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Escambia County Human Resources Director Terminated; Ethics Manager Resigns
July 9, 2021
Escambia County Director of Human Resources Jana Still was terminated Wednesday, and the county’s ethics manager has also resigned.
Director for Communications and Public Information Laura Coale told NorthEscambia.com that Still was terminated because Interim County Administrator Wes Moreno wants the human resources department to “go in a different direction”.
“You are immediately relieved of your duties and you are to vacate your office today,” Moreno said in a termination letter to Still. Due to a requirement for a 90 day written notice of termination, Still will be paid through October 5.
“Thank you for your time at Escambia County,” the letter concluded.
Crystal Dadura will serve as interim HR director until a permanent replacement is named. Still was hired by former administrator Janice Gilley with her first day on November 6, 2019. She was a former senior personnel classification and assessment specialist at the Mobile County Personnel Board.
Also, Keith Morris resigned Tuesday as the manager of the Office of Compliance and Ethics effective July 16. Morris was a “leased employee” working through a staffing service. He was also brought on board by Gilley during her first 100 days after she created the Compliance and Ethics office.
Comments
36 Responses to “Escambia County Human Resources Director Terminated; Ethics Manager Resigns”
Bring back WD Childers , he was a saint compared to this group.
@ sueb
Wes is my kind of puppet.
Worked hard for the citizens of Escambia County for 35yrs.
Fair, Honest and a good man.
We should get impeach or do not reelect all the CAREER POLITICIANS. We should limited terms. They shouldn’t be able to serve more than a 4 -6 yr. term. After 6 yrs they shouldn’t be able to run for office after they have been out of office for 6 yrs. That’s final.
Maybe I am slow, but isn’t it correct to presume that an Ethics director, should have a basic grasp of what ethics really are? I can tell you that Keith Morris does not. Maybe Mr. Moreno thinks that way, too…
Moreno doing what he is being paid for his “calming nature” job $173,000 a year & a puppet for the 5 County Commissioners.
This is so sad and that’s why it’s scary to try to find a good working environment with a great boss and management along with co workers. Honestly, when you have a great working environment, you succeed in more ways than most.
A whole lot of folks in here complaining about the Good Ole Boy system, local politics, and local politicians.
Sure hope they stop voting for the GOP reps then. Otherwise, just more of the same.
Wes will be the next Escambia County Scape Goat….I guess now Barry will get his money since he removed the obstacle and no one else will tell him NO.
Cassie Boatwright quit before the crannies in office would have a reason to terminate her also. County commissioners playing there games to cover up themselfs
Wes has climbed the ladder very well.hes one of the good Ole boys.if your not in his click your gone.
Melissa Pino,
Maybe you could enlighten me but I don’t get the reason why someone would be terminated just prior to retirement in the county. They would already be vested in FRS and would get whatever benefits they are entitled to from that service regardless. What would the county gain fr doing that?
Cassie Boatwright in Facilities Management is gone too
Sadly, this is yet one more reason why I believe there should be term limits for every political office; elected and appointed, for every county, city, state and federal position. Career politicians will never have, in my opinion, the best interest of the citizen at the forefront but rather will have only their interest at the forefront. Most politicians have one thing in mind and that is how to fund their wealth using the citizens wallets! If ever you need clarification on why politicians make the decisions that they do, just follow the opportunities provided to them that will provide them more money.
Wes Moreno is only looking out for himself and trying to kiss up to the commissioner’s to get the top job. He has favorites and if you are not one of his cronies you are out of luck.
All of the counties Administration and HR department or dirty rotten to the Core ! They sit back in their big offices, with its brand new furniture feeling their position is so important , trying to conspire just somehow to get more money for themselves . While those real County employees that are beating the street getting the jobs are citizens taxes pay for, sit on whatever they can find and hope it doesn’t break. Certainly will not pay employees what they’re worth all the while making bank. Wonder why no one wants to work for the county.
90 day paid notice for termination? I guess it is easier to spend other people’s (taxpayer) money.
County employees are not exactly the problem. The problem is the overwhelming ignorant electorate in this area. Just a bunch of country bumpkins lol.
to Melissa Pino:
“If a media outlet were going to cover every employee–every veteran staff member just shy of retirement–that Ms. Still terminated, it would need a weekly series.”
