IS IT TRUE? March 23, 2011

11

The Mole #??

IS IT TRUE? March 23, 2011

IS IT TRUE that some truths are starting to emerge in the “why did Verizon wait until the demolition crew showed up to start to move” drama that is costing time and money to Woodruff Hospitality and the downtown Evansville Convention Hotel?…that anyone who does not live under a rock has known for nearly four years that the Executive Inn parking garage would be coming face to face with the wrecking ball?…that even the most nostalgic of people who deny structural problems have known this building was coming down since last July?…that Verizon either is the victim of Ready, Fire, Aim management or has just hung on with their fingernails to the last hour for replacing their antenna perched atop the Executive Inn parking garage?…that the short term solution is to put a “cell on wheels” unit in the empty lot between the C. K. Newsome Center and the Curtis Building?…that this will be one ugly but temporary solution to the demolition of the parking garage?…that no matter how ugly it may be that the fact that it is temporary exempts Verizon from needing to seek the approval of the Area Planning Commission to put it there?…that last summer a local businessman was turned down in his request to install windmills at an industrial location less than a quarter of a mile from the proposed temporary location for the Verizon antenna?…that this businessman should have attached wheels to his windmills and called them temporary thus avoiding the need to seek approval of the Area Planning Commission that eventually told him to take his windmills and get out of Evansville because Evansville does not have a windmill policy?…that equal justice is due to all of us, not just the ones doing the City Administrations bidding?

IS IT TRUE that the following area attorneys’ were selected as the 2011 Indiana Super Lawyers? ….they are: Thomas A. Massey, Massey Law Offices for Family Law, Steve Barber, Barber & Barber for General Litigation, Robert F. “Ted” Barron ll, Kahn-Dees-Donovan- & Kahn for Health Care, Timothy D. Born, Terrell-Baugh-Salmon & Born for Personal Injury Defense & General, Christopher D Lee, Kahn-Dees-Donovan & Kahn, Ross E. Rudolph, Rudolph-Fine-Porter & Johnson for Civil Litigation Defense, Randall K. Craig, Laws offices of Randall Craig for Elder Law, Robert M. Becker, Bamberger, Foremen, Oswald and Hahn for Estate Planning & Probate and Brian K. Carroll, Johnson-Carroll-Morton- Kent for Estate Planning & Probate?

IS IT TRUE that it has now been 1,420 days since the announcement was made on May 14, 2007 that the McCurdy Hotel was to be refurbished into luxury apartments?…that it has now been 1,274 days since the Evansville Redevelopment Commission at the request of Mayor Weinzapfel approved the spending of $603,000 to purchase the parking lot?…that City Centre Properties and Scott Kosene the developers of the McCurdy project are both listed as contributors to the Weinzapfel for Mayor committee for 2010?

IS IT TRUE that there are now 589 days remaining in the two years that the EPA had given the City of Evansville to present an acceptable solution to the Combined Sewer Overflow problem?…..that this plan is an expensive and complex endeavor that needs immediate attention to avoid the embarrassment and expense of another round of fines?

IS IT TRUE that the City County Observer is giddy at the attraction of SS&C to Evansville and with the fact that these are 500 good professional jobs that pay competitive salaries and have international visibility?…that this is the best attraction project to be secured by Evansville in over 10 years?…that the CEO of this company is an Evansville kid who understands business and progressive incentives to spread the wealth among his employees?…that the concept of “everyone who helps to make the pie gets to eat some pie” has escaped the bulk of the Evansville business community for many years now?… that maybe this company is the beginning of a positive trend?…that we tip our hat to the entire team that worked to make this happen?

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11 COMMENTS

  1. I hope the giddy CCO, can keep a level head in reporting the costs of these new jobs we’re buying.

    Because it’s easy to follow the lure of a big announcement, when critical details are omitted when sold to the public. (FDP anyone…)

    I really never thought I’d see the day that hedge fund service providers came to taxpayers with their hand out. Then again, I always thought auto & appliance manufacturers had plenty of markup to fund their own expansions – what a fool am I? But I guess time will tell, whether we pay more per hedge fund support job than we do for a FDP renovated apartment!

    • Good point, and the jobs have to materialize for the costs to be calculated. If the thing goes as announced then $8.5M/$500 = $17,000 per job. If the earnings estimates of $60k per job are correct then on 4.4% state income tax alone the payback time is only 6 years and 5 months. There will be other financial benefits as well. With all other considerations if this deal works out as it was announced it really is a good deal. If they end up with only 50 people then the incentives will change too.

      Given the choice of spending $8.5M (mostly state) to attract 500 jobs or $7.7 Million on 32 apartments in a bad part of town I think that anyone with two brain cells to rub together would choose the jobs. As you say the devil is in the details and the proof is in the performance. We continue to be giddy with expectation. I hope it all pans out.

      • $8.5, so far… As you reported, “The city of Evansville will consider additional property tax abatement at the request of the Growth Alliance for Greater Evansville.”

  2. Okay, let me ask a few questions that may lead to one of the Moles uncovering details to fill in the gaps left by incomplete reporting:

    1) Did APC approve the “temporary” Verizon cell tower location based on Commercial Site Review committee recommendations, full APC board approval, or Board of Zoning Appeals approval of a variance?

    2) Do wheels on a cell tower equate to wheels on a mobile home with regard to zoning code? Ask APC for their opinion on this, unless the approval was granted by the BZA, aka Board of Zoning APPROVALS (@ 99%)!

    3) Did not APC and BZA give the windmill prophet an opportunity to write his own windmill zoning language, and he did, and when he submitted it, he had written it in such a way as his particular zoning application STILL would’ve required a variance from BZA?

    4) Which of the Moles, or anyone else, wants to live in a home within 56 feet of a 60-foot tall tower topped by a heavy turbine and spinning blades? Raise your hand. And then get appointed to the BZA.

    • Sorry, question #1 should read “… by a do-pass recommendation from APC to City Council for a real zoning vote?”

      • The mole (not mole 3) when such a thing is temporary no approval is necessary. This mole should know. We do not know the details of the windmill saga except that there really was no precedent or rule for the APC to rely on.

      • Okay, rereading the suggestion by CCO to put Verizon’s cell tower on wheels in the “Back 40,” let me rephrase this …

        The tower back there now is not Verizon, it is someone else’s temporary tower. It was approved at Commercial Site Review because the property is zoned M-1, and the application was determined otherwise compliant for a “temporary” tower installation.

        Now my questions are with APC or the Building Commissioner rather than CCO. Who the hell thinks that the stabilizing anchor wires will remain taut and effective should one or more tires on the tower base become flattened?!? Jeez!

        • Your scenario gives credence to letting the air out of ones phone. Maybe they should put the rascal up on blocks and hang the engine from a tree.

  3. On another subject, while posting my message, I saw Bill Kramer’s ad pop up on the right. Heysoos Christo! That is one glaring, scary lookin’ wannabe politician. LOL! What you mad about, Billy?

    And how the hell can one be a “fiscal conservative” AND a “Regan Republican.” OMG! Think of the deficit the city will incur under a “Reaganomics” voodoo budget.

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