IS IT TRUE? March 1, 2011

IS IT TRUE that Mole #3 says the Evansville Department of Water and Sewers is putting out a request for proposals (RFP) to accept bids to implement a modernization of reading of water meters?…that if implemented that this technology will eliminate the need for meter readers and may just eliminate all of those jobs?…that there are only a couple of companies that offer this technology and that the call for bids has not been published in local papers?…that the Director of Information Technology may have inserted a clause into the RFP that states that any prospective bidder that speaks to any person outside of the Department administration will be disqualified?…that seems to include talking to not only the press but to members of the City Council as well?…that this project is alleged to be in the tens of millions of dollars?…that this GAG ORDER is censorship of the highest order?…that contemplating the purchase of new technology with a price tag of over $10 Million should be done in public according to open door laws?

IS IT TRUE that candidate for the Democratic nomination for Evansville City Council from the 6th Ward, Evansville Firefighter Al Lindsey will be represented by one of the most competent and tenacious attorneys that practices in SW Indiana?…that none other than Republican extraordinaire Les Shively will be representing Mr. Lindsey’s right to run on Thursday at 1:00?…that politics really can make for unexpected alliances?…that the City County Observer is not surprised as Mr. Shively is known to be on the side of law and frequently advocates for upholding the law?

IS IT TRUE that Mole #3 says that the fiber optic connection between the new Arena and the Civic Center that was celebrated as costing under $100,000 and saving great sums of money is now running over budget by a newsworthy amount?…that we are curious when that expenditure and the revised cost will be made public?…that we wonder why there is not RFP published for this project just as no bids were taken for the demolition of the Executive Inn?

IS IT TRUE that the City of Evansville just announced yet another win of outside grant money that will be used to build 120 units of “affordable” housing?…that Director of DMD Tom Barnett is on record as stating the over 8,000 homes in Evansville are dilapidated and that the US Census confirms that over 7,000 homes are abandoned in Evansville?…that the population has been shrinking for 50 years?…that as pretty and nice as the 120 “affordable” units may be we question the need for housing in a city that has 8,000 abandoned homes?…that maybe the money to build these units is federal grant money that is considered “free” by local government?…that these homes have the sound of “bridge to nowhere” unless of course the demolition team is out taking down as many of the 8,000 dilapidated obsolete houses as possible?…that these 120 units will not be something that attracts educated young professionals nor will these units do anything about the poor performance of the schools in the FDP area?…that projects like these do not improve the demographics of Evansville and do not benefit anyone except the few people who live in the reduced cost housing and the politicians who claim credit for doing something?

IS IT TRUE that competent fishermen do not cast their nets in places where there are not any fish?…that hunters do not hunt for elephants in SW Indiana because there are no elephants here?…that private builders do not build homes for sale in places that people are leaving in droves?…that governments should have the good sense to do the same?…that if the re-population of Evansville’s Front Door Pride district is to begin that it will start with the eradication of criminal activity and with the establishment of acceptable schools in that area?…that bricks and mortar can not buy brains and safety?