IS IT TRUE? February 11, 2011

IS IT TRUE? February 11, 2011

IS IT TRUE that the census data for the State of Indiana regarding population was released yesterday?…that Evansville retained its position as the 3rd largest city in Indiana despite losing 3.4% of its population settling in at 117,429 in a geographic area that includes 10 years of annexations…that if not for the annexations that Evansville would have dropped about another 2,000 to 115,429?…that there are those who may ask “where did the people go”?…that one would have to look no further than the unincorporated areas of Vanderburgh County that grew 22% during the first decade of the new millennium to house 62,274 people of the 179,703 that make up the entire county that grew by 4.5% despite the losses in the City of Evansville?…that Warrick County also experienced double digit growth?…that at the current growth rates the unincorporated parts of Vanderburgh County will have more people than the City of Evansville in about 2035 when Evansville will slip below the 100,000 level?…that consolidation should be looking at how Vanderburgh County can take over the City of Evansville in an outside in annexation instead of the other way around?…that Vanderburgh County seems to attract people while the City of Evansville continues with its now 50 years of population losses per the United States Census?

IS IT TRUE that the Evansville Convention and Visitors Bureau is back in the news today?…that the new board of directors is meeting to discuss the lawsuit filed against them by former Executive Director Marilee Fowler and to consider what policy would be reasonable with respect to meals and entertainment?…that Ms. Fowler’s lawsuit is one big axe hanging over the recruitment effort to replace her?…that when that Mr. or Mrs. Right is found for the job that there will always be that question aimed at the recruitment committee of what the heck happened to the last person in this job?…that lawsuits like this are expensive and tend to drag on for a long time?…that the new board is made up of practical, learned people of mostly local origin?…that maybe it is time to do what is best for moving this much needed agency forward without the legacy issues that will continue to raise questions?…that we expect the best decisions for the ECVB’s success to come from today’s meeting?

IS IT TRUE that after publishing the financial disclosure document of the Committee to elect Troy Tornatta that as of January 31, 2010 showed him to have a 6550% fundraising lead over his opponent in the democratic campaign to become candidate for Mayor of Evansville Rick Davis, that two unsolicited pieces of information were sent to us stating the same thing?…that that information is that substantially all of the $38,706 is owed to another campaign and that we essentially have a situation where both candidates started 2011 in hand to mouth mode?…that this will come down to issues, accomplishments, and hard work?

IS IT TRUE that now that the primary campaign has begun that it is time for our sister publication The Community Observer to hold another eDebate?…that we have had several requests for eDebates the biggest of course having to do with the democratic nomination for Mayor of Evansville?…that there have been multiple requests for an eDebate between 2nd Ward opponents Patrick McBride and incumbent Missy Mosby?…that the invitations went out this week and that Mr. McBride has already accepted?…that we truly hope that Miss Mosby accepts and mixes it up with Mr. McBride on some important questions about where they each stand on the issues facing the City of Evansville?…that no one should win or lose by default in an eDebate?…that there were more readers of our last eDebate that there were primary voters in the 2nd Ward in the 2007 democratic primary?…that our eDebates are free exposure for candidates for office?

HOT TRUE NEWS: Incumbent City Councilwoman Missy Mosby has just notified the Community Observer that she ACCEPTS the invitation to participate in the eDebate. The date of publication will be forthcoming at www.community-observer.com

IS IT TRUE that in yesterdays www.trafficestimator.com numbers that the City County Observer is ranked third in the Evansville media market with monthly traffic of 95,500 visits?…that translates into a readership rate of over 1 Million views per year?…that only the Courier Press at 567,200 per month and WFIE at 223,200 per month exceed the City County Observer for internet traffic?…that most of the content at those sites is directed at things other than our narrow focus of good public policy?…that we expect that from a local public policy perspective that the City County Observer has the highest internet traffic in the Evansville media market?…when the Community Observer is added to the CCO that lead is overwhelming?

IS IT TRUE that City Councilman Curt John is taking no prisoners in advocating for SMG to be awarded the management contract for the new Evansville Arena?…that Councilman John’s public stance of opposition to the recommendation of the appointed Advisory Committee for the appointed Evansville Redevelopment Commission which is of course validating the desired outcome of Mayor Weinzapfel is somewhat unprecedented in modern day Evansville?…that if his opposition leads to openness and fairness, compliance with the spirit of the open door laws, and better contracts between local government and their suppliers then Councilman John will be remembered for firing the first shot?…that the first trip to see the maintenance conditions of a VenuWorks facility was taken after the recommendation to hire them had already been made?…that it this was a car the Advisory Committee seems to have bought it based on the brochures and no test drive?