IS IT TRUE January 7, 2013

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IS IT TRUE that the Mayor’s General Counsel, called Evansville City Councilman, John Friend, CPA to attend a meeting today to discuss future requests for financial documents issues?… that the Mayor’s legal counsel, Ted Ziemer informed Mr. Friend that he, City Controller-Russ Lloyd Jr., DMD Director, Phil Hooper. Mayors Chief of Staff-Steve Schaefer,and General Legal Counsel for DMD shall attend this high powered meeting?…Mr. Ziemer also told Mr. Friend that he should bring the City Council budget liaison with him to this meeting?…that we expect that they shall tell Mr. Friend that the city council liaison must now file a Freedom of Information request if he wants to receive any future financial documents from DMD?…we hope that Mr. Friend has his high powered City Attorney, Scott Danks with him at this meeting?…we wonder why the DMD Director is trying to obstruct Mr. Friend and the City Council budget liaison from getting much needed financial information so they finish their budget review in a timely manner?

IS IT TRUE we have conducted many reader polls over the years?…we must say that we are completely surprised if not stunned of the final results of the polls between President of the Vanderburgh County Commission, Marsha Abell and the President of the “Vote No Against Consolidated Government” campaign, Bruce Ungenthiem?…the results of the final tally was Ungenthiem 216 to Abell’s 84?…Mr. Ungenthiem is the strong choice of our readers who they want to be elected as the next County Commissioner?…that we have been hearing that Ms. Abell’s political influence has been declining over the last 12 months and this polls is strongly pointed to that?

IS IT TRUE with regards to the Mayor’s visit to Evansville’s Sister City in Germany, the budget line item which allows for the expenditure for this trip was placed by the Winnecke Administration in the COIT (County Option Income Tax) portion of the budget?…the members of the Evansville City Council all overlooked this during the Budget hearings?…the Administration should have presented this in the Mayor’s Office budget and the City Council budget?… as presented, any individual’s cost of going to Germany could be paid, regardless as a Council Member or as an invited guest of the Mayor?…it is unfortunate that not any members of Council caught this SNEGAL placement?…the COIT funds have always been earmarked for capital needs, not for operational expenses, due to the variable nature of the revenue source?…the CCO encourages some member of the City Council to formally make a request to City Controller Russell Lloyd in the form of an ordinance transferring those funds into the capital expenditure category where it should have been originally?… if the Winnecke Administration feels that the taxpayers should sponsor this expedition, they should be coming forward with an ordinance?…we bet such an ordinance would fail by at least a 2 to 1 majority?

IS IT TRUE the CCO expects to be getting a statement from the Office of the Mayor today regarding the budget line items associated with funding that is eligible for use to travel to Amsterdam and Germany?…we also expect the efforts of this week to render those funds unavailable for such globetrotting?…in all fairness there are some American cities that have found ways to utilize sister city relationships to actually make some commerce (other than visits) happen that benefits local businesses, creates jobs, and even in some few cases results in successful business attraction?…if any former Mayor can come forward with a tangible positive commercial thing that has come from any such trip made by Evansville leaders during the last 20 years the CCO will gladly showcase these results with the costs and benefits detailed?…we suspect we will have no takers on this?…let the recreation in Amsterdam and Germany continue with all private dollars as it should?…if no real economic progress has resulted from the last 20 years of sisterly visitation none should be expected this time?…there are enough recreational opportunities in Amsterdam to keep a smile on everyone’s face anyway?

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24 COMMENTS

  1. Business as usual in Evansville Government is about to get a “wake-up” call, the “natives” are getting restless,and want the facts! It’s just a shame the citizenery have to file a virtual suit (FOI) to get the truth on the their “business” dealings. The vast amount of Snegal by those pretending to “serve the people” is going to come back and bite them in their “Royal” patootie,–and that folks, will be the first REAL sign of “progress” in this community in Ages.

  2. Thanks Councilmen John Friend for the excellent work your doing in our behalf.

    Your knowledge and skills are keeping the Mayor and his “snegal” friends at bay.

    Shame on you Russ Lloyd, Jr., Steve Schaefer and Mayor Winnenke for trying to pull ar fast one over city council.

  3. How in the world does the Mayor trip to Amsterdan (sin city of the world)would benifit Evansville?

    Talking about bad economic and political judgement, you have it here.

    In fact this whole trip is shameful and waste of taxpayers money.

    Thanks Councilmen John Friend for sticking up for the taxpayers of this community.

  4. We can also can add bad moral judgement on the Mayor and his wife part wanting to take people to Amsterdam on a city sponsored trip.

    What in the heck is wrong with these people? They don’t repersent my moral values.

  5. This sister city trip is akin to taking what little dollars we generate as a city from the value of owners’ property, sales taxes on the goods and services we have to purchase to survive and/or maintain a standard of living, etc. and using them for a complete BOONDOGGLE for City officials to have a nice paid European vacation.

