IS IT TRUE yesterday the Burdette Park Advisory Committee President Patrick Merten spoke out against the replacement of the current Park’s Director?  …Vanderburgh County Commissioners Musgrave and Shoulders asked Jacob Murphy, the current Director of Burdette park, to step down effective April 1st?  …he was told that former Vanderburgh County Commissioner, Pat Tuley will take over his position?  …yesterday the Burdette Park Advisory Committee President Patrick Merten issued a statement  to Channel 44 news? .. .he said; .“I personally believe by all accounts Jacob has been doing a fantastic job in his capacity as park manager? … “while I can’t speak on behalf of any of the other committee members I personally have not been presented with a reason why Jacob should have been terminated from his position.â€?  …we can’t wait to see how Commissioner Musgrave and Shoulders are going to respond to Mr.Merten statement concerning Jacob Murphy job performance?
IS IT TRUE that County Commissioner Ben Shoulders has been calling around to see if he can find any County Council members to vote to approve Pat Tuley as the next Director of Burdette Park? Â … we’ve been told he is willing to cut a backroom political deal to eliminate Z Truly from working at Burdrtte Park in order to get around the nepotism problem he’s facing at Burdette Park?…we are happy to report not one County Council member agreed to support Ben Shoulders backroom political scheme?
IS IT TRUE we are also hearing that Commissioner Ben Shoulders may be floating the idea of making Pat Tuley a contract employees at Burdette Park in order to bypass County Council from being involved in approving the hiring of Pat Tuley? Â … we wonder if this guy really understands that hiring his campaign manager as Burdette Park Director is political patronage at its worst?
IS IT TRUE Pat Tuley was the Vanderburgh County Commissioner’s appointment to the Burdette Park Advisory Board in 2016?  …the mission statement of the Burdette Park Advisory Board is “to study and review the operations of Burdette Park; to review and consider alternatives for the administration of park and recreation services in Vanderburgh County; to receive and consider citizen recommendations for administration of park and recreation servicesâ€?
IS IT TRUE If Burdette Park was in such poor conditions why didn’t Advisory Board member Pat Tuley bring his concerns to the attention of the Park Manager, members of the County Council and the President of the Vanderburgh County Commission?
IS IT TRUE members of the main stream media should get copies of the official Burdette Park Advisory Board  meeting minutes so they will be able to see if Burdette Park Director Jacob Murphy was doing his job?  …they will also will see if Advisory Board member Pat Turley voiced any concerns that he felt that the Park was in a deteriorated condition?
IS IT TRUE some feel that Its time to challenge the out of control nepotism and political patronage practices at the Civic Center? …could this be a good reason for supporters of “Indivisible Evansville” and others to “Assemble” at the steps of the Civic Center to voice thier concerns?
IS IT TRUE people are getting sick and tired of the political promises and games of our elected and appointed officials? Â … do you remember back in the Sixties when the “Masses Assembled” to voice their grievances against the government? Â …these protests changed the direction of this Nation for years to come?
IS IT TRUE some people feel that the local political environment is becoming ripe for the supporters of “Indivisible Evansville” and others to “Assemble” on the steps of Civic Center to protest in a positive, creative and non-violent way  to voice our concerns against the wasteful spending habits of local elected and appointed  officials on worthless public works projects?
FOOTNOTE: Today “READERS POLL’ Â question is: Should County Commissioners Shoulders and Musgrave withdraw their decision to fire the Director of Burdette Park? Â …we can’t believe that 546 people have voted on this poll since we published it? Â …we highly recommend that County Commissioners Musgrave and Shoulders take note what the results are yielding so far?
I do not know Jacob Murphy. I took a drive to Burdette It looked well maintained and clean. I talked to some employees who have worked there for decades. They told me he was doing well with the resources he was given. If by some chance Mr. Murphy stays I would suggest he get a better employment contract. Places like Burdette park work best with long term vision. It is hard to have long term vision if you know you can be let go for know reason. I would also say that if you look at other facilities in the area. Ford,Mesker Pk. or any city park Burdette is the best run of them all. Why mess with that.
I go to Burdette Park 4-5 times a week and it’s as beautiful as ever , if it ain’t broke then there is no need to fix anything
political patronage is bull crap and any official trying to do it should be history
It appears that Mr. Tuley’s performance while an official at EVSC was excellent, why in the world would Pat wish to retire from EVSC and take the responsibilities of Burdett and subject his wife to criticism. The way this Mayor has been operating, if Pat or Z needs a job, they need to talk with old Kelly at DMD.
