General discussion & info about South Walton, Florida.

All About SoWal

Advertise or find a business, discuss business.

Business & Services

Jobs

Festivals, classes, gatherings, activities.

Events & Music

Food & Dining

Marketplace

property, realtors, builders, development, infrastructure ...

Real Estate

Long Term Rentals

Vacation Rentals

SoWal Lounge

John G

Beach Fanatic

I recall a councilman saying this was not a big deal and "everyone" gets theses letters.

This was several months ago.  It looks like a problem.  :dunno:

I recall a councilman saying this was not a big deal and &quot;everyone&quot; gets theses letters. 
 
This was several months ago. It looks like a problem. :dunno:

Kaydence

[QUOTE="John G, post: 868815, member: 26348"]I recall a councilman saying this was not a big deal and "everyone" gets theses letters.

This was several months ago.  It looks like a problem.  :dunno:[/QUOTE]


YES! Mac Carpenter did say in a very public meeting those letters meant nothing that every City gets them! He also made excuses to the Grand Jury as to how almost 2 million dollars went missing or was never collected from the planning department and what did the County do? They made him the planning director!!! :bang::cuss::cuss:

<blockquote class="xfBb-quote" data-name="John G">I recall a councilman saying this was not a big deal and &quot;everyone&quot; gets theses letters. 
 
This was several months ago. It looks like a problem. :dunno:</blockquote> 
 
YES! Mac Carpenter did say in a very public meeting those letters meant nothing that every City gets them! He also made excuses to the Grand Jury as to how almost 2 million dollars went missing or was never collected from the planning department and what did the County do? They made him the planning director!!! :bang::cuss::cuss:

[I]“The mayor provides leadership and oversight,” he said. “He promotes a positive and can-do attitude, both with the employees of the city and with its citizens.”[/I]
[I]
[URL="http://www.nwfdailynews.com/news/20170531/sparks-fly-over-office-moves-in-defuniak-springs"]Sparks fly over office moves in DeFuniak Springs[/URL][/I]

“The mayor provides leadership and oversight,” he said. “He promotes a positive and can-do attitude, both with the employees of the city and with its citizens.” 
 
<a href="http://www.nwfdailynews.com/news/20170531/sparks-fly-over-office-moves-in-defuniak-springs" target="_blank" class="link link--external" rel="nofollow ugc noopener">Sparks fly over office moves in DeFuniak Springs</a>

[QUOTE="John G, post: 868847, member: 26348"][I]“The mayor provides leadership and oversight,” he said. “He promotes a positive and can-do attitude, both with the employees of the city and with its citizens.”

[URL='http://www.nwfdailynews.com/news/20170531/sparks-fly-over-office-moves-in-defuniak-springs']Sparks fly over office moves in DeFuniak Springs[/URL][/I][/QUOTE]


His attitude is why the City is out  $220, 975,26. I won't mention some other things he has gone off and done without Council approval yet but I will say...it's all fixing to come to the light!

<blockquote class="xfBb-quote" data-name="John G">“The mayor provides leadership and oversight,” he said. “He promotes a positive and can-do attitude, both with the employees of the city and with its citizens.” 
 
<a href="http://www.nwfdailynews.com/news/20170531/sparks-fly-over-office-moves-in-defuniak-springs" target="_blank" class="link link--external" rel="nofollow ugc noopener">Sparks fly over office moves in DeFuniak Springs</a></blockquote> 
 
His attitude is why the City is out $220, 975,26. I won&#039;t mention some other things he has gone off and done without Council approval yet but I will say...it&#039;s all fixing to come to the light!

By TOM McLAUGHLIN

The city of DeFuniak Springs has paid extravagantly for the financial missteps of its recent past, and this year has decided to shell out thousands of dollars to prevent a similar future.

City Attorney Clayton Adkinson filed a report June 6 notifying the DeFuniak Springs governing board that the city had lost nearly $221,000 in the last two years by failing to file audits and annual financial reports with the state in a timely fashion.

The tardy filing error was exacerbated, Adkinson said, by city officials neglecting to respond to efforts by the state’s Joint Legislative Auditing Committee to contact them. Those efforts came in the form of both emails and certified letters, the attorney noted.

But Jowers added, there’s no way this year’s audit will be prepared in a timely fashion.

“It is my belief ... that if the city had responded in some manner, either in writing or by telephone, that the committee would have perhaps been inclined to grant us an extension in regards to the audits,” Adkinson said.

Letters began coming to the city in November of 2015, documents presented by Adkinson show. The first ones chastise the city for neglecting to file either an audit or an annual financial report for fiscal year 2013-14.

When the city failed to respond, it lost $65,068.43 in half-cent sales tax dollars and $24,619.70 of municipal revenue sharing dollars, according to Adkinson’s accounting. The money was withheld by the state Department of Revenue as of December 2015 per state statute.

