IS IT TRUE March 6, 2013

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The Mole #??
The Mole #??

IS IT TRUE March 6, 2013

IS IT TRUE financial consultant David Garrett has issued his report to the City Council and it identifies some variances in the three large accounts managed by the City of Evansville that amount to nearly $17 Million with the net of the three variances amounting to nearly $7 Million?…that $7 Million is not in the favor of the City of Evansville?…the Winnecke Administration has fired a first volley back stating that they will repudiate Garrett’s findings as being incorrect?…this will be quite interesting because accounting, engineering, and other mathematics based professions really do have a right answer that will eventually be found for all to see?…David Garrett has done much research often with limited cooperation from city officials to arrive at his conclusions?…it is now up to the Winnecke Administration to respond in a timely and accurate way?…given the wording used in the first round of the face off for accuracy it is clear that either Mr. Garrett or the stewards of public money (City Controller’s office) will be proved to be wrong?…quite frankly the Weinzapfel Administration handed the Winnecke Administration a un-auditable PIG IN A POKE when it came to good practice in accounting?…when Mayor Winnecke took office the City of Evansville’s books had not been reconciled for a full year, there was no working software to do accounting with, and those facts were well hidden?…during 2011 and 2012 over $100,000 was spent by the City on CPA firms to fix these problems without success?…it was only when an audit by the Indiana State Board of Accountancy called the City of Evansville out for ineptness that the City Council hired Mr. Garrett to find the variances, the gaps, the failures, and to report on them?…he has done that and now the very people who failed to do this job are crying foul?…if the Weinzapfel Administration and the Winnecke Administration had done their jobs correctly there would have never been a need for David Garrett?…we hope other media will join the City County Observer in objective consideration of Mr. Garrett’s report and the forthcoming rebuttal by the Office of the Controller?…one of these assertions WILL BE PROVEN WRONG AT SOME POINT?

IS IT TRUE that the Ford Center is once again in the news for financial performance and as was easily predictable by the performance of similar facilities there was an operating loss?…the loss was only $281,000 which by arena metrics is not too terrible?…that does not include the approximately $8 Million of interest that was paid out of another pocket for the debt incurred to build the Ford Center?…the operating expense that put the Ford Center from making a profit was a collection of charges by the Building Authority of $1,861,293?…the Building Authority under the management of Dave Rector took down a significant amount of the operating expenses of the Ford Center?…it is time for the management of Ford Center to send the contract for these services out for bid and make the Building Authority earn this money the old fashioned way?…that would be to bid the job, win the job through a fair competition, and then do the job well?

IS IT TRUE it also seems as though there is no plan to do or fund the future maintenance of a capital nature at the Ford Center?…there have been recent reports of dirtiness, little things broken, etc. which do not reflect well on the maintenance crew?…it would be a shame if the Ford Center falls into squalor the way Roberts Stadium, Mesker, the Victory, and the Evansville Parks have?…the City of Evansville really has a terrible track record of taking care of things so this should come as no surprise?…the time to change that is right now and the time to establish good accounting practices is also right now?…when it comes to fixing and counting it seems like the City of Evansville had a municipal lobotomy some time ago?

IS IT TRUE it is being reported that the foreclosure of homes in the USA has diminished from the record rates of a few years ago?…the sale of properties for less than is owed on them (short sales) are making up for the foreclosures though as banks have finally learned that working with underwater homeowners is better than foreclosing and seeing properties devalue and rot?…it only took five years for this lesson to be learned?…this is a good reality to accelerate the adoption of sanity and sustainability in the vacuum created by the real estate crisis?…many of the abandoned homes in Evansville are owned by banks who foreclosed on them?…finding the people of authority in these slum owning banks may be a bigger problem for the landlord registry than tracking down out of town landlords?…we shall see how sharp the enforcement teeth are when it is a big out of town bank getting fined $100 per day for not registering?

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53 COMMENTS

  1. Of course the City does nothing wrong. They never do. It’s always those who call them out who are wrong!

    I think that your Chief of Staff is an immature weasel. The Mayor should be ashamed that he’s represented by him.

  2. If I could save enough money I’d move out of this cesspool. I am working on it, but it will take years.

    • If I was younger and my business would fit in suitcases, I would move to Clarksville TN.

  3. “IS IT TRUE it is being reported that the foreclosure of homes in the USA has diminished from the record rates of a few years ago?…” (CCO)

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

    Look in the legal section (section C) of today’s Evansville Courier&Press for your answer. Remember that what you see there is by no means the complete local picture.

