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Escambia County Won’t Search For Administrator Anytime Soon, Allowing Interim Wes Moreno To Work For Awhile
July 10, 2021
Escambia County commissioners have decided to move forward for the time being with Wes Moreno in the interim county administrator position.
“I would, at least for some period of time, I’d rather just operate,” District 5 Commissioner Steven Barry said in Thursday night meeting that had ran past 10:30 p.m. “We will at some point in time be having budget workshops, approving a budget, and we do have some spots to fill. Regardless of how long it is, I’d just let’s allow him to work. Let’s just work in the environment we have with the leadership we have until we want to take up the discussion again. I’d like to give it a little bit of time.”
Barry and Commissioner Jeff Bergosh described Moreno has have a professional, but calming nature that Escambia County needs.
“There’s a calming nature, and I think the county could benefit from that for at least some period of time,” Barry said.
“I don’t disagree. No rush. No rush for it right now,” Bergosh said.
The commission voted 4-0, with Commissioner Doug Underhill away from the meeting, to increase Moreno’s salary as interim administrator to $173,000 annually, the low end of the $173,000 to $190,000 range that was advertised during their last search. Janic Gilley, recently fired by the board, was paid $185,000.
Commissioner Robert Bender had placed an item at the end of Thursday’s agenda to discussion who the commission would proceed in the search for a new administrator.
Commissioner Lumon May said that, when the time comes, a national search such be conducted by a national firm.
“I’m not going to support an internal search. We need a professional search,” May said. “We should have the very best person.
“When we go down that path, we have to do that,” Barry replied.
Comments
23 Responses to “Escambia County Won’t Search For Administrator Anytime Soon, Allowing Interim Wes Moreno To Work For Awhile”
( per Judy)the $173,000 is bad enough, but last year the county hired 2 asst at $136,000 + $500 a month gas, each
Not sure who is taking lessons from who City of Century or Escambia County leaders. Looks like they went to the same school of self improvememt.
Wishing you the best Wes Moreno.
Are you kidding me $173,000 salary. Some people/families can barely make ends meet and we are paying this for one person. This is ridiculous. The county really needs to re-evaluate what they are paying in these higher paying jobs that are way out of line with the rest of what other businesses pay.
Good luck to the New County Administrator.
From the looks of the comments he may have a few current / ex employees that will never be happy !
Typical employees wherever you go.
Nothing new here!!! Same ol games are being played, good ol’boy politics at it’s finest!!! Maybe it’s time to elect the county administrator instead of allowing the board of crooks to appoint someone.
Remember this in 2004: The owner of a strip club says she will make formal complaints accusing Escambia County Administrator George Touart of using his position to trigger a drug investigation after she refused to drop charges his son made on the official’s credit cards.
The county commissioners took care of this saying the Administrator was good & clean including his family and his ethics & businesses he owned were ok.
Moreno, you are just a puppet.
If the county commissioners can get ride of County Administrator, we the public need to request all 5 county commisioners to RESIGN, now. No pay, no back pay, no retirement, etc.
Don’t keep voting for the same tainted county government that has become the standard here.
If enough people vote for change, the old will be washed away. That is their greatest fear.
So after he helps the voting block get there $250,000 ea, what will they do with him then?
AsYOU MIGHT RECALL, WILSON ROBERTSON appointed someone in a position and got in trouble about it. Seems to me this job should be advertised, as i recall the term ,EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYMENT.
Escambia County is awake to the games, every citizen needs to speak up and speak out against corruption.
I’m sorry. But doesn’t $170k+ seem REALLY high pay for this job? Other than Navy Federal coming in years ago, what magnificent progress have we made?
I know, some probably think I’ve just crawled out from under a rock, but who else is sick of hearing “this is what we have to pay to attract the best and the brightest,” only to later get told all the reasons why our government NEEDS more $$$?
If we can afford over $200k (factoring in benefits), shouldn’t we be able to abolish the Local Option Sales Tax?
Wes pack your office up to the bare minimum so when BARRY Is DONE using you he can tell you to leave. You will be the next one out of the county. Unless you are such a YES MAN that you will get him his retirement.
Vote all them out next time
If anyone can watch this playing out and not see that all this is just a continuation of the same Ole Good Old Boy club Escambia county government is known for then you need to get your vision checked! You want to know why our county commissioners do this so openly and without fear? Because they have done it for years without penalty! So taxes go up and fees increase evey year to cover the cost of thier squandering of money. But we keep allowing it and voting them back in…Maybe we should follow thier lead and try putting someone new in thier positions. I can’t help but wonder if it might make things run better? Maybe I could get road and right-of-way maintenance done without having to make multiple calls requesting it. Maybe everyone would get equal services even if we don’t live in the higher income neighborhoods or names appear on high amount political donors list…Just maybe.
What does a “calming nature” mean? Go along to get along?
I worked under Wes Moreno, and a yes man he is and will do anything to move to the top. He is a pro at it, and he will keep the job bc the county commissioners will let him stay as long as he does what they tell him to do. Someone said he was fair, yes if it benefits him. I hope they will get someone else more qualified than he is and let him go back to the Road Dept.
In my military career, I filled in as the NCOIC for well over a year. A position higher than my pay grade. I never got the benefit of my buddies voting me a pay raise to match the interim position.
$173,000 a year can keep Moreno calm and will agree to anything the other 5 county commissioners want.
What is a “calming nature” – Calm’s mission is to make the world happier and healthier.Calm is also expanding offline in various ways that bring more peace, clarity, and perspective into people’s busy lives.
Either the County Commissioners are being lazy or they just do not want to do the right thing. They should start their search NOW. The only reason, I can see them not doing it, is they plan on changing the title from Interim to permanent in the near future, Another example of our County Commissioners not wanting to do the right thing. It appears they only want yes people. Maybe its time for County Commissioner to be investigated again.
All because he is a yes man for county commissioners. His turn to be gone will come.
I can’t get past the salary…..worked in this county 40 years….my pay has always been low.
I see you Steven Barry. Voting a pay raise for your buddy is easy, winning your next election ain’t.
I’ve done it twice, it won’t happen again.
Oh no a good Ole boy in there..just what we need