IS IT TRUE May 20, 2014

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IS IT TRUE that Mayor Lloyd Winnecke is now on record as having issued a statement yesterday that stated “I have every confidence that the state’s audit will show our administration has consistently balanced the books”?…regardless of recordings, alleged death and political threats that the machine has tossed at Councilwoman Riley through their willing accomplices at that former news source that calls itself 14WFIE.com since last week, the Mayor’s statement about balancing the books is blatantly false?…it is not only an intentional falsehood but it is counter to the findings of the 2011 City of Evansville audit, the words on the recording made of the exit conference of the 2012 audit, and even the words of City Councilman John Friend and City Controller Russ Lloyd Jr. over the past two years?…if Mayor Winnecke believes that the City of Evansville has “consistently balanced the books”, he is either completely out of touch with the reality of the last 42 months or he is a shameless purveyor of lies?

IS IT TRUE that the former Chairman of the City Council Finance committee and a former member of the finance committee came out swinging at Councilwoman Riley over the weekend and even into yesterday?…these two are Councilman John Friend and former Councilman Curt John?…that Curt John was a member of of the Finance Committee chaired by John Friend when the MIPS software debacle originated in the last year of the Weinzapfel Administration?…during 2011, Mr. John and Mr. Friend would have approved a budget for 2012 as finance committee members with the full knowledge that the accounts were not being reconciled on a monthly basis?…Councilman Friend continued that newly established tradition of approving three budgets without having the books balance in 2012 and 2013?…we wonder if is it really a coincidence that two finance committee members who signed off on budgets without a set of balanced books would offer themselves up to discredit the person who had recorded the exit interview for the 2012 audit?

IS IT TRUE that it was learned in the exit interview that the blue books that are published monthly were not accurate for any of the months in 2012?…the blue books were still not accurate in 2013 ?…in the recording that Councilwoman Riley released yesterday City Controller Russ Lloyd was asked point blank if the City was reconciling monthly and answered “yes”?…the response from the audit team from the SBOA is clearly laughter and then correction of Controller Lloyd’s assertion?

IS IT TRUE that we thought this was behind us and that it would not need to be shown but the interviews given by Curt John to 14WFIE and to Channel 25 over the weekend and the cherry picking of the comment that Councilwoman Riley has admitted to so as to make the worse impression possible makes it necessary to publish the entire comment and let our readers decide if this was a death threat or not?…here is the post in full?…we hope that you will all read this and then vote in our poll on whether or not Curt John was really in danger?…there have been no criminal charges made and the CCO has not been asked by any judge to release any files?

“I agree with Jordan. Curt John and BJ Watts used insider information regarding the location of the arena to open Maingate. Just like the theater complex at Morgan and Green River (Show Mes) and the boat (Fast Eddy’s). It would be poetic justice for that investment to fail. Unfortunately, and just like Fast Eddy’s, Curt has already made his money. And now he has managed to get his hands into D Patrick relocating. He’s pushing land “for a friend” at 41 and Walnut. Death is the only thing that will ever protect this community from that guy. Let’s also not forget that Maingate is where Mosby and Weaver and Krista Lockyear set up Al Lindsey and where Mosby worked after she was fired from yet another sales job.”

IS IT TRUE that President of Evansville City Council John Friend ordered that Chief of Police Billy Bolin have three (3) paid police officers attend the City Council meeting last night? …the reason why President Friend asked for the extra security protection is that he asserted that Evansville City Councilwoman Stephanie Brinkerhoff-Riley would flip out and go postal on the other members of the City Council?…Councilman Friend must have forgotten that one must go through a metal detector to get into the Civic Center nowadays?…the metal detectors have been a permanent fixture in the Civic Center entrances since the last couple of years of the Weinzapfel Administration?

NOTE: We were made aware after publishing that member of the City Council DO NOT have to go thru the metal detector. Making them do so would be cheaper and more effective than having 3 officers on duty.

IS IT TRUE we heard last night that a well known and highly respected loyal Democrat is ready to announce that he shall be running against John Friend in the 5th Ward Democratic party primary? …this individual was approached to run against Mr. Friend by Business Executives, Union Leaders, Independents, Tea Party voters, Libertarians and Democratic and Republicans alike?

IS IT TRUE we hope that the focus can return to the reality of the problems facing Evansville like non-reconciled payroll and pension accounts, crumbling infrastructure, and a level of debt for fun and games projects that is just too high for a city with a shrinking tax base?…Lying and character assassination is bad public policy?…those however have been the weapons of choice of the two former members of the City Council finance committee and the Mayor of Evansville over the past 4 days?…if the last two administrations had done their job correctly with managing our finances the pain of the last four days would have never happened?

