By Mountain Republic
Our friend Tom Soike is still having problems with El Dorado County. After winning the right to inscribe his memorial bench the way he sees fit, county officials neglected to inform Mr. Soike that they no longer have the money he paid to inscribe his bench. Now they want more. What a bunch of bull-shit. The following is a letter from Tom to the people of El Dorado County. Please join Mountain Republic in support of Tom Soike.
———————————————————————————————————
How Does Winning Cost Us 2 Grand?
By Tom Soike
On Monday evening March 1, 2001, I was informed that despite the Board of Supervisors unanimous decision to approve the inscription of my family bench, that it would cost us an additional $1900.00 over and above the $3,500.00 I had already paid in 2005 for the purchase of my bench. I had requested to have the following inscription carved on the bench at the beautiful El Dorado County Veteran’s Monument!!!
“God, I’ve tasted your Heaven through Freedom and fought through the pain of these wars and wondered if somehow the something I’ve given could somehow have been something more.”
It seems that the El Dorado County Veteran’s Memorial Committee (aka Friends of the Veteran’s Monument) has just recently determined that they do not have sufficient funds available for my bench to be completed. Every other bench that was bought and paid for was inscribed for the contracted price of $3,500.00.
I was stunned, shocked, hurt and amazed. How could an apparent victory turn so quickly into another series of impediments, designed to keep me from honoring my family, in a time honored and inoffensive American way?
The next day, Tuesday March 2, I made the following statement to the El Dorado county Board of Supervisors:
“Last evening I was totally amazed and disheartened to learn that apparently the Committee have stated that they do not have the $1900.00 necessary to inscribe the Soike family bench. Where in the world did my mom and dad’s money go???
Since the project is on county property, and therefore the county and your board have a very serious fiduciary interest and responsibility, I would like to know if an audit was performed of the project on behalf of you and/or all who have invested tens of dollars to produce the wonderful Veteran’s Monument; and if not, why not? Doesn’t that seem to be a best business practice?
Thank you,
Finally, it has become apparent that I need an attorney. We are still financially strapped do to the economy and related employment issues of our children. The county has very deep, taxpayer supported legal pockets. Obviously, we do not. If anyone out there knows a well qualified, well funded constitutional law firm who would take this on for us, while fronting our costs, please let us know as soon as possible. Frankly, we do not believe we can appropriately deal with this matter by ourselves anymore. Contact us at: katlibicki@aol.com subject – legal help.
Respectfully,
Tom Soike
No comments:
Post a Comment