    ___

  4. Regarding the financial accounting for the City of Evansville, will there ever be an investigation into the six years worth of contracts between the City of Evansville and SM&G (2006-2011) that were never audited and never had an independent review?

    ___

    • Press…Get your facts straight before you sound off…All SMG audits thru 2012 were complete and submitted to City and County clients…City and County are in receipt of all of them.

      • Then why was it in the paper a few months back that they hadn’t been audited?

      • gallagher

        It is your “facts”? that are in error. Go to the SBOA website’s audit database and click on:

        Financial Statement and

        Federal Single Audit Report

        ……….. of …………

        City of Evansville

        Vanderburgh County, Indiana

        January 1, 2011 to December 31, 2011

        Scroll down to pages 39, 40, and 41. Pay particular attention to “Contracts” on page 41.

        Then come back here and apologize to me. I will be waiting.

        ___

        • And quit trying to mislead people. The audit findings and conclusions on pages 39, 40, and 41 are appalling.

          Why the people responsible for the incompetence uncovered by this audit have not been removed from their positions is at least as big a story as the incompetence itself.

          ___

    • What nis SM&G’s contract as for as their cut for each ticket sold. the extra charged above the price of advertised tickets should cover all their expenses.

  5. The good thing about accounting is that numbers do not lie. Ask yourself who you would believe, someone who has nothing to hide (Garrett) or someone who has been proven over and over again to lie (Winnecke’s Administration). The smart money (no joke intended) is on Garrett. Only time will tell.

    • How can you call Garrett a “person with nothing to hide”? Oh, I forgot to let you know that my CPA license was null in the 1990’s, oh, I forgot to tell you that I filed bankruptcy. What else has Garrett forgotten to tell the public or the City Commissioners? But maybe he told his good friend, John Friend and he forgot to tell anyone, but that is not a crime or is it? I think it might be call “Misleading”!

  6. Off subject, but Sen. Rand Paul is filibustering the President’s CIA nominee until he says he will not kill American citizens on American soil without due process of Law.

    http://www.c-span.org/Live-Video/C-SPAN2/

    Click the link and click “Senate Session” below. He’s been talking for over an hour now that I’ve watched.

    • “Thanks for posting that. Federal politics is clearly the goal of a website called the CITY-COUNTY observer.” — Said Noone

      • The City County Observer has a tradition of watching national politics when it affects people of this area. This affects all of us.

        If you don’t want to watch it, don’t watch it.

    • Sen. Paul has now been joined by Sen. Mike Lee of Utah and Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas on the floor in support of his filibuster.

      • Have any Americans been killed by drones on American soil? I’m failing to see where this is all coming from, but I do know the motivation. If this guy were nominated by a Republican they’d all be fawning over him. Blind partisanship is killing our government. Also, let’s not forget this whole drone thing originated with Bush’s patriot act.

        • Agreed. Let it be noted that Mr. Paul was not a Senator during the Presidency of George Bush and has stated emphatically in this filibuster that he would have objected in the same way no matter who was President. Having met and spoken to the man in person on four occasions, I can say I believe him.

          • BREAKING: New face! Sen. John Thune of South Dakota is up speaking. He has reread Rand’s resolution aloud again and is pointing out that the President can end this filibuster by simply answering Paul’s question as posed in the resolution.

            I believe this makes 11 Senators who have come forward and stood with Rand thus far.

            According to Twitter, Rand Paul is being mentioned over 2000 times per minute.

            11 hours 45 minutes in.

        • On your question of how many Americans have been killed on American soil…the answer is none yet, that we know of. However, as you pointed out, the current interpretation provided in the recently leaked “white paper” by the Administration, as well as the recent testimony of Eric Holder, this could very easily change IF the President exercises this new asserted authority to kill whomever he wishes provided he thinks they pose an “immediate threat”, whether they are in the act of committing a crime or not.

          It’s interesting you call the Patriot Act “Bush’s Patriot Act”. Most of the language in the Patriot Act, which was passed quickly after 9/11, had already been crafted and introduced in the 1990s. Furthermore, this President recently signed the extension of the Patriot Act despite his assurances when running he would never do that. Now whose Patriot Act is it?

          BREAKING NEWS: Sen. Paul has been joined by a Senator from Kansas as well.

          • I have to wonder if manned flights would be such a hot topic right now. This whole drone thing has been blown way out of proportion. It’s a one syllable easy to say word that is being thrown around as the new neocon buzzword. Did this technology crop up overnight once Obama was elected? The opposition is purely political, that’s obvious.

          • If manned flights were being used to justify potential extrajudicial killings of America citizens on American soil, I suspect, yes, there would be a problem with that.