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117 COMMENTS

  1. No one here thinks Curt was worried about a death threat. It was everything else that is revealed in this post that scared him so much. The main problem with this bunch is mostly a serious drinking one. They hole up in these dives and get to running their mouths with their inside information and their cackling crow wives with their gossip.

    Doesn’t Russ look stupid in this tape. Laughter. That’s what made him burn with vindictiveness toward the auditors and claim they were the ones who weren’t even cpa. It’s time for that good ole boy to take his accounting skills into the open job market. Or maybe ONB needs another VP?

    You can maybe play dumb for a couple of months if you are making an obvious concerted effort to learn, but 2 and a half YEARS? That’s time enough to get a technical DEGREE in municipal accounting software, for crying out loud. But no, instead, we pay $2 MILLION to outsiders to do his JOB FOR HIM (well, they try to help, but Russ was determined to be the fly in the ointment every step of the way, obstructing “like the dickens”). You see, this software is all about automated transparency in city finances, and Russ is all about cooking the books. And THAT’S what has never been reconciled. “If I could turn back time……”

    • Maybe that Cher concert Russ attended when he was Mayor is the cause of our current problems … that darn song sticks in your head !

  2. It is my fondest hope that a true Democrat will seek the office of Mayor. Friend had already signed on with the local inter-party machine to be a non-candidate against their main toady of the day, Lloyd Winnecke.
    I feel certain there will be attempts to back-stab a viable Democratic candidate for mayor next year that will make the last Mayoral election look like a day in kindergarten, but it will be Evansville’s last chance at survival.

    • I hear there is a group trying to get Rick Davis to run again. Is that true? He deserved it last time in my meager opinion.

      • I’m not sure, but have heard the same rumor. I agree that if he were Mayor now, a lot of the leftover mess would have been cleaned up and the City would be better off for it.
        I will support, donate to, and work for whomever or whatever is run against Friend, even if it is a striped jackass.

        • Same here. I would vote for Barney Rubble over Friend.

          What I have to say about him is completely and totally unprintable. They way he has treated the CCO is despicable.

          He most certainly has earned a primary challenge.

          • There is a poster over at the Courier and Press that calls themselves MrsSilenceDogood that is posting long comments against Riley and the other elected officials that stood up with her yesterday. I have never seen that poster on the CCO. She refers to the editor of the CCO as “a third party California resident”.

            • MrsSilenceDogood is Debbie Dewey, the president of Gage. She is still smarting from having her Earthcare scam scuttled by Stephanie’s excellent research. Now she is taking revenge and taking swipes and Wallace and Musgrave in the process.

          • Does anybody out there want to do a Freedom of Information Act request on Debbie Dewey’s computer usage? Shouldn’t she be using her taxpayer funded salary and time to be promoting economic development in this community instead of participating in idle gossip? Anybody want to do a Freedom of Information Act request on her emails to and from Mayor Winnecke and other city council members?

            Hint hint I’m talking to the CCO – THAT would be a record-setting post!

            By the way – Silence Dogood was a pen name that Benjamin Franklin used to write letters to the editor to his own newspaper. It was one of many, many pen names/alter egos he used. If she thinks she’s as smart/brilliant as Benjamin Franklin she’s got another thing coming.

          • Yeah judging by the machine posts in defense of silence at all costs and all the personal attacks on SBR I can easily imagine the scene at the Civic Center this morning.
            It’s ‘ALL HANDS ON DECK GET A SCREEN NAME AND START POSTING AS IF YOUR PATRONAGE JOB DEPENDS ON IT!”
            This is what they do with their work days there. Like they never graduated high school. We are screwed.

      • I am sooooooooooo happy to hear that!

        I’d vote for Rick Davis again! He’s the only true person with integrity I think I’ve ever voted for.

        What nobody’s talking about is Cheryl Musgrave was at this press conference. TO ME it sounds as though she’s ready to take on Winnecke in a Republican primary and only came and listened to get ammunition to use against the mayor! Musgrave vs. Davis – I think even the turncoat Dems would vote for Davis over Musgrave!

        • You do make an excellent point on Debbie Doo-doo’s use of time, but in reality, the “Dogood posts” are likely one of the less harmful thing things she has found to do on the taxpayers’ dimes.

          • Unfortunately that’s so true. How much money did she waste in the past? Good God they all have their hands in the till.

            Watch out for contracts to friends of the Politically Anointed ones.

            Things like Environmental Work goes out on a NO-BID basis and only the Mayor’s friends get those contracts. In the past I found out that the Environmental Firm that had contracts or work with the city was giving thousands of dollars in campaign donations to the Mayor. The firm gave them around $500 to $1000 and each of the principals that owned the firm each gave 1000 bucks to the campaign. These cronies then get the work from the city that’s worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.

