CCO OBSERVATION Of CITY COUNCIL ELECTION

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We always believe that voting is important, but the City Election this Tuesday, November 3 may be one of the most important ones we have held in years. Evansville is at a crossroads and what happens in the next four years may dictate whether or not we remain a functioning and financially solvent entity. For that reason, the City-County Observer is offering our observations about the candidates you will choose from in a pivotal election for our great city.

In the City Council-At-Large race, we can vote for three candidates out of the six who are listed on the ballot. The first is Democrat Dr. H. Dan Adams, who we expect to cruise to reelection. Dr. Adams is the current President of City Council and was instrumental in bringing the IU Medical School to Old Downtown. He has done a credible job in representing our interests and is worth your consideration.

The second name to appear on the At-Large ballot is that of another Democrat, Alex Burton. Mr. Burton has run an energetic campaign and is a breath of fresh air as a candidate for the City Council. For someone so young, he brings more experience to the job than many candidates twice his age. He has worked on the staff of two (2) United States Congressmen and was intern for Mayor Jonathan Winezapfel and understands the nuances of the job of being an elected official. Mr. Burton’s educational background is extremely impressive,  he has Bachelor degree in Public Relations and a Master’s degree in Public Administration. Alex has publicly made a firm commitment to building consensus and finding compromise with other members of council. If elected, we predict that Alex will be a positive force on City Council.

Republican Michelle Mercer is the third name on the At-Large ballot. No newcomer to politics, she has unsuccessfully sought public office several times before.  She has stated publicly that she is committed to the tax and spend agenda of our current Mayor.  She has ran an aggressive but positive campaign.  She is likable and If elected we hope she will be her own person.

We wish we had seen more of the Libertarian candidate, Robert Myers. While third-party candidates have a tough battle most of the time to be elected, we wonder if his presence on City Council might make more of the community feel as if they have a independent thinking representative in the Civic Center.

When it was revealed that Republican Jack Schriber has admitted engaging in a 2 year sexual relationship with an underaged male student during his years as a teacher, he withdrew his candidacy. However, it’s too late to remove his name from the ballot, so if he is one of the top three vote-getters, it will be up to the Republican caucus to elect a replacement for him.  We highly recommend that you bypass his name on the ballot.

The final name on the At-Large ballot is Democrat Jonathan Weaver. During his first four-year term, Mr. Weaver has conducted his personal life in such a way that causes us to doubt that he’s worthy of being re-elected to Council.  Councilman Weaver has also stated that he would vote to increase the Local Option Income Tax if re-elected to Council. The Republicans chose not to run a third At-Large candidate, as Mr. Weaver is totally dedicated (rubber stamp) to the current Mayor’s tax and spend agenda for the City.

The First Ward is a contested race, and we again wish we had seen more of the Libertarian candidate, Bart Gadau. He is challenging incumbent and liberal Republican, Dan McGinn. Traditionally the First Ward has been strongly Republican, and the Democrats often fail to field a challenger there. We believe that the newly-drawn boundaries make the First Ward winnable for a conservative Democrat, but one is not running. We wouldn’t be upset if Mr. Gadau was elected  to this seat simply because we believe McGinn’s condescension to constituents is not good for the First Ward or the City in general. Also McGinn has publicly stated if elected to a second term he is going to propose to increase our local Option Income Tax which causes us major concern because too many Evansvillians are already struggling to get by.

There is no contest in the Second Ward because of a back room political deal between the Democrats and Republicans. Democrat Missy Mosby will retain the seat she now holds after barely squeaking past Steve Davis in the primary by fifteen votes. It’s obvious that if Ms. Mosby had an anti-tax and spend Republican running against her she would have been in bone fide re-election battle of her political career.  Like her close friend and business associate (both work at Tucker Realty),  Jonathan Weaver,  she has been “on board” with Lloyd Winnecke’s tax and spend agenda from day one.

