IS IT TRUE MARCH 4, 2016

26

IS IT TRUE that former President of the Evansville City Council John Friend CPA posted this comment in yesterdays CCO?  …Mr. Friend said: “Mr. Coures comment about the Council approval of specifics surrounding Brownfields transactions is absolutely false. The 2015 Council approved the overall budgets but never approved any specific transactions of the DMD.” ?  …it looks like Mr. Friend put Mr. Coures in his place?

IS IT TRUE that a couple member of the Evansville Brownfield board (“secret society”) thinks Geoge Lumley is connected with the City County Observer?  …we discussed with Mr. Lumley about starting a monthly for print newspaper but he decided not to go along with this new venture with the CCO?  …we are proud to consider Mr. Lumley as a friend and supporter of the CCO?  …we feel the public owes Mr. Lumley a great deal of gratitude for exposing the bad business practices of the Evansville Brownsfieds Corp?

IS IT TRUE the video that we posted on the Evansville Brownfields Corp a couple of days ago have 1,122 people viewing it on the CCO and 518 views on our Facebook account so far?  …this is why we decided to leave this video up one more day?…we would be extremely thankful if you would send  this video to your many friends?

IS IT TRUE that we were in error when we stated that Vectren was installing more “period” street lighting in the Historic District? That the work in that area involves upgrading and installing new poles and power lines in preparation for the scheduled new downtown projects and we appreciate Brad Ellsworth’s clarification of the facts?

IS IT TRUE that the poster “yy4u” tells us that there is a classified ad in the Courier advertising that City Controller Russ Lloyd will be going to the March 14 meeting of City Council to seek an appropriation of $3.9 million, in addition to this year’s budget?

IS IT TRUE that we congratulate the Courier and Press on exposing the Mayor’s failure to respond to the contacts from the USHL when it was announced the City would be looking for a team to replace the IceMen. ?  The Mayor’s Minister of Propaganda and Spin, blamed the failure to respond to the inquiries on them going to the wrong email account?  We are seeing glimpses of some spot-on investigative reporting from the newest owners of the Evansville Courier and Press , and we hope to see more of it in relation to the 2014 SBOA Audit.

IS IT TRUE that we wonder if the mural behind the McDonald’s on North Main that DMD Director Kelly Coures commissioned in the name of economic development is worth the $65,000 plus that  taxpayers paid  for?  …we beg you to drive to the McDonalds restaurant located on North Main and tell us that the mural painted on the side  of a building  located behind McDonalds on North Main is going to attract economic development?

IS IT TRUE that certain established business owners seem to be very successful in obtaining $50,000 “facade grants” through DMD to upgrade their businesses?  …could this be a prime example of political patronage?

IS IT TRUE that the Mayor, Missy Mosby. Jonathon Weaver, and other profligate spenders are joyfully carving up the $25 million rent advance paid to the City by Tropicana? … that we wonder what would be wrong with holding on to some of the “windfall”?

IS IT TRUE when questioned about the free advertising that Councilors Mosby and Weaver give to their employer, FC Tucker, at City Council meetings with their mugs and pins?  …we are told that other real estate agencies are saying it is not a problem for them?   … they tell us they think that the two may harm Tucker’s business more than it helps them?

FOOTNOTES: Our next “IS IT TRUE” will be posted on this coming Monday?

Please take time and read our newest feature article entitled “HOT JOBS”. Jobs posted in this section are from Evansville proper.

If you would like to advertise in the CCO please contact us City-County Observer@live.com.

Todays “Readers Poll” question is: Do you feel that Evansville Brownfields Corp should be considered a public or private entity?

Copyright 2015 City County Observer. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed

26 COMMENTS

    • I do not think it was that much unless you include the administrative cost. It was less than $64,999 for the actual “art”. Art is not cheap and in the eye of some beholders this work is a masterpiece. Remember, HUD does not care what you pay just so there is a “pay off” in the end.

      • Mural mural on the wall
        Putting you up took some gall

        Evansville is known, for its part
        To fund very ugly public art

        Lucky for you the city is flush
        Has no problem paying the brush

        Is Local P on the loose
        Tagging walls and the red caboose?

        Spray can in hand flitting around
        Censoring George, cleaning up the town

        Bike on down, view what he wrought
        With the Egg McMuffin, see what else you bought

        • Bravo! You are as great a master of poetry as James MacLeod is of drawing!

          J. Coddington “Comrade Hugo” Fetlock IV
          Maximum co-coordinator
          Organizing for Idiocy
          Evansville Cell

    • The heck you say? I thought it was purchased long ago by John Krull, Brian Howey, and James MacLeod.

      • MacLeod has to be an owner to get his left-wing cartoons published. His work would get a C+ in third grade art class

      • It is unclear who the principals are behind the Courier’s new owner, Liberal, Snivel, Drivel & Whine, LLC, but it is indeed rumored that some of our leading Indiana progressives are behind it.

        J. Coddington “Comrade Hugo” Fetlock IV
        Maximum co-coordinator
        Organizing for Idiocy
        Evansville Cell

        • Evansville Courier Company, Inc.

          Principals(name, address, city, state, zip – when provided)
          Jack D. Pate
          President
          300 E. Walnut Street
          EVANSVILLE , IN 47713

          Timothy E Stautberg
          Vice President
          312 Walnut St, Ste 2800
          Cincinnati , OH 45202

          William Appleton
          Vice President
          312 Walnut St, Ste 2800
          Cincinnati , OH 45202

          JULIE MCGEHEE
          Secretary
          312 WALNUT ST STE 2800
          CINCINNATI , OH 45202

          • JOURNAL MEDIA GROUP was bought by Gannett (Oct. 2015). Gannett’s flagship is USA Today. The Indiana newspapers they now own are: the Indianapolis Star, the Evansville Courier&Press, the Journal and Courier (Lafayette), the Star Press (Muncie), the Palladium-Item (Richmond).

