IS IT TRUE April 25, 2012
IS IT TRUE that the Chairman of the Vanderburgh County Republican Party, Wayne Parke was so disappointed that his longtime friend Governor Mitch Daniels endorsed Senator Richard Lugar over Treasurer Richard Mourdock that he dashed off an email to let him know about it?…that friends do that for friends and that we along with Mr. Parke respectfully disagree with Governor Daniels on this one?…that we are sure that Governor Daniels will support whichever Republican candidate emerges from the primary against the Democrat challenger in November?
IS IT TRUE that it was reported today by the Courier and Press that the Roberts Stadium task force assembled by Mayor Lloyd Winnecke has concluded that any of the uses proposed for Roberts Stadium will cost more to refurbish than they would to build new?…that when it comes to a indoor swimming facility that we can accept that conclusion?…that one of the proposed uses was to convert Roberts to an Events Center with a raised floor, only about 6,000 seats and some parking lot improvements?…that the estimate published for this solution was $6.5 Million?…that anyone who thinks that a 6,000 seat Events Center with parking for 3,000 cars can be built for $6.5 Million is living in the 1960’s or purely delusional?…that the only other conclusion for such a statement is that whomever said such a thing believes that Evansville is inhabited by such a cast of idiots that such a thing will be believed?…that while the EVSC has come under some fire recently for poor performance we as a people are really not stupid enough to believe that Roberts Stadium and a parking lot can be built for $6.5 Million?
IS IT TRUE that such statements are coming from the same source that did not have the good sense to know that $2 Million per ballfield was overpriced?…that it is a good thing they are not empowered to do horse trading or they may trade Roberts for 3 ballfields and a water fountain and think they made the deal of the century?…that in a City that routinely builds houses for over $200,000 that won’t sell at half that price that now we are expected to believe that Roberts Stadium could be built for $6.5 Million?…Please Mayor Winnecke, the Roberts Committee, or the Courier, stop insulting the people of Evansville with such obvious inaccuracies?
IS IT TRUE that all of this does not mean that even a single dollar will come forward to invest in Roberts even if only $6.5 Million is needed to convert it to an Events Center?…that private investment in Evansville that has any risk attached to it is as rare as a needle in a haystack?…that the City Council of Evansville has recently proved that it has no business whatsoever dabbling in the private investment world when it cowered to the “if you VET me I will leave†threat of Earthcare Energy?…that government on all levels seems to be more inept by the day?…that thinking a stadium can be built for $6.5 Million right after building one for $127 Million is about as inept as the secret service’s recent inability to organize a two car motorcade without stopping at a whorehouse on the way to the hotel?
IS IT TRUE we are extremely disappointed to hear that Evansville Association for the Blind, an outstanding local not-for profit organization recently lost its packaged cutlery contract to a for profit entity?…that this contract generated EAB about $2,000 a month for providing the Evansville State Hospital with packaged cutlery items?…that the loss of $24,000 a year gross income means less work and less programming to help EBA clients to remain self sustaining and economically independent?…that it is important to point out that EAB receives no direct government grant monies from the State or Federal to assist with their general operations budget?…we feel that it’s time that our locally elected state officials publically stand up to correct this problem before it ever happens again? …we feel this entire issue is shameful?
What is it about Vanderburgh County politicians with the title of Treasurer that prompts them to be such upstarts?
Where can I get a copoy of the financial details backing up the figures presented o=in the Roberts stadium proposals? Quite frankly, they appear inflated to back up whatever conclusion they want to make.
And yes, I have more than 20 years in budgeting, including capital projects.
Mycroft,
Wouldn’t the numbers you seek appear to be ‘deflated’ (i.e., understating the true cost), as the Editor has pointed out the folly of a $ 6.5 Million events facility which holds 6,000 people (” I’ll take two, please”)?
You might try to do a Public Access Request form at the City Controller’s Office.
A few questions for the editor:
Who exactly prepared the various estimates published in the stadium task force’s report, and what are their qualifications to compile engineering and construction estimates?
Who wrote the statement, inserted into the report, that all the proposed renovations outlined in the report would cost more than building the same facility all new?
Who authorized the after-the-fact insertion of the “new would be cheaper than renovated” statement after the committee as a whole signed off on the finished report, but before it was released to the public?
Interesting: http://www.courierpress.com/news/2012/apr/25/roberts-stadium-followup-hrp/
Also, if the water that floods Roberts playing floor actually comes from an artesian source springing from a frature that was ruptured when the floor was lowered, how will raising the floor fix the problem? Aren’t artesian springs under pressure, rather than gravity flow ground water, and the fracture would have to be sealed whether or not the floor is raised.
Hey, how about letting that Earth thingy with the gas line money maker be built at Roberts?
Not sure how much space they need though.
If not much, then maybe a place to manufacture “natural male enhancement” pills,perpetual motion machines,things like that.
Or let Peterlin erect his Golgathan windmill triptych at Roberts. Then if it toppled over, likely no one would be nearby to get injured.
Excellent!
The new Mayor couldn’t make an intelligent decision concerning the $4.8 million dollar loan to Earthcare why do you think he can make a sound decision concerning the Roberts Stadium issue.
I’m afraid to say that new Mayor is an empty suit!
Enough is Enough. I knew Ronald Reagan he is was a friend of mine and i can honestly say that our new Mayor is no Ronald Reagan.