In the Third Ward, the Republican Anna Hargis-CPA  has waged a very energetic campaign.  She is smart and personable.  However, we are concerned that she is totally committed to the Winnecke future tax and spend vision for Evansville. We hope this doesn’t mean that Hargis will be a rubber stamp for the Mayors tax and spend agenda . The 3rd Ward boundaries have been redrawn in such a way that it has added some traditionally Republican areas. The Democrat in the race is Mrs. Anna Melcher, who is a very independent, intelligent and extremely outspoken candidate. We will be interested to see if changes in the 3rd Ward boundaries will have an effect on the traditionally Democrat ward’s election outcomes. We believe that either of the “two Annas” would do a fine job in representing the concerns that are brought to them by constituents.

The Fourth Ward’s four term Democratic incumbent, Connie Robinson, is being challenged by Independent Henrietta Jenkins. We believe the hardworking and effective Central City advocate Connie Robinson will have no difficulty soundly defeating her challenger. Ms. Jenkins has waged a non-issue campaign based on bitter personal attacks about Mrs. Robinson’s hard-earned financial success in life, and we have no reason to believe that Ms. Jenkins has any potential to do a job for the Fourth Ward that compares to the one Connie continually does for her constituents.

The Fifth Ward is shaping up to be a close contest, although it is a heavily Republican area. Democrat Tom Shoulders and Republican Justin Elpers both have strong backing among members of their parties. Mr. Shoulders is a firefighter at the airport and Mr. Elpers is a teacher at Harrison. Either of the men, in our opinion, will do a good job on City Council.

The Democrat in the Sixth Ward, James Brinkmeyer, is unopposed as the result of the same behind-the-scenes deal making between the parties that gave Missy Mosby an uncontested race. We hope that the untested Mr. Brinkmeyer will represent the Sixth Ward well.

We believe that the voters are being shortchanged by back room deals between the parties that allow so many “uncontested” seats. We also want to remind those who would ordinarily vote a “single punch” straight Republican ticket, that unless they want to vote for Jack Schriber, they must go through the ballot and punch individual candidates’ names.

FOOTNOTE: We have shared our thoughts with you,  we are inviting you to take part in our unscientific poll but trendy “Readers Poll”  tell us who do you “endorse” as the next Mayor of Evansville.

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39 COMMENTS

  1. Dirt bag fake conservatives like JoeBiden and loonypilot love weaver, the winnecke puppet. At the local level party affiliation means NOTHING. A wife beater scum bag like weaver fits loon pilot and fake Joe biden’s good Ole boy MO.

    • I don’t see a big difference in what Schriber did and Weaver’s behavior. Both victimized people who should have been able to trust them completely. Both are getting away with it because of “who they are” and in Schriber’s case, a messed-up statute of limitations.

      • Interesting perspective. I agree with you. Abuse is abuse and there is a very fine line between being over or under 18.

  3. When I saw the ballot this year, I was very sad at the choices available. I believe no matter what happens Evansville is in big trouble, glad I’m joining the rest and getting out.

    • JBYRD…this, “no matter what happens”……”I’m getting out”…….total BS comment,
      I mean, are you a LOSER or what?

      What, you leave a comment here, for like, spite?
      You’re such a worthless person…..you just want to remind everyone else here working to make their community better….that YOU JBYRD……never were worth anyone’s time or interest?

      People like JBYRD throwing in their towel because they can’t make a success out of their life and their community…the “I’m getting out and don’t care”…….PLEASE, Go now! We have families and fun lives in our community.
      If that is all you are made of……We won’t miss you.

      • Jbyrd is correct in what he says don Becker , between weinzapfel and winnecke’s spending spree no matter who gets voted in ,Evansville must still pay off her debts ,IMHO hopefully Gail will be our next mayor , city council must start thinking ,,I’m not democrat or a republican ,I vote for person not the party

        • Who are you talking to Eviltaxpayer? Think you posted this in the wrong place.
          I discussed JBYRD’s total lack of character, nothing related to candidates or issues.

