“IS IT TRUE” MARCH 22, 2018

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We hope that today’s “Readers Forum” will provoke honest and open dialogue concerning issues that we, as responsible citizens of this community, need to address in a rational and responsible way?

IS IT TRUE during the last several days the ECHO Board of Directors refused to file a report to investigate allegations of financial impropriety at ECHO Housing with the Evansville Police Department?  …we wonder what the ECHO Board are trying to hide from the public?

IS IT TRUE at Monday’s night City Council meeting DMD Director, Kelley Coures told  Council members that the former ECHO Housing Director used the nonprofit’s money on more than just her personal property taxes?  …earlier Mr. Coures told the Courier and Press that “We combed through all of our grant programs and all the money that we run through ECHO, “We are 100 percent confident that ECHO used all our fund’s property”? …we also find it interesting that Mr. Coures also told the Courier and Press “that he did not know what funding source TenBarge used to pay her personal property taxes?” …it’s obvious that Mr. Coures would be better served if he just keep quiet and let law enforcement decide if there are any missing funds at ECHO?

IS IT TRUE earlier in the week it was reported that ECHO attorney Scott Wylie claimed that all ECHO funds have been accounted for? …later in the week, ECHO attorney Wylie announced that ECHO has hired a forensic accountant to audit the organization’s financial records?  …we wonder why Mr. Wylie would hire an accounting firm to do a forensic audit if all the ECHO funds have been accounted for?  …it looks like ECHO attorney is another one that should keep quiet and let law enforcement look into the allegations of financial impropriety at ECHO Housing?

IS IT TRUE ECHO Housing is a non-profit 501 3 (c) entity?  …that the funds used for services offered by the ECHO Housing agency come from Federal, State, and local governmental entities?  …that the ECHO Housing Board of Directors has complete control over the decision to exclude the Evansville Police Department from looking into allegations of financial impropriety at ECHO Housing? …yesterday, the ECHO Board of Directors decided to keep EPD from looking into allegations of financial impropriety at ECHO Housing?  …we wonder what the ECHO Board of Directors is trying to hide from the public?

IS IT TRUE due to the serious nature of the allegations of financial impropriety at ECHO Housing and the fact that ECHO Housing receives federal funds provided by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, we are glad that the Evansville Police Department has contacted the HUD Inspector General’s Office in Indianapolis?  IS IT TRUE can anyone tell us who are the current ECHO Housing Board of Directors?

IS IT TRUE the often overlooked reality in cases where employee theft is alleged is that the Boards of Directors are responsible for oversight of non-profit spending?  … it’s obvious that ECHO Housing agency Board of Directors don’t realize that they have a legal fiduciary responsibility to see that agency funds are spent property?

IS IT TRUE that there are now five finalists that have been interviewed to take over the reins of the University of Evansville men’s basketball program?…all five have some amount of experience as assistant coaching experience for teams that have been competitive?…it is of some curiosity that not a single one of the five candidates interviewed has ever been a head coach of a Division 1 basketball team so whoever is hired will start his career off with a 0 – 0 record?…this means that the new coach of the Aces will be definition be untested as a head coach and will not only have to make himself from the ground up but re-make the UE program from the ground up as well?…the City-County Observer always wishes UE success on and off the court and will be a supporter of whoever is hired?…we are sort of astonished however that the big name coaches were not beating down the doors to get the job that would allow them to coach in the magnificent $127.5 million Ford Center?

Todays “Readers Poll” question is: Do you feel that the ECHO Board of Directors made a major mistake by refusing to file a report with the EPD concerning alleged financial impropriety at the agency?

Please take time and read our articles entitled “STATEHOUSE Files, CHANNEL 4NEWS, LAW ENFORCEMENT, READERS POLL, BIRTHDAYS, HOT JOBS” and “LOCAL SPORTS”.  You now are able to subscribe to get the CCO daily.