            As for the objection of drones being political… I suspect the complete and total silence and neutering of the anti-war left since the election of Barack Obama has been political. An issue having a political ramification should not diminish its seriousness when it threatens our Bill of Rights, which the testimony of Eric Holder and the Administration’s “white paper” clearly indicate its drone policies could do.

            I look forward to hearing the President answer the questions Mr. Paul, and now several other Senators, are raising.

            BREAKING NEWS: Sen. Paul has been joined by Sen. Ron Wyden, a DEMOCRAT from Oregon.

          • BREAKING: Sen. Marco Rubio has joined in the filibuster.

            He voted yesterday to move this nomination along, yet he agrees with Sen. Paul’s “defense of this institution [the Senate]”.

          • BREAKING: Sen. Paul joined by Sen. Saxby Chambliss from GA… This makes 7 Senators so far joining Sen. Paul.

            Also, I called Sen. Coats’ office… The aide there could not say if Sen. Coats intends to join the filibuster effort, but could not rule it out.

          • BREAKING: Sen. Harry Reid tried to end the filibuster. Sen. Paul denied the request. Also Sen. Pat Toomey has joined Sen. Paul in filibuster.

          • BREAKING: Sen. John Cornyn (R) Texas and Minority Whip has joined filibuster. Says there is a “double standard” in the Justice Dept. and the Senate is entitled to a “very clear answer” on Sen. Paul’s question of legal justification for extrajudicial killings of Americans on American soil.

          • BREAKING: Sen. Paul’s filibuster has gone over 6.5 HOURS at this point. Aides can be seen bringing him something to eat. He is eating what looks like crackers in between talking about the need for trials for treason when possible.

          • BREAKING: Sen. Jerry Moran comes back to floor to ask questions and support Rand Paul’s ongoing filibuster and to presumably give Sen. Paul a short break.

            Sen. Moran: “If it’s NOT unconstitutional to kill Americans on American soil, then what IS unconstitutional?”

          • BREAKING: It’s now being reported that #StandWithRand currently trending #1 on Twitter. Also, Sen. Moran has come back to the floor to give Sen. Paul a short break from speaking.

            Filibuster has now been going for 7 hours 15 minutes.

          • BREAKING: Rand is asking unanimous consent that language be entered that “the use of drones to execute target Americans citizens on American soil clearly violates the due process of citizens…” and will agree to end debate if they agree to enter this language into the record, a non-binding resolution to ask for a real answer from the President.

            The chair does object as predicted, and the filibuster continues…

          • BREAKING: Ted Cruz comes back to the floor to read some of the emails he has received in support of Rand Paul’s filibuster.

            7 hours 41 minutes in.

          • BREAKING: Rand just offers to end this filibuster if the Attorney General would simply send a Tweet ensuring the Administration will not kill American citizens without due process. He goes on to acknowledge even Obama’s predecessor is guilty of infringements on liberties, yet even HE did not suggest he could kill Americans on American soil.

            Breitbart.com reports ACLU supports filibuster.

          • I wouldn’t want to acknowledge this nonsense either. It’s like a screaming crying child. If you give them what they want, they’ll do it again and again and again. Let Paul talk until he’s blue in the face. Just grandstanding for a run at the Presidency, nothing more. What a shameless blowhard just like his dad or worse even.

            • And what will you do when they come for you? Setting a precedent of a government sanctioned pre-emptive murder of American citizens on American soil may be fine with you when your preferred leaders are in office but what about when someone who is your ideological opposite is in office. Do you seriously think the land of the free and home of the brave should take marching orders from people like Stalin, Pol Pot, and Hitler? Make no mistake about the stakes. If it is okay to drop a drone down the chimney of someone any government official deems to be a threat the next step will be political prisoners and being held without charges for years. This John Doe is worth raising a ruckas over.

          • It’s a sad day when someone can come out against killing American citizens on American soil and ask for clarification, transparency and an assertion of due process as codified in the Fifth Amendment from the President, his Attorney General and his prospective CIA appointee and he gets called a “shameless blowhard” for doing that. Talk about politics. This is the worst kind of it right here. This issue is a NO BRAINER non-partisan issue. This is just the kind of idiotic thing I might expect a guy calling himself “John Doe” to say. In short, Sir, whoever you are, I think you are a fool.

            BREAKING: Sen. John Barrasso comes down to support the filibuster, which has now reached the 10 hour mark.

          • If I seriously thought Obama was going to start taking out Americans on American soil with missles I wouldn’t be posting here, I’d be sitting in a bomb shelter with tin foil on my head under one single uncovered light bulb writing some kind of manifesto.

