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Apopka interim City Administrator Radley Williams and Finance Director Blanche Sherman were both dismissed late Friday as Mayor Nick Nesta implements a restructuring at City Hall.
The Apopka Chief has a request for comment outstanding with the city, but multiple sources confirmed the firings Saturday morning. In a text message, Sherman declined to comment.
The leadership changes come more than five months after Nesta, a former city commissioner, ascended to mayor with a convincing win over challenger Christine Moore, 62% to 38%. The April runoff election came on the heels of a March municipal election in which voters chose to keep the strong mayor form of government it has had since the city’s founding.
Williams, who came to Apopka in 2020 after 18 years with the city of Lake Mary, had held the position of interim city administrator since April 2025, after former Mayor Bryan Nelson fired City Administrator Jacob Smith. In September 2025, the City Commission considered and then tabled a proposal to make Williams permanent.
Sherman had served as finance director since 2022. She took center stage in the runup to the March election after a November email surfaced showing she had accused then-Commissioner Nesta of “ongoing harassment and constant disrespectful treatment.” Nesta told the Chief she had never raised the issues with him and that, if elected, “My job is to work with anybody and everybody.”
The shakeup also comes a week after City Attorney Cliff Shepard announced his retirement, opening another leadership position with the city.
Nesta is scheduled to kick off his City Hall 101 Town Hall Series at 6 p.m. Monday at City Hall.
Editor’s note: This is a developing story and will be updated.