Keep Keith Fuller: County must tell UF who is boss

Letter: Keep Keith Fuller: St. Johns County needs to tell the University of Florida who is boss
Keith Fuller: County needs to tell UF brass who's boss
Posted: May 31, 2016 - 12:01am


By NORMAN DEAN
Keith Fuller: County needs to tell UF brass who’s boss

Editor: Your May 28 paper had a long and good story concerning Keith Fuller.

The entire attitude of the University of Florida stinks worse then an overused outhouse in August — and the county’s attitude is not much better.

As I read the story since we, the taxpayers, own the building and property and pay Keith Fuller’s salary. The county should tell the university to butt out, as it is St. Johns County taxpayers who benefit from Keith Fuller’s excellent work.

I have known and received help from Keith Fuller for the better part of the 30 years my wife and I have been here.

The great accomplishments he has achieved with the St. Johns County Agricultural Center for all gardeners and our county should be applauded.

Instead of firing him he should be granted a raise!

In my opinion, the county commissioners and the attorney should be very active in removing any control by the university.

If the commissioners and attorney can’t or won’t come to the defense of a longtime, valued employee, it is high time they are replaced with those who work for the betterment of all the residents of St. Johns County.

St. Augustine

COMMENTS

mlawrenc 05/31/16 - 06:30 am 20Great synopsis Mr Dean
The article on Keith Fuller's treacherous dismissal was comprehensive but way too long and convoluted. You summed it up perfectly. Behind all the legalese and excuses by the county, the fact remains NOBODY wants Keith to go except UF, for reasons still unclear. I hope everyone reading your letter contacts the commissioners. It's easy to do from the SJC website. As you aptly stated, who's in charge here? Who's looking out for us? Thanks for writing it.

Willlow 05/31/16 - 08:23 am 21Our County and Our Taxes!
Mr. Fuller's termination is just an ugly symptom of a wretched problem that originated with the "Memorandum of Understanding" that our County Commissioners signed with the UF/IFAS to give the fox the keys to the chicken coop. Is THIS what we pay our elected officials to do to "guard" our tax dollars?

Elections are coming up for THREE Commissioners (although one is running unopposed).

We as a county CAN CANCEL the Memo of Understanding and take back control of these services and who is employed to provide them. It just takes the will to do so, and THREE Commissioners to carry the ball!

Add your comment here and go to www.helpkeithfuller.com to tell the culpable organizations to STOP WASTING OUR MONEY!

John Versaggi 05/31/16 - 08:45 am 21Keith Fuller - An HR Train Wreck
This whole episode smacks of an orchestrated cover-up to hide a mishandled HR case. If the SAR article fairly presented both sides, an HR attorney would have a field day representing Keith Fuller. As an interested citizen, I see one of St. Johns County's best being mishandled by an indifferent institution within the University of Florida. Their motives are unclear. Their rule book is capricious and self serving. SJC Commissioners, please defend our capable employee.

transitioncity 05/31/16 - 09:58 am 30Keith Fuller - the Victim of Power Politics
It's a very sad day when one of the most prominent and effective agricultural leaders in our community is ramrodded out of his position at the Agricultural Center by County and UF/IFAS politics. Mr. Fuller wrote an agricultural column in our local newspaper, trained Master Gardeners, actively supported community gardens, provided guidance to our citizens and also inspired more volunteer agricultural work in our community (St. Johns County) than anyone else to include more volunteer hours than even Duval County.

He has made a significant difference in our community over the years and yet his reward was to be treated unfairly and in a roughshod undignified manner by UF/IFAS and the County. He did nothing wrong, he went beyond the call of duty, but UF/IFAS and the County have tried to twist memorandums as well as find any possible loophole in order to end his agricultural career in the County for no reason other than their own power struggles.

Yes, we need to vote against those Commissioners who were a party to this fiasco (let's keep their record on this matter prominent through the elections), continue to write letters to the editor of the Record, continue to write letters to UF/IFAS officials regarding this matter and continue to keep this matter alive in the hearts and minds of the people of our County.

This was a serious injustice in government politics and it could be us next without the opportunity for due process. Injustice happens everyday but when it is flagrant such as in Mr. Fuller's case we cannot let this go unnoticed!