IS IT TRUE May 30, 2012

22

The Mole #??

IS IT TRUE May 30, 2012

IS IT TRUE the Office of Mayor Winnecke and GAGE have advised news outlets that they are holding a press conference on Lynch Road today for the purpose of making a “major” economic development announcement?…we are sure that such an announcement will be certain to claim that politicians and their surrogates have “created” some number of jobs?…today’s meeting will be festive with pats on the back for all and that once the party is over the celebration will be over and there will be little fanfare over whatever comes next?…Vantiv advised authorities yesterday that they will be eliminated an additional 24 jobs in Evansville raising the layoff numbers in recent history to nearly 100 with the total workforce reduction now at 128?…this round of layoffs will reduce the employment at this former high flyer to about 75?…that Vantiv was called CMC and was bought by 5th 3rd Bank in 2006, then flipped to a Boston based private equity firm in 2009, and was taken public in 2011?…that we are betting the there will be no politicians smiling for the cameras in the downtown Evansville office of Vantiv tomorrow?

IS IT TRUE that a local publication known as “Our Times” and published by Sondra Matthews has checked in on the Earthcare Energy situation?…the words chosen by Ms. Matthews are self explanatory and were published exactly as follows?

“Earthcare Energy Co., overnight doomed by 3rd Ward Stephanie Brinkerhoff Riley, talking about conducting a 100 hours of research on the African American executives of the company, which was primed to bring in over 100 new jobs to Evansville. When has she done so much for so little? Yeah, if she knows anything about business start-ups, it’s about the success story of how many times one went bankrupt, was unable to pay taxes, and how sloppy record keeping was in the early days. Why didn’t she take the information she believed was accurate and help find solutions like GAGE Debbie Dewey did for SealCorp. and Earthcare? Oh, we know, “We’re in Indiana now!” Sondra Matthews

IS IT TRUE the Our Times article gets its message across very clear and that message is that the reason that private vetting efforts were made by Councilwoman Riley had more to do with race and that is how things are in Indiana?…it may serve Ms. Matthews well to go back and read what Councilwoman Riley actually wrote and about whom she wrote it?…that it would also serve Ms. Matthews well to review the presentations made by the Earthcare Energy executives at the March 26, 2012 City Council meeting?…that what Ms. Matthews will learn if she reads and watches this with an open mind is that the Earthcare Energy executive that was the subject of most of Councilwoman Riley’s findings was Mr. Stephen Geldmacher who is not African American?…that the private vetting efforts did uncover one important piece of public information about Earthcare Energy executive Mr. Erwin Washington who was not at the meeting?…that only one African American executive of Earthcare Energy spoke before the City Council that night and that was Mr. Ken Haney who spoke mostly about his perception of the opportunity that Earthcare Energy had before them?…all businesses that are seeking financial taxpayer support should be vetted well and completely without regard to their race?…that it is the quality of the opportunity, the competence of the business plan, and the relevant experience of the management team that should determine such things?

IS IT TRUE that the other print media outlet in Evansville, the Courier Press openly praises Councilwoman Riley for her private vetting efforts and gives her credit for “saving the city millions by doing her homework and discovering that the city’s deal with Earthcare Energy was lacking”?…the deal with Earthcare Energy is now in the hands of attorneys and that if the homework would have been done in the first place as opposed to calling a press conference the City of Evansville would not be legally exposed as it now is?…that Ms. Matthews should start doing the kind of homework that Councilwoman Riley did as she works hard to grow the readership and respect for “Our Times”?

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22 COMMENTS

  3. All things Earthcare aside, I think there is a valuable human resource at GAGE, and his name is Shance. It’s Shance, I believe, who became aware of SealCorp’s intentions to leave Evansville, and it was he who jumped into action and secured a suitable location prompting that company to stay here rather than leave.