Records indicate the city again failed to timely file an audit report and financial report for fiscal year 2014-15.

Correspondence between Adkinson and Roger Hinson with the Florida Department of Revenue, dated June 1 of this year, indicates in January of 2016, the city lost out on distribution of $49,933.26 in half-cent sales tax dollars.

“For the current fiscal year, the Department has withheld $48,325.22 which was otherwise distributable in March 2017 and $57,610.25 which was otherwise distributable in April 2017,” Hinson’s email said.

The city has now caught up on its past due reporting. A letter sent to Jeff Atwater, the state’s Chief Financial Officer from the Joint Legislative Auditing Committee on May 19 requests that DeFuniak Springs be removed from a list of municipalities subject to losing state funding.

DeFuniak Springs City Councilwoman Jamie Griffith said the city will receive some portion of the money withheld this year, which is apparently what brings Adkinson’s final calculations for total loss to $220,975. The city attorney did not return a phone call seeking comment.

Adkinson was scheduled to discuss the financial situation with the full council June 12, but, Griffith said, had to postpone the meeting.

At that meeting though, the city agreed to pay the accounting firm of Carr, Riggs and Ingram $20,000 to get its books in shape so that the firm that does its annual audit, Saltmarsh, Cleaveland and Gund, can proceed.

The cities books are incomplete and it will take at least a couple of months to straighten them out, council members learned from CRI representative Alan Jowers at the June 12 meeting.

If the accounting firm encounters more difficulty than expected in fixing the city finances the Carr, Riggs and Ingram price tag could jump up, Jowers said. He estimated the cost would not exceed $100,000.

By TOM McLAUGHLIN 
 
The city of DeFuniak Springs has paid extravagantly for the financial missteps of its recent past, and this year has decided to shell out thousands of dollars to prevent a similar future. 
 
City Attorney Clayton Adkinson filed a report June 6 notifying the DeFuniak Springs governing board that the city had lost nearly $221,000 in the last two years by failing to file audits and annual financial reports with the state in a timely fashion. 
 
The tardy filing error was exacerbated, Adkinson said, by city officials neglecting to respond to efforts by the state’s Joint Legislative Auditing Committee to contact them. Those efforts came in the form of both emails and certified letters, the attorney noted. 
 
But Jowers added, there’s no way this year’s audit will be prepared in a timely fashion. 
 
“It is my belief ... that if the city had responded in some manner, either in writing or by telephone, that the committee would have perhaps been inclined to grant us an extension in regards to the audits,” Adkinson said. 
 
Letters began coming to the city in November of 2015, documents presented by Adkinson show. The first ones chastise the city for neglecting to file either an audit or an annual financial report for fiscal year 2013-14. 
 
When the city failed to respond, it lost $65,068.43 in half-cent sales tax dollars and $24,619.70 of municipal revenue sharing dollars, according to Adkinson’s accounting. The money was withheld by the state Department of Revenue as of December 2015 per state statute. 
 
Records indicate the city again failed to timely file an audit report and financial report for fiscal year 2014-15. 
 
Correspondence between Adkinson and Roger Hinson with the Florida Department of Revenue, dated June 1 of this year, indicates in January of 2016, the city lost out on distribution of $49,933.26 in half-cent sales tax dollars. 
 
“For the current fiscal year, the Department has withheld $48,325.22 which was otherwise distributable in March 2017 and $57,610.25 which was otherwise distributable in April 2017,” Hinson’s email said. 
 
The city has now caught up on its past due reporting. A letter sent to Jeff Atwater, the state’s Chief Financial Officer from the Joint Legislative Auditing Committee on May 19 requests that DeFuniak Springs be removed from a list of municipalities subject to losing state funding. 
 
DeFuniak Springs City Councilwoman Jamie Griffith said the city will receive some portion of the money withheld this year, which is apparently what brings Adkinson’s final calculations for total loss to $220,975. The city attorney did not return a phone call seeking comment. 
 
Adkinson was scheduled to discuss the financial situation with the full council June 12, but, Griffith said, had to postpone the meeting. 
 
At that meeting though, the city agreed to pay the accounting firm of Carr, Riggs and Ingram $20,000 to get its books in shape so that the firm that does its annual audit, Saltmarsh, Cleaveland and Gund, can proceed. 
 
The cities books are incomplete and it will take at least a couple of months to straighten them out, council members learned from CRI representative Alan Jowers at the June 12 meeting. 
 
If the accounting firm encounters more difficulty than expected in fixing the city finances the Carr, Riggs and Ingram price tag could jump up, Jowers said. He estimated the cost would not exceed $100,000.

