Library Power Grab – Public Records

These are the foundational documents for the West Florida Public Libraries Board of Governance.

Resolution Creating Board
071513 Library _Interlocal
BOG Bylaws

Jan. 22, 2013 Meeting Videos

Interim County Administrator George Touart: “The Board of Governance will run the library system. … Correct me if I’m wrong, Mr. Attorney, the way I understand it right now, the Board of Governance would be totally in charge of the library system. The recommendation of a director would be to the county administrator, ultimately to this board. The budgetary situation is an annual situation that you have to vote on. … Ultimately the bylaws that the board attorney’s office works with the governance board, ultimately those would have to be approved by this board. But the day-to-day operation of the library system in Escambia County will be under the Board of Governance that y’all appoint, the three members by y’all and the two by the city.”

PART 1

PART 2

Interim County Administrator George Touart: “The Governance Board will be the authoritative board.”

Job Requirements – WFPL Library Services Director

A news brief about the hiring Todd Humble as the library director, published by the Pensacola News Journal in September 2015: Todd Humble spent 13 years as a library supervisor at the North Richland Hills Public Library near Fort Worth, TX. With more than 30 years of experience, he has also served as a library director for the Finney County Public Library in Garden City, KS; as a high school and middle school library media specialist in Michigan; and as a teacher in adult education and a computer consultant for small businesses. Humble double majored at E. Michigan University, earning a bachelor’s degree in computer science and history. He also holds a master of library and information science from Wayne State University, where he graduated with Beta Phi Mu honors.

April 2015 Job Posting

2015 Board of Governance Minutes Showing the Hiring Process
2015-03-23 Minutes – Initial Discussion of BOG Responsibilities
2015-04-06 Minutes
2015-04-20 Minutes
2015-05-18 Minutes
2015-05-28 Minutes
2015-06-01 Minutes
2015-06-24 Minutes
2015-06-29 Agenda
Humble Job Offer

Christal Bell Rivera
Bell-Rivera Resume

Rivera Application Letter

Application of Director Note: She says she will not contact a commissioner about this job post (Page 2) and states she has a Masters degree—she did not. She also states she has at least five years of managerial/administrative experience in a public library. She started work in June 2022, meaning she had less than four years of experience, which she admitted later on the application.

Job Requirement—Director’s Aide: Associate’s Degree or a two-year technical certificate and at least one year of administrative or management experience in a government setting; or, a combination of education and experience equivalent to these requirements.

Job Requirement— Deputy Director: Bachelor’s degree in Library Science, Information Science, Business Management, Business Administration, Public Administration, or a related field and at least five years of experience in a supervisory or management position and at least five years of budgetary experience; or a combination of education and experience equivalent to these requirements.

New Job Description for 2026 Library Director

Emails Changing Out Board Communicated with Library Staff
Follow-up August 25, 2025 Library Board Meeting – Lori NeSmith – Outlook from Christal
9-5-25 response to email requesting letter copy

Blaines letter to County – 8-29-25

Board Minutes – August 2025-February 2026
august-2025-minutes
september-2025-minutes
oct-20-2025-special-board-meeting-minutes
october-27-regular-meeting-2025-minutes
nov-10-2025-special-meeting-minutes
december-8-special-minutes
december-15-regular-minutes
january-13-special-minutes
janaury-26-2026-regular-minutes
2-2-26-special-meeting-minutes-updated-final
minutes-february-23-2026

Removal of Board Member Lori NeSmith

In May 2025, County Administrator Wes Moreno told the Board of County Commissioners that this meeting was where he and his staff were treated “rudely” and “hatefully.”

Audio of the Oct. 27, 2025, Board of Governance discussion. The overall tone was frank and, at times, pointed, but it stayed professional. No rudeness or hate.

On Oct. 31, Moreno called Mayor D.C. Reeves and asked him to remove NeSmith from the board. Commissioner Ashlee Hofberger’s aide, Melanie Luna, instructed Dustin Retherford, the city’s policy & legislative affairs officer, how to do it.

[2025-11-04 19-23] dretherford.
[2025-11-05 16-06] meluna.

Read LN BOG Removal 11-13-2025

NeSmith emailed County Attorney Allison Rogers seeking a legal opinion. Rogers responded within minutes: the mayor had full authority to remove his own appointee. Read Alison Rogers Response to LN removal from BOG.

Bradley Vinson

2026-1121-Bradley-Vinson-resume

2026-1121-JobApplication5687766295 (2)

2026-1124-Bradley Vinson Full Interview

BOG Recommends Vinson

Bowers Rejection

BOG_Wall Pushes Back