            These people did all the Vanderburgh County School System’s special type of Environmental work. There were better qualified firms that could have done the job much cheaper too. The tax payers were the losers in that deal. And guess which City Councilman was involved in work at one of the high schools that attracted the attention of the IDEM State Inspector to the work site. Rumor has it that the State Attorney General was involved that deal. Good job Curt and Rick!

            Folks this is how the tax money is given and directed to the friends of the party in power. This is just one part of the Machine and how it works.

    • Yeah, because our last Democrat mayor did so much when he was in office. I believe that Weiny had just as much deception, corruption and cronyism as Winnie.

      I really love how you can come on here acting all frustrated and victimized by the mayor, yet you support Oba-Mao as president. He runs the same type of cover up , criminal type operation as what is occurring here in E-ville. Hell his violations are much much worse and affect m any more people.

      Kinda hypocritical of you and the regular liberal crew:

      Winnecke (R) = BAD

      Obama (D) = GOOD

      Yet they both run the same corrupt administrations at different levels.

      • Name one of those Crimes that you said he’s committed. The only crime that you are aware of if the fact that it’s a crying shame that people like you listen to Fixed News Corp day in and day out.

        I’d think that if Obama had committed any crimes he would be impeached by this current GOP controlled Congress.

        BTW: Benghazi won’t get any traction nor with it keep Hillary from running and winning the next Presidential Election if she desires.

        If Clinton is guilty of letting Benghazi happen then Bush/Chaney are equally or more guilty of allowing 911 to happen. And 911 happened on our own Soil right here in the USA. Not in some far off land that we have practically zero control over.

        • You evidently don’t understand the way things work in Washington. It’s all about power and how much you can keep. Many of the GOP are just as corrupt as ObaMao, McConnell, McCain, Grahm, Besides you can’t impeach without a majority vote in Congress and we all know that the dems aren’t going to damage their positions.

          Until you understand how things really work in the world, blow your nose, and take the advice of your screen name and MOVE ON…

  3. Mr. Mayor, it is time for you to stop the diversionary tactics, the smoke and mirrors, the name calling. We know what the audit says. If a published audit is not as recorded, we know who is lying. You are the one with a problem; incompetetent people under your control. Be a Mayor, get professional people to bring the ship of state under control.

  4. CCO, excellent work.

    The Mayor saying the books were “consistently reconciled”, and the SBOA auditors laughing in the background ? That will make someone a great, great campaign commercial ! The Mayor has told a lie. I can hear the ‘voiceover’ on this commercial already.

    Stunned that John Friend is melting down like this.
    He has ZERO chance of running for Mayor now. All of the things he once stood for re: the financial records have evaporated in less than ONE WEEK ! The last straw was the disclosure that Stephanie “threatened his political career”. Hey John, call her back and threaten hers ! Don’t go on 14 Lies News ! Unreal.

    • “14 Lies News”. I approve !

      I thought you meant ’14 Live News’, and then I figured out you knew exactly what you were saying.

      I will never watch 14 WFIE again. How can a news organization get so corrupt ? Sickening to me.

    • From CP regarding the 2011 audit:

      EVANSVILLE — A state audit of city of Evansville finances for 2011 points to sloppy bookkeeping and a series of errors stemming from a change in accounting software systems.
      It says the conversion was mismanaged, and a lack of oversight across city government showed “no process to identify or communicate corrective actions to improve controls.”

      The Indiana State Board of Accounts audits large governmental entities annually.

      While the 2011 document for Evansville does not allege fraud or other criminal activity, it does state that because the city “did not properly maintain accounting records,” state auditors “were not able to apply other auditing procedures to satisfy ourselves as to whether the financial statement (is) fairly stated.”

      Mayor Lloyd Winnecke, who took office in January, said in a prepared statement that he directed his staff to implement a corrective plan “to ensure confidence” in the city’s finances.

      Winnecke and City Controller Russ Lloyd Jr. said the city’s accounts for 2011 now are reconciled,

      • In other words; the city books are in such disarray the auditors could not even get past the most basic of accounting procedures. That to anyone should be damning.

        • It’s OUTRAGEOUS! Is it true tha they might as well not have any books and just spend the money any way they like? Hey, is that what the State Audit said in no so many words? Just wondering?

      • Ed.,

        Nice catch ! What is the date of this article, as that will establish a line in the sand for when City Administration declared 2011 reconciled.

  5. It is the civic duty of every taxpaying citizen of Evansville to listen to this recording and determine if this is the way they think the City of Evansville finances should be handled.

    http://www.brinkerhoffriley.com/web/2012SBOA-exitinterview.m4a

    It is clear that Councilwoman Brinkerhoff-Riley has done a service for the citizens, who have a right to know the total disarray of the city’s finances.

