St. Lucie County Pulls Relatives From Advisory Boards Over Ethics Concerns

County will update policies to allow commissioners' family members to serve, despite initial conflict-of-interest rules.

Feb. 23, 2026 at 10:03am

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

St. Lucie County will not reinstate three relatives of two commissioners who were removed from citizen advisory boards 'out of an abundance of caution' in response to conflict-of-interest concerns. The county plans to update its policies to align with Florida law, which allows relatives to serve on boards, but prohibits commissioners from appointing their own family members.

Why it matters

This case highlights the tension between upholding ethics rules and the practical challenges of finding volunteers to serve on local advisory boards. While the county initially cited conflict-of-interest concerns, officials acknowledged the difficulty in recruiting participants, leading them to revisit the nepotism policy.

The details

After being elected in 2024, Commissioner Erin Lowry appointed Commissioner James Clasby's uncle to the Citizens Budget Development Committee, and Clasby appointed Lowry's father-in-law to the same board, despite the county website stating members "must not be related to a county commissioner or county employee involved with the committee or supporting department." The county initially removed the relatives from the boards, but now plans to update its policies to allow commissioners' family members to serve, as long as the commissioners do not appoint their own relatives.

  • In August 2025, a resident emailed the county administrator about the apparent rule violation.
  • In November 2025, the county announced the two relatives would be removed from the budget committee and Clasby's brother-in-law would be removed from the Tourist Development Council.
  • On February 6, 2026, the county's budget committee website was updated to reflect the revised policy allowing commissioners' relatives to serve.

The players

Erin Lowry

A county commissioner who appointed Commissioner James Clasby's uncle to the Citizens Budget Development Committee.

James Clasby

A county commissioner who appointed Lowry's father-in-law to the Citizens Budget Development Committee.

George Landry

The St. Lucie County Administrator who announced the removal of the relatives from the advisory boards.

Jennifer Mills

A Port St. Lucie resident who emailed the county administrator about the apparent rule violation.

Ben Wilcox

The research director and co-founder of Integrity Florida, a nonpartisan government watchdog, who commented on the potential erosion of public trust when family members are appointed to positions.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“I was told by the county attorney that it's fine to appoint the people that I appointed. There's no way on earth I would have appointed them otherwise. The website is an error.”

— James Clasby, County Commissioner

“Under Membership Details, it states that members must not be related to a county commissioner. How is it acceptable for Joe Lowry Sr. to be appointed by Commissioner Clasby when he is related to Commissioner Lowry?”

— Jennifer Mills, Port St. Lucie Resident

“These commissioners are clearly trying to evade and circumvent their own rules. When the county adopted the rule prohibiting family members from serving on advisory boards, it clearly foresaw a potential problem.”

— Ben Wilcox, Research Director and Co-Founder, Integrity Florida

What’s next

The county plans to review the rules for each advisory board and update its policies to align with Florida law, which allows relatives to serve on boards but prohibits commissioners from appointing their own family members.

The takeaway

This case highlights the challenges local governments face in balancing ethics rules with the practical need to find volunteers for advisory boards. While the initial conflict-of-interest concerns were valid, the county's decision to update its policies demonstrates a willingness to adapt and find a compromise that upholds ethical standards while addressing the practical realities of board membership.