Winter Springs commissioner travel policy gets an update after scandal

Winter Springs elected officials will now have to annually sign off on what are allowable travel charges after multiple officials had to repay the city for expenses such as alcohol purchases and room upgrades.

The issue stemmed from the Florida League of Cities conference in 2025, after which commissioners Cade Resnick, Sarah Baker and Mark Caruso had to repay the city for inappropriate expenditures.

Separately, Mayor Kevin McCann also repaid the city in 2025 for accidental Uber charges on a city credit card.

“We certainly did focus on making sure boundaries were set around no alcohol purchases, what is allowed when it comes to lodging, and expectations,” Winter Springs City Manager Kevin Sweet said. “Policies become difficult because we certainly can’t anticipate everything that may or may not come up. And we also can’t write in a policy common sense.”

You can read the draft policy here, and read the draft agreement here. See video below to watch discussion of the travel policy.

Commissioner Paul Diaz said he wants the city to go further and keep a spreadsheet online of how much money each elected official has been reimbursed for travel. Diaz said it would be important for residents to know what specific commissioners and the mayor are spending.

“That way I can be held accountable as an elected official as to what my spending habits are within that budget,” Diaz said.

Commissioners Mark Caruso, Victoria Bruce and McCann all said it was a good idea. McCann said there might need to be some context related to it, though.

McCann cited the example of a lobbying trip to Tallahassee where McCann, Resnick and Baker went to talk to state lawmakers. McCann rented a car and paid for all-day parking, and then picked up all the city commissioners and drove them.

That expense would only show up under his account. He also said some commissioners are on multiple other boards and travel for that.

“Their expenses show higher,” McCann said. “That doesn’t mean they’re abusing something just because they go and they’re more engaged and they’re getting more training and doing the hard work.”

McCann and Resnick are both up for reelection in November and have multiple opponents. Resnick said he doesn’t put in for reimbursement for local travel.

“As you said it’s gonna be weaponized,” Resnick said. “That’s the point of the request in many ways.”

Diaz said there are legitimate concerns on “lavish trips” for training that could be done locally. He also objected to city officials lobbying for funding from Tallahassee.

“I know many of you are very proud of your lobbying trips,” Diaz said. “Lobbying on behalf of a lobbying organization that takes city tax dollars and spends it on lobbying for you to have your taxes raised and more spending. All I’m saying is very simply for residents to be able to see where the money is being spent.”

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The policy also clearly establishes that the cost for travel and training for elected officials is approved in the budget.

“Each Commissioner’s expenditure for travel and training is limited to the amount of those budgets,” the document read. “Additional funding may only be granted by a majority vote of the City Commission.”

Pension fund for police officers gets an upgrade

Police officers in Winter Springs will now be able to retire with full benefits after 30 years of service – no matter how old they are. Previously, officers had to have 30 years and be 65 or older to collect full benefits.

Winter Springs commissioners approved four changes to the city’s pension plan. In total, the changes are expected to cost the city $184,000 more annually or $4.7 million over 30 years

The changes approved by the city are:

Increase the maximum accrued benefit from 30 years of Accrual Service to 99% of Average Final Compensation.
Increase maximum hours of pensionable overtime from 150 to 300 hours per plan year for hourly employees.
Add a normal retirement eligibility provision of completion of 30 years of service, regardless of age, without benefit reduction

Sweet said the changes put the city in line with other police departments in Seminole County, and are designed to help with recruitment. The city’s pension fund is 100% funded, meaning the city can afford all of its obligations.

The defined pension plan is only available to Winter Springs Police Department employees.

“The timing of this isn’t great,” Sweet said. “The timing of anything that’s going on in lieu of the potential November ballot referendum causes a lot of concern.”

McCann said that at first he was “offended” that the possible changes were being proposed, given a possible property tax amendment. He had a change of heart.

“I was adamantly against it, (but) when I did the real work and really dug into the work, the cost of not doing it is considerably higher,” McCann said.

The changes were approved 4-1, with Diaz voting against it.

Abe Aboraya is a Report for America corps member