(ESCAMBIA COUNTY) --- Escambia County Deputy Attorney Kristin Hual is not part of the region's succession plan.
County Attorney Allison Rogers, who exits at the end of the year, gave Will Nelson the post, bypassing Hual at the May 25 Board of County Commissioners meeting. The move definitely warrants a why, and commissioners were glad to share why they approved or rejected the plan laid out by Rogers, who praised Haul for the 2023 Florida Association of County Attorneys (FACA) Board of Directors Writing Award.
"Kristin has worked very hard to serve not just the Escambia County Attorney's Office, but also our colleagues across the state," said Escambia County Attorney Alison Rogers in a 2023 NorthEscambia.com report. "It is a very well-deserved honor."
(Photo: NorthEscambia.com)
But there was no honor for the award-winning attorney in the county attorney's succession and transition plan, which was approved by a 3-2 vote, with Commissioners Ashley Hofberger, Steve Strohberger, and Steven Barry nodding yes and Mike Kohler and Lumon May saying no.
(Photo: Commissioner Steven Barry voting yes to County Attorney Allison Rogers's succession plan)
Commissioner Hoffberger announced the transition plan, and Barry immediately said his "yes" comes down to trust in Nelson and "interactions with Will, through the county attorney's office, but also through shade meetings."
"I mean, Allison, I think she has been a great county attorney for the citizens, but she's also been a very close confidant through these terms of public service," Barry said. "I know that there's a lot of effort and emotion that has gone into her drafting this succession plan."
(Photo: NorthEscambia.com)
Trust also backs Strohberger's yes, noting that seeking the public's opinion is a waste of money if Rogers' nod is in stone. The internal nod, rather than public participation, is why Kohler and May disagree with their peers, with Kohler noting a lack of transparency and a "competitive process."
"I think it is healthy," Kohler said. "I think it would help restore the public trust."
May said that if two "capable people currently work in the attorney's office," could apply, then why not "begin a search for everybody that wants to apply."
(Photo: Commissioner Lumon May voting against the county attorney succession plan, calling for a public application for the deputy attorney post)
"I certainly understand the importance of having a smooth transition, but also understand the importance and, in particular, an attorney to be competitive and to have a competitive nature," May said. "I think that this position is important enough for the citizens and for the board to do interviews."
But they don't, with the final one-up vote proving that Hual and the public never had a chance, based on Rogers' sole choice and the three commissioners' approval.
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