IS IT TRUE the aggravation of several business owners on North Burkhardt Road that was annexed by the City of Evansville roughly 4 years ago with the failure of the City to do a couple of small things like install street lights and replace the mulch that keeps on catching fire with some non-flammable material like rocks?…the CCO lampooned Councilman Dan McGinn from the 1st Ward a few days ago only to have been alerted by business owners that they should have 4 members of the City Council concerned for the failures of the City?…the 3 at-large members of the City Council are just as much representatives of the recently annexed area and the business owners know it?…if the street light and mulch problems are not fixed by the next election cycle there is a high probability that there will be a negative ad campaign financed by the North Burkhardt business owners against the 4 council members who should be looking out for their interests and holding the City accountable for its promises in the dark during the annexation negotiations?
IS IT TRUE that the consulting contract between the Evansville City Council and David Garrett to provide financial oversight has ended?…Mr. Garrett was only paid $20,000 for his efforts yet sparked several controversies by exposing holes in the City of Evansville’s accounting system (or lack thereof)?…the City Council certainly got its money’s worth from engaging Mr. Garrett and is more informed about the day to day accounting saga now than they were a year ago?…in spite of this enhanced awareness the Indiana State Board of Accounts has still not released the 2012 audit, has not opined on the state of reconciliation, and still has conditions on the 2011 audit?…right now at the doorstep of 2014, the City of Evansville does not have a clean audit or reconciled books since 2010?…we are sure that some of the people in the accounting departments of the City and the Utility are dancing a jig now that David Garrett is no longer being paid to look over their shoulder?…the high fives among those who participated in making what Councilman John Friend called “a mess†much to the chagrin of former Mayor Weinzapfel are resounding?…it is time for the City Council to realize that “when the cat’s away the mice will playâ€?…with the lapse of David Garrett’s contract, THE CAT IS AWAY?…the results of David Garrett’s work has proved that the City Council needs someone to carry on this oversight function on their behalf?…it will be interesting to see if this function just goes away quietly as things often do in River City when the machine’s shenanigans are challenged?
IS IT TRUE the portion of the JOBS act that was supposed to enable crowdfunding is now 13 months late in a 9 month project?…according to government sources this provision that will also allow everyday Americans to invest in entrepreneurial start-up companies may be delayed well into 2014 because of just plain old government sclerosis?…for those who don’t know unless you make $200,000 per year or enjoy the financial status of being a millionaire, your government has made it illegal for you to invest in start-up companies that are not yet publicly traded?…this same government will allow non-millionaires to gamble in casinos and sell them lottery tickets with only the depth of their pockets as a limit yet makes it illegal to invest in entrepreneurs?…this policy is nonsensical and contradicts itself?…we hope the nanny state that feeds off of the illogical dreams of non-millionaires when selling them lottery tickets yet prevents them from real early stage investing will snap out of its coma and correct this idiocy ASAP?
IS IT TRUE that the official ObamaCare numbers were released by the White House yesterday and they are abysmally low as expected?…there is no way to know how many people did not “choose†a policy because of website problems and how many just rejected the prices of the replacement policies?…we use the word “choose†because the numbers released were not for people who actually finished a transaction and bought a plan, the numbers were for people who chose which one they may buy?…this fraudulent accounting practice makes about as much sense as a car dealer recording a sale on his books after every test drive?…the number of Hoosiers who have “chosen†a plan in the federal exchange is officially 701 out of more than 500,000 uninsured and thought to be eligible?…in California where over 1 Million individual policies have been cancelled a paltry 35,374 have signed up for a plan?…the California numbers are significant because the state insurance exchange has worked from day one and the population is more supporting of socialized medicine than most states?…the estimates of the numbers of uninsured in California run as high as 10 Million people yet only 35,374 have signed up?
IS IT TRUE this does not bode well for the President’s approval ratings (now 39%) or Democrat Congress members on the 2014 ballot?…it is so terrifying to Democrats from red states that a group of them have launched an effort to grandfather all plans cancelled due to ObamaCare?…of the 7 Million sign ups needed to cash flow ObamaCare the White House was counting on 5 Million of those coming from cancelled policies?…if the Congressional Democrats who are now distancing themselves from ObamaCare as though it is a dead skunk in the road are successful in fulfilling President Obama’s repeated promise that “you can keep your plan periodâ€, that will be the financial death blow to the program as the healthy will have been given a way out of financing the healthcare of the not so healthy?
