IS IT TRUE that Councilwoman Stephanie Brinkerhoff-Riley would like the Winnecke Administration to provide her copies of the contract with Hunt and the project labor agreement pertaining to the Hotel? …she would also like a copy of the Doubletree flag application, including a list of any requested waivers? …we can’t wait to see how the Administration responds to her reasonable requests?
IS IT TRUE City Councilman John Friend CPA is proposing an ordinance that would require the DMD and ERC to notify the City Council of these acquisitions of properties that exceed $250,000, in writing prior to the purchase? …prior to the execution of any agreement the appraisals would have to be made available to City Council so that it can determined by roll call vote, if council should obtain a third opinion from an independent appraiser to enhance the risk assess process? …if Mr. Friend’s ordinance was already intact, the entire “pie in the sky†purchases of most of the North Main property would not have happened the way it did?
IS IT TRUE a popular poster in the CCO Rod Grafton recently stated “that Warrick County has a household income of $80k (4th highest in the State ), Posey County is $66k, Vanderburgh County is $56k and Evansville is $45k?”
IS IT TRUE Mr. Grafton further states “Evansville is in the bottom 1/3 of the State for household, bottom 1/10 in per capita?” … Something is wrong with this picture, and somehow the city administration thinks the people of Evansville can afford their continued big spending?
IS IT TRUE we wish the local political types would study Mr. Grafton’s well researched stats concerning Evansville economic status before voting on big ticket capital projects?
A better ordinance would be no purchases over appraised valuation, with an un-involved appraisal local agent.
An even better ordinance would eliminate the closed doors and let all plans be known to the public. All funds should be appropriated by the council and the council should know what they are buying before appropriating the funds. Same goes for the Hotel. You wouldn’t buy a house by saying here’s the money now tell me what I bought.
SBR and other council members demand contracts, financial statements, applications,etc. They sound tough and get some PR. But, in the end, they all vote unanimously for the hotel project.
You just had to bring that up, didn’t you? At least you didn’t refer to SBR’s cut and run on serving on the city council. That wouldn’t have been nice, either, would it?
“Cut and run”???? SBR did not resign from City Council, she just decided not to run again. She has other things to do with her time, and she chose not to fall into the “professional politician” role. Good for her!
The fact of the matter in that places—-> That’s the Downtown Evansville’ s old real estate balances you, whoever you are , and them, exist in a “rotten to the core environmental balance”.
Building on that overwhelmed environmental mess is a 21st century no, no. “And they know it.”
Who, or what that’s blamed on is unspecific. The violation is, so.
Our group is poised to drop that hammer with certified data to back that statement.
So, you want’a play? Didn’t think so. …… We own them, and they know it.
Thanks Stephanie and John – for your continuing interest and actions on behalf of the Citizenry.
Thanks to Mr Grafton for your research and reports and thanks to C-CO for providing the platform.
Have a great day! …
SBR’s request for documents related to Hotel:
Wow, would have thought Council would have looked at these types of agreements long before now . . . maybe even before voting to give $ 20 Million public money away ? Oh wait, I forgot: HCW told Council ” we are the business plan”, and apparently that was good nuff for them !
In the past, any departure from what was expected of you in the way of voting would cost you your seat. It has gone on for so long, and is so ingrained in the process that council members are willing servants of those individuals who they see as actually running the city.
When an independent mind finds its way onto council, and acts independently, well, we all saw what took place, and there is no need to rehash the details, other than to say a found farewell to a breath of fresh air that many hoped remain for a while.
The Quick Facts page for the City of Evansville published by the United States census says the average household income is $35,839. I don’t know what source Rod used but it is $10 k above official census department numbers for the City of Evansville.
From the Federal Census data:
For the year 2014 the total dollar amount shown for building permits for new, privately owned, single family residences for Warrick county was approximately $41. million. The amount for Vanderburgh county was approximately $42. million.
As the growth continues to spread to the east, I would not be surprised to see those numbers invert and Warrick county take the lead.
I like Friend’s saber rattling re: an independent verification for real estate purchases above $ 250K.
However, Friend recently had proposed that Council approve transfers in to General from other Funds, and that didn’t get off the ground. Hope he fights harder for this, as I believe this step will ward off some corruption involved with land purchases, inflated buy prices and creation of inflated comparables for the in crowd’s future sales to the City.
Once again SBR steps up and asks the hard questions of an opaque administration. It is amazing that some folks still feel the need to contort themselves into unusual shapes to knock her.
@Bandana, my comment above re: the lack of due diligence was not solely aimed at SBR. As I recall, Winnecke proposed a $ 38 Million public subsidy for the hotel (remarkable !). The City Council never got squat with which to vet the developer, Friend’s usual laundry list notwithstanding. Somehow, the number went down to $ 20 Million, and the Councilors claimed an $ 18 Million political scalp. My point being, all the things SBR is requesting now are essential. In the absence of getting those records previously, the public subsidy should have been $ 0. The Council awarded $ 20 Million in public funds to a private developer with no vetting. Seems a tad late to start the process now.
Today’s IIT makes a good point. Per capita income for Evansville is in the lowest 10% (thereabouts) of the state, yet city “leaders” continue to spend taxpayer money as though they are in the top 1%.
Wonder what Riecken thinks of that?
The last time I checked the State of Indiana was in the bottom 10% of states for household income which puts Evansville city in the bottom 10% of the bottom 10%. That sort of make the place a prototype 1%er but it’s not the 1% that so many people are envious of for their success. It is the bottom 1% that everyone loves to advocate for but no none wants to be.
I wonder how much of that money in these higher income areas originated in Evansville. Our “leaders” really need to work on getting people to live here and not just work here.
Call me an old ex government employee but I believe there are statutes and SOP’s from city up to federal level that dictate what the money is used for and the bidding and award process. My bet is there has been no bidding take place and state laws have been ignored by this administration and the State Board of Accounts is in their back pocket, courtesy of our governor.
Admittedly off point, but why hasn’t President Obama ordered the flags at half staff for the 5 servicemen killed in the terrorist inspired attack by Mohammod Abdulazeez in Chattanooga, TN?
A lot of people are wondering the same thing
He’s waiting to order them flown at half staff for Mohammod Abdulazeez?
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