      • Instead of chastising people who might be looking out for their economic well being you should be finding some viable solutions to actually lower the cost of living in Evansville. And then start working to improve the less than standard rotten infrastructure that the dumpy little politically festered mess offers. I would suggest if one wants to remain at their place of employment there, simple, cross one of those money saving bridges. Or move to a adjacent county and thrive as you must. You sound exactly like ole riverfront Shem, Sam or Weinz. I think @ Bandanas got you nailed.

        • V, …..I take it that you agree then, that taking the position as JBYRD has done…”I’m joining the rest and getting out (of Evansville)”….is a worthless and insignificant advocacy position totally lacking in any redeemable quality…..for helping with all of the things you listed as important to Evansville.
          I mean if those things are important to you V, you’re not GONNA GET ANY HELP from JBYRD as he abandons any commitment to his community, mocks those who are continuing to work on their community, and snakes away on his belly out of town.

          • Go fly you political kite somewhere else I have no time for the debate, WE have a ton of science coming in by the minute and it doesn’t include Evansville anymore. Evansville is operating under very poor priorities and has for several years thus the problems there. I’m telling my people there to leave as well.

          • If people start to leave it may wake up the IN Crowd and make them see that they can’t get anywhere the way things have been going and force them to rethink their position and policies. After all they want to try and attract new people to this community but the way they are going about it is making the people we already have leave in greater numbers. So maybe the in crowd will wise up. But I sort of doubt it. They will grab what ever they can from this town before they are forced out of office. Nothing is going to change. And it’s probably not much different where ever one goes in this country. It’s all about the might Dollar and who can get the most dollars as fast as they can. The other people be damned. And that is what is wrong with this Country. Now there are still a few good people left but they won’t run for political office with the crap that they would be put though. Think SBR or Rick Davis as good example of good people that either got stabbed in the back by the IN CROWD and then SBR decided to leave after they put here though the ringer over the State Board Of Accounts Audit BS.

      • Don, it is none of your business where anyone else chooses to live or why they make their choice. You seem to jump at the chance to launch a personal attack whenever anyone says something that goes against your “Chamber of Commerce” outlook on the world. Snap out of it, man!

        • ELKAYBEE:
          We both know, NO help in trying to change your community for the better, comes from those negative people who have thrown in the towel and are more than happy to call those they left behind the “rats who remain.” That is LOSER language.
          And you’re defending this behavior? What is with that LKB?
          These people have problems in their own lives that have nothing to do with our great community. I love Evansville. It is a great place to live and raise a family.
          If this P.O.S wants to leave, then he needs to leave and solve his own problems.

    • jbyrd—-Evansville is down 50,000 residents from its peak.
      -“glad I’m joining the rest, and getting out”— are you commenting on Evansville’s Political Rulers, Evansville’s Future, as well as who gets to pay the HALF a BILLION dollars (and mounting) of Debt, Evansville’s”Leadership has piled on the remaining Residents, as your reason for wanting to leave a sinking ship?

  4. Is Hargis the woman you see in the first two rows of your present CC meetings constantly fumbling with her phone? Someone told me that was her, gees people the council should adopt a motion to turn off devices during the actual meeting, what that indicates is that someone not on the floor is driving conclusions . Not acceptable, and way out of line with procedures, whos really making your motions, better yet “What’s in your council chamber?” That says it all in a small basket and that’s terribly wrong.
    Anyone that pops out a phone and starts texting should be tossed from the room by the councils police officer on duty. Period! At any rate don’t elect those phone bags ,it won’t help you, whatsoever.

    • That is the lady, indeed. She is “tweeting” her impressions of what is happening in the meeting, I believe. Hopefully, she will refrain from that if she is on City Council.

      • Thank you for maintaining your watchful surveillance of Republicans! If Representative Riecken is elected, I am quite sure that our growing network of professional activists can make sure that their movements are tracked 24/7.