[I]The cities books are incomplete and it will take at least a couple of months to straighten them out, council members learned from CRI representative Alan Jowers at the June 12 meeting.[/I]
[I][/I]
and this guy just goes on to move to another municipality and reek the same havoc...  Who Hired Him?  Who Were His Supporters?

The cities books are incomplete and it will take at least a couple of months to straighten them out, council members learned from CRI representative Alan Jowers at the June 12 meeting. 
 
and this guy just goes on to move to another municipality and reek the same havoc... Who Hired Him? Who Were His Supporters?

[QUOTE="John G, post: 868931, member: 26348"][I]The cities books are incomplete and it will take at least a couple of months to straighten them out, council members learned from CRI representative Alan Jowers at the June 12 meeting.[/I]

and this guy just goes on to move to another municipality and reek the same havoc...  Who Hired Him?  Who Were His Supporters?[/QUOTE]

CRI was hired unanimously by the City Council. Carr Riggs & Ingram was the only accounting firm to apply for the job.

<blockquote class="xfBb-quote" data-name="John G">The cities books are incomplete and it will take at least a couple of months to straighten them out, council members learned from CRI representative Alan Jowers at the June 12 meeting. 
 
and this guy just goes on to move to another municipality and reek the same havoc... Who Hired Him? Who Were His Supporters?</blockquote> 
CRI was hired unanimously by the City Council. Carr Riggs &amp; Ingram was the only accounting firm to apply for the job.

CRI was mentioned in the Walton County Grand Jury and then there was what appeared to be some push back but then it quietly went Bye Bye.  :dunno:

CRI isn't being hired to fix anything in DFS (IMO), but rather to get out the broom and dust pan and start to sweep. :nono:

CRI was mentioned in the Walton County Grand Jury and then there was what appeared to be some push back but then it quietly went Bye Bye. :dunno: 
 
CRI isn&#039;t being hired to fix anything in DFS (IMO), but rather to get out the broom and dust pan and start to sweep. :nono:

[QUOTE="John G, post: 868966, member: 26348"]CRI was mentioned in the Walton County Grand Jury and then there was what appeared to be some push back but then it quietly went Bye Bye.  :dunno:

CRI isn't being hired to fix anything in DFS (IMO), but rather to get out the broom and dust pan and start to sweep. :nono:[/QUOTE]


I'm not in disagreement with that. I think the City should have pursued a complete financial audit because of all the turn over.

<blockquote class="xfBb-quote" data-name="John G">CRI was mentioned in the Walton County Grand Jury and then there was what appeared to be some push back but then it quietly went Bye Bye. :dunno: 
 
CRI isn&#039;t being hired to fix anything in DFS (IMO), but rather to get out the broom and dust pan and start to sweep. :nono:</blockquote> 
 
I&#039;m not in disagreement with that. I think the City should have pursued a complete financial audit because of all the turn over.

[QUOTE="John G, post: 868966, member: 26348"]CRI was mentioned in the Walton County Grand Jury and then there was what appeared to be some push back but then it quietly went Bye Bye.  :dunno:

CRI isn't being hired to fix anything in DFS (IMO), but rather to get out the broom and dust pan and start to sweep. :nono:[/QUOTE]


It really didn't quietly go bye bye...it went roaring out of here when the County sued CRI to protect Bill Imfield and folks in the planning department. CRI settled for less than half of what was never collected or went missing and continues to work for the County.

<blockquote class="xfBb-quote" data-name="John G">CRI was mentioned in the Walton County Grand Jury and then there was what appeared to be some push back but then it quietly went Bye Bye. :dunno: 
 
CRI isn&#039;t being hired to fix anything in DFS (IMO), but rather to get out the broom and dust pan and start to sweep. :nono:</blockquote> 
 
It really didn&#039;t quietly go bye bye...it went roaring out of here when the County sued CRI to protect Bill Imfield and folks in the planning department. CRI settled for less than half of what was never collected or went missing and continues to work for the County.

[QUOTE="Kaydence, post: 868967, member: 32467"]I'm not in disagreement with that. I think the City should have pursued a complete financial audit because of all the turn over.[/QUOTE]

This is a fiduciary duty of the local officials.  Perhaps, it is not too late...

<blockquote class="xfBb-quote" data-name="Kaydence">I&#039;m not in disagreement with that. I think the City should have pursued a complete financial audit because of all the turn over.</blockquote> 
This is a fiduciary duty of the local officials. Perhaps, it is not too late...

