Libraries:
The Library Board of Governance is on the county agenda, and supporters fear commissioners may dissolve it.
The Friends of the West Florida Public Library sent an urgent message to supporters Wednesday afternoon: the Escambia County Commission will discuss the Library Board of Governance at its meeting tonight, Thursday, Oct. 1. The agenda does not say the board could be dissolved. The Friends are concerned that is why the item is there.
If you go
- Public Forum: 4:30 p.m.
- Commission Meeting: 5:30 p.m.
- Location: County Commission Office, 221 Palafox Place, Pensacola
- Can’t make it? The Friends urge supporters to contact their county commissioner in advance.
Why the Friends Say It Matters
The board has a history. Commissioners created the Library Board of Governance in 2013. It advises them on library matters, including the hiring of new library directors.
Its recommendation was overruled. Board members spent countless hours reviewing resumes and holding open meetings to interview candidates. At their March 2026 meeting, commissioners voted 4-1 to accept the County Administrator’s choice, Christal Bell-Rivera, instead.
- Bell-Rivera has since resigned
- The library system now has an interim director, who is identified on the website.
- The search process hasn’t been revealed.
Removing the Board of Governance from the hiring process removes the democratic process from Library hiring.
The timing is the concern. Friends President Kathy McCartan wrote that, with no permanent director, the board provides essential stability for the library system. She added that free library services are more valuable than ever as families struggle economically.
The Context: “When Citizens Roar”
The Friends’ alarm follows months of silence from the board itself. In this week’s Inweekly Outtakes column, “When Citizens Roar,” I wrote about the Sept. 24 public forum, where residents lined up at 8:30 a.m. to ask commissioners about the library board.
The administrator’s bet. Since March, County Administrator Wes Moreno has assured commissioners that the public would lose interest in two weeks. We are now in month seven.
Moreno bet that people would get tired before the institution did.
- The cost of waiting. The board’s May, June, July, August and September meetings were canceled. No meetings meant no minutes, no votes and no public comment. Two vacancies stayed open, and Board Chair Blaine Wall’s letters and special-meeting requests went unanswered.
What changed on Sept. 24. Commissioner Lumon May called the situation a “debacle” and vowed to put the board on the agenda himself if the administrator wouldn’t. Another commissioner said the board should either be presented or dissolved. The county attorney’s office explained on the record that the commissioners, not Moreno, hold the power.
What to Watch Tonight
- Will County Administrator Wes Moreno give a detailed explanation for his inaction regarding the Library Board of Governance and supply supporting documentation?
- Will commissioners say what action they are considering? The agenda does not.
- Will the names of seeking to fill the two vacancies before read into the record?
- Will commissioners order Moreno to resume regular board meetings?
A promise from the dais isn’t a motion that passes. But in March, the message was that nobody cared. Moreno told the commissioners privately that the issue would die down in two weeks. Tonight, the library board is on the agenda because people kept showing up.
Inweekly will keep tracking what commissioners say and do. Read the full Outtakes column in this week’s issue of Inweekly.
From: Friends of the West Florida Public Library
Date: Wed, Sep 30, 2026 at 4:17?PM
Subject: URGENT- Library Board of Governance
To: Kathy McCartan
Dear Friend of the Library,
The Escambia County Commissioners will discuss the Library Board of Governance at the County Commissioners’ Meeting tomorrow night, October 1. Although there is no statement on the agenda that the Board of Governance may be dissolved, there is concern that this is why it is an agenda item.The Public Forum begins at 4:30 pm followed by the Commissioners’ Meeting at 5:30 pm. The Commissioners’ meeting takes place at the County Commission Office, 221 Palafox Place in Pensacola. Please plan to attend or reach out to your County Commissioner to express your opinion in advance.
WHY DOES THIS MATTER? The County Commissioners established the Library Board of Governance in 2013. The Board advises the Commissioners on Library matters including the hiring of new Library Directors. At their March 2026 meeting, the Commissioners voted to accept the County Administrator’s recommended candidate for the Library Director Position, Christal Bell-Rivera. Members of the Board of Governance had spent countless hours reviewing resumes and holding open meetings to interview candidates. Their recommendation was overruled by the County Administrator and the Commissioners voted 4-1 to install Christal Bell-Rivera. She has since resigned and there is a new Interim Director of Libraries. Removing the Board of Governance from the hiring process removes the democratic process from Library hiring.
At this critical time, without a permanent Library Director in place, the Library Board of Governanance provides essential stability for our library system. As families struggle economically, access to free library services is more valuable than ever. Please help us support vital library services.
Sincerely,
Kathy McCartan, President