IS IT TRUE May 18, 2012
IS IT TRUE another Evansville landmark has fallen into such a state of disrepair that it is being shut down?…that it has been rumored for days that this was coming but no one really believed that for lack of $100,000 that Mesker Amphitheatre would be allowed to go fallow and continue to deteriorate?…we must repeat that this is not a facility that floods and needs several million dollars of remodeling to function?…that what Mesker apparently needs is a good coat of paint, some rot repair, and some mold remediation?…that letting a classic facility like Mesker get to the point that it is abandoned to rot down for lack of $100,000 in the budget is just one more insult to the people of Evansville who dutifully pay the taxes they are asked to pay and are rewarded with non-working sewers, needles in the park, and now the abandonment of Mesker?..it has been suggested that it may pose a financial threat to the $127 Million Ford Center so it must go?…we wonder what is next for the wrecking ball?…it is a good thing the movie theatres in town are privately owned or the City of Evansville would let them deteriorate too?
IS IT TRUE that 5% of the funds needed to keep Mesker open for the summer could have been raised if City Council members John Friend, Missy Mosby, and Jonathan Weaver along with County Commissioners Joe Kiefer and Marsha Abell would have kept their butts at home instead of spending about $1,000 each to travel to Savannah, GA on a Chamber of Commerce junket?…some of the attendees tell us that one thing learned in Savannah about how they do economic development is that agencies such as GAGE are not supported by public dollars?…that the cover story for this trip is that they were learning how to retain “young educated professionalsâ€?…there were two seminars given in Evansville in 2008 and 2009 that laid the case out very well on how to keep young educated professionals?…that public officials including Mayor Weinzapfel attended these events yet after the events NOT A THING THAT WAS RECOMMENDED WAS DONE?…there are some books on this subject by an author named Richard Florida that address this subject in depth?…they are available at the Library right across the street from the empty lot where a downtown hotel should be?…that if these five elected officials were that interested in the subject they could have read those books for free?…if they want to justify their junket they should do so with results over the next couple of years as opposed to a lamely rationalized reason like “learning how to retain young educated professionalsâ€?…Evansville is not even producing enough good jobs to retain old educated professionals and hasn’t for years?
IS IT TRUE if the Chamber of Commerce and the elected officials driving this bus called Evansville toward a cliff really want to take a trip to a town that is making improvements they should borrow a school bus, fill up the gas tank, and head 30 miles east to Owensboro, KY?…that Owensboro during the last 5 years has demolished the old Executive Inn and attracted 2 new hotels to replace it?…that Owensboro is home to 13 competition grade ball fields and attracts national tournaments?…that rumor has it those ball fields cost less than $3 Million?…that Owensboro is about finished with a new and functional river front park with a permanent outdoor farmer’s market?…that every Friday night during the summer Owensboro has a Friday After 5 concert series that draws thousands of people to the riverfront?… since 1960 Evansville’s population has shrunk by 20% and that at the same time Owensboro’s population has grown by 34%?…that in 52 years ago Evansville was 250% larger than Owensboro and at the present rates of growth in 52 years Owensboro will be passing Evansville in population?…that our leaders might learn something about retaining people from Owensboro too?…that one of the things that retains professionals young and old is good entertainment?…that our friends at the Chamber should schedule their bus trip on a Friday night during the summer?…that if they want a seat they had better get there by 5 for a concert that starts at 6?
The cost to get Mesker Ampitheater up to snuff is only $100,000 and Ford Center came in about $2 million under budget? So there should be plenty of money to upgrade Mesker Ampitheater right? Whaddup?
Three things keeps people there: 1) A government system that involves the community. 2) A tourism system that touts ALL age groups and several interests. & 3) River Street, a nationally known area that compares with Boston on St Patrick’s Day, and they have events all summer long. The business’ are the ones who do this, not the local politicos. Word of mouth is what sells this place, like many others. If you get a bad name or reputation, guess what, just like a bad diner or bar, word of mouth! Start a local business group that supports itself and get rid of that thing called GAGE that only cares about the few selected!
^^^^^I was talking about Savannah.
I’m not a fan of Debbie Dewey of Gage because I feel she lacks good public relation skills.
However, she is the President of GAGE and since people on this trip talked about an organization in Savannah, Ga. that is doing the same thing as GAGE-Evansville she should have been invited to the trip in Savannah. Ga. Bad mistake on the Evansville Chamber part for not inviting Ms.Dewey on this trip!
Common knowledge is that not only did Gage, City of Evansvile and select political people blow the EARTHCARE deal because lack of proper vetting but her Board of Directors need to accept responibility also.
It is my strong opinion that Debbie Dewey has a Board of Directors and would never do anything concerning EARTHCARE deal without their input and/or direction. Bottom line, it’s time that the area media give the marjority of the credit failure of EARTHCARE to her Board Of Directors!
If Dewey would have been on this trip she would have been put in the stockade for wasting $1,000. She should have been there but the Earthcare idiocy created a situation where she couldn’t. Being embattled is a tough way to live. Dewey did not dig the Earthcare grave without the help of her board.
