On Tuesday, two Oakley Rotary Club members defended its club after online commentary by councilmember George Fuller.
Citing “facts matter”, Oakley City Councilmember Aaron Meadows took 5-minutes to correct multiple items posted by Fuller in a post entitled “Cronies Have Arrived Back in Oakley” where he addressed accusations by Fuller regarding the Enrico Cinquini Park, E Cypress Project Funding, McDonald’s, Quick Quack Car Wash and the Oakley Rotary Club.
Later in the meeting, City Manager Josh McMurray also defended the club stating he believes in the mission and wears the pin with pride.
Fuller, for whatever reason, accused councilmembers and Rotarian’s Shannon Shaw, Hugh Henderson, and Meadows of being a voting block while also insinuating McMurray, also a rotary club member, of colluding with the voting block on city business. Fuller, once a rotary club member, was asked to leave the club in 2020.
Here is a rundown of councilmemember Aaron Meadows commentary:
“Over the last several meeting we have discussed a social media policy and with that I have mentioned that I am very supportive of the First Amendment and the Constitution of the United States and we should have the right to say what we want, councilmembers also. But, with that, comes responsibility.
I am referencing Councilmember Fullers post from several days ago on NextDoor. I want to make some corrections.
First off, its not the Edward Cinquini Park, his name is Enrico Cinquini Park. He went by Rico. Rico did a lot for this community. He was here for many years. He started with drug store in Oakley Plaza. Ended up being a real estate broker. I was fortunate to know him as a young kid, I consider him a friend and a mentor.
He served on the Oakley-Knightsen Fire Board for many years. Served on OMAC, the predecessor of the Oakley City Council. He served on OMAC from day 1 until it went away June 30, 1999. I served with him from March 1993 until the end.
Rico was also a World War II Veteran serving in the Marine Corps under General Chesty Puller. He did a lot for Oakley, so lets get the name right.
I want to talk about comments about moving monies around. To me, facts matter. I did not introduce any resolution for the Enrico Cinquini Park. The Enrico Cinquini Park is at the northwest corner of Carpenter and Rose. Seeno homes started working on that project in the 1990’s if not earlier… it was requested by Contra Costa County, it was not at my doing.
Comments that Cypress Road is being defunded. Cypress Road is not being defunded. Actually in the work session tonight, we are looking at adding another million dollars to Cypress Road. All five of us up here, from Day 1, have had a commitment to make improvements to Cypress Road.
Meadows also addressed comments about McDonalds and QuickQuack saying he did vote for them because of the Constitution and belief in property rights and the owners having rights and homeowners have rights.
“We all had the same information that we were going to be sued and we would have most likely lost and it most likely would have cost us millions of dollars. Those millions of dollars would not be going to Cypress Road, the library or potential parks, they would be paying out the owner of the property.
The next thing I want to address is the Rotary Club of Oakley that keeps being brought up. I am a member, three of us sitting up here are members. The city manager is a member. This last weekend, Rotary Club of Oakley had its 5th Anniversary Gala and the purpose is to raise funds for projects we do in Oakley. We buy dictionaries for third graders; we painted maps on every elementary school in Oakley. This week, we will be presenting 8 seniors at Freedom High School with $1,000 scholarships. We are taking on the food and toy distribution at Christmas time. Those are some of the things the Oakley Rotary Club do.
I don’t appreciate it having it singled out continuously. Why are we getting singled out? Facts matter.”
Later in the meeting, City Manager Josh McMurray took issue with Fuller and offered a response of his own.
“I want to address the comments by councilmember Fuller regarding myself and my participation in the Rotary Club of Oakley. In 2021, after I was appointed City Manager by the city council, I was asked to join the club, it took me many months to decide whether or not I would join not just the Rotary Club, but any service club in the city as my time is limited and I wanted to make sure if I did make a decision, if the decision would be one that supported my ethics, my morals and my values.
The rotary club did meet that, and I was taken into the club in 2022 and I have been a member for 2-years. I’ve participated in many service projects. I have dedicated my entire career to community service. I’ve only worked for public agencies and the rotary club is an extension of that public service and I find value of what they do. Not only in this city, but the entire world. It’s a worldwide organization. Over 35,000 clubs, millions of people are Rotarians in this world.
As councilmember Meadows mentioned, the projects this club has worked on, specifically in Oakley, have brought value to this community and improved the quality of life for residents in this community. So I wholeheartedly support the mission and I proudly wear the pin.”
For more information on the Oakley Rotary Club, visit them at www.rotaryclubofoakley.com
Editors Note, some of Fullers antics over the last few years
- Feb 12, 2024 – Oakley City Council to Talk Censures and Expression of Opinions
- Jan 26, 2024 – Oakley Councilmember Says “Club Teams” Should Pay More
- Dec 13, 2023 – Fuller Accuses Oakley Councilmembers of Money Laundering
- Aug 21, 2023 – Oakley Councilmember Throws Shade on Koda Dog Park Progress
- Aug 9, 2023 – Fuller stops council meeting over Shaw wanting bottled water (Video)
- March 29, 2023 – Oakley Police Chief Pushes Back Against Fuller’s Commentary
- Jan 27, 2023 – Oakley Councilwoman Responds to Statement of Not Sending Cops into Antioch
- Jan 26, 2023 – Oakley Councilmember Suggests Not Sending Officers into City of Antioch
3 comments
Fuller is an embarrassment. He is Oakleys Lamont Thorpe.
I am so happy to live in this relatively safe city. The police department is on point. The roads are generally decent. We don’t need this Antioch-clone interpersonal crap. Serve the people—not yourself.
Oakley is, by and large, a well-managed city with an effective local government. But as the saying goes, there’s always one bad apple in every barrel. Oakley voters, dump Fuller at the earliest opportunity. He is an embarrassment to the city.
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