EDITORIAL: ITS TIME THAT MAYOR WINNECKE ANSWERS PASTOR ARY HOTEL QUESTIONS

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    At last City Council meeting a concern citizen Pastor Steve Ary came forward to ask 16 well thought out “IS IT TRUE” questions concerning the proposed Downtown Hotel. The vail of secretly surrounding this project concerns forced an average taxpayer to voice his concern about lack of detail about this $44 Million Dollar Downtown Hotel project. The taxpayers of Evansville are on the financial hook for $20 Million of this project.

    Soon as Pastor Ary starting to address City Council the Mayor Chief of Staff Steve Schaefer begin to put him on the spot. The Mayor Chief of Staff, Steve Schaefer begun to attack Pastor Ary motives for asking questions about the newly revised Hotel plans.  Schaefer also demand that Pastor Ary tell who gave him the questions.   We agree with Scott Danks that citizens have the right to come before City Council and express themselves about any governmental issues that concern them.  Pastor Ary expressed that right but was put under duress by Mr. Schaefer. That in itself is totally unacceptable.

    We care less who styled the “IS IT TRUE” questions asking members of  Mayor Winnecke’s staff to answer. We only care about the answers to Pastor Ary questions concerning the details of this embattled public works project.  Its time for the Winnecke Administration to come forward with honest responses to Pastor Ary pointed questions about this project.  Its time for Mayor to show political courage by showing indeed that his Administration practice transparent government.  Its time that the Mayor Chief of Staff, Steve Schaefer to stop being rude and bullying  taxpayers of this city!

    In the spirit of transparent and open government we hereby republish the questions submitted to City Council by Pastor Steve Ary for the Mayor to answer by next city council meeting.

    IS IT TRUE the original rendition of the Convention Hotel represented 10 stories, 257 rooms, 78 high end apartment with a total public investment of tax dollars at $20 million?

    IS IT TRUE we now understand that the 257 room hotel has been cut to 240?

    IS IT TRUE we now understand the apartments have been eliminated from the project decreasing the hotel from a 10 story building to only 5 stories?

    IS IT TRUE we now understand the original plans had an indoor swimming pool and now we have an outdoor swimming pool?

    IS IT TRUE, the original public commitment was only $20 million and now it has grown to at least $23.6 million?

    IS IT TRUE the project alone is $44 million or $183,333 per room and based on Hilton’s 2013 Development Cost & Prototype Building Cost data, the avg. seven-story full service hotel WITHOUT land costs, average less than $165,000 per room? … why is our hotel costing us more than the average? …equaling $4 million more or 10% greater?

    IS IT TRUE that any savings on the project will go to HCW? and who is overseeing the construction cost to keep the other contractors honest?

    IS IT TRUE the streetscape and infrastructure alone on Walnut and down SE Sixth Streets will be funded by funds outside this project and development agreement? . . .what are those project costs and what is the alternative source of funding especially since the April 2015 downtown TIF declined by $5 million?

    IS IT TRUE the Garage includes 552 spaces of which 200 are for the Med School costing $10,050,000 or $18,200 per space? .. . the original garage before the Med School was finalized was priced out at $5,461,956 or $16,500 per space .so does is the Med School’s extra 200 spaces have a premium of $1,700 space? …therefore, based on the original design for 332 space vs 552, the total cost should be only $9,081,000 not $10,050,000 a premium of $969,000 to have IU?
    IS IT TRUE the garage will be owned by HCW, not leased, and the city will be responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of the garage etc? . . .what will this cost the taxpayers of Evansville per year?

    IS IT TRUE that the development agreement requires the city to be financially responsible for everything except the hotel with the guarantee going from $7.5 million to $9.9 million? . . .why did the Mayor do this? …those ancillary cost appear to be $16,850,000 plus the guarantee of $9,900,000 equals $26,750,000? . . .so why is the City’s paying $28,250,000 or $1,500,000 more than the project cost?

    IS IT TRUE that the City is responsible for the ancillary components budget overruns? …what contingency has been built into the budget to cover? .. .If none, where are these funds coming from?

    IS IT TRUE that no members of City Council have a copy of the revised Development Agreement, if not why not?

    IS IT TRUE the General Contractor is not required to use local subs and suppliers if the cost and quality is not an issue?
    IS IT TRUE that for $44 million each and every hotel room will have a window Air Conditioning units.? .. .it so, will Hilton approve it?

    IS IT TRUE the original UV windows have now been replaced with ordinary window glass? . . . so the mirror like glass is gone ?

    FOOTNOTE: Mr. Schaefer did acknowledge that the new Downtown Hotel will have an outside swimming pool. and will not have window A/C.   He told Council is didn’t know much more than that at this point. He promised to have answers to these questions at next Council meetings.  We prefer that Mayor Winnecke answers the questions and not Schaefer.  We look forward hearing  Mayor Winnecke’s answers to Pastor Ary “IS IT TRUE” questions.

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    12 COMMENTS

    2. My new name is “old blue boy” why? I’m staying in the corner holding my breath.

    3. News Flash . . .just heard why Winnecke birded off President Adams’ request . . . Mr. Jones was out of town . . .

    4. If you think the lack of transparency exist surrounding the convention motel just wait until the Med School comes on board . . . moles are circling over the newly created Healthrealty, LLC at this time . . . it has been alleged that Christmas Carol a/k/a Carol McClintoch has hammered out an agreement that all real estate deals will be exclusive . . . of course, if true, she is part of the exclusivity. Have a call into Steven Spielberg, only he could write the script, “Close Encounters of An Unbelievable Kind” coming soon to a bankrupt community . . .

    5. Now, Now, Now . . . let’s be considerate concerning Mr. Schaefer . . . allegedly, he has been working a second job to pay his obligations to his children . . .and dues to the chapter of “Focus on the Chicks” . .he is under a lot of stress . .

    6. Contacted one of the council members and was informed that at 6:37p.m. the evening of the council meeting Kelley Coures emailed one of his staff members via cell phone because he was in the audience at the time to instruct that assistant to email the development agreement to all council members . . .what hypocrites . . according to Adams, Winnecke promised to keep Adams and O’Daniel in the detail loop and Adams made it perfectly clear that this NEVER has happened . . .and why hasn’t the administration posted the development agreement on the City Website for all to review??? Why, because he does not know how to spell transparency least of all to practice it . . .

    7. Just finished reviewing Winnecke’s Campaign report . . . it appears to be inaccurate . . . why? Obviously he has omitted the In-Kind donation from the Courier and Press . . .Winnecke’s home of the minister of propaganda in this newly named community, now the “People Republican of Evansville” . . .

    8. Where was the mayor yesterday. Didn’t see his mug in any of the pictures with Pence. That’s not like him to not want to be in the limelight.

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