IS IT TRUE October 16,2024

We hope today’s “IS IT TRUE” will provoke honest and open dialogue concerning issues that this community’s responsible citizens need to address rationally and responsibly.

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IS IT TRUE that the Board of Park Commissioners meets today at noon in the Civic Center Room 301? …that a hot topic will be the $24 million parks bond? …that at their last meeting, the board took the $11 million “Long Neck Hotel” (giraffe breeding barn) off of the list of proposed projects? …that, at that meeting, board president Michelle Peterlin astutely questioned the wisdom of spending $11 million on a giraffe breeding barn during difficult economic times? …that when President Peterlin asked Mesker Park Zoo Director Eric Beck about the net revenue of the zoo, he estimated that the zoo loses about $3 million annually? …that documents obtained and reviewed by the City-County Observer show that the loss in 2023 was actually $4,098,086, and in the proposed 2025 budget, the estimated loss will be $4,633,060?

IS IT TRUE that we are puzzled that there are no plans to adjust the bond amount after removing the $11 million for the Long Neck Hotel? …that the parks director stated that no additional projects will be added to the bond? …that the plan is to split the $11 million between the remaining eight projects?

IS IT TRUE that a payment table for the parks bond shows that Evansville will pay $4,589,920.14 toward the principal and interest on the debt in the first year (2025)? …that by the time the debt is paid in 2038, the taxpayers will have shelled out $7,371,045.14 in interest only? …that the $4.6 million payment in 2025 for the eight projects covered by the bond is double the amount budgeted for ALL park district maintenance next year?

IS IT TRUE that public comments will be allowed at the Parks Board meeting today? …that there will be one more opportunity for public comment on October 30 at noon? …that the board will vote on the bond at their October 30 meeting?

IS IT TRUE that as predicted in Monday’s IS IT TRUE, the E-REP did their best “No Show Jones” and failed to attend the County Commission meeting yesterday? …that commissioners still have unanswered questions about how taxpayer dollars are being spent by E-REP?