IS IT TRUE JULY 23, 2015

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IS IT TRUE the Brownfields Corporation had a non-advertised meeting last Friday to approve the purchase of a parcel of land related to the new Hotel and IU Medical School?…the Brownfields Board of Directors voted 6 to 1 to pay the Evansville Housing Authority $55,000 for a strip of land where the future parking garage for the hotel and medical school will sit?…the mission statement for the nonprofit entity is to acquire environmentally distressed properties located within the city of Evansville in order to benefit the city of Evansville and its economic development thereby lessening the burdens of local government?…the strip of land owned by the Housing Authority was neither brown nor environmentally distressed?…the appropriate entity to purchase the land would have been the Evansville Redevelopment Commission but such a purchase would have occurred with public knowledge?

IS IT TRUE the ERC was unable to quietly secure the property without the public knowing of its failure to yet purchase all of the necessary land for the IU Medical School, because the parcel was not on a City Council approved list of potential land purchases?…the ERC would have had to notify the public if it had followed relevant statutes related to land acquisition?…this $55,000 will not be reimbursed to the Brownfields Corporation out of the $57 million bond for the medical school project or $20 million bond for the hotel and can be added to the top in terms of cost along with the $7 million sewer relocation, $3.6 million in additional tax payer funds, the $2.6 million already spent by the ERC on the hotel project and any costs related to site preparation for the  Convention Hotel?

IS IT TRUE the Brownfields Corporation Board of Directors are Kelley Coures of the Department of Metropolitan Development, Luke Yeager of Evansville Commerce Bank, Joshua Armstrong of the Chamber of Commerce, local architect and City representative on the hotel project Sara Schuler, Kevin Axsom of FC Tucker Emge Realty, Brad Ellsworth President of Vectren, and City Councilwoman Connie Robinson?….Robinson and Ellsworth were the only members to question whether the purchase of the land was reasonably related to the nonprofits mission?…Robinson was the only member to vote against the use of funds in this way? …the use of Brownfields Corporation is a slush fund for the Mayor’s office and seriously calls into question the public’s ability to trust the organization with public funds that are earmarked for blight removal that meet behind closed doors?

IS IT TRUE that we received this e-mail yesterday concerning a public call to rid of Cheryl Musgrave from the ERC board?. …we can’t wait to read your response to Mosby’s e-mail?

Council Members,

I could not agree more with Councilman Weaver. Cheryl proposal on Tuesday, during an ERC meeting, that an illegal real estate transaction be made by the ERC. Had the ERC simply given the parking lot at the McCurdy to the developer, per Cheryl’s request, it would have violated state statute and possibly led to even more lawsuits. Furthermore, according to Eyewitness news, Cheryl claims this is the process that was used for the Downtown Convention Hotel – which is completely false! This property was offered in a public bid in 2012 in the hotel RFP.

I also understand there was some controversy last year when Cheryl wanted to acquire some Downtown Property from DMD. These concerns were expressed to me by Kelley Coures when Cheryl was appointed to be one of our Council’s representatives on the ERC.

The City of Evansville has major projects moving forward and we must maintain the trust of the public; therefore, I am requesting that Cheryl Musgrave either resign or be removed as City Council’s appointee on the ERC.

Sincerely,

Missy Mosby-3rd Ward City Council

IS IT TRUE it’s time for City Councilpersons Mosby and Weaver put up or shut up concerning the call for Cheryl Musgrave to resign from the ERC board? …Ms. Musgrave publicly stated that she will not resign from the ERC board? …Weaver and Mosby should publicly ask City Council to vote to remove Ms. Musgrave from the ERC board this coming Monday evening? …we can’t wait to see how City Council handles Mosby and Weavers requests

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32 COMMENTS

  1. Another nitwit cipher weighs in on her co-nitwit’s call for a much better and accomplished person than either of them to resign her ERC seat. Those two are amazing. An amazing embarrassment to Evansville right up there with the manifestly untrustworthy mayor Lloyd Winnecke and his opaque administration. Weaver and The Mosby represent the dark side of democracy and after much deliberation I must reluctantly call on both of them to resign their council seats forthwith.

    When you install an accidental mayor of Winnecke’s calibre you’ll have folks like these running around the edges of the circle. They are like little dark moons orbiting an administration top heavy with lightweight toadies. Evansville can still survive them but we must act decisively in November.

    • Go easy on Weaver and Mosby. I think they are covertly working for Gail. It’s pretty sad commentary when even I have to consider voting for Gail because of their antics Please pray for me.

  3. Why haven’t the people of Evansville taken a stand and removed Mosby and Weaver? They are both an embarrassment to not only themselves but to the city and people of Evansville as well.

