The Board of County Commissioners of Escambia County, Florida (BCC), adopted a Resolution on September 19, 2002, establishing a Charter Commission pursuant to Chapter 125, Part II of the Florida Statutes.

Under the terms of the Resolution and pursuant to the applicable Florida Statutes, the Charter Commission was directed to “conduct a comprehensive study of the operation of county government and of the ways in which the conduct of county government might be improved or reorganized,” and within eighteen months of its initial meeting to present to the BCC a proposed charter for the holding of a referendum election thereon.

On October 17, 2002, the BCC appointed fifteen citizens to serve on the Escambia County Charter Commission. The names and addresses of the fifteen members of the Charter Commission may be accessed by clicking on "Charter Commission Members."

The initial meeting of the Charter Commission was held on November 14, 2002, and meetings have been held regularly since then to further the Commission's study of county governmental operations.

The Commission has heard testimony from the County Administration and his department heads regarding the duties and functions of the County Administrator; a consultant who has advised other Charter commissions regarding the drafting of charters met with the Commission and provided the members with a "Basic Options List" listing various provisions which Charter Commissions generally consider in drafting a charter: the Commission also heard presentations from three sitting County Commissioners, a former County Commissioner, all of the Constitutional Officers, representatives from the Civil Service Board, the Santa Rosa Island Authority, the Escambia County Utilities Authority, the City of Pensacola, the Area Housing Authority, the Escambia County Housing Finance Authority, the Pensacola - Escambia Promotion and Development Commission, and a former County Administrator.

On April 24, 2003, the Commission commenced a series of eight public input meetings designed to give the public an opportunity to address the Commission regarding the type provisions the public desires to have incorporated in the charter. The schedule of those meetings can be accessed by clicking on "Meetings." The topics to be discussed at these meetings can be accessed by clicking on "Topic Issues."

It is the intent of the Charter Commission to draft a charter for presentation to the BCC by January 23, 2004 in order that the charter can be placed on the first Presidential primary election ballot in March of 2004.