GAGE has had 3 leaders in 5 years and if Dewey gets the ax they will be looking for a 4th. If GAGE is to be respected it the board needs a good spring cleaning.
I’m gonna pretend I am a young man and choosing between Savannah and Evansville. Savannah has a beach, nice weather, it is pretty, it is clean, and SOUTHERN GIRLS. How can Evansville compete with that with its former fatty capital status, dirtyness, pollution, and half ass jobs. You guys are right Owensboro has more to offer than Evnasville but both lose to Savannah in my youth.
Enough is Enough you have made an excellent post.
After thinking about your post, your right on.
Anybody out here know who are the Board of Director members of GAGE?
Let’s post their names so can publically give them credit for the EARTHCARE failure.
Look here:
http://www.evansvillegage.com/board/
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Owensboro is able to revitalize its entire riverfront, attract new hotels and concert tours, build a 20-something mile long bike and walking path entirely around the outer loop of the city, and grow its population while Evansville shrinks? Owensboro has been able to accomplish all their progressive growth and dynamic economic development without government consolidation? Whaddup?
from C&P:
Vanderburgh County man who gave chase following home invasion charged in fatal wreck
By Jared Council, Richard Gootee
Posted May 18, 2012 at 9:53 a.m., updated May 18, 2012 at 10:42 a.m.
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They have disabled the comments section of their posted article. Only their take on the story counts!
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Daughter of a Forth Ward preacher getting a job in an office of County Clerk office, Susan Kirk will get votes for her in November? Maybe not, because the rank and file workers in the Civic Center see this as a political move to help Kirk to get Forth Ward votes. In fact, they are tired of this type of political wheeling and dealing. County Treasurer, Rick Davis shall be picking up votes from this move.
The best known secret at the Civic Center is that the fate of MESKER AMPITHEATRE been decided by the Mayor and his “back room boys and girls” Mesker Park Zoo Director, Thomas Amoss is presently working on the “MASTER PLAN” to make the property that houses the Ampitheatrer THE ZOO’S property!
HOW’S THAT FOR ANOTHER BACK ROOM MAYOR WINNEKE DEAL! Stay turned and see if the “CIVIC CENTER MOLE” IS CORRECT!
You actually think Rick Davis will pick up 4th Ward votes in his race against Susan Kirk because she hired the daughter of a preacher who is popular amongst the same voters? Did you happen to notice that the only thing Rick Davis has been picking up lately, besides due bills for his failed mayoral election, are the Culley for Clerk yard signs he distributed in his latest failed attempt to backstab another fellow Democrat? Whattup with that?
If he supported someone in the primary other than your choice, that isn’t backstabbing. That is deciding between two Democrats….Backstabbing is what was done to Rick Davis this past November. JMHO
Why anyone such as yourself who pretends to know the whole sordid saga would confuse last November’s payback as backstabbing is beyond me. Waddup with that?
Thats not the only one. People have been passed up for years only to bring in family and friends. The past few months not only has put unqualified people in full time positions but had even placed a should be criminal in one. Luckily that person had more illegal activity while on the job so even higher authorities had to remove her. Folks are sitting patiently waiting to be moved to better positions all over the city. Doubting it ever happens.
Have heard that before about Amos wanting to incorporate Mesker into the zoo to have zoo programs etc. That has been in the works for a while. I don’t think that that should preclude also using Mesker as it has been used in the past.
Evansville could learn a lot from researching how they do things in Savannah GA and Charleston SC.
We could learn ever so much by sending, no doubt, our finest minds?
Damm “Civic Center Mole” within 5 hours of your post the Mayor Lloyd W Times (Courier and Press) put sn article up stating that the Zoo is interested in Mesker Ampitheater property.
Also check out the statement you made concerning “Job For Votes” post you made concerning Susan Kirk. Correct once again. County Clerk, Susan Kirk did hire the 4th Ward preachers daughter to work in one of her offices.
Oh, any truth that the Building Authority Director, Dave Rector is being paid an annual salary of $125,000 not including benifits?
Saw Jimmy Buffet at Mesker years ago.
After the first song, the electric went out.
Larry Aiken, the promoter, came onstage and told the audience to call the mayor and tell him to fix the F*&^ing electric at Mesker.
Love that place.
Why couldn’t some people get together and go down there and start fixing the place up?
A hundred grand could buy a lot of fried chicken and beer for the workers.
When did we all stop and decide government should take care of us?
Maybe some fun projects and events could attract some of those young,educated, people we seem to want around us.
Speaking of which ; What exactly would you put in to a pitch to persuade a young, educated, person to live and work here?
Exactly.
Vandy Watch Dog you are extremely close to the annual gross salary (without benifits)the Building Authority Director is being paid annually!
See you next week concerning the political back room happenings at the Evansville-Vanderburgh County Civic Center!
Support the Evansville “OTTERS”!
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