Libraries

Library Board Chair: “No One Has Told Us Who Is Running the Library”

Dr. Blaine Wall says the Board of Governance learned about its canceled September meeting from the blog, and the county has not answered his request to meet.

The West Florida Public Libraries Board of Governance chair says the board has heard nothing from library management or County Administrator Wes Moreno since Director Christal Bell Rivera resigned Aug. 10.

• Dr. Blaine Wall joined Rick’s Blog Live on Wednesday. He said the board was not notified of her departure, has not been told who the acting director is, and does not know whether a process exists to replace her.

“We’ve heard nothing from anyone in library management since she departed.”

Moreno Cuts Off All Communication

Wall said he did not know the September meeting had been canceled until he heard from the blog. He had earlier asked Moreno for a meeting to discuss:

• How a new director will be selected
• Who is running the library in the interim
• Budget oversight, with deadlines approaching

“I never heard a response,” Wall said.

Two Vacancies

The board has five seats and only three members. Wall said applicants for the openings were announced at the end of 2025, and the names typically go to county commissioners quickly so a replacement is seated when a term expires. That has not happened. He said he does not know whether commissioners have seen the applicants and is getting his information from this blog.

• Five people applied by the deadline, including current member John Bullock, who is eligible for another term. After the September meeting was canceled, Inweekly readers sent in three more names of people interested in serving.

What the Resolution Says

Wall said the board’s bylaws track the founding resolution nearly word for word.

“It says we shall recommend, not we might.”

• The board shall recommend a library director
• The board shall meet monthly
• The chair may call special meetings, which Wall said he has tried twice, and both were ignored

Wall acknowledged the resolution gives the county administrator the final hiring decision. He said it does not give the administrator control over when the board meets.