City press release confirms Cox out

Hayward announces appointment of Wells as Council Executive
Pensacola Mayor Ashton Hayward today announced the appointment of former City Attorney William “Rusty” Wells as City Council Executive. Wells will begin work immediately.
As Council Executive, Wells will manage the Office of the City Council and serve as the primary point of contact between City Council members, the Office of the Mayor, and City staff.
“Several City Council members have expressed a desire for more staff support, especially staff familiar with our Charter, ordinances, and other legal issues,” said Mayor Hayward. “Rusty’s decades of legal experience, deep understanding of municipal operations, and familiarity with our city make him an ideal candidate to serve as our new Council Executive. As a true consensus builder, I believe Rusty will empower Council members while helping promote a strong and productive working relationship between my office and the Council.”
Hayward also said that he will work with Wells and City Council members to better define the role of the Council Executive going forward.
“I am very much looking forward to working with the Pensacola City Council once again,” said Wells. “I‘m confident that my years of experience with the City and my background with the transition to the current Charter will benefit the City government and that I will be a resource to help the City Council and Mayor work together to achieve their objectives.”
Wells served as City Attorney from 2008-2011 and previously served both as an Assistant City Attorney and Chief Counsel for the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office. He is a graduate of the University of Florida and the Georgetown University Law Center.
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