- POLK STATE COLLEGE FOUNDATION BOARD MEMBERS PRESS FOR CLARITY IN PSC ADMINISTRATION’S $125,000 REQUEST
- INTERNAL EMAILS, STATE AUDITS, AND UNINTENDED ACCESS OF SSN, PERSONAL IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION RAISE QUESTIONS ABOUT ADMINISTRATIVE PRACTICES AT POLK STATE COLLEGE
- MOLD REPORTS REVEAL DISCREPANCY BETWEEN COLLEGE MESSAGING AND TEST RESULTS AT POLK STATE’S LAKELAND CAMPUS
Daily Ridge News has received a series of alleged text messages provided by a source on September 28, 2025, who stated the messages were obtained through a public records request involving Polk State College. The screenshots appear to show internal conversations among individuals involved in the college’s administrative and public information workflow. Because Polk State College has not confirmed the authenticity of these messages, and because the authors are not identified within the screenshots, Daily Ridge is presenting them as alleged communications.
The timestamps show the conversations occurred in July 2025, which was the same period when Daily Ridge was requesting information regarding several issues at Polk State College. These included questions about the Polk State College Foundation’s emergency fund procedures, reported mold concerns, and concerns involving the use of real personal identifiable information during Banner system training. These inquiries were submitted in good faith, and no responses were provided.
Several of the alleged messages specifically reference “Carl,” referring to Carl Fish, cofounder of Daily Ridge News, an online news organization established in 2006 that covers Polk County, Florida. The screenshots also name individuals who appear to be directly involved in Foundation oversight. One message mentions “Steve” — referring to Dr. Steve Warner, Vice President of Resource Development and Executive Director of the Polk State College Foundation & Alumni. Another message refers to “Joanie” — referring to Joanie Malone, the Chief Financial Officer of the Polk State College Foundation and the whistleblower whose internal actions ultimately brought about an external audit that remains ongoing.
One of the alleged messages expresses hesitation about releasing information, stating:
“The foundation doesn’t wanna share information with me because they’re worried I’m going to give it to Carl Fish.”
The conversation goes on to describe difficulty obtaining documents and historical finance committee records related to the Foundation’s emergency fund decisions.
In another alleged exchange, the sender describes escalating frustration:
“I basically just had to yell at him, Joanie and Lance and told them to send me the minutes from a finance committee meeting 10 years ago where this was decided on.”
Additional alleged messages directly reference Daily Ridge’s inquiries. One message asks:
“Do we know Carl’s deadline?”
Another explains why no reply had been sent:
“I haven’t responded to him because he was blowing up my email… it’s like he has these requests in a hopper and fires them off to be an ass or try to intimidate and that made me angry.”
A follow-up message states:
“I’ll acknowledge receipt now and ask for his deadline.”
Other alleged exchanges appear to express concern about media scrutiny and potential fallout. One message states:
“I’m worried that we don’t say anything that results in an investigation of the foundation.”
Another asks:
“When do you think Carl will print?”
With the response:
“She’s stalling… Also, get ready for another round of crap. Media. About this issue.”
The conversation includes additional warnings about information becoming public, including:
“If he keeps digging, we’re going to have a mess.”
Another message adds:
“This has revealed a problem that to resolve there are some things that will be public. The optics could be really bad.”
Daily Ridge attempted to verify the authenticity and context of these alleged communications. On October 17, 2025, Daily Ridge emailed Polk State College spokesperson Madison Fantozzi requesting confirmation or clarification regarding the messages, as well as answers to earlier questions involving the Foundation, mold concerns, and personal identifiable information.
Daily Ridge also carbon copied the entire District Board of Trustees and the Polk State College Foundation Executive Board on that email, ensuring full transparency and giving senior leadership an opportunity to respond. As of publication, no response has been received from the college or any board members.
Because the authors of the messages are not identified within the screenshots and the college has provided no verification, Daily Ridge is presenting these as alleged communications that raise substantial questions about transparency, internal communication, and the handling of public records requests. Public institutions in Florida have a legal obligation to respond to lawful requests and to provide clear explanations when questions involve public funds, workplace safety, or sensitive personal data.
Daily Ridge will continue to seek clarification and additional documentation from Polk State College. Updates will be published as more information becomes available.
