I must say that I was disturbed when I read in the Evansville Courier and Press that Mayor Lloyd Winnecke had already made his decision on which of the three bidders on the RFP for the downtown convention hotel was “his†choice. I was not aware that as a member of the Evansville City Council that we had no say or input in the process of awarding such a contract.
The last several years have been marred with false start after false start for a downtown convention hotel to serve the Centre and the new Ford Center. Our former Mayor at one time announced that a 4-Star hotel would be completed with private money if only we would build a new arena. We did our part and still we have floundered for 4 years since Mayor Weinzapfel’s announcement with no hotel that we allegedly have to have for the Centre and the Ford Center to do well. Mayor Winnecke has continued the secretive and authoritative ways of Mayor Weinzapfel. It is not his job to choose which of the three bidders should win the deal.
The other thing that bothers me is that the Mayor has announced his intention to go to each member of the City Council on an individual basis to talk them into what he wants to do. It is not his place to sell each member of the City Council in a series of private meetings. It is his place to make a public presentation before the City Council and to make his best case on why he made this decision in a vacuum and why it is best for Evansville. This presentation should include an overview of just why the chosen proposal is better than the other two complete with the public funding requirements of each.
The financial commitment has been reported to be over $20 Million from the taxpayers of Evansville. This is a decision that needs to have the people of this city on board to move forward. The time for closed door meetings, serial arm twisting, and authoritative directives is over. The time for the transparency that Mayor Winnecke campaigned on is now, and I call upon the Mayor to come before the City Council to make whatever case he has to make. Then we the Evansville City Council will exercise our duties to either fund this effort or not.
Al Lindsey
Evansville City Councilman, 6th Ward
Oh my Gosh, looks like my councilmam, Al Lindsey has publically called the Mayor political hand.
I look forward to the remaining city council members come forward and join Mr. Lindsey call for public transparency concerning vetting of proposed downtown hotel.
Al Lindsey has been a very positive surprise serving the tax payers interests on the City Council. Well done Mr. Lindsey and keep up the good work.
Let’s see?? Why does the City of Evanville need the “New downtown hotel”? Oh, it must be the County’s Convention Center. So, the county has lost over 7 million since it’s opening? It looks like if the people of Evansville are going to shell out 28 million on this Deal, then Marsha and Co needs to open the County’s pocket book, matching 50% and watch the reaction of the wizard in Room 303 of the Civic Center. Oh, by the way, pay no attention to the man behind the curtain!! Like the Strawman, no brain…..
The Centre was losing money faster than they could count it before the Executive Inn was torn down. Building a hotel will not change that. As for the Ford Center, a hotel does absolutely nothing for it. Roberts had a good 50 year run and there are no hotels even remotely close to it. As was said, pay no attention to the man behind the curtain.
I’m proud of Mr. Lindsey for standing up for the taxpayers of this community. What he has said about this issue is right on.
This guy is quickly becoming the common sense voice of this community.
Can’t wait to see what position my councilman, John Friend takes on this issue.
I know John Friend shall follow suit with Mr. Lindsey’s position on the proposed Downtown Hotel issue.
Wonder way Mr. Friend wasn’t ask to be a member of the Mayor’s hotel vetting and fact finding group?
I got it, he is intelligent and reasonable. The Mayor can’t control his throughts on this multi million dollar issue.
I’m proud of the stance Al Lindsey has taken on this important financial issue.
I agree that there is no transparancy in local government.
But, Mr. Lindsey, you have two courses of action available to you. You can refuse to meet privately with Mayor Winnecke. and urge your fellow council members to do likewise.
The second option you have is to vote NO on any financial incentives that the mayor is trying to cram down our throat. After all, you are one of our representatives holding the city’s purse strings.
The Mole Nation does indeed tell us that Councilman Lindsey is not currently planning to attend his “arm twisting” session. He prefers the light of day and the openness of transparency to being one in a series of coercion meetings.
Let’s jump to the chase: Evansville doesn’t need no stinking, loss-making downtown hotel. Send all of the out of town visitors to John Dunn’s properties on the east and north sides of town. If the city wants to waste money let them buy a fleet of shuttle buses. The last thing the city needs is another badly engineered building that will inevitably come to the same demise as the Executive Inn (how’s that glass on the Ford Center hanging in there, huh?!