As long as the CCO is adding council members to the Burkhardt Road street light and road maintenance responsibility list, you might also want to add CCO darling Stephanie Brinkerhoff-Riley who represents that part of the newly annexed area north of Morgan Avenue. Oh, and remember her pledge to have something done about the unsheltered bus stops?
SBR represented that area for an entire 12 months. McGinn is pushing 12 months as well. I don’t see how you can hold them to a different standard on this issue. As to the bus shelters, I saw where she pointed out that the City should invest in them in the annexed areas. City Council doesn’t get to add money to areas of the budget. They cannot fund bus shelters without the Administration’s cooperation.
Once again, street lights and mulch are your biggest gripes at Dan McGinn? I’d say in Evansville, that makes him public servant of the year.
You 2 do realize that you just commented on a web-site that is promoted as a “Watch-Dog†for our community right?
Calling out broken promises is a good thing, right?
Issues such as the poorly lit part of Burkhardt Road and broken promises SHOULD be “called outâ€.
How many years should go by until someone brings this to the councils attention?
With the cost of replacing the mulch with rock, I think the aggravated business owners should take a cue from the business owners of Franklin street and fix that on their own, However the street light solution is out of their hands.
I have no comment on the covered bus stops so I have no comment on that issue.
A couple street lights are one of the smallest problems in our community.
Until a car wreck happens and someone dies. But hey, I KnowNothing either.
That is true. Street lights are a minor issue when compared with many of the infrastructure issues facing Evansville government.
Also, when street lights are installed, and I think the annexation ordinance allows 10 years or so for that to happen, I hope the City opts to install those types of street lights that are designed to minimize light pollution. The Mesa and Phoenix, Arizona type street lighting is a good example of environmental friendly street lighting.
Additionally, I think business and property owners along Burkhardt Road and other parts of recently annexed Evansville should appreciate that the City picked up the $22.50 per acre drainage assessments that private property owners used to pay the County for regulated drain maintenance. That should count for something, along with the street sweeping service these annexed lands now enjoy.
Street sweeping? really? I haven’t seen a street sweeper out in any area of the city (day or night) since we abolished the BPW years ago, I know BFI (or whatever it is calling itself this week) had that as part of the trash pickup contract at one time, I don’t believe the city owns any street sweepers, so who is providing this service?
JMHO
You know Stormy, with the ongoing debate your area has about the preferred location for a southwestern IU medical center development, I have to admit putting some climatology and transportation,logistics based eyes on the area in question on the eastern side of the metro there.
One thing that really did become apparent was that historically the drainage infrastructure issues on the purposed sites in concern were in fact somewhat solved and maintained by the the preparations and environmental conditioning put forth and funded by its previous operations and owners. Be those agribusiness or suburban offices/retail.
Presently sustainable preventive maintainability measures required to sustain those systems seems minimal to any costing authority assigned the conditional requirements for those said evolving infrastructures.
So if annexation should cover that,the issue should at least be solved at the level at which it was historically maintained thereof.
So overall I must agree with your assessments in your comment.
Use of advanced cost effective lighting is an standard by which most communities having solid movement forward do explore and apply.
Stones, do not decompose/oxidize into methane at rates wood mulch does,so the “mulch is not” a positive global warming or an carbon sequestered application for the overall local community cost plan.
It is now possible to construct innovative combined infrastructure in multiple applications needed with “one project venture.” Such as sidewalks and blended LED street lighting with storm drain requirements “brought forward” while the overall project is addressed for the primary needs of the different “sustainable infrastructure combinations.”
New York city is using that type of approach to solving the CSO problems along the Brooklyn’s Gowanus canal. (Bio-sponge park moved forward, Note; The Evansville downtown sidewalks, parks, lighting CSO infrastructures”.)
Sidewalks,lighting,park space,and drainage moved forward.