    It is much worse than I had ever imagined, and killing the messenger is not going to work this time!

    ___

      • The Indiana Supreme Court recently spoke on the competitive bidding statutes of Indiana in the Contractors v EVSC suit where ICI/SAKNSKA was handed a $7. million no-bid contract for the EVSC Administration HQ building.

        As currently stated in the local media, how is the plan to hand SKANSKA a no-bid contract for the IU Med facility any different, other than there is a lot more money on the table for this project?

        Therefor, the vote last Monday evening by city council to seek bonding for the project, as stated, was illegal, as one can not vote to violate State statute.

        __

        • Thank you for this. While there never seems to be any mechanism for enforcement, I still think it’s very important that it’s documented.

        • The process used by IU was to get bid proposals from various groups to build the facility; Skanska was one of the partners of the winning bid. As such, it is their contract to build. One of the terms of being awarded the project was that a qualified, experienced contractor be part of the project. Skanska provided the plans and cost of construction, which the city and state agreed to fund, after the contract to build was awarded by IU. All this was done in public and is no way comparable to the EVSC Foundation award to Skanska for a couple million contract via no bid. As such what was done last night was perfect legal.

          • Since when did Indiana University take over the City of Evansville and start directing the Mayor and City council how to spend the City of Evansville’s tax payers money?

            That is not how it should be done IMHO.

            The city council should control how the money is spent in Evansville, IN.

            And if state law requires the city to bid large contracts then that’s what must be done.

            You can’t just wish away State Laws that are already in place because a few people stand to make a lot of money on downtown property.

            Anyone know what the various members of the city council have in down town Evansville, IN? Look how Curt John Prospered when he was on the City Council and perhaps new in advanced about the location of the Ford Center. After all did he just get really lucky to get involved in the bar that just happens to be right next to the Ford Center. In real estate they say it’s Location, Location, Location.

        • moveon

          I don’t understand the process and your rambling on about IU telling the city what to do holds no water.

          The winning Skanska etal bid (there were a total of 4 bids submitted to IU) contained a pledge from the city to fund part of Skanska’s construction cost. The city is providing financing only and does not own IUMSW’s building. It is IU responsibility to get bids for a building it owns, which it did in broad daylight. The city has agreed to finance part the project and can’t choose to kick out Skanska per the bid that said Skanska is the contractor.

          You comments about John and company have nothing to do with my comments about regarding the IUMSW.

          • The city, Just who is the “CITY”. Is that the Mayor or Steve Shaffer? Is that the city council as a whole organization or is that just the President of the City council. And did that include the County Government? Did the County Council sign off on this too. Did the County Commissioners sign off too? If so that would be great.

            But just because the city entered into an agreement legal or other wise does not mean that the city can ignore bidding laws or any other State Law in Indiana. There are checks and balances built into the law and our government. Policies and procedures and Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) need to be developed with the attention of the city attorney’s and his/her staff so that the city’s actions take into account complying with State law as well as any Federal Laws that are applicable.

            Wages paid on some jobs must be done to a certain standard according to Federal law.

            My point if you missed it is that the city still have to follow the laws and may need to bid some jobs if the city is paying for the job. Either partly or wholly. Where did I say anything wrong?

          • I guess there is another sneagle loop hole. How much is the city paying? I know that the city does not own the building. Neither did the School Corp own the building after they gave it to someone else for $1 with the agreement that they could buy it back for $1 after the new remodeling of the building was finished.

            If the city is giving IU millions of dollars there should be more checks on that money that a simple sign off as simple Grant.

            If the city is helping to pay for the building of the IU medical complex then there should be some strings attached to that money.

            Is this another on of those Sneagle Deal?

      • +1! Your knowledge and insight is very much needed, Press. This town is one helluva mess, and those of us who want to see it survive appreciate you.

  6. After Friend sells his CPA firm and elects not to run for reelection, will he be a Senior Compilance Officer at ONB, or a Regional Vice-President of Governmental Relations at Vectren ?

  8. I deem that not a death threat.
    ~~~
    It’s not nice to use inside information gained through a public position to make money. We didn’t elect these folks so they could use information not available to everyone to enhance their business prospects. Not fair to the other bar owners. Death threat??? Stand down, it’s only a proboscis shadow in a trench coat, it needs a tissue. It is supposed to insulate the very afraid from the facts SBR has disclosed, honk, and deflect the taunts of school children.

