The Captiva Erosion Prevention District\u2019s (CEPD) administrator who recently resigned has alleged unprofessional conduct by two commissioners as his reason for seeking employment elsewhere.<\/p>\n
On June 19, then General Manager Brighton Heard submitted a letter to the CEPD to serve as his formal notice of resignation from the organization, with his final day of employment that day.<\/p>\n
His letter reads as follows:<\/p>\n
\u201cAlthough I have accepted an exceptional professional opportunity with a company in Louisiana, I want to be clear that this opportunity was not the reason I initially began seeking employment elsewhere. My decision to explore other opportunities was driven by my unwillingness to continue working in an environment where, in my view, unprofessional, disrespectful, and counterproductive conduct has been permitted to persist within the district, particularly from Commissioners John R. Wade III and Rene Miville.<\/p>\n
\u201cAfter more than a year with CEPD, I can confidently say that the toxicity and dysfunction within the organization emanates entirely from those two individuals. In my experience, the district\u2019s challenges are not the result of its staff, professional partners, community members, or the other commissioners who have worked in good faith to move CEPD forward. Rather, the instability and hostile environment that have made this position unsustainable are directly tied to the conduct and influence of Commissioners Wade and Miville.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe conduct I have experienced has made it impossible to continue serving this district in good faith. From what I understand, the same pattern of behavior that contributed to the departure of the two previous administrators has continued unchecked. That should concern every member of this board and every resident of Captiva who depends on the CEPD to operate with professionalism, competence, and integrity.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have worked hard to move the district forward, build productive relationships with agencies and community members, stabilize operations, and position CEPD for future success. I have done so under circumstances that have too often been made unnecessarily difficult by the personal agendas, disrespectful comments, and conduct that undermines staff, distracts from the district\u2019s mission, and damages the credibility of the organization.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is deeply disappointing to leave at a time when I have made so much institutional progress and have built meaningful relationships with so many members of the Captiva community. I have a great deal of respect for the residents, vendors, agency partners, and professionals I have worked with during my time here. I also want to make it abundantly clear that I have a tremendous amount of respect for the other three commissioners, who I believe have served the district with sincerity, bona fide professionalism, and a genuine desire to see CEPD succeed.<\/p>\n
\u201cUnfortunately, as long as Commissioners Wade and Miville remain in the positions of commissioners and are permitted to continue engaging in behavior that drives away qualified professionals, undermines staff, and prioritizes personal conflict over public service, CEPD will continue to struggle. No organization can function effectively when its leadership tolerates conduct that discourages competent professionals from remaining in service to the district.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am writing this letter not out of anger, but because this behavior should not continue to be minimized, excused, or swept under the rug. The community deserves to understand why yet another administrator is leaving. The district\u2019s challenges are not simply financial, operational, or regulatory. They are also cultural and governance related. Until that is acknowledged directly and remediated, CEPD will continue to face the same pattern of instability.<\/p>\n
\u201cI wish the district, its staff, its professional partners, and the Captiva community the very best. I sincerely hope the board will reflect on the damage caused when unprofessional conduct is allowed to become routine, and I hope CEPD is able to find a capable professional who can continue the important work of protecting Captiva\u2019s shoreline.\u201d<\/p>\n
In a request for comment, Miville denied the allegations outlined in the letter.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs you know, there are three sides to a story,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Miville reported that he never shouted at or was mean to Heard and that he was disappointed by the letter because he was the one who made the commission aware of Heard as a potential candidate.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s my opinion that he was overwhelmed,\u201d he said, alleging that Heard would lash out instead of finding a workaround in situations. \u201cI think he internalized everything as a personal attack.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI did everything possible to help Brighton,\u201d Miville added.<\/p>\n
He reported that he was not surprised by his resignation.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think he saw this as too much of a challenge and didn\u2019t think he was appreciated,\u201d Miville said. \u201cWe were hoping to get a go-getter and someone with transitional skills. He wasn\u2019t best suited for the job.\u201d<\/p>\n
He noted that Heard worked hard on the CEPD\u2019s invasive species programs and secured funds for the removal of iguanas and Australian pines for the island. But, he was seeking a \u201cbig raise\u201d from the commission for his one-year performance review and the CEPD just finished a beach renourishment.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think that\u2019s a huge ask,\u201d Miville said. \u201cObviously, he wasn\u2019t happy and wanted to make a lot more money.\u201d<\/p>\n
As for the departure of previous administrators that Heard noted in his letter, he acknowledged that there is a high turnover rate at the CEPD, but added it is a \u201cfalse narrative\u201d that everyone quit.<\/p>\n
According to the Islander-Reporter archives:<\/p>\n
Former Deputy Director John Riegert was terminated in April 2025 \u2014 a move proposed by Wade as a result of Heard\u2019s hiring and belief in a redundancy of duties. He was rehired in October 2022 after leaving the CEPD in October 2021. Prior to his departure, Riegert had served as administrator director since December 2020 and worked as a consultant and interim staffer for a few months before that.<\/p>\n
Former Executive Director Daniel Munt was terminated in October 2024 \u2014 a move proposed by Wade during a special meeting. He was hired in January 2021 as technical director and his title changed in February 2022 to director of operations. In August 2022, Munt was promoted to the executive director.<\/p>\n
Former Executive Director Jennifer Nelson was terminated in June 2022 \u2014 a move proposed by Miville. She was extended the offer for employment at the end of 2020 and started in January 2021.<\/p>\n
Former Administrator Joe Wagenti was terminated in August 2020, along with then Assistant Administrator Kimmy Foulds. He was promoted to the position in December 2019 after the termination of the then administrator. Wagenti was hired in March 2019 to serve as deputy administrator.<\/p>\n
Former Administrator Carolyn Weaver was terminated in December 2019. She was given the title permanently in December 2018 after serving in an acting capacity after the then administrator resigned to accept a job at Collier County. Weaver was hired as the assistant administrator in August 2018.<\/p>\n
Wade did not respond to a request for comment as of press time.<\/p>\n
Chairman Bob Walter declined to comment on the content of Heard\u2019s letter.<\/p>\n