BY MARK J. CRAWFORD
Telegraph Editor
STARKE — Edrick Hamilton would already be serving as Bradford County’s new 4-H extension director except for the discovery of statutory requirements governing the hiring process.
Hamilton is well known for his service to Bradford County schools. He has most recently been working as the behavioral resource teacher at Southside Elementary School, and he is the founder of the 12 Guys with Bowties 12 Girls with Pearls youth organization, which mentors participants and teaches them the value and rewards of community service. Countless hours have been spent mentoring these kids over the past seven years, and on other voluntary efforts at the school and on the executive board for Leadership Florida. He’s also planning a run for school board.
“I work hard for my community,” he told county commissioners on Feb. 7.
Last September, the opportunity to become the county’s next 4-H agent presented itself, and he called it the answer to his prayers — offering him a new leadership position to advance his career and provide opportunities for his family.
Hamilton said he interviewed three times and was offered the position last November. He accepted on Dec. 2 and subsequently informed his supervisors at Southside that he was set to start his new job on Feb. 1.
On Jan. 30, Hamilton said he received a text message that the University of Florida had halted the hiring process based on a request from the Bradford County Commission.
On Jan. 19, the commission had approved a late addition to the agenda — a resolution requesting the University of Florida to present three qualified candidates to the commission so the commission may select the next 4-H agent. It is the process set forth in the Florida Statutes. The law states the commission will make the selection, not the extension office or university.
This took place after Hamilton resigned from his job at Southside and just days before he was expecting to begin working for the extension office.
“As the head of a household, I rely on this job and was told everything was a go for me. This last minute notice put my family and me in an bind. I have 4-year-old son to take care of,” he said.
Had it not been for an extension of his employment at Southside through the first of March, Hamilton would be without a job.
“As a qualified candidate who supports this community, I applied for the job, I was offered the job, I accepted the job and did nothing wrong, yet I’m going through what I’m going through today without this job,” he said.
He said he was the best candidate for the position and asked the board why it took them so long to act, when he was offered the job in November.
Hamilton had several supporters at the meeting, and one of them was Extension Director Samara Purvis. A former 4-H extension agent herself, Purvis discussed the importance of 4-H during a presentation on the extension office’s activities. Summing up, she said 4-H is important to Bradford County and she hoped they could move forward with the selected candidate so they could continue doing great things.
Commissioner Carolyn Spooner said their new legal representation brought the statute requirements to the board’s attention. On the other hand, an agreement was made prior to passing the resolution, she said.
“We’re impacting the life of a person who has been a pillar of our community,” she said, asking the board to reconsider moving forward with the extension’s hire.
“I would greatly appreciate that,” Purvis said.
The board may take up the issue again at a future meeting.
