IS IT TRUE MAY 4, 2016

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IS IT TRUE the hard-fought Republican  primary race for County Commissioners came out much as we expected?  … Cheryl Musgrave handily defeated Alex Schmitt the “hand-picked” choice of Mayor Winnecke, and GOP Chairman Wayne Parke?  …the failure to beat Cheryl Musgrave does make us wonder if the Winnecke-Parke“ machine” is as powerful as its previous success indicates, or if they have just had run of coincidental good fortune?

IS IT TRUE we had hoped that we could give our readers a full analysis of yesterday’s election results but because of the ten voting machines that were improperly shut down we will wait to until they are checked out?

IS IT TRUE we predicted that the race for Indiana House District 77  would be close?  …that 212 votes separate Ryan Hatfield, the “connected” and well-funded young candidate and Lori Sherman, who ran a grass-roots campaign on about 10% the size of Hatfield’s budget? …union backed Brandon Lee Ferguson trailed far behind the two leaders?  …we still say that any of the three there candidates would serve us well in Indy?

IS IT TRUE  he wind of political change has finally hit Warrick County?  …Warrick County  voters voted out two Republican incumbents  Commissioners running for re-election  yesterday.?  …the voters also got rid of an incumbent recorder and a at-large Warrick Council Councilman? …Dan Saylor won the Warrick County Commissioner District 1 seat from Republican Rick Reed with 51 percent of the vote?  …Robert “Bob” Johnson Jr.  pulled a major political upset by beating Warrick County Commissioner President Don Williams in the District 3 seat, with 56 percent of the vote?

IS IT TRUE In the Republican Presidential Primary race in Indiana proved to be Ted Cruz’s Waterloo?  … it looks like John Kasich will continue to run against Donald Trump, so we will continue to be treated to the GOP sideshow?

IS IT TRUE the Bernie Sanders victory on the Democratic side of the contest was something of a surprise, but is too little too late barring some unusual circumstances?  …we look forward to hearing what our readers have to say about the coming General election?

IS IT TRUE back in  July 7, 2015 the Department of Metropolitan Development sent out bid packets for lease of real property commonly known as 800 North Main Street, Evansville Ind.?

IS IT TRUE in July,  2015 DMD advertised that the minimum offering price to lease the vacant CVS building on North Main has been set at  mere One Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($1500.00) per month for a term of twelve months?  …  does it look like the taxpayers of Vanderburgh County are getting a reasonable return on their investment on this property?

 IS IT TRUE that the most recent DMD RFP request for the old CVS  property states that the furnaces shall be “TRANE” package units or have equal quality and have a 10-year or better heat exchanger warranty.?  …this RFP also states these units shall Install a new programmable thermostat, “Honeywell” model or equivalent?  …doesn’t it look like someone at DMD wrote a bid package that may favor a certain brand of Heating and Air unit?

IS IT TRUE that the DMD and  the ERC also want to replace the existing roof on the vacant CVS building on North Main?

IS IT TRUE DMD and ERC also want someone to bid on mold remediation on this property?   …they want  someone to install new mold resistance framing material,  reinstate the areas that has been removed?  …install new mold resistance drywall into the areas that has been removed?  … finish the walls smooth to accept paint and Install new Mold Resistance primer paint on the repaired areas?  … DMD and ERC states that the paint shall be Porters Paint or of equal quality?  …it look like someone at DMD wrote a bid package that may favor a certain brand of paint?

 IS IT TRUE DMD and ERC also want someone to bid on doing general repairs on this $600,000 vacant and dilapidated CVS Property located on North Main that they purchased back in 2015?

IS IT TRUE we wonder when the hard working taxpaying citizens of this community will finally stand up and tell the Mayor, Evansville DMD Director and ERC  to stop wasting our hard earned money on political pork barrel projects?

FOOT NOTE: Todays “Readers Poll” question is:  Do you feel that party leaders should refrain from endorsing candidates in the primary?

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47 COMMENTS

  1. I think it’s fair to say Lori Sherman, regardless of whether she comes in first in the final vote totals, was a big time winner overall in this election cycle. Bright candidate with a bright future.

    • She made an amazing run. With all the financial support Ryan Hatfield had and the massive signage it enabled, it’s hard not to think $2500 or so worth of yard signs might have put Lori over the top.

  2. IS IT TRUE the Bernie Sanders victory on the Democratic side of the contest was something of a surprise, but is too little too late barring some unusual circumstances? …
    It was no surprise to me. What surprised me was that no other well qualified democrat would run against her. The fact that Mr. Sanders has done so well shows what a weak candidate she is. She will not win with the will of the people. She will win by the rules of the ruling class.
    Looks like Lori Sherman will get robbed. I smell dirty tricks.

