Escambia County Unanimously Extends Wes Moreno's Contract — With a Transition Plan Attached

Escambia County, FL (Newsradio 92.3) -- Escambia County commissioners voted 5-0 Thursday to extend County Administrator Wes Moreno's contract — and used the occasion to call for a formal leadership transition plan to begin early next year.

Moreno, who is approaching 40 years with Escambia County, has served as county administrator since 2019. The extension came despite ongoing public criticism connected to the library director hiring controversy that has dominated recent meetings. Multiple speakers at Thursday's meeting either supported or opposed the extension specifically in the context of that controversy, but commissioners across the board expressed confidence in Moreno's long-term record.

Commissioner Mike Kohler, who had publicly pressed Moreno over the library hiring process, voted yes — but attached a condition. He said he expects a formal transition plan to begin taking shape early in 2027, with the goal of identifying and onboarding a successor in a way that preserves institutional knowledge and avoids the kind of abrupt leadership gaps the county has experienced in the past.

Commissioner Lumon May echoed that concern, noting that Moreno's four decades of county experience represent an irreplaceable institutional asset. He pointed to other recent transitions in county government where the absence of a proper handoff created real operational problems.

Moreno addressed the board after the vote, acknowledging that he doesn't always get every decision right but promising to own every one he makes. He expressed full support for a thoughtful transition process beginning in the new year.