Fort Meade mayor faces audit over travel expenses to tour data center

FORT MEADE, Fla. — Fort Meade Mayor Jaret Landon Williams is facing an internal audit after charging $948 to a city credit card for a separate trip to Virginia to tour data center facilities. The Fort Meade City Commission voted 3-2 on Nov. 10 to order a review of the mayor's travel expenses. Commissioners Jim Watts, Matthew Taylor and Candice Lott voted in favor, while Williams and Vice Mayor Petrina McCutchen voted against it. Watch report from Rebecca Petit: Fort Meade mayor faces internal audit over travel expenses The trip has also drawn attention from Watchdogs of Fort Meade, a local group focused on government accountability. Raul Alfonso, one of the group's founders, is helping collect signatures to recall Williams, McCutchen and Commissioner Taylor. "If we had full trust in them, we wouldn’t be doing recalls, plain and simple," Alfonso said. "We’re hoping that they can earn some trust back through a process like this." Four city commissioners and City Manager Troy Bell traveled to Loudoun County, Virginia, in September to tour data center facilities in an area known as Data Center Alley. Williams did not join that group. Instead, he made a separate trip later and charged $948 in travel expenses to a city credit card. During the Nov. 10 meeting, commissioners questioned whether Williams received advance approval for the trip and whether the expenses included costs for two additional people who reportedly accompanied him. City Manager Troy Bell said Williams had not submitted receipts for the travel expenses. Alfonso said Williams reached out to invite him on the trip, but he declined. "The mayor had actually reached out wanting me to go along with him on that trip that is in question," Alfonso said. "Due to the fact that I'm in a recall process, I couldn't just take off and go on this trip, and I didn't feel comfortable." During the commission meeting, McCutchen defended Williams' decision to make the separate trip. She said a family tragedy prevented the mayor from traveling with the original group. "He was initially going on the trip. There was a tragedy that occurred in his life that prevented him from traveling with us," McCutchen said. "Then he decided at a later date to still go on the trip because he wanted to gain knowledge, just like we did. He wanted to see for himself. So, I don't understand what the big deal is." The city attorney also referenced city code requiring commissioners to submit itemized vouchers for travel and other expenses to the city manager. Commissioner Watts questioned whether the mayor followed those requirements and whether his travel arrangements complied with city financial policies. Alfonso said Watchdogs of Fort Meade was formed out of concern about the city's financial management and the potential impact on residents. "Hopefully an internal audit like this might just encourage our state to come in and do an audit because that's what the citizens really want," Alfonso said. The city previously received a $5,000 grant from the Central Florida Development Council to help cover travel expenses for the original group trip to Virginia. Tampa Bay 28 reached out to Mayor Williams and city commissioners for comment but had not received a response at the time of publication. Share Your Story with Rebecca Rebecca Petit is dedicated to telling your stories from every corner of Polk County. She knows how growth has been a major discussion point for the area, and the impact it’s had on some of our most vulnerable populations. You can connect with Rebecca by using the form below. Contact Rebecca Petit First Name Last Name Email Phone Subject Body I'm not a robot Submit . HOA said yes, but the CDD says no: Sun City Center homeowners ordered to remove backyard fences For years, homeowners in one Hillsborough County neighborhood had fences around their backyards — fences that were approved by their homeowners' association. But now, another organization with government powers says some of those fences are blocking drainage easements and have to go, at the owners' expense. Sun City Fences Latest Lakeland-Polk from Tampa Bay 28 Fishback asks Governor-elect to stop Auburndale data center Chad Mills Parents, teachers push to keep Crystal Lake Middle School open Rebecca Petit Florida veteran, 94, receives Quilt of Valor for decades of military service Rebecca Petit New $10 million grant aims to protect Lake Wales Ridge from development Rebecca Petit