“Space is at such a premium in New York,we don’t have any room for one trick ponies” (Nette Compton,NYC parks and recreation department.)
Maybe Evansville doesn’t have the funding for those either?
LMAO that anyone would even SUGGEST we would thank the city for annexing us. Bull!!!
Our MUCH higher taxes MORE than make up any one line item where we may save a dime or two.
The city received over $ 5 Million raise by annexing us & not having extra expenditures. They also got rid of our superior Knight Twp. Fire dept. in the process. No way do we feel we got anywhere near a good deal in that old fashioned butt kicking we took from a mayor we had no vote on when he ran. I’m still looking forward to seeing Jon out se=omewhere so I can berate him in public-with volume. I hope he has his family with him & stands up for his “honor”. Make my day!
I’ve never seen a street sweeper on my street nor will I.
The first intersection east of Green River on Lynch is in need of street lights bad. It has a stoplight but I guess no brother-in-law sells street lighting (yet). Seriously it is dark & hard to see, especially since the so-called median seems to extent into the intersection several feet whe coming from the east & turning into that black hole. It is the “back” entrance & exit to Schnucks & all the businesses in that complex & it needs attention (LIGHTS).
Jumbo, sorry that you interpreted my comments to be support of the east side annexations or that I intended anyone to thank the city for annexing them. I vocally opposed those annexations particularly from Morgan Avenue north to Hirsch Road. I was just pointing out a few services and benefits factually connected with the annexations. The good with the bad sort of thing.
You are absolutely correct about the intersection of North Cullen Ave. with Lynch Road. It’s an engineering abomination. Area Plan Commission and the state approved plan for Lynch Road originally opposed any connection at that point, and especially one that included a stop light. But the developer successfully pushed for the connection, and then constructed it in a substandard configuration which required a tailgate designed “correction” that you and I agree is insufficient to address the safety of westbound motorists turning into Cullen from Lynch. Terrible! And lighting the intersection will not completely fix the bad design, only help motorist avoid jumping the curb when negotiating that substandard entrance chute.
V-is-to-R, there is a huge surplus in the account assigned for maintenance and improvements of east side drainage infrastructure serving the area between the Expressway and Morgan east of Green River Road. And the annual drainage assessment for the area is over $100K. So long as the funds are not squandered on cosmetic ditch mowings to satisfy retailers who want to use the ditch banks along Morgan Ave. for display yards, there’s plenty of money to address some of the legit ideas you seem interested in.
Can anyone refresh my memory and remind me what City Council spot Brad Linzy said he was going to run for?
I believe it was Mr McGinn’s chair on the council, but I could be mistaken.
JMHO
That would be the one. And I intend to keep my promise. Over the next few months I will have a very serious family emergency to deal with that will require much of my time. I don’t know how that’s going to affect things for me as family will always come first, but as of right now I still intend to run against Mr. McGinn.
Do it Brad. You’ve got my vote. I would have to take a republican primary ballot, which I’ll probably do as part of another operation chaos type campaign so it should work out.
Time for another CCO poll.
Seems I remember Mr. Linzy threatening to run against McGinn if he didn’t vote in agreement with the Arena Contrarians. I guess now Brad can add street light negligence to the long list of McGinn’s zoocentric transgressions.
Obamacare, and Catastrophe, are becoming synonymous words. I find no joy in that reality, I don’t think any of us do, but it is, what it is,– a Catastrophe.
I hear that McGinn makes weekly trips to the zoo to see if everything is the same as he left it. I also hear that he is working on the Mayor to persuade him to declare the zoo the 9th wonder of the world. Its time McGinn start representing the people of the 1st Ward and stop playing honorary zoo keeper.
Yes, it’s absolutely reprehensible that Dan takes pride in the improvements he made at Mesker Zoo, and that he wastes all his time expanding his civic involvement beyond the geographic limits of his councilmatic district. It would be much more responsible of him to never visit any of the projects or facilities whose budgets he votes on outside the 1st Ward.
Thanks What-Next. Its time that the people of the 1st Ward take our do nothing city councilman McGinn to task. All he does anymore is ask the city to spend money on the failed city zoo and waits for a chance to cut down Al Lindsey and John Friend in public.