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21 COMMENTS

  1. Echo Health is a United Way agency. Is it connected with Echo Housing? White collar crime is some of the worse and how an agency with so much money flow can get by so long without proper oversight is beyond me. Crooks just prey upon this kind of thing. From the mouths of babes

    • ECHO HEALTH IS NOT CONNECTED WITH ECHO HOUSING.

      ECHO HEALTH DOES AN OUTSTANDING SERVICE FOR THE COMMUNITY.

      THEY HAVE AN OUTSTANDING RECORD OF MANAGING THE TAXPAYERS MONEY.

      THANKS FOR YOUR QUESTION AND READING THE CCO.

      EDITOR

  2. The only reason ECHO is refusing the EPD investigation is that they must have LOTS MORE problems than just Director TenBarge’s alleged embezzlement. Where is Prosecutor Herrmann?

  3. Has anyone considered they are just saying all funds are accounted for to keep the rest of us at bay and protect one of their own? I mean, a government official lying? Who ever heard of such a thing?

  4. $292,200 home on Pine Gate Rd. off of E. Boonville-New Harmony Road plus 2 other properties. Not bad on your salary Stephanie; not bad at call…

  5. Great photo of Stephanie Tenbarge and Kelly Coures together on her Facebook page.

  7. People are losing their homes because of their inability to pay property taxes and this person pulls this crap,since she used illegal funds to pay her property taxes the monies used need to be paid back to Echo and then her taxes need to be considered in the rears for what ever length of time ,and then put her rear in jail for theft ,if she loses her house so be it

  8. The term “institutionalized corruption” seems to be a good description of how non-profits with ties to the City of Evansville operate. Imagine yourself in Ms. Tenbarge’s shoes. Every day you see crony deals pass across your desk and this goes on for years. The overpriced construction gigs with usury change orders finally get to you. Then you have a cash flow problem. It takes a strong person to preside over such a place and never partake. The City of Evansville never intentionally hires strong people because they can’t be manipulated.

  9. And the winner is: Walter McCarty!
    Hopefully he won’t name Rick Pitino an Assistant Coach…

    • did that kid in florida kill all those students with an assault rifle?

  12. Okay, here are the board members of the Echo Housing:

    DANE CHANDLER BANTERRA BANK-EVANSVILLE

    THE MOST REVEREND GERALD ARNOLD AND PRESIDENT OF THE LOCAL NAACP

    TOM MORRE-DIRECTOR OF THE VECTREN FOUNDATION: ECHO HOUSING TREASURER.

    THE SECRETARY OF ECHO IS NONE OTHER THAN STEPHANIE TENBARGE

  13. Arrogance almost always leads to humiliation. Not a lot of money for loss of reputation, trust, financial ruin, and possibly your freedom. This is actually small change considering all the HUD funds squandered over the years. The Washington Court fiasco a few years back was much bigger and is now forgotten. HUD and DOL grants are treated like found money. Would love to see HUD go away and people given the funds to find their own place to live.

  14. Congratulations to the new coach at UE. Hope he will be able to recruit Evansville area basketball talent. I just hope he is given a chance to succeed as the first years will be tough, especially with the transfer of current players.
    Good job Officer Krogman on bringing to light the theft at ECHO and for having the moral and ethical background to step aside as a board member.
    OVC Tourney back for 2019 and 2020. 8 sessions in 2018 and the championship game just over 4000 with Murray St and Belmont playing. Any possibility the good tax paying folks could see how much money was lost during the 2018 games? We cannot afford to keep the lights on if the money keeps circling the drain.

  15. Sky News/Fox News:
    ‘Trump has been deciding whether he should fire Ty Cobb, who has insisted that Trump should approach Special Counsel Robert Mueller with a spirit of cooperation to demonstrate that he has nothing to fear. Trouble is, Trump has lots to fear from Mueller, particularly now that the special counsel is looking into all of Trump’s tax returns and finances.
    In addition, Trump’s legal team recently asked Republican superlawyer Ted Olson — just the kind of guy who could have a friendly, professional relationship with Mueller — to join them, and Olson said thanks but no thanks.”

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