    What’s most disturbing is that I’m sure the attendees will validate it in their consciousness as “spreading goodwill and learning from other cities that have thrived how we can succeed”…. what a complete “load”. As stated in the CCO, nothing is “learned” on these trips other than what the best wine at a given bistro might be. They also will validate it as “every other mayor has done this”… does that make it right? Wouldn’t this be the perfect opportunity to say “this isn’t the best use of taxpayer dollars… at least certainly not right now… and this administration is going to forego this “traditional trip” and continue to focus on fixing our City.

    It just amazes me that we can continue to make such poor leadership decisions in this city and how some have a sense of entitlement to things like this and are somehow appalled if they are ever questions about it by concerned citizens.

  6. Three cheers to John Friend and Council President,Connie Robinson for catching the political junkie planned by the alledged “First Lady” of Evansville and her hen pecked husband.

    Any truth to the rumor that they shall be taking a couple of area porn shop owners to the Amterdam trip with them?

    • You’re crazy.
      Friend and Robinson allowed NOT ONE – BUT TWO – City budgets to be passed without knowing how much money was in the bank. And he had NO IDEA that this Germany junket was in the budget and he’s the finance director?
      SHAME ON ALL OF THEM.

  7. This is just a reminder that the City Counsel’s last name is NOT Zimmer; it is Ziemer.

  8. Glad that the CCO readers voted against Commisioner President, Marsha Abell re-election bid.

    It’s time the voters send her to her retirement home in Florida. We have had enough of her “know it all” attitude!

    Elect Bruce Ungenthiem as our next County Commissioner.

    • Other than the “consolidation” what problems does the CCO have with Marsha? Fellow Commissioner Steve Melcher said on January 1, 2013 at his inauguration he thinks Marsha is a good Commissioner and agrees with her on most things. That is a big statement from a respected public official and veteran.

      Marsha is alive and well. She is not afraid to express herself publically just like the CCO Commenter’s and the CCO does on this site. She has bigger baxxs than most men. She is correct on most things. Bruce is a good guy but he cannot beat Marsha in a Republican primary if Marsha decides to run.

      • I believe the voters are the ones with Marsha problems. They veiw her as part of the entrenched political hack system that have no normal thoughts on priorities of spending tax dollars.

        • onemeover ——I do not understand what you mean. What are some examples of Marsha not having “normal thoughts on priorities of spending tax dollars”.

      • I rather like Marsha. She is one of my old Kentucky pals from high school days. And yes, she knows how to stand her ground and is not afraid to do so.

        • I tend to agree with you on this one. It appears that the person bashing Marsha and the cheerleader for John Friend has as many personalities as they do screen names. Now Mr. Wallace , maybe you need to step in and ride herd on your cco cohorts… Just sayin…

  9. IC 5-14-3 ACCESS TO PUBLIC RECORDS

    http://www.in.gov/legislative/ic/code/title5/ar14/ch3.html

    Public policy; construction; burden of proof for nondisclosure

    Sec. 1. A fundamental philosophy of the American constitutional form of representative government is that government is the servant of the people and not their master.

    Accordingly, it is the public policy of the state that all persons are entitled to full and complete information regarding the affairs of government and the official acts of those who represent them as public officials and employees.

    Providing persons with the information is an essential function of a representative government and an integral part of the routine duties of public officials and employees, whose duty it is to provide the information.

    This chapter shall be liberally construed to implement this policy and place the burden of proof for the nondisclosure of a public record on the public agency that would deny access to the record and not on the person seeking to inspect and copy the record.
    As added by P.L.19-1983, SEC.6. Amended by P.L.77-1995, SEC.1.

    * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

    I am sure Mr. Danks is thoroughly familiar with IC 5-14-3

    ___

  10. I would expect that attorney Danks would not waste too much time in trying to follow any of the twisted “logic” that might be provided by attorney Ziemer in attempting to deny access to public documents.

    Just tee it up and hit the ball Mr. Danks.

    ___

  11. Senate Republicans refuse to confirm Kerry until Hillary testifies about Benghazi

    * * * * * * * * *

    Now there is an idea I can get behind!

    __

  12. When I try to vote oin a CCO voter poll, i appears that the computer just goes into an endless loop and never registers my choice. When I want to look at the results without voting, the same thing happens.

    Is this a problem with the CCO site or with my computer? Any hints will be appreciated.

    • I have always experenced this and I have found if I click to view a story, and then vote from that page, it works, and my vote is tallied.

      • Crash Laure—I have experienced the same thing. I wonder what is going on? I though maybe it did not like my vote. 🙂

  13. I hear that the Mayor of Evansville’s Chief of Staff has called in a local plumber to stop the political leaks at the court house. I also heard that he has also contacted a local exterminator to get an estimate for the cost of ridding “moles” from the civic center.

    How about this? Mr. Smith goes to Washington and the Mayor of Evansville goes to Amsterdam!

  14. Did Mr. Smith get something accomplished in D.C.? Unless we can land Heineken, why Amsterdam?

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