    That guy used to have a good reputation in Evansville, when he played for Reitz. He is now apparently afraid of his own dripping shadow and has taken city politics to a new low.
    ~~~
    Friend has earned a primary challenge.
    ~~~
    The CP and WFIE have earned gold stars to stick on their foreheads for some of the most blatantly biased ‘reporting’ I’ve seen. Being in the tank is bad enough, compound that with a pitiful level of ineptitude and it’s time to go out of business.
    ~~~
    The machine will win, as it does. The SBOA will do their part, just in time. At least we got a pretty good look behind the curtain this trip.

    • The only hope I can cling to is that the digital age and social media have changed the playing field. Maybe, just maybe, an informed public that is already disgusted with government toadies can win this round.

      • “an informed public”? With Jack Pate paying $10K a year to be a member of the Evansville Regional Business Committee? I really do not see how that organization maintains a tax exempt status. Can you imagine being allowed a tax exemption to peddle your influenc$e to office holders?

        __

  9. It is with dismay as I watch the Mayor, Friend and others self destruct via lies, threats and just plain obfuscation. It is shameful they count themselves as Republicans, so willing to promote a falseness about the cities finances all designed so they can retain their power. It saddens me to see a group of “Republicans” take such a low road that I only thought on the whole was traveled by Democrats. As others have said in other threads there is little difference between these local political parties, it is all about the machine. To that I agree.

    I do not know if the motivations of SBR are for as she says the truth, personal political or party gain. It may well be she is an unwitting pawn of the local machine falling for the bait of audit truth, to create the age old meme of distraction in which those in power always use to lie to the masses.

    Of which the masses are more than happy to reside in the influence of “well known media” outlets thus retaining their ignorance. As long as they do not have to spend too much time thinking about “it” I wonder if they have watched one too many Ronco commercials. Preferring the political equivalent of “set it and forget it”.

    The bareassed audacity of local Repbulicans to question the trustworthiness of SBRs decision to record the exit meeting goes beyond hypocrisy. It shows a systemic disease of both past and present parties and their unwillingness to uphold sworn duties and use the citizens as playthings.

    • They are pretty much all crooks, on both sides. Most politicians are interested in their own power, not doing the job they are elected to do. The longer they stay in office, the more corrupt and concerned with their own position. Term limits may help some, but there also needs to be an easier way to remove folks from office when corruption is unveiled. This goes for councilmen, mayors, representatives, senators, judges, and even the president.

      • You are absolutely RIGHT; however, since they control the entire system from bottom to top, getting anything done about their corruption and malfeasance is impossible for 99.9% of the people.

        The only time justice is served is if one of these cronies messes up with another higher ranked or more politically connected crony, which rarely happens.
        Honor among thieves!

    • There is only one “republican” on city council, and it is not John Friend.

      _

  10. Mr. Editor,

    Please correct statement for security at the Civic Center. SBR has a swipe card, as other trusted individuals do, and does NOT have to go thru the metal detector.

    • Duly noted. I was not aware. Maybe the council members should come through the metal detectors like everyone else.

      • Not necessary as SBR comes in armed only with my superior attitude, intellect, and a cell phone for secretly recording all executive sessions and confidential meetings.

        And shouldn’t SBR be mentioned in any speculative ramblings about 2015 Democrat candidates for mayor? Oh wait, that’s right, she declared herself a Republican in the most recent primary.

        • No, she didn’t declare herself to be a Republican. She opted to vote in the Republican Primary this year, which was the only true primary election. There is a big difference. I expect that she will be given some hassle about being a “Democrat in good standing” when the time to file comes, but I doubt it will amount to much. The question I answered has always been “Which party’s ballot do you want?”, not “Which party do you belong to?”.
          I’m certain there will be a meeting of the minds on who should take on Friend in the primary, along with O’Daniel, Weaver, Mosby, and others.

          • As to your erroneous conclusion that SBR did not declare herself to be a Republican in the 2014 Republican primary, let me educate you on Indiana election law.

            IC 3-10-1-24 requires a voter to provide specific information when desiring to vote in a party primary, including vocalizing “the voter’s name and political party to the poll clerks of the precinct on primary,” and the poll clerks must then “require the voter to write the following on the poll list: The voter’s name, current
            residence address, and the name of the voter’s party.”

            I don’t know for sure what your understanding of English is, but vocalizing one’s party affiliation to the poll clerks and writing the name of one’s political party on an official county record constitutes “declaring” one’s political party affiliation in most educated circles.

          • Declare: to say or state something in an official or public way. [Webster’s Dictionary]

            Now I really must get back to my main objective – recording state board meetings and municipal executive sessions. Ciao!

        • Wayne Parke has stated that he voted in a democratic primary in the past, and they made him chairman of the republican party.