        J. Coddington “Comrade Hugo” Fetlock IV
        Maximum co-coordinator
        Organizing for Idiocy
        Evansville Cell

  5. ” Mrs. Robinson’s hard-earned financial success in life….” (CCO)

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

    That may be up for debate. Her council seat allowed here to over stay her allotted time in the business incubator downtown. Her seat on the council and her minority owned business status landed her a lucrative contract with Casino Aztar that was responsible for launching her business.

    She openly supports a republican mayor for office and her own party chairman turns his head the other way. Connie leads a charmed life, and yes, race does play a part in it and anyone who says differently is blind, or deaf, or both. She was probably the most visible and ardent supporter of Jonathan Weinzapfel of all the council members during his administration, if you want to talk about tax and spend, she cat a yes vote for all of it under Weinzapfel.

  6. Thanks, CCO! I just nearly choked on a cup of coffee, when I checked the reader endorsements in your “unscientific trendy poll”. I blew coffee all over my laptop and began choking when I saw that currently, even perv Jack Schriber is beating the wife-beater by one vote.
    I’ve got to wonder who the jokers who voted for those two are. They either have a wicked sense of humor or they are just plain wicked.

    • Aaah LKB. You are validating the inefficiencies and inaccuracies of “online/reader polls.”

      • I don’t believe I’ve EVER been known to say that such “polls” are valid. I do hope the one conducted by the Courier when they endorsed Winkie is close, though. In it, Gail garnered a nearly 3:1 majority over Hizzoner. I see the Courier is pretty embarrassed by that one and is trying to hide it.

  7. I must agree that the completely unqualified Anna Melcher is by far the better of the two candidates! We at OFI have carefully compiled some of her answers in preparation for a printed volume:

    Uhh….
    Don’t really know.
    Yes…or maybe no.
    I’ve been meaning to look into that.
    Well, that depends.
    Ummm….
    I definitely favor things that work and oppose things that don’t.
    What is my opinion on that? Let me check with Steve and the central committee and get back to you.
    My platform is a solid one, built on a solid foundation.
    Well…I suppose that’s a thought.
    Uh uh or maybe Uh huh.

    J. Coddington “Comrade Hugo” Fetlock IV
    Maximum co-coordinator
    Organizing for Idiocy
    Evansville Cell

  8. As a life-long Republican, I am saddened by the turn of events in the at-large race for city council. Firstly, Schriber is forced to cease and desist his candidacy for a past sexual indiscretion, such a sordid business. And yet he is still on the ballot – that’s just wrong. And after hearing Mercer at the city council debate yesterday at Toast, I was shocked at her lack of preparation and inability to articulate a single intelligent answer. She kept asking the moderator to repeat the question, like she would rather be someone else-pathetic. Like the CCO, I give Burton props for throwing his hat in the ring, at such a young age, he does have a good educational background and seems eager to make a difference – but I think the job is too much for him right now – needs more seasoning. IMHO Robb Myers was the clear winner of this debate and should be taken very seriously.

      • Seeing the former GOP County Commissioner Marsha Abel pushing for her on the Radio commercial should be enough to make anyone GAG a maggot and not vote for Mercer. I mean we got rid of Abel but she’s not able to be embarrassed as long as she thinks she can make some more money off the tax payers.

        BTW the In-Crowd are both GOP and Dem that run in a tight social circle of political vultures and con artist. Think about it. Why would the Democratic Party Leader turn against Rick Davis and then vote for Lloyd Weeney? Money is the only reason I can think of . That or trying to hide from the skeletons in the Closet that Rick might have exposed to the people. Although I’ve found that the new Media won’t help him play that kind of game. Maybe they have something to hide as well as the Mayor and his cronies and political hack buddies and friends and Business Associates. You see it’s those same Business Associates that also control the news paper and radio stations. The news media would not be around long if they lost their advertisers which are those same business associates I was talking about earlier.

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