Dear reader, are a part of the City-County Observer when you comment on the stories. Here are a few of the best comments from the past week:
In our story about the mayor reacting to a letter about conditions at the animal control facility, Lynn Wilcox wrote, “Animal. Control has always been horrendous since I was a child. I now reside in Colorado, and their shelters are nothing like in Evansville. Evansville, you should be ashamed of the conditions the animals are kept in. YOU can do better.”
This week’s story about the parks board hearing from the public on the $24 million bond, Donald Lee Nichols said, “I spoke at this meeting- here’s the video link to the entire meeting: https://evansville.granicus.com/player/clip/6894?view_id=12&redirect=true
Post-meeting it was explained to me the bond is an up or down, all-or-nothing proposal and Board vote. The $10 million for the giraffe barn cannot be “carved out” and put in a “lock box” or earmarked for the barn at a later date as I suggested in the video above. At two previous Board meetings, we heard there will be proposals for an extensive giraffe barn at Mesker Zoo, which will be introduced in 2025. So, the $10 million earmarked for the barn becomes a windfall for the remaining projects. I must ask, why would a bond amount be set in stone while the projects using the bond dollars haven’t yet been approved? Makes no sense to me, unless it was the plan all along, a bait and switch. In other words, the giraffe barn and its allotted dollars were a throwaway to gain funds for the remaining projects. Here’s a simple example. Under the current system, a $24 million bond is et, and the “amount” cannot be changed later for two city parks, One honoring Mayor Smith and one for Mayor Jones. However, while surveyors plot the acreage, they find Mayor Jones Park is planned on an ancient or protected site and cannot be built upon. If it’s like the current $24 million bond rules, the entire $24 million bond could be awarded to Mayor Smith Park. I was told that it would not be improper. I think it is. Let me say I support the listed projects as they address critical needs. Please, if someone can explain to me/us whats missing from my view, I’ll stand corrected.”
And Louis Murphy commented on the story about Alexis Berggren resigning from Explore Evansville, “Steve Schaefer or his wife’s next stop. Mark it down.”