      • Editor; We’d expect the all the local members of the BAR association would have security swipe cards.
        Its one of they’re daily business drivers to be there for all the citizens and their clients, whether they’re on your CC or not.

      • Better yet they should do away with the metal detectors at the Civic Center and allow all people into the Building. After all it was build and is being paid for by the Tax Payers.

        The CC deal in an of itself is a crooked deal too IMHO. It’s owned and operated by a Building Authority who then charges rent on to the City and County Government in order to use the offices in the building.

  12. Has anyone noticed that through out this whole recording issue Winnecke has constantly said his trust has been betrayed not that the city has nothing to hide?

    Here’s the problem I have with Friend: Every time he gets involved in these issues he starts out on the good side and seems genuinely committed to that side. But once the issue becomes controversial he abandons ship and only makes sure his own rear is covered. We saw that with Roberts Stadium, we saw that with the cemeteries (and of course the superintendent rewarded him with a nice message on Facebook), and now we’re seeing it with this audit.

    After awhile, I run out of reasons to justify him doing this. And I’m really getting sick and tired of the lack of determination, commitment, and dedication.

    And as for Curt John, that’s nothing but a waste of time. I’m glad he dips in and out of the public media every once in a while so I can remind myself why I’m glad him and Watts are no longer on the City Council.

    • “Has anyone noticed that through out this whole recording issue Winnecke has constantly said his trust has been betrayed not that the city has nothing to hide?”

      He must have borrowed the “it’s about ME, and I’ve been betrayed” meme from Chris Christie.

      Maybe its just me, but the image of his smiling face that appears at the top of this page reminds me of a weasel.

  13. On a newscast, Friend commented that a “confidentiality form” was circulated at the END of the meeting with the SBOA for the attendees to sign. He said he signed it.

    WHO originated this form, the mayor or the SBOA?

    WHY was it not presented at the BEGINNING of the meeting prior to disclosure of the audit information instead of after?

    The City Council is defined as a “governing body”, I.C. 5-14-1.5-2(b) and a quorum of members were in this meeting. It should have been open to the public as the information they were discussing would come up for a vote of approval at a future public meeting.

    The audit information does not come under the list of topics that may be discussed in executive session behind closed doors. Some of the topics that may be discussed are litigation, collective bargaining, performance evaluations, purchase or lease of property and government strategy. More at listed in I.C. 5-14-1.5-6.1 .

    John Friend must be really scared if he cut short his vacation to make sure Stephanie Brinkerhoff-Riley didn’t chair the meeting last night.

    • Good point. Every confidentiality form ,NDA and the like I have signed was always done before the exchange of information started.

    • the number (as a majority) of officers or members of a body that when duly assembled is legally competent to transact business

    • Either John Friend Mispoke again or he got mixed up again or the people conducting the audit mess up and didn’t have everyone sign the ND agreement before the meeting started. That’s should be SOP IMHO.

      If they let the horse out of the barn before telling people that, oh by the way this is all confidential and off the record” so don’t tell anyone and for peat sakes don’t give any recording to the news media for gosh shakes. We would all die of embarrassment if that were to happen. The people might actually know how messed up things are before we can whitewash the report for the public’s view.

  14. Someone needs to check testosterone levels on Curt John and John Friend, they are behaving like pussies.

    Curt John: Death threat ? Challenge SBR to bare knuckles in the alley next to Main Gate. Don’t call the police !

    John Friend: SBR calls you and ‘threatens your political career’ ? Is that all you got–you go to the TV station with that ? Call her back and threaten her career. I also notice you didn’t divulge any details on what she has on you ? Part 2, coming back to Chair a 1/2 hour Council meeting so SBR does not have a ‘Forum’ ? Really ?

    Old men behaving badly, shrinking-violet style.

    • On Friend, you forgot a third point, which was adding three EPD officers for added security because he thought SBR would go postal at last night’s meeting.

      Come on Friend, even though you’ve lost weight you could take your colleague down at any time. Why do you have to act like this ? Pussy indeed.

  16. Didn’t Friend say a couple weeks ago with respect to the exit conference of the audit something to the effect ‘there were some screwy things going on in there”? If so, does he stand by that?

    • Which way is the wind blowing, and what does Weinzapful-Winnecke have to say about it?

      • What is the deal with Scott Danks on Facebook talking about Winnecke and Weinzapfel as if they were Lincoln and Jefferson. What the hell is he up to?

