Titusville Audit Uncovers Theft and Systemic Failures in Water Resources Division
A comprehensive internal audit of Titusville’s Water Resources Field Operations Division has revealed that a former senior city employee misappropriated city assets, directed city workers to perform private jobs, and operated within a division riddled with oversight failures. City Manager Tom Abbate confirmed in a March 13 memo to the mayor and city council that felony theft charges have been filed against former Water Resources Field Operations Superintendent Jeffrey “Jeff” Wayner and that the State Attorney’s Office is actively prosecuting the case.
How the Investigation Began
The audit, dated March 12 and prepared by Internal Auditor Amelia Robinson, traces its origins to anonymous complaints received on December 30, 2025, and January 8, 2026. A caller alleged that Wayner had directed an employee to purchase a $2,799 John Deere lawn mower in September 2024 and that the mower was later spotted at his daughter’s home in Citra. After launching an internal review and interviewing employees, auditors confirmed the mower had been traced back to city operations.
Wayner’s Admission and Resignation
According to the audit, Wayner resigned on January 12, 2026, and admitted to taking the John Deere mower as well as other city-owned items. He returned several pieces of equipment, including ladders, a pressure washer, a cement mixer, a gas can, a table saw, a tile cutter, a hydraulic mower deck lift, and a router. Titusville police forwarded felony theft charges to the State Attorney’s Office. The documented value of identified assets in the detective’s report totaled $3,676.99, though auditors noted additional returned items were not included in that figure.
Broader Financial Irregularities
The investigation into the mower purchase revealed deeper problems. A Cub Cadet mower purchased on September 17, 2024, was returned six days later and replaced the same day with the John Deere at Wayner’s direction. The John Deere was delivered to Wayner’s personal residence rather than a city facility and was never entered into city inventory records.
Auditors also reviewed 387 procurement card transactions totaling $254,072.72. They found 19 small-tool purchases totaling $6,524.15 that could not be located during physical verification, and two purchases totaling $871.88 for Christmas gifts that violated city purchasing rules.
City Workers Used for Private Jobs
The audit found that city employees were deployed in February 2025 to perform sewer lateral work at a private residence outside Titusville city limits, potentially exposing the city to liability for labor, equipment, and rental costs tied to non-city work. Auditors also identified eight capital assets physically present at the Field Operations facility that were not on the division’s official asset schedule, including a 2024 Ford F-250, a 2025 John Deere backhoe, four mobile generators, a 2016 Chevrolet Silverado, and a 2020 Ford Escape Hybrid.
Personal Property Stored on City Grounds
Investigators documented unauthorized storage of personal belongings at city facilities. A personal boat that had been previously observed during a 2022 audit had not been removed and appeared to have been moved to avoid detection. Auditors further discovered a second personal boat and numerous household items — including furniture, a mattress, a drum set, a refrigerator, and other personal property — stored on city grounds.
Scrap Metal Concerns Dating Back to 2010
The audit also surfaced long-standing concerns about the division’s scrap metal program. Records going back to 2010 contain repeated allegations that scrap metal was sold outside normal city procedures and that cash proceeds were routed outside official accounts. An employee turned over 12 receipts from 2012 through 2014 totaling $9,445.29. Auditors recommended that the city commission an independent forensic review of the scrap metal program to determine whether additional losses occurred over the years.
Workplace Culture and Employee Concerns
Employee interviews painted a troubling picture of the division’s culture. Workers described fear of retaliation, weak internal reporting channels, inadequate access to tools, and longstanding allegations involving harassment, intimidation, discrimination, and disparate treatment. Auditors said these concerns — some predating current leadership — reflect a breakdown in employee trust and confidence in the city’s reporting systems.
City’s Response and Corrective Actions
City Manager Abbate’s separate management response, issued a day after the audit, outlined immediate reforms. The city plans to create a citywide asset manager position reporting directly to the assistant city manager, lower the procurement card spending threshold from $5,000 to $2,500, mandate annual ethics and fraud training, establish a confidential fraud hotline, and require the removal of all personal property from city facilities. Security upgrades, including new cameras and physical barriers, are already underway at the Public Works site. The previous gate code system, which had used employees’ Social Security number digits, will also be replaced.
The Field Operations Division manages approximately 450 miles of water and sewer lines and more than 120 lift stations, with around 40 employees. Abbate said the city’s aim is to recover property, seek restitution, rebuild accountability, and restore public trust in city operations.
As with all criminal cases, the charges filed against Jeffrey Wayner are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.