written approval in the email chain.

According to a finding in the city’s November audit, city records did not show that the city followed its procedures and had missing written records on pre-approved spending. The audit states that a monthly limit of $5,000 is allotted for written exceptions by the city manager for specific needs.

In 2023, the council adopted a resolution that established guidelines for the P-Card program, requiring written managerial pre-approval for purchases that cost over $250. The audit revealed that from October 2023 to March 2025, 23 P-Card transactions that cost over $250 each had not been pre-approved by a manager or supervisor, despite “generally” complying with city policies.

The report states that the city “partially” corrected the matter. According to the audit, city management stated that they had “created a new internal procedure and form to ensure pre-approval of a purchasing card expenditure in a consistent manner.”

In an interview with Oviedo Community News, Resnick said no one from the city gave him any pushback about the travel policy and that he did not have to seek approval from the city manager to stay within 50 miles of Winter Springs.

He said not staying at the hotel during the conference would be a significant detriment, “which is why the city recognized it.”

“You start at eight, you go all the way through the day,” Resnick said. “Then in the evening, is when all the networking takes place. And as even our mayor is now realizing the benefit of that networking, the benefit of those connections. The city recently got a $19 million award from DEP. That’s because of connections that I made over time, meeting other legislators, other city officials, other people, putting us in the right place to get things like that.”

Resnick spent an additional $515.57 on the city’s card, with $400 on room upgrades and $114.57 on alcoholic beverages. The city does not reimburse alcoholic beverages, according to the Winter Springs handbook. Resnick said that he bought a round of drinks for himself and the commissioners at the end of the conference.

“I did not realize it was on there when I checked out, so that was on me and I just covered the cost,” Resnick said.

The Winter Springs handbook states that “Actual expenses for lodging at a single occupancy rate, to be substantiated by paid bills.” Resnick said that he had communicated with the city manager before the conference on repaying the city for the room upgrades, since he planned on bringing his significant other and three children.

“It would not let me put it on my [personal] credit card because my credit card can’t be tax-free. So in order to get the tax-free portion, the hotel said it had to be done on the city card,” Resnick said.

City-issued purchase cards are exempt from sales tax, according to resolution 2004-11.

Caruso used the city card for meals with his wife, daughter and Cade’s children, city emails showed, amounting to $397.12. Florida law states that the city only covers a daily $36 allowance per commissioner, not including family or other people. Additionally, Baker spent $24 on an alcoholic beverage. 

City documents show that all three commissioners reimbursed the city about a week after the conference.

In February of 2025, McCann repaid the city $250 for accidental Uber charges. This is the only other instance since Dec. 1, 2024 where an elected official had to reimburse the city for inappropriate spending, according to city officials.

In response to the Winter Springs advocacy group’s questions, Resnick said it was his job to pay the city back.

“It’s as simple as that. Right? I made the city whole,” Resnick said. “I’ve done what I need to do. So it’s not an impropriety at all. It’s not trying to steal from the taxpayers. It’s just these people making up an argument for the sake of it.”

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-OCN’s Abe Aboraya contributed to this report