        • “This is what I know about the City’s “Books”: Mayor Weinzapfel had a desperately needed new accounting software program installed towards the end of his Administration. His Administration did not have sufficient time to detect and correct all the bugs in the new system. Receiving a “clean audit” has been one of Mayor Winnecke’s top priorities since being in Office. The City has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on outside accounting firms to assist. The City Controller, Russ Lloyd Jr. and his staff are highly competent, dedicated and have worked tirelessly to remove all the kinks from the system. If in fact all the problems have not been fixed, I am 100% confident that they will be. Feel free to share”

          • Well I guess I am 100% confident that they will be solved too. Within a 4 year window at a $2 Million price tag is however not acceptable. Danks is giving Weinzapfel and Winnecke a pass for trying in an activity that rewards results. This is not the goddamn special olympics where every elected official gets a medal and a hug for showing up and trying, this is governance. There is no room for fools and laziness. Hundreds of other cities have installed MIPS successfully without a 4 year spending spree and failed audits. Why must Evansville always be at the bottom of the barrel? If those are Danks’ words and that is what I saw, he has crossed over to become a supporter of mediocrity or worse. It is a sad day.

          • Nice try Brains but your friend Weinzapfel gets an F when it comes to financial reporting, and it goes back a lot farther than the attempt to turn up the new accounting software.

            Weinzapfel’s collaboration with Jenny Collins when she was working for SMG resulted in a 6 year running audit exception for the contracts between the city of Evansville and SMG. Indiana statute required an annual audit or review of those contracts, and not a single one was ever performed. When the SBOA attempted to audit those 6 years of contracts they stated that the material provided by the city could not be audited.

            And that little episode just barely scratches the surface of the lack of accurate financial reporting of the Weinzapfel administration.

            _

            • So is that precedent to exempt people like Riley from prosecution on the basis that the law has been ignored for many years. It seems as though some selective enforcement is going on. Where is the CP and the rest of the howling dogs in the street when it comes to six years of audits that were ignored?

          • He is schmoozing Winnecke hoping for a damn handout. Looks like Danks and Curt John have something in common. Do you think Winnecke will be stupid enough to take the bait?

  17. At 12:45 PM: C&P has another smear campaign article up on SBR:

    Headline: STATE POLICE: No criminal investigation of Brinkerhoff-Riley recording ‘as of today’.

    Yellow journalism. Did they expect the State Police to comment on an active investigation ?

    I even question whether the State Police would even comment on whether an investigation has been ordered–I would expect ‘cannot confirm or deny’.

    Is this an ‘invented’ news item ? Wonder if 14 Lies News (as it is now being called) has this up yet ??

    • Is that there way of saying that SBR has been Exonerated by the State Police Department?

  18. EVANSVILLE TAXPAYERS REPORT: “No 2012 final audit report received as of today.”

    • good one bubbageek !

      14 News does not have the State Police non-investigation story up yet.

      They do have the J. Friend’s political career being threatened by SBR phone call story.

      On that story, a USI student has predicted this headline for tomorrow morning:

      SBR kidnapped the Lindbergh baby !

      • That’s nothing, Henderson !

        I heard SBR bumped off Jimmy Hoffa when she was a teenager, and buried the body under the State Board of Accounts HQ in Indy !

      • Who thinks John Friend has a “political career”? I think he’s a career CPA, who dabbles in politics on the side. He surely knows that he isn’t going to be elected Mayor, and shouldn’t be re-elected to his part-time side job.

        • I think he is a drunk as evidenced by his DUI boating incident. I’ve seen him out at social events and such and my observation is he parties it up with the best of the good ol’ boys.

  19. The X Mayor Russell G. Lloyd Jr. must still be smoking that wacky tobaccie as I learned from a close friend who claimed to me that he did smoke pot with the former Mayor. Russ did you go to Memorial High School? Just curious as to why you can’t seem to balance the City Books.

    Perhaps you shouldn’t have gone to the Sheer Concert when the media people came to town. You looked pretty stupid taking about the Concert as the Up with People guys did a number on you. Or what that the Daily Show. Yea that’s it. It was Smantha that interviewed you for the thing about the City Sewers backing up into people’s houses while you were non chalet and seemed to appear that you didn’t care about those people and only seemed to be interested in the Cheer Concert.

    Is that the same attitude you take with the City Accounting work?

    This is getting ridiculous. It damn bad enough to have a State audit come back with the findind that they can’t even figure out what when wrong. But to have them come back with an “Adverse” comment is even worse.

    Let me say this and I’ll repeat it for good measure.

    Balance the damn books.

    The people demand that you do your job right.

    Balance the books and use acceptable accounting practices to do that job. No more fudging and hocus-pocus stuff.

    I’m surprise that non one has called for your to be fired and put in jail.

    Someone needs to be in the poky and it’s not SBR.

    Shame on Channel 14, Weaver, John and the editor(s) of the Evansville Courier and Press. You all are a bunch of losers IMHO.

