AMENDED “IS IT TRUE” DECEMBER 26, 2019

IS IT TRUE we just learned that Jim Wood has been selected as the new President and CEO of the Evansville Convention and Visitors Bureau? …the official announcement is scheduled at !0:30 tomorrow morning at the Evansville Convention and Vistors headquarters?

IS IT TRUE that local and highly regarded President of the Evansville Sports Corporation Eric Marvin was the runner up for this position?  …many local millenniums were extremely upset that the local, talented and personable Eric Marvin was bypassed for this position? …that a couple of Mr. Marvin supporters said “that it looks like E Isn’t For Everyone” especially if you’re a millennium?

IS IT TRUE that Jim Wood was the former CEO and President Greater of the Greater Louisville Convention And Vistors Bureau?  …he was also the former President and CEO of the Greater Providence Warwick Convention and served as the Vice President of Convention Sales and Marketing at the Tampa Bay Convention and Vistors Bureau? ..that Mr. Wood also worked as a convention consultant in Atlanta, Ga. area before accepting the position in Evansville? …Jim Wood has worked in the Convention and Visitors business for the last 44 years? …we are told that Mr. Wood may reside in Lousiville while working for the Evansville Convention and Vistors Bureau?

IS IT TRUE that the Director Downtown Evansville Alliance says the Downtown Evansville EID, will be funded mostly through additional property tax fees tied to property valuation which is expected to raise around $625,000 per year to cover programs including business recruitment, safety, beautification, and marketing efforts?”   …the Downtown Evansville Alliance Director Joshua Armstrong says “the sustainability of a downtown organization has always been a challenge in Evansville, and this is the tool that creates the sustainability that unlocks continued transformational urban growth”?

IS IT TRUE there are over 1000 EID’S throughout North America, most are concentrated in downtown areas?  …that Louisville, Fort Wayne, Cincinnati, Indy, and Dayton have  Downtown EID’S?

IS IT TRUE it been reported in the Evansville Courier and Press that the salaries of Josh Armstrong and two (2) other full-time staff members of the Downtown Evansville Improvement District (EID) add up to $257,000 per year or about 37 percent of the EID yearly budget?  …we are told that several downtown merchants would like to see the financial breakdown of what each of the above three (3) Downtown Evansville EID employees are being paid each year?

IS IT TRUE it’s been alleged by several reliable sources that the not-for-profit Evansville EID Board Of Directors may have approved giving their CEO a $10,000 raise increase for this year? …it’s been alleged that the reason why the Downtown Evansville EID CEO may have received such an astonishing raise increase was to bring his yearly salary up to the level that other EID CEOs are paid?

IS IT TRUE that not-for-profit organizations are judged by a different standard than a for-profit business?  …if a CEO of a for-profit business receives a substantial raise so be it?  …if a CEO of a not-for-profit receives substantial salary increase then eyebrows are raised by the individuals who contribute to them?

IS IT TRUE there are 345 non-profits organizations registered in Evansville/Vanderburgh County Indiana?  ..we wonder if any of the 345 non-profits organizations CEO located in Evansville/Vanderburgh County, Indiana has ever received a $10,000 increase in their annual salary?

IS IT TRUE we received a list of the current Downtown Evansville EID Board Of Directors members but felt compiled to re-check the list of names before publishing? …if the list of the Downtown Evansville EID Board Of Directors names given to us is correct it looks the Southwestern Chamber Of Commerce may have some influence concerning the future direction of this not-for-profit organization?

IS IT TRUE that Evansville, Indiana has always been accepting of a practice known as “political patronage” when it comes to jobs that are financed fully or partially by public dollars?…it has been so entrenched that a former Evansville Mayor whom we shall not name has been quoted as saying “I get all of the credit and they take all of the blame” to justify appointing his political supporters to jobs under his control?

IS IT TRUE the results of our most recent “READERS POLL” were extremely eye-opening? …the question was “who’s the most effective State Representative in our area”?  ..Wendy McNamara (R)-193, Ron Beacon (R)- 174, Matt Hostetter (R)-123, Holli Sullivan (R)-61 and Ryan Hatfield (D) received a disappointing 27 votes?  …78 people said they had no idea?…665 people voted in this non-science but trendy poll?

Today’s “Readers Poll” question is:  Who’s the most effective State Senator in our area?

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