      • I believe the reference refers to the 10 voting machines that could not be opened last night. There was a lot of time for someone to manipulate the results from them.

        • Under lock and key. Room locked voting machine sealed. Sounds like someone is looking for a excuse. Three really good candidates who all worked hard. Unfortunately 2 had to come up short. Keep all three involved. It’s what we need, good young people who want to help our community move forward.

        • Those 10 machines were not in 77 and had very few 77 votes.

          Blaming dirty tricks instead of just taking a loss is in fact a dirty trick; designed to blame someone else for a loss.

  3. Re: Equipment spec names for tbe building on N. Main Street. Spexifying mechanical/electical equipment by name with tbe terms “or equal” or “or aprroved equal” is standard practice in tbe A/E world. Nothing to get excited about.
    Nothinh illegal or improper.

    • That is bulls**t, PCD. Having been in this business of bidding on civic projects, it is my experience that whoever gets their specs favored by the bidding organization, stands the best chance of getting the bid. One can always find fault with a product that “is equal or better.” That phrase is a catch-all to cover their a**es. This also gives the favored specs the advantage of being able to point to the differences between the “favored” specs and the supposed equal. It is totally unfair to name products in bidding then say “or equal” when the or equal never has a chance to justify their bid. Probably in the specs it requires a Trane logo be displayed on the unit. Too bad the Carrier and other A/C dealers don’ t have a chance.

          • (Well, no I don’t. But since it’s Donald Trump day, I figured I was allowed to say totally opposite things in the span of a few minutes.)

      • And I was jn yhe Engineering business for 40+ years. Honest engineers use a “name” to establish a type and quality of acceptible products. In this case Tra e Carrier, major manufacturers won’t have a problem meeting that criteria. It’s thevlow ball, junk manufacturers, their reps, and their “partner” contractors who can’t meet the minimum requirements who gripe and vomplain. Honest Engineers have no problem with acceptable equal substitutions at the Shop Drawing Submittal and Review stage of the project. Yhat said, there are those Engineers and Architects who wl play games

  4. Republicans! You’ve now elected a man who will cite supermarket tabloids in campaign attacks. Congratulations! Your party is going down in flames!

      • (….I think you can classify JB’s answer as a “not denying anything you’re saying there buddy”)

        JoeBiden….there are two Democrats running for President of the United States. Can we at least acknowledge that? For God’s sake, Trump is far more liberal than Hillary on a host of issues: he’s for single payer-national health care, he’s for withdrawing US military from pressing its’ might across the globe, he’s for taking private property through eminent domain for local business’ purposes.
        And as for his anti-immigrant stance? The thing that makes him so-called conservative? Are you gonna be surprised when Trump says, “You know, I’ve talked my people about this. These Mexicans all work hard and start companies and local businesses…and that’s good for the country. And we are re-thinking this, because those are all things that make America great again.”
        Right Joe? Isn’t he more liberal than Hillary on all these things?
        Aren’t there two Democrats running for President here?

      • I think you have the Party of Drumpf and the GOP confused. Trump is no more a Republican than I am. The joke is going to be on his followers, who just may get him elected over Hillary. We are assured of another “hold your nose and vote” election, unless Bernie manages to pull this out.

    • Bob ..after the 911 event if anyone would have laid a bet down that the next president would have been raised by a Muslim step father the odds makers would have given you a 1000 to 1 not considering he/she would be an African-American. So, anything is possible especially when it comes to the American electorate.

    • Regardless of one’s politics, Bernie truly believes in what he says ..but Hilliary is full of duplicity and self-interest …look at her dealings and blatant lies. Of course, Trump has his skeletons as well, but the American workers are fearing for their jobs. In the last five years the American economy grow by only 1% per year and capital investment by only 1%. Nearly one third of the Bernie supporter will vote against Hilliary . .the others will either stand at home or hold their nose and vote for her. Nevertheless, this election will be most interesting!

      • All the Trumpsters who are looking for him to get them a good job need to be reminded that he thinks American workers make too much.

        • Most all developers believe that the cost of labor especially organized labor is excessive but one thing Trump is correct, ie. NAFTA and now the Far East agreement that the Washington Cartel is lining up has and will continue costing Americans their job. Example, ALCOA . . .why because our country allows China to dump its below our cost Aluminum onto the American market and now Carrier. Btw as it seems, organized labor likes Trump . . why, because the vast majority of his developments used the trade unions. Trump is not a conservative nor liberal . .he is a nationalist much like Eisenhower and Charles de Gaul. Who knows maybe we need to consider America for a change and stop apologizing to the World.

