IS IT TRUE June 8, 2012

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The Artful Dodger

IS IT TRUE June 8, 2012

IS IT TRUE there is something the CCO had pointed out yesterday that is one rather well developed talent of the Winnecke Administration and that this talent was attributed to Mayor Winnecke himself?…this talent is the talent to find a way out of difficult situations?…one of Mayor Winnecke’s first acts as Mayor was commission a complete review of the downtown Convention Hotel project that had been turned into a compromised and ill-defined mess by Mayor Weinzapfel and his minions in the Evansville Redevelopment Commission?…the end result of that effort is that today we are back to ground ZERO with none of the baggage that came with it?…the Earthcare Energy deal while a mess made by Mayor Winnecke is another example of what one may refer to as a “creative escape” from a self made albatross?…the McCurdy is now destined for private ownership?…that we do not think that this talent as a Houdini of creative escape is coincidence?…that the CCO does recognize and wants to acknowledge Mayor Winnecke’s adeptness at CHEATING THE HANGMAN when nooses have been slipped around his neck?

T-Shirt from the Artful Dodger Collection
IS IT TRUE there is on very large and rotting albatross that is still hanging around the neck of Mayor Winnecke courtesy of the last hour shenanigans of Mayor Weinzapfel?…that albatross is called the Johnson Controls deal?…that once again Mayor Winnecke is faced with a card dealt to him from the bottom of the deck by Mayor Weinzapfel and he needs to put his best “Artful Dodger” hat on to dance through this $80 Million mine field?…it was not Johnson Controls that did this, it was the previous administration?…the Johnson Controls deal may turn out to be okay but that all private VETTING efforts are pointing to unverifiable savings at a significant enough level to justify having a very deep dive into the details of the deal?…if and we do mean if the details of the deal do not deliver what they have been advertised to deliver then this deal like the others can be terminated for cause without any negative consequence?…that we are cheering for you Mayor Winnecke?…we have faith that your talent at dodging bullets will serve you well if you surround yourself with a good VETTING TEAM and get this done?…the mine field is smaller than it was when you took office and that you are only a few more tiptoes through the exploding tulips that Mayor Weinzapfel left for you away from being able to be your own person?

IS IT TRUE the choices that Mayor Winnecke is making with respect to the $2.9 Million windfall that is now in the coffers of the City of Evansville are actually very good choices that will help the City do what it is supposed to do for its citizens?…that spending “found” money on sidewalks and safety infrastructure that are both NEEDED due to years of neglect are good choices?…saving the remaining $1.7 Million for future capital expense needs is also wise?…that such practical thrift should be the rule and not the exception across the board?…the CCO hopes to see more practical decisions that the City of Evansville can afford from the Winnecke Administration?…practicality will do away with the spend everything on games and temples to sport mentality of the Weinzapfel Administration?…things like an $8 Million park at Roberts Stadium and the proposed $2 Million Centennial Park albatross that is another holdover from the last administration are just not practical or affordable at this time?…fixing some of the parks that we already have like Garvin Park may be entirely affordable if the powers that be have the courage to maintain what we have as opposed to building new?…that existing parks are a terrible thing to waste?

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14 COMMENTS

  1. Come on Artful Dodger! Find us a way out of this deal. Consolidation may just depend on your ability to reverse the Weinzapful crazy train of waste and self interest. Cleanse Evansville of Weinzaps follies.

  2. What the editor has described and attributed to Mayor Winnecke is an astute political strategist who is capable of reelection in spite of his most ardant supporters initially declaring “we accept we’ll be a single term Republican administration in a historically Democrat town.”

  3. Mr. Winnecke certainly inherited a ship pot full of disasters from the former Mayor, including the McCurdy, Greyhound bus station, Johnson Controls and the dirt lot next to the bridge to nowhere from the Center.

    • Every administration inherits not only the known loose ends of the previous administration but all the little unexpected surprises that have occupied well over half the workload of the new administration’s chief of staff and greenhorn department heads.

      The McCurdy, Greyhound station, Johnson Controls, arena hotel, and Roberts Stadium are just the hot button items. The new administration’s cabinet appointments started their tenure on a honeymoon high, but soon began feeling more like a troop of skaters playing Whac-A-Mole in an arcade for the insane.

      • I agree with you. If Weinzapfel attached 5 or more visible big troubles to Winnecke, I am sure there are hundreds of less visible annoyances that make it hard to get out of bed and face the day.

        • I could forgive Mayor Winnecke for the naive and amateurish handling of the Earthcare, if he forced cancellation of the idiotically conceived based on promised savings Johnson Conrol deal. Even Al Lindsey figured out the Johnson Control deal was really dumb. If Mayor Winnecke could just fix the damage left with the rotting Historic McCurdy Hotel, the Executive Inn multi-year incompetent fiasco, and now the last minute Johnson Control surprise, he may go down as one of the finest Mayors in City history.

  4. As a relative newcomer to this city, I would appreciate it if somebody could publish an organization chart on the Elected and “shadow” government of Evansville.

    For example, I don’t know whether or not AL LINDSEY is someone I should respect, scorn or ignore.

    • History on Lindsey. He is veteran and long-time fireman currently serving the EFD with a rank of Captain. He is married and has a house that his wife lives in in one district while he ran for City Council in another district. Members of his own party challenged his eligibility to run in this district. Lindsey defended himself claiming he owns a house in this district, eats meals there, has clothes there, and sleeps there (at least up until election day). Lindsey was declared elible to run for election in this district and his detractors (led by the Mosby family) were very displeased. Upon attending his first City Council meeting, he was invited to attend a nearby bar at which one of his fellow council members and political enemy Missy Mosby was a waitress. This bar is owned by at least one of his other enemys. In the spirit of getting to know the other council members, Lindsey stupidly agreed to go. A majority of the council members attended as well as others that had business with the council that day/evening. A consultant from Indianapolis picked up the expensive tab which was loaded with alcohol. BTW, this gathering of a majority of the council members was legal as long as no council business was discuss, but totally illegal if any business was discussions at all. Lindsey was off duty from the fire department to attend the council meeting and was supposed to return to work which he apparently did after attending the bar. A few days later someone calls the mayor and reports in the name of public safety that Lindsey was drinking at the bar and then returned to work. Later, it was revealed that the person that called was none other than Missy Mosby. Lindsey initially claimed that he only drank Mt. Dew, but I believe he later admitted to drinking whiskey/bourbon and Coke. At a hearing, the Fire Chief recommended that Lindsey be fired. The merit commision went against the chief’s wishes and only gave him a suspension and a few other minor penalties.

      I think that about sums it up. Everyone please correct any inaccuracies or fill any any blanks I left.

      • That is an incredible summary, BigPappa.

        Also, is there any really tangible differences between the local Dems and Reps? I mean, I don’t expect local pols to be too concerned about national polemic issues, so I don’t care about their views on stuff like that. I’m just wondering if either party holds the ethical or public “high ground” in the county?

        Sounds to me like you are an equal opportunity observer who calls it like he sees it.

        • No real difference. True Republicans have a hard time getting elected. The machine rolls over anyone with ethical views regardless of which party they’re in.

    • Lord of the Flyballs

      Why not make up your mind by gathering first-hand information on these people. Watch their performance at city and county council public meetings. The city meeting is televised.

      Then you can dig a little deeper to find out who is pulling their strings.

      Just remember two things while trying to figure it all out:

      1. Always follow the money.

      2. Always follow the money.

      __

  5. Exactly what do you think was gained by the review of the downtown hotel other than a few more rooms and more money?

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