Darn, Al your Commonman views are taking all the “fun”
out of the Throne Room.
I agree with the statement that there is no need for another downtown hotel. This City has many more pressing needs and ways for our tax dollars to be put to use. If a downtown hotel was such a promising prosperous project, the Dunn family would be all over it.
Thank you Mr. Lindsay for doing what you were elected to do. Please continue to lead the City Council members and other government bodies in this direction. No one was elected to show a “Unified Front”. The voters do not all agree and no one expects the office holders to, either. We want to know where our representatives stand and their “aye” or “nay” votes tell us.
If a downtown hotel is to be paid for by taxpayers, the bids should have been opened at a public meeting. Winnecke is burying himself politically, by burrowing deeper and deeper into the morass of crooked politics.
intheknow is right. If there was a profit to be made with a hotel downtown, the Dunn’s would have already built it. Maybe the Dunn’s should consider leasing the EVV trolleys or buying their own shuttle buses to transport arena attendees. That might increase their weekend occupancy numbers.
Al Lindsey couldn’t think his way out of a paper bag
Really? At least Mr Lindsey is openly stating to the public his stance on a hot button issue that has the potential to cost the taxpayers $20M+ and was declared in a study paid for by the city (taxpayers) to not be needed and in fact could be a detriment to the existing hotels profitability if built. I’d like to ask where is the rest of the council? waiting for someone to tell them how to vote or applying for passports for the European vacation?
What gets me is if you pay for a study, it comes back telling you NOT TO DO SOMETHING and you go ahead and do it anyway what is the reason? how can you justify it? and if you knew that you would not follow the recommendation why even bother to commission the study and pay for it? Once again something shoved down the throats of the taxpayers because someone (the past and present mayors in this case) think they are smarter than the people they hire and represent, that they have some grand vision that no one can see but them…utopia!
….we have a whole group of these people in DC and every statehouse in every state…is it something in the water they drink?
As for Mr Lindsey….Kudos and thank you!
JMHO
When any of the candidates run for any office their main pitch is when I get elected I will take care of all the problems and the first thing theybdo , if elected, is hire consultants to tell them what to do !
Agreed, and really somewhat understandable, no one knows everything and consultants are a necessary evil to save tax dollars….but, when you fund a study to get answers to your questions then disregard the study because it’s not want you wanted the outcome to be you are either stupid, uncaring, or have a agenda based on corruption where you personal gain (or ego) is more important than the taxpayers you serve…you decide which we have in this hotels case.
JMHO
Banana, Mr. Lindsey just did.
Thank god the vote for city and county be as one,the city can’t take care of city money and make good choice.Thanks to everyone that voted NO god bless you all.We have other things that need looking at,our kids,job ect,lets work on what we have and make it work,thers no money for bs.And do you really think we need another park?Lets make what we have better,you all better start talking to each other and not just a couple of people making all ideals,talk no emails or test,thats a big problem in its own.Thanks again for voting NO!!
Mr. Lindsey is the rave of the civic center for his stance concerning open government. This is all that the civic center employees are talking about today.
As a city employee, I would like to personally thank Al Lindsey for standing up for honest and open government.
You being a city employee I hope you are on a break and not on city time. I wonder how much time is being spent by the city and county employees reading and blogging on this and other sites when they should working.
Jack Waldroup
Al Has it right. The city executive may PROPOSE what he wishes, but it is the city council, each member of which, except for two at-large members, are elected to serve members of the district they represent and to serve the city as a whole.
It is past time to PUT A STOP to this current abhorrent method of the mayor telling city council members what they WILL do. How in the hell did this ever get started? It is a total abdication of the responsibilities of holding the office of city council member!
Let us truly make 2013 a year for a NEW BEGINNING.
___
Love ya, Al! Dig those feet in and don’t give an inch-there are very few who care what Everyman wants, though Everyman is footing the bill-Thank you for being one, Mr. Lindsay
Al, Just want to say Thank You for doing exactly what we elected you to do!! You are an exception to the “norm” and it is very much appreciated!!
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