    • I expect Trump will name fellow gasbag Chris Christie as his VP candidate. I can’t imagine how else he got Christie to endorse him.

  5. Lease on the old N. Main CVS building; $1500/month (plus utilities I’m assuming)? How many square feet? At first glance it doesn’t seem out of line for the area. May not be a great ROI for the investor (City of Evansville taxpayers) after renovations are cpmplete but probably not out of line.Les,Hammer (Ohio Vally Communications, Ohio Valley Sound, and several other business’) would probably be happy to get that for his buildings.

  6. “S IT TRUE in July, 2015 DMD advertised that the minimum offering price to lease the vacant CVS building on North Main has been set at mere One Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($1500.00) per month for a term of twelve months? … does it look like the taxpayers of Vanderburgh County are getting a reasonable return on their investment on this property?” (CCO)

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

    Who will be responsible for maintenance of the building and property, and who will provide the funds for that maintenance?

  7. Now that the election is over, I hope that all of the voters who placed election signs at their homes and businesses will remove and dispose of them.
    I urge everyone to remove election signs for disposal from traffic islands, boulevards, road sides, and other public grounds, if it can be done safely.
    It doesn’t take much effort. We don’t need to wait for someone else. Please, let’s do what we can to keep the tri state beautiful

  8. IS IT TRUE that the most recent DMD RFP request for the old CVS property states that the furnaces shall be “TRANE” package units or have equal quality and have a 10-year or better heat exchanger warranty.? …this RFP also states these units shall Install a new programmable thermostat, “Honeywell” model or equivalent? …doesn’t it look like someone at DMD wrote a bid package that may favor a certain brand of Heating and Air unit?

    IS IT TRUE that the DMD and the ERC also want to replace the existing roof on the vacant CVS building on North Main?

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

    Typical city thinking, spend a dollar to make a dime. Of course they only do this for the well connected. Not too long ago the city council was exercised over a $1.7 million shortfall in General Fund. Conor O’Daniel the city finance chair at the time was lamenting all of the cuts the city would be forced to make. The someone sprinkled a little pixie dust over the Department of Metropolitan Development and $2. million in “unused federal grant funds” magically appeared. Couple that with the “additional appropriations to the city budget that have already been approved, and no doubt many more to come, and voilà, it is back to business as usual, more commonly known as flying by the seat of your pants.

  9. Well, the verdict is in. . . when Winnecke endorses any candidate according to his dismal track record the candidate is a loser. ie. Marsha Abell, Pete Swain, John Kasich, and now Alex Schmitt. Amazing that Winnecke’s wife (Carol McClintoch) stood outside of some election centers and personally campaign for the Schmittster. Of course those Republican voters were nicy nice to Christmas Carol but apparently not so nice inside the voting booth.

    • Remember when Park said that Kiefer, Abell, and Melcher were the three best Commissioners ever? Abell saw her Winnecke endorsement and financial support go south …Kiefer must not have handle the heat of Unigethein and is on the way out ..and of course Melcher will find that Musgrave will be a formidable foe. Appears that the Park Trio is no more!!!

    • Schmitt’s mom was outside of where I went to vote begging for votes for her son.

  10. Bet that Park will concede against Shoulders since he is a subject of Bob Jones who is allegedly the puppet master of Winnecke. Now, Park may feel the heat from not giving Unigethien any respect and of course Musgrave will not have a short memory as well. Some call it Karma!!!

  11. I have a correction for IIT. Lori Sherman spent 10% of what Hatfield spent, according to the last figures I saw.

    • Can you post your data? Follow The Money Org. had figures for Hatfield, but nothing available for Lori Sherman.

      • I agree. It is by far the best grassroots campaign I have ever seen. I look for her political star to keep shining, and I don’t think she’ll ever get caught up in the dirty backroom politics. We need fewer “birthright” leaders and more “heart’s right” office holders. Both Lori and Brandon Lee Ferguson qualify as the latter.

  12. Part of the election fun on Tuesday was meeting two of my favorite people, Laura Blackburn and Ron Cosby. It was a real privilege to be able to put a face with a screen name. Ron and I shared a laugh that I am a real pain in the ass sometimes, which everyone already knows.

    And it was a real pleasure spending five hours at Washington Square Mall standing with Cheryl Musgrave and shaking hands with people who were taking the time to carry out their civic duty and exercising the privilege of voting.

    On to victory in November!

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