I pray to God we Republicans can find someone to replace the Mayors puppet McGinn.
Mayor’s puppet… how ridiculous! Maybe they see eye to eye. Dan McGinn is not a pushover that is going to be controlled by Winnecke.
Be careful what you pray for, Smith. When you take into consideration the influence of Tea Party types on local politics combined with a marked shortage of councilmatic cajones, you may rue the day you ousted a man with political independence, practical intelligence, and personal integrity.
HE had so much “practical intelligence” he vowed to vote for the hotel when the price tag was still $37.5 million to taxpayers.
This man may have personal integrity; I don’t know him well enough to state otherwise, but his judgment is in serious question in most political circles in which I run.
Editor: “…the City Council certainly got its money’s worth from engaging Mr.. Garrett…” David Garrett is/was a joke. I am amazed that you supported his so-called work. If he was so good, they would not let him go. He was way over his head. This is an example of John Friend’s poor judgment.
Wayne ,by the way your talking I’m feeling that you and some one that you support did slicker the taxpayer
Phyllip if you want you can explain it to me
Wayne is just doing his job of tearing down the opposition, I doubt he really feels that oversight in government is a bad idea, the problem he has isn’t the idea but who’s idea it was.
Notice how he tiptoes around some topics like Dan McGinn, he’s conveniently absent on those topics the last couple days but does make an appearance to trash Mr Friend.
He’s just doing his job, picking his battles, tossing grenades here and there hoping something will stick to the wall after the explosion. 😉
But I do have a question, do any of you really believe we have a true two party system here in Evansville, how many Democrats or Republicans jump fences (parties) at some point in their career as a politician for the sake of getting elected? With that jump do their values or beliefs change?
Wayne has a problem with John Freiend because he started out as a Republican and crossed over like so many other Republicans have to get elected, he also is the logical contender for the next mayors race which makes him a double threat, the question is if we were in Wayne’s shoes would we do something different?
JMHO
Wayne: Until you do something constructive of note in this community you would do well not to throw rocks.
The local history of republicans winning elections is proof that party leadership is, and has been, sub par. Some are even wondering if it has been so by chance or design.
Certainly you seem to be a fan of big government and its accompanying public debt.
You might want to consider item #6 of this list, as you seem to often discount other republican’s ideas and comments on here as if you are the final arbiter of what is or is not republican in nature.
* * * * *
Basic Republican Principles
From its inception in 1854 and from its earliest stands against the oppressive institution of slavery, the Republican Party has defined itself as the protector of individual freedom. Today, 140 years later, we, of the WSU College Republicans, reaffirm our commitment as Republicans in the cause of freedom and liberty. And we redirect our course back to the basic tenets of our common Republican philosophy–a philosophy which includes among its components:
1 A Belief in Smaller Government: To preserve the sanctity of liberty of the individual, it is our belief that government must necessarily be limited. Otherwise, the paternalism of the few would restrict the freedom of the many to decide what is best for themselves.
2 Support of the Federalist System of Government: To bring power closer to the people, it is imperative we restrict the growth of a centralized federal government….States ought to have the power to determine which programs and measures would be most appropriate and fitting for them.
3 Fiscal Conservatism: In keeping with our desires for the greatest individual liberty, we support policies of limited taxation and government spending.
4 Strong National Defense: We believe the best way to preserve the peace and protect our national interests abroad comes through a strong national defense.
5 Individual Liberties and Responsibilities: Along with individual liberties come individual responsibilities and duties. Government must act to preserve freedom, while individuals must exercise their responsibilities to preserve order.
6 Tolerance, Inclusiveness, and Optimism: We believe in the right of fellow Republicans to disagree on certain matters of principle and policy. We believe in being an open and inclusive party respectful of different points of view. We are indeed a “big-tent” party that offers no “litmus tests” or barriers to entry.
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Pressanykey: You are another example of a person who makes untrue statements and then hides behind an unknown name. I have given a lot to this community in both time and money. Very few have given more. What specifically have you done?
As far as my Republican leadership is concerned, with the good candidates and a lot if work from them and others including me, there are more Republicans elected to office in Southwest Indiana today than there ever has been.
