IS IT TRUE? November 22, 2011 “More Political Malfeasance”

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IS IT TRUE? November 22, 2011

IS IT TRUE that a couple of more people are reported to be leaving their jobs at the Chamber of Commerce of Southwest Indiana?…that this new pair of departures raises the number of recent departures to six?…that former Chamber Vice President Steve Schaefer is considered to be the leading candidate to become the Chief of Staff for City of Evansville Mayor Elect Lloyd Winnecke?…that when defections on this level happen in any organization that it certainly raises the curiosity of the community?…that the CCO shall keep an eye on this developing situation?

IS IT TRUE that the whole designation of what “shovel ready” is has been making both state and national news this week?…that state and local economic development leaders have been vocal about how “shovel ready” designation is a feather in the cap of any site when companies come looking for a place to do business?…that may be so but the decision eventually comes down to the cap and the head that it sets on more so than the feather?…that such designations are only as good as the body that makes them?…that we hope that the State of Indiana and Vanderburgh County will rise to the level of a good hat and body so that “shovel ready” means more than a Black Friday loss leader deal at the local mall?

IS IT TRUE that on a national level it looks as though “shovel ready” or even design ready has no meaning at all unless it can be used as a political tool to shore up votes for the re-election campaign of President Barack Obama?…that a case in point is the Keystone Pipeline project that is capable of delivering Canadian oil from Alberta to refineries in Texas?…that this pipeline project will reduce the dependence of the United States on Middle Eastern oil, will strengthen our economic relationship with Canada, and will create thousands of jobs for American workers RIGHT NOW when they are needed?…that this pipeline will cross the states of North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, and Oklahoma on its way to Texas refineries?…that not one of those states is expected to vote for President Obama?…that we may just be dealing with some Electoral College retribution in delaying this decision until after the 2012 election?…that no matter what the opponents to the Keystone Pipeline may be saying regarding the environmentalists support for President Obama that he is the President of the United States and should do what is right for the country as opposed to what a small faction demands?…that the CCO is disappointed that this decision is apparently being delayed for political purposes when Americans could be put back to work on a worthy job creating project?

IS IT TRUE that it has now been 1,669 days since the announcement was made on May 14, 2007 that the McCurdy Hotel was to be refurbished into luxury apartments?…that it has now been 1,522 days since the Evansville Redevelopment Commission at the request of Mayor Weinzapfel approved the spending of $603,000 to purchase the parking lot?…that City Centre Properties and Scott Kosene the developers of the McCurdy project are both listed as contributors to the Weinzapfel for Mayor committee for 2010?…that that there are 39 days remaining in the Weinzapfel Administration?

IS IT TRUE that there are now 340 days remaining in the two years that the EPA had given the City of Evansville to present an acceptable solution to the Combined Sewer Overflow problem?…..that this plan is an expensive and complex endeavor that needs immediate attention to avoid the embarrassment and expense of another round of fines?

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20 COMMENTS

  1. My experience with the chamber has been at the state level in which large corporations were smashing individuals in health care and insurance issues. The chamber was backing the large corporations involved. I was working from the health care perspective for individual patients. I think very little of the chamber. It seems to me that they are like lobbyists from big corporations who are paid big bucks to buy off congress. So fair to the people of this country, don’t you think? I realize I am writing to a group who think that big business is the way to save the world but the Chamber of Commerce needs to get over themselves.

  2. With the conversation on people leaving organizations, is there any truth to the rumors going around city hall that Ms. Alberta Matlock newly elected City Clerk will be resigning her position soon after she is sworned in on January 1 due to health concerns? Will former City Councilman,Mr.Steven Bagby be appointed to fill her term?

    • Or the rumor that Weinzapfel has accepted a job with Vectren….rumor is $300k/yr+ kinda like Mr Ellsworth.

      But it was just a rumor….

      JMHO

      • Of course it is. He did build them a new stadium after all. I don’t care where he goes, as long as he gets out of Evansville SOON. I’ll even help him pack.

        • Well….that was also part of the rumor I left out, supposedly he’s staying in Evansville.

          But like I said twas just a rumor.

