IS IT TRUE? February 2, 2011

IS IT TRUE that Evansville Mayor Jonathan Weinzapfel made it clear yesterday that the City of Evansville gets to make the decision on what company gets to manage the new Evansville Arena?…that he is technically correct in his assertion?…that the Arena and the Centre to avoid competing for limited parking places and yes for the same audience need to coordinate efforts to optimize the use of the Downtown Evansville entertainment complex?…that as much as it is the City of Evansville’s decision to make, there are open door laws that apply in the State of Indiana and that trained legal minds submitted the following opinion to the City County Observer on the legality of the closed door manner in which this was done?

IS IT TRUE that the Evansville Redevelopment Commission is responsible for selecting a management firm for the new Downtown Arena pursuant to REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS (“RFQ”) sent out by the City of Evansville to eight (8) potential companies?…that SMG, Central Illinois Arena Management and VenuWorks responded to the Downtown Arena RFQ?…that the Evansville Redevelopment Commission did the right thing by not voting today on the selection of a management firm for the new Downtown Arena.

IS IT TRUE that Sara Miller, a member of the Evansville Redevelopment Commission, was also a member of the six (6) member Interview Team (“Interview Committee”) who interviewed the three (3) Downtown Arena applicants on January 6, 2011 at some unknown Evansville location?…that the Interview Committee unanimously recommended that the Evansville Redevelopment Commission award the Downtown Arena Management contract to VenuWorks.

IS IT TRUE that the Interview Committee did not comply with the requirements of the Indiana Open Door Law (Indiana Code 5-14-1.5) in connection with its interview and decision making process concerning its recommendation that the Evansville Redevelopment Commission choose VenuWorks to manage the new Downtown Arena.

IS IT TRUE that Sara Miller, as a member of the Interview Committee and a member of the Evansville Redevelopment Commission, should recuse herself from voting on the selection of the firm to manage and operate the new Downtown Arena.

IS IT TRUE that the entire Procurement Process, utilized by the City of Evansville, including the actions taken by the Interview Committee, could be subject to legal action should someone feel that the City of Evansville/Evansville Redevelopment Commission violated the Indiana Open Door Law?

End of Legal Contribution

IS IT TRUE that Mayor Weinzapfel and Mr. Kish’s assertion that VenuWorks missing some entertainment convention in California will put the performance of the new Evansville Arena at risk is what psychologist often refer to as a bit of “control drama”?…that if the Arena is everything it has been advertised to be that the first several months will draw big name acts and crowds no matter which firm eventually wins the business?…that if this whole process would have been conducted openly that none of the mudslinging of the last couple of days would have happened?

IS IT TRUE that Mayor Weinzapfel has accused the group that stood up before the Evansville Redevelopment Commission to oppose the secretive manner that the choice of VenuWorks was made of “politicizing” the decision?…that the process was indeed “politicized” by continuing the practice of secret meetings to conduct important public business?…that it was the Mayor himself who “politicized” this decision?…that the hit dog always howls?

IS IT TRUE that an arrangement may just be under consideration that will keep the park at 4th and Main a park?…that the City County Observer truly hopes this materializes and encourages all involved to endeavor to preserve this slice of urban green space for generations to come?