Who is CHARLES COX? Sebastian Winery Inheritor, Soon to Be St. Johns County VCB Ex-Chairman, Plotted Secret Meeting, Coup D'etat

St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra & The Beaches Visitors & Convention Bureau Board Reinstates VCB President/CEO Richard Goldman    St. Augustine, Fla. (Aug. 25, 2017) -- Since the decision was reached regarding Richard Goldman's separation from the VCB, the Board of Directors and Mr. Goldman were able to re-visit a number of the core issues around the marketing of the destination. As a result, the Board is pleased to announce that both parties have agreed to retain the services of Mr. Goldman as CEO.

St. Johns County Visitor and Convention Bureau (VCB) Chairman CHARLES COX should resign.

After meeting in secret on June 27, 2017, voting to fire longtime CEO and President RICHARD GOLDMAN, staging a secretive coup d'etat, in a possible Sunshine violation that I've reported to local law enforcement, CHARLES COX was planning to be the interim CEO and President of the St. Johns County Visitor and Convention Bureau, Inc.

The June 27, 2017 VCB "Executive Session" has no minutes.  That's a badge of fraud in corporate law.

No policy reason was given for the firing, only vague incantations in a press release.

No reasons were given to Mr. GOLDMAN or the public.  Mr. GOLDMAN was excluded from the meeting.

No VCB rule allows for secretive "Executive Sessions" of the full Board, former VCB President Bob McNeil testified.

Amid unanimous dissent from dues-paying VCB members and concerned residents, CHARLES COX refused August 24, 2017 to explain the firing, refused to explain whatever  alleged policy disagreements he and GOLDMAN had.

At the August 24, 2017 VCB meeting, Chairman CHARLES COX promised me not to take a salary as "interim" director, but what if he goy the permanent job?  Cocky COX's mishandling of the firing of longtime VCB CEO and President RICHARD GOLDMAN stinks on ice.

But here's the denouement: We, the People won.  RICHARD GOLDMAN was reinstated today.

At a special August 25, 2017 VCB meeting, RICHARD GOLDMAN's firing was reversed.  Thank you.

But if RICHARD GOLDMAN is not safe from cruel social Darwinist employers in the local tourism business, what other employee has any job security?

Of course, VIRGINIA WHETSTONE, quite possibly one of the meanest women in St. Augustine, told me "Florida is a right to work state."  This shibboleth is no substitute for thought, not even for an Vanderbilt University graduate.

All that "right to work state" means is that you can't be forced to pay union dues.

Of course, spooners, ninnies, boobies, scions of segregationists, bigoted TRUMP supporters, the Chamber of Commerce and their ilk advance trite tropes about "right to work.

They're wrong.  We look them in the eye and say NO, NOT IN OJUR TOWN AND OUR TIME.

Comical capitalists and Tinpot Naploons suppose that "right to work" conveys the right to make your employees put up with ditch digger wages, insulting supervisors and arbitrary decisions, somewhat along the lines of the Divine Right of Kings.  ("L'etat c'est moi.")

That's why we need free democratic labor unions in St. Augustine and environs to represent hotel, restaurant, bar and attraction employees, to secure the benefits of job security and higher wages.  That's the American way.

Such unAmerican activities as those perpetrated by CHARLES COX, VIRGINIA WHETSTSONE, PHIL McDANIEL et al. are a stench in the nostrils of our Nation.  How gauche and louche.  How morally bankrupt.

Yesterday, I told VCB and RICHARD GOLDMAN that I hope that Mr. GOLDMAN sues VCB and St. Johns County, whose utterly clueless County Attorney made this firing case a matter of state action possibly remediable in federal court under 42 U.S.C. 1983 and 1985, by falsely making VCB think that it could hold secret meetings, willy nilly.  Now, Mr. GOLDMAN won't have to sue.  We won.

The San Sebastian Winery has on display signs advertising its "LOYALTY" program, but soon-to-be ex-Chairman of VCB CHARLES COX had utterly no loyalty to longtime VCB employee RICHARD GOLDMAN.

Scion of the founder of the San Sebastian Winery, what are CHARLES COX's qualifications?
Please answer in this space:  _.

Congratulations, Mr. COX: your manipulations and machinations make Machiavelli proud.  You were caught, caught, caught breaking the law and you had to reverse yourself.

Your unethical firing of a valued employee is inexplicable, and despicable.

Prediction: VCB is going to get a new Chair, or else run into strong headwinds at St. Johns County Commission.