However, i must add that both were good actors.
Hey Beer Guy can you please re-post the recent detailed research information concerning the Johnson Control project you. Also please include a breakdown of the proposed water rate increase directly connected for paying for this project.
IT”S time we as taxpayers focus on yet another stupid project dreamed up by the downtown political bosses.
Thanks.
Beacon, thanks for asking. Let’s wait until CCO does some articles focused solely on this failure of governance which is the Johnson Controls/Evansville Water & Sewer debacle (I mean project). I promise to make the electrons sing on this one !
We are all victims of government drive-bys…I just wish they could at least warn us sometimes. You know, people on the south side wanted sewers for years, then they closed public doors and said “we are building a stadium.” Now with annexed citizens paying double in property taxes (mind you don’t even get a damn Christmas card), two fire stations closed…replaced with the good faith of the EFD (6 trucks at Knight, down to one truck located behind Applebee’s). Who asked to close those departments? Who asked to be annexed? Who asked for a stadium without parking? Was the public asked to give grants to Earthcare? Was it in the public interest? What will the next drive-by be? Maybe they’ll make that smoke hole of a casino levitate.
Read in Evansville Courier today about a political Crime Taskforce being started by our outstanding U S Attorney General from the Southern District of Indiana,Joseph H. Hogsett. This Political Crime Task Force is long over due and shall identify,investigate and prosecute the illegal acts of past and present elected and appointed officials.
Now it’s time to serve the wine!
If you have any concerns that any of our past or present locally elected or appointed officials have done anything illegal you should contact the Public Correction Hotline at 1-317-229-2443 so the U S Attorney General office can begin to investigate your complaints.
Some of the complaints that should draw quick attention by the U S Attorney General office would be political campaign contributions that turned into the awarding of contracts by the elected official receiving the political donations. Political appointment to powerful boards by major contributors to elected official campaign fund. Elected officials doing business with organizations that they regulate. Past appointed or elected officials receiving free vacation trips, free concerts tickets, free golfing trip given to people or organizations they regulate, family members of appointed and elected political that receive jobs with organizations they regulate just to name a few.
Yeah wish they had one at the federal level!
Looks like a past Mayor and a few of his political puppets from a large Indiana town could be an hot topic on the U S Attorney General hot line.
Getting ready to file my official complaint today against two(2) past elected officials of Evansville city government.
Just follow the money!
The C&P has lost its best staff reporters over the years. Paul McAuliff was a great Editor. He was objective in his coveage. Alan Julian was a great Political Writer! And Dan Armstrong wrote so very straight forward articles for the Press. I miss you guys!
The Courier is now just a floating boat of out-of-towners who are mid-step in their journalist/editorial careers and the sheeple of Evansville are falling Hook Line and Sinker for their lack of inquisitions and diligence into local stories.
AAU
I’m sorry you are butthurt about the Blind contract. Your outrage is misdirected, though. Put it squarely on the shoulders of the Republican controlled state administration and the Tea Party-intimidated Republican legislature.
Channel 14 reported the same story that it would be cheaper to build a new stadium than to remodel Roberts. Nice to see that they get their news from C&P and don’t have the common sense/objectivity to call B.S. when they see it.
I was on the Roberts Stadium Task Force and attended the meeting where the 6 ideas were presented. Almost zero numbers were included in the subcommittee reports. I was on the Green Space Subcommittee and we included no cost estimates. These numbers are coming solely from the Chairman who drafted the final report. The committee members were not allowed to see or have an opinion on the final report before it went to the Mayor.
You say the estimates came “solely from the Chairman.” I know your level of education, intelligence, and professional competence, so I take you at your word with regard to your use “solely.”
So then, what are the committee chairman’s qualifications that enable him to make accurate engineering and construction cost estimates?
As I said, I don’t doubt your use of “solely,” but is it possible the chairman had help from qualified estimators, and simply compiled the estimates? If so, who were the qualified estimators?
I find it politically disappointing, at the least, that the individual subcommittee chairs were “not allowed” to see, comment, or sign off on the final report before it was submitted to the mayor and publicly published.
A tisket and tasket, shades of hell’s handbasket.
I would say lets look at costs from a logical standpoint. There are some basic inherent costs that have already been paid because they are already done in the case of Roberts. To start from scratch on such a huge project, considering the grading, steel framing, the basic wall structures and on and on, in my opinion has to make a new structure cost more.
Lets also think about the monumental job the task force had in sorting through these 600 ideas. To get just the sorting and organizing done in the time the mayor gave them is quite a bit. To accurately pin down costs and variables and them compare everything would take at least another 3-4 months or more. And that would have to include an estimate to rebuild Roberts as it stands now to also use as a comparative and an estimate to make repairs as it stands now. And then of course one would need to accurately cost estimate each proposed project and its contingencies. There is just too much lacking in this report for it even to be of use. Not complaining. The task force worked hard with what info it had but. . . . . And now it will be up to the major to decide if he has absolutely everything he needs to make a good decision. I don’t think he does.
Lastly, I do agree with Puchin when he stated that the stadium has been left to deteriorate for the last 3-4 years and when tours have been given recently there have been great pains taken point out the negatives as opposed to the positives.
And you are a member of the task force, correct? If so, did you ask the chairman where he got his cost estimates, whether he developed them himself, or whether he had assistance developing the estimates and from whom?
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