  4. I think Missy “lost trust with the public” especially her own constituents considering she only won her ward by what? Approx 10 votes or so??? Eventually, she didn’t see the light because she continues to do what she does..

  5. If it is true that commission member Musgrave sought to “give” (as in free of cost) the parking lot to Mr. Kunkel, then that is truly a sad revelation when one considers the history of ownership of that property.

    The taxpayers have already paid Mr. Dunn a very high premium for that lot, and to give the lot to Mr. Kunkel would be unjustified, in my estimation. The picture would be clearer if we knew the terms of the lease. Does anyone care to post that?

    • Press, That is what the ERC does. They take from the taxpayers and give it away unresponsibly. The other members might have opposed just giving it away because they first wanted secret deals and favors along with some method of justifying or hiding from the public the transaction. I don’t support giving it away but if that is there intention Cheryl is right – say your giving it away and keep it simple for us public to understand.

  6. Pathetic . . . these two clowns both work for Christmas Carol at Tucker Realty . . so, guess Winnecke not only has the mayor’s office handled, he has three seats on this Councils . . .McGinn . . .Weaver . . .Mosby . .

  7. Wow . . .how disappointing . . Mr. Ellsworth, former Sheriff and Congressman, goes behind closed doors to conduct questionable transactions . . . not only has he compromised his integrity but that of Vectren as well?

  9. Tweedledum and Tweedledee have spoken. In spite of many attacks on their decision making capacity and uneven temperament, they have been elected and re-elected by their constituents. Perhaps they really do reflect the voters of Evansville.

    • ….that kind of comment goes right over heads in here. Their voters continue to elect and re-elect them time and again? Because they reflect what the voters want?

      “Well then…the voters are stupid. We know better!! The issues are unimportant. We want OUR person in charge! We’re tired of losing!! We want to sit in the chair!!”

      Joe, your comment is too pragmatic and too accurate to be taken seriously from a lot of people in here sitting on the losers bench – because their best talent (or curse, depending on your point of view) is sitting on the bench griping and hollering.

    • With the media in the tank, how are the electorate ever going to become discriminating voters? It has been this way so long in Evansville that there is no collective memory of when the city government actually served the mass of citizens, as opposed to certain selected business interests. Ask any person on the street and they will tell you that is the way things work here. People have lost their self respect and are resigned to the belief that they are just so many chickens waiting to be plucked at the drop of a hat.

    • That idea has always haunted me Joe. It is sad to see a place that one cares about take on such a glow from the red light district.

  10. Is Missy confusing herself with SBR who really represents the 3rd ward? I knew Missy had lost her way but I thought surely she’d know what ward she claims to represent.

  11. “The City of Evansville has major projects moving forward and we must maintain the trust of the public; ” I guess running after the bus you missed could be considered moving forward.

  12. I was just thinking about the river and how there is always a concern that it could cut across the horseshoe bend and leave us. Pretty sad commentary on the state of our city when even the river might up and leave us.

  13. ERC and Brownfields are two organizations purposely formed to govern and control public resources without disclosure to the public. Sole purpose for both organizations is to avoid the law. We do not need ether one.
    Just Mayoral slush funds for this administration and past. The Brownfields have sucked dry the grant funding resources and is trying to reinvent itself to be funded with over 2 million in city appropriations just so they can hide shenanigans like this.

    • Some one else asked this eye opening question before and it’s worth repeating. Where does the NOT FOR PROFIT “Evansville Brownfield Corp” get their funding to buy thousands of dollars worth of property? Do they have bake sales or food booths?

        • I wonder if this has anything to do with Tom Barnett being paid under the table and being paid by Mayor Weinzapfel when he was head of the DMD

        • Press. You are a veritable fountain of USEFUL information.
          My description of this arrangement is simple. Incestuous. Wonder what Riecken has to say about it.

          • INDIANA SECRETARY OF STATE……….Business Search:

            There were no Entity Names found for your search criteria: EVANSVILLE BROWNFIELDS CORP

            Business Services Online

            Search for Indiana Business Information
            Print Official Certificates of Existence
            Place Orders for Other Certificates
            Download Business Entity Documents
            File a Supplemental Filing

            * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

            That is rather interesting, don’t you think? Especially since that is the business name they used to file their Form 990.

  15. Very interesting, press. Also interesting, a quick search for Evansville Brownfields Corp yielded a fairly extensive story by the City-County-Observer (this one?) dated Mar.4, 2010 in which none other than Johnathan Weaver, assessor, says that Evansville Brownfields Corp is a; drum roll please: GOVERNMENT ENTITY.
    It also outlines some funding. Good reporting. My take is it’s a backroom conduit for wasting more money on pet projects.

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