The following are two presentations made to the Sumner City Council after we experienced years of city abuse. This is a compressed summary of what we went through for simply taking out a building permit. We have extensive documentation to support these accounts. Still, Sumner City Council and City Hall do nothing.
August
The F word. You hear about it on the radio. You hear about it on TV. The F word. No, I'm not talking about what a married man does with another woman. I'm talking about fraud. I'm talking about people within this city government who misuse their authority and steal from the public.
My wife and I have been victims of SEPARATISM, FRAUD and CRUEL TREATMENT for many years. We have been threatened. We have been lied to and denied equal rights and protection under the laws of this state and of this city. Tonight, I'm here to BLOW THE WHISTLE BECAUSE THE COMMUNITY NEEDS TO KNOW.
This report from city attorney Patricia Bosmans is her response to the Washington State Bar Association when we filed a complaint against her for misconduct. I've read this report several times—Ms. Bosmans, you are a liar and a thief. You submitted statements and evidence to the Bar Association that were fraudulent in an attempt to cover-up what you have been doing to us for years. This report raises more questions about your profile and lies. You tried to justify yourself by placing responsibility for your actions on another colleague. Then, you defended your use of the penal code by stating you stepped in to settle a neighborhood dispute and charged me with malicious mischief. Malicious use of the law should be a deep concern to all citizens of Sumner.
What the report does not reveal and should be said is that other city officials conducted themselves in a similar manner. Mr. Shoemaker demanded General Facilities Charges for water and sewer for an affordable housing type—ADU—that did not require these charges. To justify this claim, he arbitrarily determined that our single-family dwelling would be considered a multi-family complex. Ms. Bosmans supported his claim, again using a penal code to force this money from us. Zoning and ordinances forbid this housing type to be classified or used as multi-family. THEY KNOW THIS! These illegal charges were applied to at least one other homeowner and were not returned.in 1995, Mr. Shoemaker and the public works department also formed a contract with us but failed to perform. Two people have suffered personal injury.
We wrote to Barbara Skinner in an attempt to resolve these matters. Although she promised in her letter that part of the contract would be completed within two months, she stood fast and supported the city's position not to fulfill the remainder of the contract and not to return the illegal General Facilities charges. She showed no leadership in correcting the wrongdoings of other city officials or following the city ordinances. Many months beyond the two-month deadline, the action that she did promise was still not started.
We contacted the City Council, too, about the contract that the city had created, but they saw the issue with their eyes wide shut. They failed in their duty to apply the ordinances that would have resolved these issues.instead, they chose to keep the ordinances in a locked box, preventing the use of them. Council member Leroy Goff concerns himself with safety issues within the city, walked by the nuisance and hazardous condition in front of our home, and is aware of the ordinances and our complaints. Council members should not shirk their duties when a solution exists in the city ordinances. Example: this list is of the lawsuits against the city; some could have been avoided. This is where tax dollars are going. The quiet use and enjoyment of one's property should not be sacrificed through the lack of ordinance enforcement.
The citizens of Sumner should pay close attention to what the council members and city officials are doing, and what they are not doing. Council members who do not provide resolution to the problems and concerns of the citizens should not be re-elected and should not be supported in pursuing higher branches of government.
Attorneys working for the city have claimed, but have not given proof that the property line in front of our home is in a different place than county records document. County officials are baffled by this claim. When talking to several other citizens and city officials, we learned that this has been an issue of confusion and contradiction. The city has no authority to arbitrarily move private property lines to add or detract from one's property of record. Until this is ruled in a court of law, I suspect this is another attempt at fraud involving city government. I strongly urge all property owners to become aware of their property lines and their legal description of record. Property owners should be suspicious of any contracts, annexation plans or LID agreements until this is resolved in a court of law. Citizens should make this a priority and come together to challenge any city ordinance that make individual property owners responsible for property they dont own and control.
Likewise, in a criminal case, attorney Patricia Bosmans refused to recognize our rear property line as documented in county records and supported with a survey. The criminal charge for which she prosecuted me, denied me the right to use and possess my own property and revolved around the neighbor to the South and this property line. Ms. Bosmans and the Mayor had been warned of our 2 lawsuits and now they were faced with an unjustified arrest. That neighbor collaborated and developed a relationship with Ms. Bosmans for many years. She shielded him when he broke the law and stood by and did nothing when he brought harm to us. Example: Ms. Bosmans reviewed 3 police reports and a videotape of this neighbor breaking the law and did nothing. She refused to enforce trespassing laws and city ordinances. She did not enforce a restraining order when violated.
I caution citizens when approached by Officer Engles and Officer Kurle—treat them with respect, but demand that a supervisor be present. I have no problems with the rest of the officers, but I am convinced that these two officers lied and participated in a cover-up with Ms. Bosmans. Officer Kurle's reaction to an interview the day before caused him to be HOTHEADED, BRUTAL, ACTING WITHOUT JUSTIFICATION the day after! Example, I was arrested and jailed for removing a piece of paper that the neighbor to the South had posted within my own property. The justice system does not allow an officer to use handcuffs as a means of in-the-field punishment, WHICH IS WHAT HE DID! I am available to testify about my ordeal for anyone who has been charged by Officers Kurle, Engels or Ms. Bosmans. Citizens should not be separated from existing policies and forced to comply with non-existing policies. THIS IS NOT A DEMOCRACY&this is something else!
City officials initiated an action that required a public hearing, then, with a hearing examiner made a decision to suppress evidence and silence the public by not including them.
