For Christian County and its office of county attorney, the last 40 years have been a familiar, family affair.
Tom Soyars begat Mike Foster, who begat John Soyars, who begat Lincoln Foster — each following in the other’s footsteps with the apprentice becoming the master, as a pair of fathers and sons.
This inter-generational cross-section couldn’t have been more clear last Thursday at the Christian County Justice Center, as John’s retirement and send off from governmental affairs made way for Lincoln’s sworn oath.
And the past, present and future of the position all posited about the post.
Mike called John a “good county attorney,” “a good friend” to him, an “excellent practitioner” of the law, and a “good mentor” to his son — all while serving the Christian County community faithfully while drafting and implementing respected works.
In this retirement, John said he is experiencing “mixed emotions” — because he truly enjoyed working effectively and directly with local and regional law enforcement, the Christian County Fiscal Court and the child support division of his office.
First working alongside Mike, who served as county attorney from 1982 until 2018, John noted the transition of power from his hands to Lincoln’s won’t be difficult.
The two have been closely associated for the last decade.
And then, there’s Lincoln, who’s had considerable nurturing and training from Mike and John about the fiscal and litigious topography of Christian County.
He called Thursday’s experience “humbling” for him, because it’s a position he’s wanted his entire life.
The position, Lincoln added, has one overarching goal.
Lincoln said what he’s looking forward to most is his “transition from prosecutor in the courtroom, to more of the administrative side” — learning the newly-installed Christian Couty Fiscal Court and its judge-executive, Jerry Gilliam, while taking on more governmental projects.
Lincoln also noted he’s maintained a watchful eye on many of John’s recent dealings, including the county’s hotly-discussed solar farm ordinance.
Fiscal court next meets Tuesday morning, January 10.