I am in fact a Conservative Republican and proud of it. What are you?
Everything he said is the truth. I echo it loudly with my own name attached. Wayne Parke, you are a tax and spend Republican. You care more about Party politics than you care about Party principles. I would not characterize you as a “conservative”.
Wayne, please don’t ever give in to the Tea Crazies.
Brad: For a guy who thinks and represents he knows a lot, when I read your BS in the above comment—it tells me you you are willing to state something that is absolutely not true. That is very disturbing to me. How can I or anybody else believe anything you say?
I don’t claim to know any more than the average voter in this County. I just know duplicity when I see it, and I think most of them do also.
Actions speak louder than words, Wayne, and your actions do not match your claims of “conservatism”, not ONE IOTA.
Real conservative and libertarian-leaning people know where I stand because of what I’ve shown up to support in the past. Likewise, they also know exactly that for which you stand as well – City/County Consolidation, tearing down surplus assets, public subsidies for private enterprise, allowing the Party Chairmanship to become a general laughing stock… I could probably continue, but that’s enough for most people.
For my part I opposed Reorganization, supported selling Roberts Stadium, oppose building a $1.5 million dog park, opposed spending $37.5 million of public subsidy to benefit a private hotel, when asked to support a Presidential candidate who was the architect of Obamacare in his own State “or else” I resigned my duly elected Precinct Committeeman seat and maintained my dignity as a conservative Republican. You on the other hand, Sir…you continue to demean and disgrace that title with each and every political word you utter, and more importantly, with each and every egregious and unscrupulous action you undertake.
Wayne, Mr. Parke, I have said in the past I think you are a nice man outside of politics, but that assertion is getting tougher and tougher to defend.
Wayne:
Everyone in this community knows that after the people rejected Troy, Weinzapfel went to plan-B and threw his formidable support behind Winnecke.
What sort of agreement the two of them had I haven’t a clue, but Winnecke’s election was not because of any superior republican party strategy, as all the publicly announced endorsements of Winnecke by democrat party politicians attests to that party’s intention to back Winnecke.
You will NOT have the democrats backing your candidate in the next mayoral election, and unless you can find a candidate who is capable of running the office, who has an unshakable ethical foundation, and one who is motivated by service to the citizens rather than ego, you will lose that election.
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I do not see a repy/answers to the questions above that I ask you. Why?
Mayor Winnecke is more popular with the voters today than he ever has been. If he decides to run for another term, he will be elected.
On the annexed property, does this remind anyone else of a welfare mom wanting more kids, and then not taking care of them?
I just found out why Bill Clinton ragged Obama on the “If you like your policy, you can keep your policy.
Turns out it is to keep Hillary from looking like the lying (insert favorite term) she is!
http://youtu.be/D74ZO082G8Q
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How could she seriously run for any office? She has more baggage than Delta Airlines!
She’ll be your President. Here’s to another 8 years of bitternesss and cane shaking for you!
Wayne, I wonder why the past GOP Chairmen Nick Hermann fired you as his Treasurer? Can’t wait for your spin on this question.
I was critical of Nick Hermann for not doing more to help get more Republicans elected to office. Period.
Will you be equally critical if it turns out he didn’t pursue an investigation into allegations of bribery of a public official?
You/I do no know if he is or is not. We shall see.
True. I’m still giving him the benefit of the doubt.
taken down because post was off message.
Why is this not being made public? Why are there not any news stories pressuring Nick to release information? Who is involved? Need more questions?
Smith: You are full of crap as as Thanksgiving turkey. Everthing you said is is nothing but lies. Did you learn that from Obama?
All political donations made to the Republican Party were handled according to the election laws.
About 4 years ago, the Tornatta household filed two homestead exemptions. Now that is against the law. The problem was corrected by Tornatta when it was made public.
Taken down because message was personal and off message.
Taken down because message was personal.
Taken down because post was off message.
For the record, Liquored Up, nor any other post not bearing my name was not posted by me. I do not use alters on this site. Now that you mentioned it, this business about the $10,000 donation has been floating around for a long time, but that was not was I was referring to in any of my comments.
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