These are the findings by Clayton Adkinson regarding the incomplete audits. Clearly Mayor Campbell, Mayor Campbell's Secretary, Joe Brown and others FAILED to turn over documents to the City Council which would have prevented a loss of revenue to the City in the amount of $220, 975,26! There are 40 pages altogether but are all available as a public records request. Send requests to [email]cityclerk@defuniaksprings.net[/email]
[IMG]https://scontent-atl3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/19113681_10209711988220366_8154672462031062052_n.jpg?oh=8be126b6b744e627a38e2f1f0f0b53cd&oe=59DEDDBF[/IMG]
[IMG]https://scontent-atl3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/19059973_10209711988340369_3134313896490485932_n.jpg?oh=895948f263f073b55cafbbdd4d2080e9&oe=59E8A2FC[/IMG]
[IMG]https://scontent-atl3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/19029770_10209711988500373_2655713372278373519_n.jpg?oh=0d513d5c62995a5aacc7391da3ef2469&oe=59DB1ACC[/IMG]

These are the findings by Clayton Adkinson regarding the incomplete audits. Clearly Mayor Campbell, Mayor Campbell&#039;s Secretary, Joe Brown and others FAILED to turn over documents to the City Council which would have prevented a loss of revenue to the City in the amount of $220, 975,26! There are 40 pages altogether but are all available as a public records request. Send requests to <a href="mailto:cityclerk@defuniaksprings.net">cityclerk@defuniaksprings.net</a> 
<img src="https://scontent-atl3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/19113681_10209711988220366_8154672462031062052_n.jpg?oh=8be126b6b744e627a38e2f1f0f0b53cd&amp;oe=59DEDDBF" alt="" /> 
<img src="https://scontent-atl3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/19059973_10209711988340369_3134313896490485932_n.jpg?oh=895948f263f073b55cafbbdd4d2080e9&amp;oe=59E8A2FC" alt="" /> 
<img src="https://scontent-atl3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/19029770_10209711988500373_2655713372278373519_n.jpg?oh=0d513d5c62995a5aacc7391da3ef2469&amp;oe=59DB1ACC" alt="" />

Attorney Findings On Defuniak Springs Audits

Grayton BeachCam

Dune Allen BeachCam

Seagrove Beach SkyCam

Inlet BeachCam

Miramar BeachCam Majestic Sun

Santa Rosa BeachCam

Blast on the Bay

Walton County Fair

Harvest Wine & Food Festival: Celebrity Winemakers Dinners

Grayton Locals Market

Grayton Beach Wine Walk

2026 SoWal Sea Turtle Nesting Season Wrapup

After Hurricane Isaias: Photos of South Walton Beaches

Cars of 30A At Alys Beach: Event Highlights & Photo Gallery

Sixth annual Run Watersound At Watersound Town Center October 24, 2026

Support Our Parks: The 2026 Friends of Camp Helen Pumpkin Patch Is Open

Annual Events and Festivals in South Walton

No beachcams yet

More cams

Include enough context for a reply on the first pass: who you are, what this is about, and anything time-sensitive we should know.

Write a clear note and we will route it fast

SoWal Contact Form

What helps the SoWal team reply on the first pass

Use these links when your request already has a clear destination.

Prefer a direct route before you write?

Use this when you are not sure where your request belongs and need the SoWal team to route it.

Questions, corrections, and quick help

Share newsworthy updates, corrections, community tips, or photography that can improve SoWal coverage.

Story tips, local leads, and photos

Reach the team for business visibility, partnership planning, or other commercial opportunities.

Listings, sponsorships, and business requests

Use this path for media coordination, press follow-ups, or requests that need a communications contact.

Press outreach and interview requests

Tell us what you need and how to reach you.

Send your note here and the SoWal team will route it appropriately.

Choose the quickest route for your message

Forum account areas

Log in to view member profile, alerts, messages, watched content, bookmarks, preferences, and staff tools.

Member-only forum areas use your SoWal forum account.

Use your forum username or email to post, reply, follow threads, and manage your account.

Log in to the forum

Log in to the SoWal forum

Find people and visit their public forum profiles.

Members

Enter the six-digit code sent to {email}.

Check your email

Join the conversation

Welcome to SoWal

Sign in to SoWal

Signature preview

Ads support our local stories, BeachCams, and community guides. If you use an ad blocker, allow SoWal, then check again.

Help keep SoWal local

Your feedback helps us make SoWal better.

How was this story?

Get local stories, events, and South Walton highlights in your inbox.

Stay close to the coast

Choose whether SoWal may use optional cookies. Necessary cookies keep the site working.

Your privacy, your choice

Site navigation

Submenu

Bite-sized stories, curated itineraries, and community events delivered to your inbox on the regular.

Attorney Findings On Defuniak Springs Audits

Latest conversations

Write a reply

2026 SoWal Sea Turtle Nesting Season Wrapup

After Hurricane Isaias: Photos of South Walton Beaches

Cars of 30A At Alys Beach: Event Highlights & Photo Gallery

Sixth annual Run Watersound At Watersound Town Center October 24, 2026