            Think you might to be able to swing the vote in Indiana if you controlled the newspapers in the above listed cities? The daily drumbeat of propaganda.

            * * * * * *

            “The public relations industry, which essentially runs the elections, is applying certain principles to undermine democracy which are the same as the principles that applies to undermine markets.” (Noam Chomsky)

  1. I’m glad we heard from John Friend. It’s a shame that Anna Hargis,another CPA who is now on City Council, doesn’t see fit to do some of the due diligence in budgetary matters that John Friend did. In the meantime, I hope he continues to keep an eye on things.

    • The only reason Hargis is on the council is she was a hand picked lackey. Do you really think she would even consider crossing Winnecke? Of course not.

      • She must not be very smart. She keeps asking questions at City Council meetings because she is new and doesn’t know how things work. She says she is 100% in Winnecke’s corner, so she doesn’t care about the public.

        • She should have paid attention last year when she was sitting on the front row at every meeting. She was texting all the time though.

    • Mr. Friend smiled and nodded for how many years while Weinzapfel set the stage for massive budgetary problems? Smiled and nodded when the powers-that-be were going to close fire stations to buttress city funding for the Ford Center? He only found his voice once he had decided he wasn’t running for council again and didn’t need to placate the kingmakers. He’s a fraud, plain and simple. If you are counting on him ‘to keep an eye on things’, that’s a crying shame!

      • Then that may be justice for honest taxpayers
        Kinda like one rattlesnake going around biting other rattlers in the den
        Whatever it takes to get em

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      • Now, don’t you go attacking John Friend, CPA. It is true that John Friend, CPA, was a complete enabler of Mayor Jonathan Weinzapfel and his wondrously wasteful and reckless spending, which flowed like a mighty river into the pockets of our well-connected loyal Democratic establishment, both here and in Indianapolis. John Friend, CPA, knew that he would look like a complete phony and hypocrite if he suddenly became a born-again budget-balancer and would expose himself to completely justified criticism from conservative ankle-biters like you. It is a measure of the dedication of John Friend, CPA, to Mayor Weinzapfel and the Democratic Party that he was willing to do so. You should sign up for one of his seminars on latter-day, retrospective fiscal responsibility, conducted on his yacht, the SS Tipsy.

        J. Coddington “Comrade Hugo” Fetlock IV
        Maximum co-coordinator
        Organizing for Idiocy
        Evansville Cell

  2. Dear CCO,
    Could you post a little more about the budget request? Do you have a link to it? What do they want the money for and where is it coming from?

    • a) If the proper officers of a political subdivision desire to appropriate more money for a particular year than the amount prescribed in the budget for that year as finally determined under this article, they shall give notice of their proposed additional appropriation. The notice shall state the time and place at which a public hearing will be held on the proposal. The notice shall be given once in accordance with IC 5-3-1-2(b).
      (b) If the additional appropriation by the political subdivision is made from a fund that receives:
      (1) distributions from the motor vehicle highway account established under IC 8-14-1-1 or the local road and street account established under IC 8-14-2-4; or
      (2) revenue from property taxes levied under IC 6-1.1;
      the political subdivision must report the additional appropriation to the department of local government finance. If the additional appropriation is made from a fund described under this subsection, subsections (f), (g), (h), and (i) apply to the political subdivision.
      (c) However, if the additional appropriation is not made from a fund described under subsection (b), subsections (f), (g), (h), and (i) do not apply to the political subdivision. Subsections (f), (g), (h), and (i) do not apply to an additional appropriation made from the cumulative bridge fund if the appropriation meets the requirements under IC 8-16-3-3(c).
      (d) A political subdivision may make an additional appropriation without approval of the department of local government finance if the additional appropriation is made from a fund that is not described under subsection (b). However, the fiscal officer of the political subdivision shall report the additional appropriation to the department of local government finance.
      (e) After the public hearing, the proper officers of the political subdivision shall file a certified copy of their final proposal and any other relevant information to the department of local government finance.
      (f) When the department of local government finance receives a certified copy of a proposal for an additional appropriation under subsection (e), the department shall determine whether sufficient funds are available or will be available for the proposal. The determination shall be made in writing and sent to the political subdivision not more than fifteen (15) days after the department of local government finance receives the proposal.
      (g) In making the determination under subsection (f), the department of local government finance shall limit the amount of the additional appropriation to revenues available, or to be made available, which have not been previously appropriated.
      (h) If the department of local government finance disapproves an additional appropriation under subsection (f), the department shall specify the reason for its disapproval on the determination sent to the political subdivision.
      (i) A political subdivision may request a reconsideration of a

      determination of the department of local government finance under this section by filing a written request for reconsideration. A request for reconsideration must:
      (1) be filed with the department of local government finance within fifteen (15) days of the receipt of the determination by the political subdivision; and
      (2) state with reasonable specificity the reason for the request.
      The department of local government finance must act on a request for reconsideration within fifteen (15) days of receiving the request.

  3. I saw that EPD parked the Guardian at the grocery at Main and Franklin. I hope it doesn’t get anything stolen off of it, but it could happen. That’s a rough neighborhood.

    • They need to push the crime, etc. to other parts of the city for the new grocery/retail (private investment that required the 18mill tax funded rehab of the street in the name of a bike path) that has yet to be announced. Big plans for the area – tax payer investment will pay off it they don’t give everything away with tax abatement. The little guy will get pushed out but the big money investors will make a killing. Just like the car lot – and Haneys corner all the Community development dollars will soon be going to the next special interest.

    • That will be the “Guardians” permanent location on N. Main to make sure no one steals the $18 million bike path project

Comments are closed.