Children’s Trust needs five new board members

The terms of all five of Gov. Ron DeSantis’s appointees to the Escambia Children’s Trust have expired or will expire in December.

Per Section 125.901, Florida Statutes, the Escambia Children’s Trust shall consist of 10 members, including:

• The superintendent of schools;
• A School Board member as appointed by the School Board;
• The Department of Children and Families District Administrator, or his or her designee;
• A judge assigned to juvenile cases as appointed by the Chief Judge;
• A County Commissioner as appointed by the Board of County Commissioners; and
• Five members appointed by the Governor from candidates nominated by the Board of County Commissioners to serve a four-year term.

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• The terms for Dr. Rex Northrup and Rev. Lonnie Wesley expired in December 2022. Northrup has remained on the board and has continued to vote on items even though he is no longer a board member. Pastor Wesley has not.

Tori Woods, Stephanie White, and David Peaden’s terms expire this December. If the governor doesn’t appoint replacements or reappoint them, the board could be down to five members—from the Escambia County Commission, School Board, DCF, local judiciary, and School Superintendent Keith Leonard.

 

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The Escambia County Board of County Commissioners is seeking applications from county residents to be nominated for gubernatorial appointment to the Escambia Children’s Trust. The deadline for applications has been moved to September 4.

For more info, read this earlier post.