The Florida Commission on Ethics is moving forward on a complaint filed against Osceola County School Board member Jay Wheeler, who also is being targeted in a separate investigation on election campaign finances.

Florida Commission on Ethics investigator Ronald D. Moalli has notified community activist Tom Long, of St. Cloud, that he and his staff would be conducting the investigation into possible ethics violations by Wheeler. Long, in filing a complaint against Wheeler, cited numerous improprieties, one of which included hanging a political sign at a school after being advised not to, as well as handing out campaign material to students.

“Mr. Wheeler’s actions are knowingly inconsistent with the proper performance of his public duties as a school board member,” Long stated in his complaint to the Ethics Commission. “These actions had the intent to convey a special privilege and benefit to himself.”

Long also filed a complaint against Wheeler alleging inappropriate usage of campaign funds. Long is accusing Wheeler of not reporting a $1,000 expenditure to Osceola High School for a sponsorship sign; the use of campaign funds to buy gasoline and auto insurance for personal use; using campaign funds for cellular phone use for himself, his wife and his daughter; and using campaign funds to pay for cable television, Internet and a home phone.

Wheeler has said he has already admitted to making a mistake in not reporting the expenditure to Osceola High School and has rectified the matter on official documents. He has said the other allegations are “nonsense.”