The City County Observer has learned that the Chief Information Officer (CIO) for the City of Evansville and Vanderburgh County, Matt Arvay has tendered his resignation effective immediately. Mr. Arvay and the IT Department has recently been the subject of City Councilman John Friend’s call for an audit of the IT Department. Arvay has also been the chief architect and proponent of the Johnson Controls WiFi deal that was originated under then Mayor Jonathan Weinzapfel’s Administration and signed during his last days.
Councilman Friend has also been questioning the accounting methods and savings associated with the Johnson Control’s contract that was signed on the basis of having enough savings to pay for itself. Arvay’s resignation comes the morning after Councilman Friend sought and was given approval to spend $20,000 to hire an independent contractor to vet the Johnson Controls contract which over the full term of 20 years is scheduled to cost the people of Evansville approximately $80 Million.
when stuffe begins to happen, those with talent and opportunity leave first…. and then we are left with the others to pick up the pieces….
Give me a break!–When bad management of taxpayers money is about to become exposed is when people leave. Good riddance Matt Arvay. The Johnson Control deal is not good for the City. Johnson Control deal was promoted as an improvement to the Water Department when in reality it could break the Water Department. The Wi-Fi part of the Johnson Control deal was an expensive toy for Matt Arvay. Charge ahead John Friend.
Looks like John Friend and the CCO took another scalp. Who’s Next? There are plenty more scalps that need to be taken.
You seem to see a conspirator behind every bush. There’s pharmaceuticals for that particular psychosis.
You think instead maybe Matt landed himself a job in a progressive city on the East Coast that pays about 2x what he makes here?
My first regret is that the citizen complaint/concern process as currently exists in the Civic Center is barely 20th Century. Most complaints are received on the land lines, manually transferred from land line to land line, channel by channel, then scribbled onto scraps of paper, tossed onto dashboards of municipal vehicles where the ink fades over time, and nothing is tracked or reported back as completed to its original recipient.
Matt was working on a program whereby a citizen could submit a complaint electronically, via computer, cell phone, etc., and get immediate confirmation that the complaint was forwarded to the appropriate personnel for follow-up. The citizen then could track the complaint to its completion, or obtain its current status.
Matt also was working on an upgrade of city/county websites, something else that should be brought into the 21st Century.
I just wish for two things: 1) success for Matt where he has chosen to pursue his career, and 2) that someone in the IT Dept. finishes what Matt started on the citizen complaint process and the website upgrades.
I’m proud of you John Friend.
I’m a 5th Ward Republican who held my nose when I voted for you in your re-election bid to City Council.
After reading this article, I’m damm glad I did vote for you in the last election.
Maybe you political decisions will rub off on the new Mayor!
Glad to see Arvey gone!
Cant wait to see what the upcoming City Councilman John Friend induced audits on Johnson Control and the Vanderburgh County It Department will produce!
Give them “Hell” Councilman Friend because you are now the new financial “Watchdog” of the taxpaers monies.
Isn’t Arvey a big political buddy of Vandy Sheriff Eric Williams?
If so, two peas in a pod! Both are self serving political types.
Vote for John Friend as the next Mayor of Evansville!
Arvay was big buddies with Weinzapfel and did his dirty work. Don’t be surprised to see them two working together at some high hourly rates to handle the Evansville Johnson Controls deal. That is how it was designed from what I hear.
John Friend, Mayor of Evansville,
I wouldnt vote for him to be my maid. He’s an actual idiot who tries to be the hero but ends up making himself look stupid.
He and Mark Rolley are fleecing the city and county big time, and yes Arvey, Rolley and Williams are all best buds. Weinzapfel’s house of cards is slowly collapsing. Lloyd do the right thing and dump the Johnson Control wifi package before it blows up in your face, don’t take the fall for Weinzapfel.
If you thought Weinzapfel was bad wait until General Williams takes the helm.
Promote John Friend to higher office.
Demote Eric “The Great” Williams back to a rank and file Sheriff employee.
He and Weinzapfel are also two peas in a pod! Both a self serving know it all’s!
Man, when a city loses its Chief Information Officer, time has shown, that that city is done for.
Remember the Great Information Drought of 1983 ?
Who wants to return to those bleak days?
I can remember my Daddy talking about Information Hunger from the 1920’s.
Whole hordes of families travelling constantly to find a place, any place , where they could find Information.
And now we’re down to this.
Another Chief Information Officer down.
A sad day people, a really sad day.
This Johnson Controls deal is starting to smell as bad as Earthcare. Keep up the good work Mr. Friend and we should be able to count on Mr. McGinn and Mr. Lindsey to also represent the City taxpayers. The rest of the Hee-haw gang known as the City Council have proven to be totally incompetent.
I think if one audits the IT budgets of the last few years you will find mrc and MA fleecing the city and making millions. just check out the houses, cars, planes of mr and MA and ask yourself how do you do that on limited income?
We need a future with no fleecing!
The rats are jumping ship. Which one will be next?
I cant wait to hear what the audit says for the IT department. I am sure it is going to be lengthy audit and have quite a few bad marks on it. Good job Councilman Friend on pushing him out the door!!
You gonna have to wait while they hire consultant for $20,000 to audit IT department. Wonder who they hire and whether with competitive bids or just same old professional services business as usual. Feel like I’m fixing to die. CJ
Looks like the CEO of the contractor that has had the City County I.T. contract since 2006 is going to need to sell his $400,000 airplane, $675,000 house, and Hummer H2. Oh wait, Weinzapfel and Arvay renewed that CEO’s contract without bidding it out, behind closed doors, until 2016. Oh well, in 2016 he’ll need to sell.
Unless malfeasance is found or the contract is not funded by the city county
Oh how right you both are. When/If those cans of worms get opened by an audit or investigation, look out. Loooong over due.
I was just told today that our new head of Information Technology here in Virginia Beach, Va. is your Arvey. LOL can you believe that.
This is in keeping with our Jason Cosby who is also under investigation for wrong doing and misappropriation of funds. Arvey is replaceing a Gwen Cowart who resigned pretty soon after the Printing Services of the City of Virginia Beach was outsourced. A man you has done double duty was pasted over for the job. He did the Information Technology Directors job while preforming his own flawlessly.This smells of a kettle of fish, although the money is better here quiting while there maybe a probe into wrong doing is unthinkable.
I want to point out the above message was one of only my personal feeling. It in no way is the view or position of the organization, or its depatment management. The organization is one of the best you could ever find, and if I may have ruffled some feathers, I apologize. It is after all just a view point.
Richard, your LOL, the guy who was passed over has really done zip, nothing. Gwen retired she did not jump ship. I guess because you work in Mail Services your upset they outsourced your job. Matt Arvay found a better job. Every ComIT Dept has been investigated, Virginia Beach is no exception (hence why 911 is no longer part of ComIT). City Departments like to think ComIT is Best Buy, “I have a credit card I’m ready to buy.” It does not work that way in a large org. Which Matt the best in his new endeavors.
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