I am sorry for Jacob Murphy being in the center of politics at their worst. I don’t know him, but I do see what is happening, and it is wrong. I hope Jacob Murphy has another opportunity for a job where his livelihood won’t depend upon favors and partisan politics. Who would want a job that depended upon the whims of the latest county commissioners? I guess the Tuleys do. Is this an example of public service Shoulders and Musgrave promised while campaigning? Evansville does not need this kind of representation.
The County Commissioners are the equivalent of the Mayor for the City. Looking at how Winnecke has behaved, and now tbe County Commissioners, I’d say there must be something in the drinking water at the Civic Center.
Maybe somebody should pay attention to how County government operates
The three-member Board of Commissioners of Vanderburgh County is both the executive and the legislative body of county government. In general the board is responsible for the administration of county business. It may enact ordinances to meet local conditions and exercise the authority vested in the board by the state legislature.
Some general powers and duties include:
Receive bids and award contracts for county public works projects.
Supervise construction and maintenance of roads and bridges.
Perform certain election functions such as the establishment of precincts and the provision of polling places.
Prepare the part of the county budget over which the commissioners have direct control.
Serve as members of the County Drainage Board.
Fix and post speed limits and yield or stop signs on any road in their jurisdiction.
Serve on the Solid Waste Management District Board.
Approve rezonings in their jurisdictions.
Make appointments to board, commission and other agencies as provided by law.
Responsible for providing offices for county government, including a jail.
And pay attention to one of the listed duties: RESPONSIBLE FOR THE OPERATION OF BURDETTE PARK.
The Vanderburgh County Council is the fiscal body of county government, and some of the County Council functions include:
Fiscal control over all county offices, boards, departments and commissions. All payments from the general or any special fund to be used by the Board of County Commissioners for any purpose other than the mere allocation of funds of the state or federal government must be appropriated by the County Council before expenditure can be made.
Charged with the responsibility of appropriating, transferring and repealing funds for use by the County and all of its offices, boards, departments and commissions.
Adopts the annual budget for all County offices, boards, departments and commissions.
Exclusive power of fixing the rate of taxation and imposing the tax levy.
Considers and votes on all tax phase-in applications for the county.
Makes appointments to boards, commissions and other agencies as provided by either ordinance and/or law.
In short, the County Commissioners are the Executives, and as such they have the duty and responsibility of the supervisory positions in County offices that are not elected offices.
So this continued BS that they do not have the power or authority to appoint or remove department heads is BS.
Now, as for the Burdette Park Advisory COmmitte, their duties are in local Statue, which specifically state:
2.76.020 Purpose-Duties.
The purpose of the Advisory Committee is to continuously review and make recommendations to the County Commissioners or the Burdette Park manager regarding the operation and maintenance of Burdette Park. In addition, the Advisory Committee should recommend future Burdette Park capital improvements and Burdette Park programs and assist with fundraising activities relating to Burdette Park capital improvement projects so designated by the County Commissioners. (Ord. 04-15-002 § 2, added, 4/7/2015)
Where in there is ANYTHING that states they have power over the department head of Burdette Park?
Yeah, it’s NOT there
http://www.codepublishing.com/IN/VanderburghCounty/html/VanderburghCounty02/VanderburghCounty0276.html
I have it on good authority that tomorrow’s County Commissioners meeting should have some serious fireworks. Mayor has been attempting to push Vets out of Coliseum because it stands it the way of his downtown revitalization. He’s been using pals in county government to harass the vets. Vets are fed up, don’t know who in Evansville legal community to trust, & have retained legal counsel from Owensboro to represent them. They intend to use all other matters portion of meeting to announce their new counsel & explain what’s going on.
What are Winnecke’s plans for the Coliseum? New upscale condos or a 10 story hotel with a rooftop bar and indoor swimming pool?
Maybe the new location of Lloyd Pool?
A replacement for Mesker Amphitheater?
Inquiring minds want to know.
I’ve heard that ideally they’d like to tear it down but can’t since its on the National Register of Historic Landmarks. Since they can’t do that, they want to convert it to a Museum so it won’t compete with Victory, Auditorium, & Ford Center.
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