Letter: Experience Matters

Jean K. Lee
St Augustine, FL

Dear Historic City News Editor:

I worked at the St. Johns County Clerk of Courts office as Secretary to County Commission, Secretary to Clerk of Courts Bud Markel & Witness Coordinator.

I can tell you, from experience, it takes an enormous amount of knowledge and experience to run the Clerk’s office and its various departments. The Clerk wears so many hats running numerous departments.

It is so very important that on August 30th you cast your vote for George Lareau, the only qualified man on the ballot. George Lareau has 32 years of experience, 19 of which were as Chief Deputy for Cheryl Strickland, who retired in August, 2015.

When Cheryl Strickland retired, she requested Governor Scott appoint George Lareau as her replacement. George Lareau was sworn in by The Honorable Charles Tinlin. However, the Governor later appointed Hunter Conrad to be interim Clerk of Courts until the election.

Therefore, George had to resign in order to run for office. Hunter Conrad came to the Clerk’s office with ZERO experience. I am sure he is very nice gentleman. That does not qualify him to run the St. Johns County Clerk office.

It takes a fully qualified person to run the Clerk’s office. If you look at the history of past Clerks from Hiram Faver, Oliver Lawton, Bud Markel, Cheryl Strickland and George Lareau (Chief Deputy), they all started as deputy clerk and worked their way up.

Ask yourself, who in the world would hire someone with NO experience to run your county office? This is your tax dollars at work. That decision truly makes no sense at all.

I really don’t think there is an executive in charge, anywhere, who had any sense at all, would hire someone with NO experience and put him in charge. Not unless, there is a political motive.