This sounds so much like the HR manager at SRSO. She overstepped bounds, lied, colluded with the attorneys to rid the SO of longtime employees and get rid of those who would not kiss her feet…
This just doesn’t pass the smell test
Here we go again Mel Pino is dipping to the EMS world and has NOT ever stepped foot inside the door of the ambulance or public safety world.
Mel remember their is 3 sides to every story. His side, the county, and the truth.
Mel also remember he is under the investigation of the State of Florida
These purges conducted by political outsiders?
The Gillley Affair and other incidents, these are clear indicators of the condition of the political landscape in Escambia County.
If you do not get out and vote, you will end up receiving whatever mediocrity that these commissioners and their appointees serve up.
Vote!
One of two things its either she is a liberal or she will no do business as usual
This isn’t retaliation.
RETALIATION AGAIN…. we need to clean house of the ECBCC ASAP…
Cleaning house of Gilley’s Group. Next should be Fac. Mgmt. director.
Looks like you got a new yes man to the county commissioners
Ethics and Compliance Office ?
Should be reported to the Fraud, Waste and Abuse line.
Kristin Mitchell, because I have been advocating for staff in the EMS department whom I believe to be the targets of terrible abuse by some leadership at the county for over two years now. Why did I do it? Because nobody at the county at that time would help them.
Thank you for the heads up on my typo on Mr. Hoopaugh’s first name, Observation. His first name is Shawn. He deserved me toget that right, as he tried to do the right and honorable thing. I appreciate your catch.
Looks like to me the county needs to clean house from the top. Dirty politics you will get found out you day us coming.
@Mel P.
Why on earth would Matt call you about county business, and you are not employed by any government entity.
I don’t think Hoopaugh’s first name is Matt.
I have been posting elsewhere on the horrible injustice Ms. Still repeatedly did Matt Selover on breaking his due process ten ways til Sunday. I won’t relay the whole thing from start to finish, except to underline the lowest ebb.
When Dr. Edler started coming under heat for the illegal disciplinary action that arose from the bogus QA panel she sat up on Matt, and she recognized that Commissioner Bergosh wasn’t going to let his questions go unanswered, she asked two of the people who sat the board to help her fake the timeline by going down on paper with false information. One of them was happy to help. To Matt Hoopaugh’s credit, however, he wouldn’t do it, and moreover told Matt that he wanted to come clean on the whole thing to HR and Administration. I will never forget the phone call, just before Christmas, I got from Matt, who was elated that the whole thing was finally going to get revealed.
Unbelievably, Jana Still refused to take evidence from Mr. Hoopaugh. Instead, she stated in writing that Matt could not have a second appeal, and that if he wanted further recourse he could go find it in civil court. (Yes, that’s right for all of you who hang that on Commissioner Bergosh–it was Jana Still who encouraged Matt to sue the County, and in fact left him with no other recourse.)
As bogus as that response was, it was made even worse by this fact: Matt had never had a first appeal.
The reason? Both HR (Ed Spainhower) and County Attorney (Charlie Peppler, seconded, I believe, by Kia Johnson) determined that yes, Dr. Edler was harassing Matt, and that she had acted against state statute in reprimanding him. Of course, they got around that easily enough. Jana blasted Ed Spainhower’s opinion and reversed it, and the County Attorney went along for the ride on his broken due process, ignoring the opinions of two of the attorneys in her office.
If a media outlet were going to cover every employee–every veteran staff member just shy of retirement–that Ms. Still terminated, it would need a weekly series.
Thankfully, the County is righting the ship, so there would be no need to dwell on the pain and financial hardship she caused so many people and their loved ones. I really hope that any staff members that suffered arbitrary consequences from Still’s actions reach out through appropriate channels at the County. We’re a lot of good folks down with a whole lot of rebuilding to do.
I had four bosses in the 18 months before I retired, three interims before a permanent selection. Each one wanted “to go in a different direction” and we were worked to death changing directions while maintaining the workload. My experience has led me to believe no “interims” should make major changes in the workforce unless it’s for misconduct or incompetence; let the permanent one change direction since he or she will be around longer.
The immediate effect here is someone will assume interim HR Director duties in addition to working their current job.
eSCAMbia county at its finest.
If you have ever worked with Wes Moreno then you know that you can trust his judgment. Wes has always worked for the good of the people in this county.
Wow. Everything’s political in Escambia County. Keeping it classy as usual….