El Dorado County Veterans Monument

County Code chapter 9.54, the County Veterans Monument Ordinance (Ordinance 4743, September 11, 2007), governs the monument on the county government centre grounds in Placerville, bounded by Ray Lawyer Drive and the general pedestrian sidewalks. Its purpose is to honour veterans and to provide a place for quiet contemplation, reflection and meditation, and it is preserved as a nonpublic forum. Authorized events. Section 9.54.030 allows exactly two organized events a year: a commemorative ceremony on Memorial Day and one on Veterans Day, hosted by the Friends of the Veterans Monument, a State nonprofit mutual benefit corporation that acts as the umbrella organization for the county's chartered veterans organizations. No organized event is permitted on any other day, Pearl Harbor Day included. Speeches and presentations at the two ceremonies may not be political or religious, and are reviewed beforehand by the Chief Administrative Officer or designee, who may not discriminate by viewpoint. No formal funeral services are permitted, though impromptu memorial services and gatherings may occur. General use. Section 9.54.040 distinguishes casual public use from demonstrations and special events, which the chapter restricts; a violation is an infraction or misdemeanour punishable by a fine of up to $500 or six months (section 9.54.050). In June 2026 the Board discussed creating an ad hoc committee to work with the county on the monument's upkeep (file 26-1135), and the Veteran Services section publishes the monument's criteria.