          I can also confirm that I am hearing the same thing Billy Bob is saying about Alberta….actually heard it before the election that she would be steppin’ down, another buttongate or two and she might be asked to leave early…kinda’ sucks for Strouth (sp) if that is what happens….but Mr Parke basically said everything was on the up and up this election…no deals done dirt cheap. 😉

          JMHO

          • Stay here in Evansville and not have free reign to pull all the puppet strings? No way. His ego is way too big for that.

          • I am not sure what you mean by….”Mr. Parke basically said everything was on the up and up this election…no deals done dirt cheap.”….. I can only speak for the Republican side.

            I also heard several pre-election negative rumors that if true would hurt the Democrat candidate’s chances of re-election. It was decided–wrong or right– not to spread/use these pre-election negative rumors in this race.

            If the rumor is true that she planned to resign after the 1st of year before the election, the voters and Republican candidate JD Strouth were not treated fairly.

            Very disappointing.

            Wayne Parke
            Chairman VCRP

          • It means just what it says…you did openly state here on the CCO that there were no deals made between the democrats and republicans in any race and I have little choice but to take you on your word.

            Yet it does seem odd for the election to go down the way it turned out, not necessarily the mayors race since Davis basically had to beat two parties, but the councilman races given that a republican was elected mayor and almost every other seat went to the democrats.

            But it is what it is….isn’t it? and for Mr Strouth if true I do agree he got cheated and so did the citizens of Evansville, but as they say that’s politics.

            I would like to thank you Mr Parke for your presents here on the CCO and wish you and your family a very happy thanksgiving.

            JMHO

  3. Why is a pipeline being run from Canada, completely across the United States, to refineries in southern Texas? Are there no regional refineries in middle-America? Would it be less costly and less wasteful of natural resources to build one or two new refineries or expand existing ones? As I recall, there have been several refineries shut down due to explosions, etc., and none built to replace them or others expanded. A couple refineries along the upper 1/3 or half of that line could greatly reduce the transportation time and costs of the crude. In addition it would also lower the cost of the finished products to consumers. Is there anything wrong with that picture?

    • I find it hard to believe there aren’t already numerous pipelines from Cushing, OK to the Gulf Coast. I mean, how do they get all that oil to Cushing now?

      • I would agree….the map shows an existing pipeline from Alberta to Patoka Ill? go figure….lol! But it might just be a matter of capacity and the extra volume needed, who knows but I would agree it seems very weird to build a totally new pipeline all across the US to get to a refinery or two, I would have to believe that the port also has something to do with it.

        JMHO

  4. Maybe it’s time the board (those who aren’t FAKES) look into who Matt Meadors (aka Teen Wolf) really is. This business community deserves better than a dishonest man running the chamber along with his cohorts Kim Howard and Ellen Knapp. Do your job chamber BOD.

    • Not that I disagree with your general point, but why single out Meadors?

      We have a dishonest mayor.
      A dishonest council.
      Dishonest bureaucrats in the Civic Center.
      Dishonest corporate executives at Vectren and Old National.
      Dishonest union bosses down at the labor temple.
      Dishonest media leaders.
      Dishonest exploiters masquerading as preachers.

      And an electorate that is suffering from “battered wife syndrome” and continues to enable all of the above.

      Let’s face it: the only decent thing to come out of Evansville in living memory is the Donut Bank.

      • You left out the Dishonest public school administration. They do control over half our tax dollars and almost half our children’s time.

        • Yep–sorry! How could I forget them?

          What am I thankful for this year? The fact that I no longer live in in the Democratic People’s Serfdom of Evansville.

    • Thank you! Transient jobs to build it and then what. But the environment will be forever altered, and I can’t believe for the good.

  6. If it is true that Weinzapfel is going to join Ellsworth in a $300K “golden parachute” type job from Vectren, then it is high time that we take a look whether or not it makes sense to have a “private” company delivering our power.

    As it stands, Vectren is really just an extension of the government–a bloated, protected monopoly that is insulated from market forces. They make their bones by cozying up to politicians who turn a blind eye when they raise their rates. Then those same politicians are rewarded with cush jobs. Nice work if you can get it. Apparently, the only qualifications are that you have no ethics and little wits.

    Who represents that taxpayers and ratepayers in this fiasco? Answer: nobody.

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