Local

Audit: Lake Co. contractor stored records by toilet

LAKE COUNTY, Fla. — There are big questions Wednesday about how a Lake County contractor handled confidential county records.

Only Eyewitness News obtained a copy of an audit that shows the operator of Lake-Xpress had such sloppy record-keeping, some files were stored in a restroom.

Lake County records were stored like old magazines in a pile left sitting next to a toilet.

That image is part of an audit submitted to county commissioners, raising questions about how a county contractor did its job and whether people's personal information was put at risk.

MV Transit operates Lake-Xpress, a countywide reduced-cost bus service. The audit found "files and documents located in areas accessible to persons who should not have access and some documents not stored in files or cabinets."

County files were in a pile with Halloween decorations, stuffed in a shower stall, and stacked up "throne-side."

Inspectors said other documents ended up mixed with the trash and thrown into an unsecured dumpster that anyone could easily have access to by the street.

None of the documents containing people's personal information and county business were shredded, they weren't even bagged -- just tossed out.

The audit concluding "a shredding policy is necessary to ensure all documents containing confidential information are shredded."

In a statement to Eyewitness News, MV Transit said it is working with Lake County to review the results of the audit.

Neither the company nor county officials would comment on the audit.