The Pensacola State College Board of Trustees delivered an unprecedented rebuke to President Ed Meadows last week, deadlocking 4-4 on a proposed $25,000 raise and $50,000 bonus—despite an official evaluation that supposedly showed “unanimous positive confidence” in his leadership.
The January 20 vote split with three brand-new trustees appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis joining Trustee Zack Smith in blocking the compensation package, while the board’s old guard voted to approve it.
Trustee Smith Had Another Agenda
The PNJ reported that Smith accused Meadows of providing “inaccurate information to me prior to a board meeting.” The trustee felt the president hadn’t been as aggressive with his and Gov. DeSantis’ agenda for state colleges. Smith had been upset about Achieve Escambia and its focus on diversity.
- Background: Zack Smith also serves as a University of West Florida trustee. He was as a catalyst and political attack dog whose first-week actions on the UWF Board sharply escalated pressure on President Martha Saunders and helped make her position untenable, even though there is no formal record that he directly demanded her resignation or cast a vote to remove her.
The three new appointees—Richard Holzknecht, Todd Leonard, and Audrey McDonald—sided with Smith, claiming that they didn’t have enough information to vote for the raise. Holzknecht and Leonard are Pensacola residents and should have been aware of Dr. Meadows’ significant accomplishments, as supported by the evaluations.
It’s as if the new trustees were instructed to follow Smith’s lead.
No More Deadlocks
Governor Ron DeSantis announced the appointment of Oscar Locklin to the Pensacola State College District Board of Trustees.
Oscar Locklin: Locklin is an attorney and shareholder at Locklin, Saba, Locklin, & Jones, P.A., where his practice focuses on real estate, wills and trusts, and probate law. Active in his community, he has served as a volunteer with the Jay Church of Christ and is a member of the Santa Rosa Education Foundation Board of Directors. Locklin earned his bachelor’s degree from Harding University and his juris doctor from Florida State University.
This appointment is subject to confirmation by the Florida Senate.
Questions About Transparency
Meadows’ current contract runs through June 30, 2027. His base salary is $353,558, plus benefits including a vehicle and retirement annuity. The board will consider a contract extension at a future meeting.
- Here’s a detail that shouldn’t be buried: PSC is only now—in February 2026—beginning to livestream board meetings. The next PSC Board of Trustees meeting is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. on Feb. 17.
Are Floridians aware that the DeSantis administration is conducting an ideological and hostile takeover of their colleges and universities? This isn’t about righting some overly leftist agenda: PSC and UWF are probably the most conservative campuses in the state! This is about setting up an elite control network for ideologues to experiment and politicians to line their pockets. Neither of those serves the public interest.