    I’ve talked to Shance on two occasions at length generally about economic development and specifically about the “dinosaur building” initiative that gives manufacturers certain opportunities to secure and build their businesses here in Evansville. There are many “dinosaur buildings” that coincidentally lie within Evansville’s enterprise zone, and I believe a manufacturer may also take advantange of the inventory tax break along with the additional tax breaks afforded by the dinosaur building initiative.

    Shance is the guy to talk to about this. And I’m not kidding, this young man is very intelligent, highly motivated, and knows what the hell he is talking about. You can thank your lucky stars there’s a fellow named Shance at GAGE.

    • ….it is a GREAT idea…the same thing with what buildings that the DMD has ….”give” the land to a new Development or Entreprenuer to clean up the hazard waste, have a ‘set’ time to use the “free” land to develop and get on the tax base, again, or hand it back to the DMD. Possibly, there are Funds to help with the cost of the clean up….or, larger spaces they may come ahead getting the land “free” and off the tax rolls. There is wasteful money spent paying on insurance, watching over the land, just sitting there. Look at the Old Jail site in the City-County Building just sitting there. Wasteful. The DMD Brownfield lady can watch over the land given, so she doesn’t lose her job—I’m sure why in the past DMD has done nothing……and create new jobs….use the land just sitting there and put OFF the tax rolls of the town, and put BACK on the Tax base of the town, which is needed. (so, they can spend more, IMO) There needs to be more creative use of the resources. Think how for the past few years, those of us stated the new Bus Service was very much needed along Highway 41. Well, when the right person fills that job, something RIGHT and magical happens. It was quickly found out the need was there and folks can now go to various other jobs up and down the North side. DUH and HELLO!!! It is 2012, leave the Brain Surgery to those that can do that. This other stuff, is really the Basics……we need to get back to the Basics. And, Sondra Matthews is right in her statements…..read some books sometimes on folks, their Biography or an Autobiography. Learn some things, out there! Talk to business people…they will tell you what they have endured, got past, and how the stayed alive and thrived in business. Learn something! Sondra, you are on target, and the other gal has some good points also, and some not so good. I like Solutions and that is what I’m working on. A Solution! Too many folks point fingers….what does that do…..it is a good thing when folks work to find Solutions! Have a Great Day!

  4. We lose either way if we keep this same bunch of incumbents in office ,merger is still a power grab

    • Nope, just met the young man at Bokeh Lounge (Haynie’s Corner Art District) a couple weeks ago, and shared a nice chat. And I got no business whatsoever with GAGE. I’m just interested in and promote economic development, and damned glad someone works at GAGE who knows something and is willing to do something constructive,

  6. aawwwjeeeez, mr. haney and his gag truck are rolling back into town. what happened, you rubes miss a payment or something? you know how irate he gets when his ‘business’ pals don’t come thru on time. you’d think you would of gotten wise with that lawyer letter he dropped on you last week. christ he’s gonna be ticked. probably bring gilligan with him, get you mooks to invest in solar powered tropical islands or some such nonsense. that’ll teach ya, by god.

  7. What do you expect from Sondra Matthews? She would cry racism over spilled milk.

    • When is that last time Mz. Matthews has shown racial sensitivity toward anyone other than African-Americans? She is the one who injected race into this situation.

      And what is wrong with an ELECTED city official questioning the spending of city money for a questionable enterprise. She was just doing her job. Where were the majority of the City Council members while SB-R was doing her research?

      And, Mz. Matthews, what information did SB-R present that was incorrect? Don’t you care about the truth? Or are you just interested in injecting race into the issue.

      Until her blurb was published in CCO, I did not know or care what Mr. Haney’s race is.

      Who is really racially insensitive?

      • Sondra is an outright racist. I can’t believe “the First Lady of Evansville” is validating this racist by appearing on stage with her every chance she gets. Can you spell PANDERING?

  9. Sondra Matthews and Ken Haney appear to have gone to the same school. Neither can write a complete sentence.

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