IS IT TRUE MARCH 15, 2017

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IS IT TRUE Jacob Murphy was the Vanderburgh County Burdette Park Director for over 2 years?  …guess what  County Commissioners (Cheryl Musgrave (R) and Ben Shoulders (D)) did to him yesterday?  …the answer is they fired him and replace him with County Commissioner Ben Shoulders (D) campaign manager?  …we been told by people in the know that this decision should be considered an act of political patronage?

IS IT TRUE yesterday Vanderburgh County Commissioners Cheryl Musgrave (R) and Ben Shoulders (D) approved the hiring of former Democratic County Commissioner Pat Tuley to be the new Director of Burdette Park less than an hour after informing 28 year old Burdette Park Director Jacob Murphy that he was fired? … the time frame in which the firing of Jacob Murphy happened and the hiring of Pat and his wife Z Tuley may suggests that a backroom political deal may have been cut before the Commission meeting?  …if this is correct it looks like the State Sunshine laws may have been violated?

IS IT TRUE we wonder why the newly vacant position for Burdette Park Director wasn’t publicly advertised in our local paper? …during the election didn’t Commissioners Musgrave and Shoulders campaigns promise open and transparent government?

IS IT TRUE facts are that former Burdette Park Director Jacob Murphy was a very good Director of Burdette Park?  …he reduced his Department budget in 2016 by 11%. or $118,000 dollars?  … Mr. Murphy not only increased park attendance but also introduced some very creative ideas in order to improve Burdette Park?  … recently Mr. Murphy has been holding discussions to create a holiday theme at Burdette Park with a firm from Louisville in hopes that it would create a regional draw to the park and Evansville alike?

IS IT TRUE that Commissioners Musgrave (R) and Shoulders (D) also approved the hiring of Pat Tuley’s wife as part-time Campgrounds Manager for Burdette Park?  …we hope that Commissioners Musgrave and Shoulders read the Vanderburgh County “Nepotism Policy” statement posted in the employee handbook?  …they may be in direct violation of this policy because they officially hired a husband and wife team to run Burdette Park?

IS IT TRUE we find it laughable when County Commissioner Shoulder (D) said “removing Murphy from the post was not reflective of how the park was managed”?  …we wonder what was the real reason why Mr. Shoulders decided to fire Mr. Murphy?  …we have been told by several long time political office holders in both the city and county that County Commissioner Ben Shoulders (D) is quickly establishing the reputation of being less than truthful and somewhat self serving?

IS IT TRUE could a backroom political deal be the real reason for the firing of a young, qualified and hard working non-political county employee?  …the footnote on Jacob Murphy resume can now read “I was fired as Burdette Park Director because of politics and without cause”?

IS IT TRUE many people are now saying that the decision of Commissioners Musgrave and Shoulders to fire Burdette Park Director Jacob Murphy reeks of nepotism and political patronage?

IS IT TRUE tonight members of the local FOP will be talking about conducting a “VOTE OF NO CONFIDENCE” against Evansville Chief of Police Billy Bolin? …this meeting will be closed to the media and the public? …we are also told if the FOP membership hold such a vote against Chief Bolin and it passes it could be extremely damaging to his professional reputation and future effectiveness as Police Chief?

FOOTNOTE: Todays “READERS POLL” question is: Do you feel that the decision to fire Burdette Park Director Jacob Murphy reeks of nepotism and political patronage?

 

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25 COMMENTS

  1. I would expect no less than that from Shoulders. He learned well at the knee of his daddy Mike and his uncle Pat. However I find it hard to believe Cheryl Musgrave would stoop this low. That’s not her standard modus operandi.

  2. Wonder if this was something cooked up by Shoulders during one if his early evening “discussions” at Bar Louie?

  3. I am very disappointed in Cheryl. I will have to place her in my “just another politician” box.

      • Thank you. It’s the same cancer. My niece’s brother contracted it last year, but it was caught in time and he is doing fine. Several in the family were found positive an have had gastrectomy surgery as a prevention.

    • Would have thought Musgrave was smarter than voting for an old time Democrat payback play.

  4. Hey ..why is anybody surprised?? It’s Evansville, IN politics as usual ..

  5. Political hack bullcrap. I made the mistake of thinking Shoulders could operate above bar. Jacob Murphy is young, educated, and did a great job – apparently those weren’t the job qualifications. Also, hiring a political operative and his wife without advertising the vacancies looks really bad. Nice work Vandenberg County…

  6. Seems the county bosses have already learned from the city ones. No matter how much it stinks, ram it through. Let’s see Tuley, EVSC employee, that qualifies to run a park, NOT. Career politician wife, that qualifies her to run a campground, NOT. Was there a campground manager before? Or is this an extra patronage position created for the wife? Like if you hire my husband, you have to hire me. We are a team.

  7. I had always seen Cheryl as an above board type of person. I don’t judge people on just one thing but it makes me reconsider my opinion of her. Also if hiring one was bad enough, they also have the gall to hire his wife.

  9. Tuley is a card carrying member of the local establishment, and as such both parties must fall in line where his employment is concerned. Hell, according to today’s C&P, “Tuley was County Commissioner from 1993 to 2001” But some how he “retired from the school corporation after 20 years, in 2016.

    Now math is not my strongest field of endeavor, but those figures do not seem to add up. Unless you are a member of the local establish.

    • Math my not be a strong point, but people have other jobs besides just County Commissioner. It’s a part time job.

    • Tuley got a school pension for his 20 with school corp. As a county commissioner he was in PERF he needs 10 years in PERF to collect a public employees pension. got it now.

      • That’s why former Mayor McDonald II was a “pee cop” at DADS for a few years after leaving his banker friends. Needed to get.20 years of employment with the City to get a pension.

  11. Jackasses wonder why younger people don’t get involved in politics, then fire a 28-year-old and replace him with a political lackey. Who WANTS to get involved in politics here? Go through the last names of people employed by the local government and I bet you’ll be able to draw a family tree.

  12. Yep…… Press ……President Trump Schlonged the ingnorant libs yet again………lollllllllllll….hahaha….

  14. This Mr Tuley has his hands in all the pots in Mayberry, I mean Evansville. Wasn’t qualified for his position in Evsc either.

  15. Yes. This reeks of political patronage and nepotism. Let’s see what Pat Tuley’s 2017 salary will be when he is employed at the Manager of Burdette. Will it be more than the $53,000 that Mr. Murphy was going to be paid? OR Will Mr. Tuley’s wife be paid enough in her part time position to make up for the difference in what he was paid in his job with the school corporation and what he will be paid now? Isn’t it very convenient that he happened to retire from the school corporation in Dec. 2016?

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