    I’d vote for SBR for Mayor if I could. I’m just glad that I’m out of that crappy City and out of Vanderburgh County. But I sure do feel sorry for those that can’t escape the clutches of the money grubbing apparent incompetent boobs at the CC.

    Keep up the good work Joe. Thank god for Whistle Blowers/Moles.

    • From Channel 25 WEHT website oday 5-20-2014:

      “When we get off on these things, it doesn’t do us any good,” Friend said. “We need to reconcile, get these things behind us and be positive in every aspect that we can be positive.”

      Sounds like John Friend is calling Mayor Winnecke and Russ Lloyd liars to me.

      • Wow, what a brave statement by Friend, and made on that widely-read Ch. 25 web site !

        If Friend publicly embraces SBR as being ‘in the right’ on this matter, I will forgive the numerous lapses he’s had these past few days.

        • Friend has been open and loud about the books not being balanced and the audit being overdue. Something about the rumors of a recording and transcript caused him to crack last week. His behavior has been way out of character. Somebody must have him by the balls for him to be siding with the mayor on reconciliation. He even was chastised publicly by Weinzapfel for saying the books were a mess. It hasn’t been very long ago either. Where has John Friend gone?

  20. I saw those post by MrsSilenceDogood and just ignored it a blatant hog wash. Not even fit for the hogs to eat.

    I figured it was someone working for the city administration or something similar.

    Debbie Dewey. Reminds me of Debbie Downer on SNL. But at least Debbie Downer was funny.

    Maybe our Gage associated Debbie thinks she can get on the Jimmy Kimmel Shows?

    Benjamin Franklin she is not. Heck I’m old enough to go drinking beer with ole Ben and I know him well. Looks at Debbie SMH and states:

    I know Ben and you are no Benjamin Franklin! 🙂

  21. Evansville hasn’t had a real mayor since Frankie, Jr. I didn’t always agree with him but I certainly didn’t mistrust him. Bring out the Kraken!

  23. ****** OFF TOPIC ******

    “The iconic water slide has been a fixture at Hartke pool for the past 20 years, but as we’ve reported, it is no longer structurally safe.

    The $12,000 project to remove the slide began Tuesday and officials say the pool should be set to open May 31st with rest of the city’s pools.” – 14 news

    Does anyone else think that 12k to tear down a water slide a little steep?

    • Yes that’s a little steep! And what a shame too. I can’t believe the cheapest bid to refurbish it is almost $60,000. So I guess the kids who are stuck at parks day camps on a daily basis are going to go without a slide this summer. Seems we don’t have money to do things for the people of Evansville anymore. We only have enough millions to pay Russ’s salary and extra consultants to do Russ’s job. Sorry kiddos, Russ needs the money more than you do……

        • That’s actually not true. He would spend $100,000 on a drawing of a dog pool, knowing full well we could never afford to build a dog pool. BTW Winky’s dog doesn’t use public dog pools. He has his own dog spa.

      • Hartke Pool, the only olympic size public swimming pool in Evansville, has opened every Memorial Day weekend since its existence.

        Apparently, Hartke will open after school is out with the rest of the neighborhood pools and close two weeks before school starts in the middle of summer.

        Where are the priorities for public recreation? The dog park next door looks like a brownfield and the ditch in front is full of stagnant water and mosquito larvae.

        More chicken fat videos and once a month pilates in the park are in order.

    • Lets hope and pray Hartke pool doesn’t meet the same fate as Mesker Amphitheater and the historic McCurdy Hotel.

    • This is where our tax money goes one job at a time and one cost over run at a time. These no bid contracts are killing us.

      Every job should be let out for bid and written by the city engineer and attorney to make sure that the job is paid appropriately and done to standards.

      Unlike the North Green River Road Bridge Project and roadway which is having another do over hopefully to get the job done right finally.

  24. Anyone having trouble spotting the lying, low bred, low lifes, populating this debacle, versus the bearers of the Truth?
    No?
    I didn’t think so.

  25. I see that 58% of the participants in the Courier poll want SBR “prosecuted” for releasing the audit. That seems to me to be a real indictment of the intelligence of what is left of their readership. I expect several Civic Center workers spent their day clearing cookies and voting, over and over.

  26. “Lying and character assassination is bad public policy?…those however have been the weapons of choice of the two former members of the City Council”

    Yes it is bad public policy. Character assassination doesn’t seem to be a bad policy on this blog, however. It’s a practice the overwhelming number of commenters practice regularly and one the editor seems to relish and promote through his own writings.

    What I read here is mostly spiteful hate from armchair quarterbacks. How about some of you get off your verbal butts, run for office and do something about it? How about you editor. Throw your mole hat in the ring. Oh that’s right. Moles work underground and don’t particularly like the light shining on them.

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