          • BREAKING: Ted Cruz is back reading more Tweets, some of which are critical of other Democrats for not joining in this non-partisan issue. It is clear thousands upon thousands of people are watching this. One comment mentioned that Rand has given a better speech than any one Obama has ever given and WITHOUT a teleprompter. I second that. We are reminded again that Rand Paul is trending #1 on Twitter.

            10 hours 30 minutes in.

          • BREAKING: Now crossed the 11 Hour mark. Ted Cruz is giving Rand his longest break so far. He has quoted Shakespeare and George C. Scott’s Patton speech. He is doing a fine job in his supporting role. He is currently giving examples of how either rightwing or leftwing Presidents in the future could abuse their power.

            He has also taken up some much needed rest time for Rand by quoting from a classic, lengthy Ronald Reagan speech.

            Google trends has “Rand Paul” trending up to 100, which is their highest possible trend rating: http://www.google.com/trends/explore#q=rand%20paul&date=today%207-d&cmpt=q

          • BREAKING: Marco Rubio is back on the floor. I have heard from others that there are Senators literally lined up along the back wall, literally “standing with Rand”. They can be seen in the background at times in the video. Don’t know how true this is, but one commenter has said there are more Senators on the floor now than they’ve ever seen there at one time outside a President’s speech.

            We’ve gone from the Bard and George C. Scott quotes from Ted Cruz to Jay Z and Godfather quotes from Rubio. Interesting stuff.

            11 hours 35 minutes in.

          • BREAKING: We’re past the 12 hour mark now. BREAKING: They’re coming out of the woodwork now… Senators can be seen lined up in the back of the hall now. It appears Rand might not have to speak much for the next little while.

            Pat Toomey is back up now. He spoke a little while earlier. He is now rereading Rand’s letter to the Attorney General.

            Interestingly, he also read the letter of response from Attorney General Eric Holder and concludes that it’s clear to him [Toomey] that this Administration refuses to answer a simple hypothetical question they should be answering. Sound familiar, CCO?

          • BREAKING: Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D) is back up citing the white paper and expressing bipartisan support for the fundamental question behind this filibuster.

            Wisconsin Senator Ron Johnson now speaking as I finish this update. He makes the 14th Senator by my count.

            12 hours 20 minutes in.

          • BREAKING: Tim Scott from SC makes Senator #15 by my count. He also marks the first black Senator to come forth.

            Senator Dean Heller of AZ makes #16.

            12 hours 30 minutes in.

          • After a total of 16 Senators, including the Majority Whip, Minority Whip, Majority Leader and Minority Leader making appearances, Rand Paul admits he must use the toilet and ends the filibuster.

            Total time: 12 hours 51 minutes. Nice job, Rand. That’s how Senators are SUPPOSED to do our business on important issues.

        • John “Obama” Doe, we can be assured that Obama and Holder will only target as potential subversives red state conservative tax paying gun owners who believe in State rights. You will be safe from the drones as a blind supporter of Occupy Wall Street and Michael Moore.

          • Go to the window and make sure there aren’t any black suburbans running surveillance on your house. I’m sure they’re coming after you for speaking out, so be careful.

        • BREAKING: Minority leader, Sen. Mitch McConnell up speaking! This means it’s BIG.

          That makes 13 Senators so far, by my count standing with Rand. Dick Durbin also spoke at some point when I must have been eating.

          McConnell congratulates Rand for his tenacity and calls his question “legitimate”.

          11 hours 50 minutes in.

    • Sorry to hear that. I hope another Democrat steps forward to challenge Mr. Wedding, if for no other reason than to expand the choices of voters. I also hope that my own Party puts forth viable candidates who support the Constitution of he United States without condition.

        • If is the person I have been hearing, people might not be pleased as you think. The democrats might be pleased though.

  8. All it would take is one public debate performance of Wedding and his entire candidacy would crumble.
    He’s a playboy and his tan isn’t the only thing FAKE about him. And he’s got the intelligence of a creek rock. (A rather dull, round creek rock at that).

    • Not following you on this one.
      He can’t speak, yet he is a playboy? How does that work?
      He volunteers with numerous community groups that help others, but he is fake?
      He is a creek rock, but has served the people for 32 years and worked his way up from jailer to Chief Deputy?
      If your best argument against him is he is a “playboy” and “dumb”, then you don’t have an argument. You just have an opinion. Feel free to share it. You should also feel free to provide something that shows why you are saying it.
      When a dude is hung up on another dudes tan and social status, there is usually something behind it. And it ain’t job qualification concerns.

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