Property owners should not be slammed for filing a lawsuit or trying to use city ordinances. A defendant should not be used as a scapegoat to a system of justice that has predetermined the outcome of the case to clear the police officer, the neighbor and the city from any wrongdoing. Nor should a prosecuting attorney or judge deliberately conceal, ignore or caste aside evidence that would prove a defendant to be innocent. Furthermore, a defendant should not be subjected to sentencing that renders his or her appeal rights useless. To prevent a trial by fraud, I encourage ALL DEFENDANTS to exercise their right to a trial by jury.
If I were asked, Does this city BLACKLIST PEOPLE that defend their rights and refuse to conform to non-existent policies? —I would say YES! Retaliation for speaking out would not surprise me, BECAUSE THIS IS WHAT THEY DO! But we refuse to live with their lies. We are all afraid of the thief in the night, but we should be equally afraid of a government of dictators that steal the rights of the people in broad daylight. Justice is broken in sumner. Any retaliation that the city takes toward us would be PREJUDICIAL HARASSMENT. I am asking the police chief to provide investigation of, and protection from these people, particularly Mr. Bosmans. Neighborhood Watch should be expanded to include these people; report any suspicious activity. I insist that the city council create a diverse workforce within the city administration so that people of different cultures, races and backgrounds receive fair and equal treatment, and to serve a diverse community. I insist that the city council and city officials adhere to the city's ordinances and remove the nuisance and hazardous condition. Cease the calculated, malicious cruelty!
ms. Bosmans' report will be provided. When you read this, think of your children, think of your family; think of your friends. Come together to rid this city government of thugs who defraud citizens. We must find new leadership. And think of this—when they come for your neighbor, pay attention; get involved. Because, when they come for you, it will be too late.
February
They are being investigated. Corporate Executives, Mutual Fund Companies, even Government Officials are being investigated for wrongdoing. When the truth is supported by evidence and witnesses, action must be taken. I was here in August to testify and make a public record that wrongdoing has occurred within Sumner City Hall. My wife and I have been victims of this for many years. To summarize and give more examples and solution, I talked аbout:
Fraud
Threats and intimidation to extort money
Failure to enforce a restraining order
Shielding, working and collaborating with a suspect which encouraged surveillance, stalking and emotional stress
Manufacturing and submitting false and misleading information
Issuing illegal permits
Breach of contract
Failure to investigate criminal violations
Withholding evidence from a defendant's attorney
Unjustified arrest and prosecution
Police brutality and false police reporting
Discrimination
Blacklisting and harassment
We ask for an investigation to bring greater clarity to the pattern of corruption. What we received was a superficial review by Barbara Skinner where she concluded with her beliefs and assumptions. We examined the documents Ms. Skinner reviewed, and just like we thought, there was no evidence to support her statements.in fact, these documents contradicted her statements. This is another calculated attempt to dispose of our complaint, conceal evidence, silence us, lie to city council and lie about me. This will not substitute for a complete, on the record, independent professional investigation that the victims now demand.
It is incomprehensible to think that Ms. Skinner can conduct this investigation. She's involved! For years, Ms. Skinner showed no leadership in correcting the wrongdoing of other city officials or following the city ordinances. Ms. Skinner judged and reported to a local newspaper that our entire neighborhood was dysfunctional. That included my wife and me! Ms. Skinner and Ms. Bosmans took the position not to fulfill the contract and not to return the illegal General Facilities charges.
Ms. Skinner and Ms. Bosmans permitted a hazardous condition to continued endangering the public and causing personal injury to a 4-year old and to me. Ms. Skinner and Ms. Bosmans caused and perpetuated issues, which resulted with our 2 lawsuits. Weeks after, Ms. Bosmans brought trumped-up criminal charges against me claiming I intentionally destroyed a piece of paper. To justify the charges she had to cover up Officer Kurle's evidence of my innocence, inflate the value over 6,000%, causing me to stand trial. Later she told many lies to the Bar Association, including I was convicted. As an officer of the court, Ms. Bosmans didn't uphold case law or rulings of the court. Ms. Bosmans concealed evidence and a conflict of interest and applied the law illegally. This is more than suspicion of cover up. We have her participating with others. Ms. Bosmans is entrusted with power; and I say that she has maliciously used that power to hurt us. Ms. Skinner and Ms. Bosmans must be investigated on this subject and issues pertaining to this complaint. Defendants, judges and attorneys should be aware of these serious complaints about Sumner's legal department and the corruption of justice.
Encourage Officers Kurle and Engles to come forth with the truth, as we know it, regarding the incidents in late February.
Property owners should be suspicious of property tax increases caused by contracts, annexation plans or LID agreements from the City.
City officials I mentioned have not performed within the law and have not performed within democratic principles. Other citizens have also suffered emotional stress, economic injury and a damaged quality of life, all which make working, living and raising a family in Sumner a very costly gamble. This corruption must be stopped.in August I stated that the city must cease the calculated cruelty, but still it goes on. We summon all council members to demand an independent, formal, on the record, professional investigation, to allow us, the victims, and others to testify and supply evidence of wrongdoing.
The City Council and the community must assure that City Hall does not fall further into corrupt hands, causing more people to suffer. City Hall must be transparent, operate within the law with truth and integrity. We cannot allow city officials to continue to work here above the law! Taking action with a professional investigation assures the victims of peaceful settlement with democratic principles. We chose peace in the past, as we do now. But the city has always chosen war. This complaint is a record of that war.
Justice is broken in Sumner and it needs to be fixed! We will pursue these issues. This is a serious complaint, which this City Council must take seriously. The right action is an independent, professional investigation to uncover the truth for the betterment, safety and trust of this community. Martin Luther King Jr. Stated, Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.
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