In November 2025, Pensacola Mayor D.C. Reeves removed local business owner Lori NeSmith from the West Florida Public Libraries Board of Governance as a favor for Escambia County Administrator Wes Moreno.
- NeSmith’s offense? Trying to get HR Director Nikki Powell to follow the resolution, interlocal agreement, board bylaws and past precedent in the hiring of the new library services director.
But did the mayor have the power to remove her? Moreno, County Attorney Alison Rogers and Commissioner Ashley Hofberger’s aide, Melunie Luna, thought so. Luna even instructed the mayor’s office on how to dismiss NeSmith.
On Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025, Dustin Retherford, the city’s policy & legislative affairs officer, shared with Moreno and Luna County Resolution 2013-17, which did not lay out how the mayor could remove NeSmith.
- “Not sure how to proceed on our end,” he wrote. Read [2025-11-04 19-23] dretherford.
The next day, Luna laid out how to do it—not Moreno or the County Attorney’s office.
“Here is my interpretation regarding the resolution,” she wrote Retherford. “I am sure Adam could assist as well.”
- Luna continued, “The appointing authority (the Mayor) implicitly retains the power to revoke or rescind their own appointment and appoint a successor at any time, particularly when the member no longer meets the criteria or if the Mayor determines the appointee should be replaced.”
She pointed out that the resolution doesn’t have an “express removal” procedure. Luna interpreted Reeves could revoke NeSmith’s appointment at will. All he had to do was notify the Clerk Pam Childers and appoint a replacement.
Luna gave Retherford three steps to take:
1. Prepare a written notice stating that the current appointee is being removed, creating a vacancy.
2. Transmit the notice to the Clerk of the Board of County Commissioners (and City Clerk, if required).
3. Appoint a new individual to fill the vacancy for the remainder of the term (as allowed by Section 4).
She added that no approval from the County Commission or City Council would be required. Read [2025-11-05 16-06] meluna.
- Retherford followed Luna’s instructions, and NeSmith was notified by email a week later, on Nov. 13. Luna was copied on the email. Read NeSmith Removal.
When 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.
- Rogers wrote: “There is nothing that restricts the Mayor’s authority or ability to remove or replace his appointee to this board.”
Another Opinion
Nesmith chose not to challenge Rogers’ opinion. However, a county attorney handling a similar case in the Tampa area saw it differently.
- The Tampa Bay Times reports that the Hillsborough County Attorney’s Office ruled the county commissioners cannot remove Tampa Sports Authority members before the end of their terms because the legislation that established the agency does not contain a provision on the removal of board members.
What are the documents that control the WFPL Board of Governance?
Resolution R2013-17: “Termination of a Board Member. Should any member of the Board of Governance cease to be an elector of the County or cease to occupy the office or position of responsibility set forth in his or her appointment, he or she shall cease to be a member of the Board and shall be replaced by the appointing authority. Additionally, the Board of Governance may recommend to the appointing authority the removal of a Board of Governance member who accrues two (2) unexcused absences of the Board of Governance during the calendar year. Absences may be excused by a majority vote of the members present at any meeting.” Read Resolution Creating Board.
Bylaws: “A BOG member may be voted on removal from appointment at any regular or special meeting. By a unanimous vote of the entire membership of the BOG (member in question withheld), the BOG can then recommend removal of the member to the appointing authority and remove the member from the BOG. The BOG member who is being considered for removal shall not vote on the question.” Read BOG Bylaws.
Interlocal Agreement: No mention of board members’ removal. Read 071513 Library _Interlocal.
The documents regarding the library board do not expressly give the mayor, city council, county administrator or county commission the power to remove a board member. Only the Board of Governance has that power.
- Moreno has refused to bring forward to the Board of County Commissioners applicants to fill the county’s two positions on the Board of Governance. He has told the PNJ that he needs to screen them, maybe even interview them first. The board appointments are made by the BCC, not Moreno.
Pyrrhic Victory
Moreno succeeded in getting NeSmith off the WFPL Board of Governance, but the board still didn’t recommend his choice, Christal Bell-Rivera. When board recommended the more qualified Bradley Vinson and Chris Hare, Moreno and his staff were forced to launch a whisper campaign to discredit and disparage Vinson and the WFPL Board of Governance, a strategy that may cost Moreno and HR Director Nikki Powell their jobs.
- Commissioner Hofberger has supposedly dropped Luna as her aide. However, the buzz is Moreno is trying to keep her on the payroll so Hofberger can rehire Luna after the November election.
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