Last night, Kinsella confirmed that he had taken the job. Navy Federal’s COO had made the offer before he took his two-week vacation in mid-July, and the opportunity was simply too good to pass up. He assured me that his leaving has nothing to do with Florida DOGE and any issues at the city or with Mayor D.C. Reeves. His last day with the city is Wednesday, Sept. 3.
- In his resignation to Mayor Reeves, he wrote, “You will undoubtedly receive questions regarding my resignation, suggesting that my departure was motivated by some dissatisfaction in your leadership. That couldn’t be farther from the truth.”
Kinsella added, “In my long years of service in the military and state government, serving alongside you has been a highlight of my career. You are the exact leader this city needs, and you are the only Mayor for whom I would have taken on the job of City Administrator. It has been a singular honor and privilege to serve under your leadership, and I thank you for your trust, support, and partnership during my tenure.”
Resignation Letter
Dear Mayor Reeves,
It is with a heavy heart and the utmost respect for you and the employees of the City of Pensacola that I tender my resignation as City Administrator, effective September 3, 2025.
Please know this decision was not made lightly. It is not the result of any dissatisfaction with my role or the City. On the contrary, I have found tremendous joy in working alongside the dedicated employees of this City and great satisfaction in collaborating with you to deliver the best possible results for our citizens.
I resign only because an unexpected and extraordinary opportunity has presented itself—one that offers significant career advancement and important benefits for my family’s future. While I recognize the timing is not ideal, there is rarely a perfect moment to make such a transition, and I trust you will understand my decision to act in the best interest of my family.
Over the past year, we have accomplished much together: improving the organizational structure at City Hall; securing unprecedented and much-needed investments in our parks, stormwater systems, and City facilities; and, most importantly, prioritizing investment in our employees. I am proud to have been part of the significant increase in employee engagement and satisfaction achieved under your leadership. The employees of this City are dedicated, talented, and fully committed to their mission, and I will miss working alongside them to serve our community.
You will undoubtedly receive questions regarding my resignation suggesting that my departure was motivated by some dissatisfaction in your leadership. That couldn’t be farther from the truth. In my long years of service in the military and state government, serving alongside you has been a highlight of my career. You are the exact leader this city needs, and you are the only Mayor for whom I would have taken on the job of City Administrator. It has been a singular honor and privilege to serve under your leadership, and I thank you for your trust, support, and partnership during my tenure. It has been an honor to serve you alongside the employees and people of Pensacola.
Sincerely,
Tim Kinsella
Message to City Employees
From: Tim Kinsella
Sent: Thursday, August 14, 2025 10:47 PM
To: Directors Plus ; All City Staff
Subject: Important information
Team Pensacola,
It is with a heavy heart that I must tell you that I will be resigning my position effective 3 September, 2025. I had intended on telling you this in person, but unfortunately the news cycle got ahead of my good intentions.
My reason for leaving is simply because a career opportunity has presented itself that is in the best interests of my family that I cannot ignore. I have loved my time working with each and every one of you. Every day I see the dedication and effort you put in to ensuring this is a wonderful place to live and work for our citizens. You are the reason Pensacola is an amazing place to call home. I thank each and every one of you for your comradeship, friendship, and dedication to the important work you do every day.
I also want you to know that I am incredibly proud of the work we have accomplished together under the leadership of Mayor Reeves. In my 36 years of public service I have never worked with a leader who was more ethical, determined, or dedicated to public good than Mayor D.C. Reeves. I believe with the utmost conviction that he is the right Mayor at the right time for our city. Continue to follow his vision, and you will continue to make Pensacola the City it deserves to be.
Please don’t allow the false negativity that I’m sure will incur from my resignation to affect the important work you are doing. In today’s world there is an unfortunate tendency to infer negativity where there is none. I love our Mayor, I love our City, and I have loved being part of Team Pensacola.
With the greatest respect and admiration,
Tim
CAPT Tim Kinsella, USN (Ret)
Administrator– City of Pensacola
Who is Tim Kinsella?
Mayor Reeves announced Capt. Tim Kinsella, Jr., USN (Ret), as his city administrator on Sept. 17, 2024.
Kinsella had led Mayor Reeves’ transition team following the 2022 election. The retired Navy captain’s final assignment was commanding Naval Air Station Pensacola, where he guided the installation through significant challenges, including a terrorist attack, Hurricane Sally, and the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Under Kinsella’s leadership, NAS Pensacola received the Navy’s Installation Excellence Award as the top large installation service-wide. Following his military retirement, he served as Executive Director of a leadership center at the University of West Florida’s College of Business.
- Kinsella began his naval career in 1989, serving on submarines before graduating from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1996 with a degree in Political Science. He later earned a Master’s degree in Global Leadership from the University of San Diego.
“Tim’s immense experience, leadership acumen, and sterling reputation will be a game changer for city operations,” Mayor Reeves stated last September in the press announcement.
Kinsella described public service as “a calling” and expressed enthusiasm about contributing to the future of the city he calls home. He reported for work on Sept. 30, 2024.
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