IS IT TRUE? October 10, 2011

14

The Mole #??

IS IT TRUE? October 10, 2011

IS IT TRUE that the letter to the editor from the “Sewers Before Stadium” advocate Andrew Smith that was published simultaneously yesterday by the City County Observer and the Courier and Press had very different reactions in the two publications?…that both publications had the exact same letter without any edit or bias?…that this letter started a litany of 49 comments that were sometimes a bit nasty but eventually elevated the dialog on the CCO but drew only 14 comments from the regulars on the Courier?…that one of the most insightful comments on Mr. Smith however came from the Courier?…that Mr. Smith was given some due credit for some promethean insights that seem to slip many people’s minds?…that Mr. Smith was one of the first people to visibly question the manner in which the McCurdy parking lot was purchased by the Evansville Redevelopment Commission and was the first on record to call out the Weinzapfel Administration for poor or no planning with respect to the downtown Convention Hotel?…that Mr. Smith was right on the heels of the City County Observer’s efforts to expose the secret meetings to take away the Homestead Tax Credit that was held in Mayor Weinzapfel’s office?

IS IT TRUE that Mr. Smith did get the ultimate compliment and I paraphrase “he may have been negative but he was right and he was honest”?…that when people like Andrew Smith are willing to establish businesses in Evansville, can find venture capital in Evansville, and be engaged in local government that Evansville may move forward?…that until then it seems as though the “machine” is still in charge?

IS IT TRUE that Mole #56 tells us that someone was pulled off of the Democratic float at the Fall Festival by the Evansville Police Department and was handcuffed?…that this person was then sitting on the sidewalk?…that Mole #56 did not know the identity of this person or why they were riding on the float?…that the City County Observer was taken off of the distribution list for the EPD Activity Reports for three days last week when this occurred so we can’t check it with records that we have?…that Sunday the reports magically started coming to us again?

IS IT TRUE that Mole #44 tells us that there may be legal action initiated with respect to the fact that Klenck Construction has not been paid the $315,000 that they are owed for demolition work completed on the Executive Inn and its parking tower?…that we recall that the City of Evansville that owns the land on which that work was done has consistently asserted that they have no responsibility legal responsibility to pay for the work and that Klenck’s only course for relief is to collect from the business that hired them to do the work?…that it was mentioned in an ERC meeting in early August that Klenck would be paid and that the about face became apparent when project manager John Kish stated before the Evansville City Council that even though this is City of Evansville property and that the property has been improved that the terms of a private contract being satisfied are the only way that Klenck Construction will be paid?

IS IT TRUE that Mole #44 also advises us that the gathering of facts and the follow up questions with regard to the VETTING process conducted by Hunden Strategic Partners is nearing completion?…that there are only 5 more scheduled meetings of the Evansville Redevelopment Commission during 2011 and that will constitute the last 5 meetings under the Weinzapfel Administration?…that this hotel can has been kicked down the road enough already and that the most appropriate action right now may just be to seal the Hunden VETTING report until January and to let the next Mayor of Evansville’s Administration and a newly appointed ERC carry this ball to its conclusion?…that shoving a decision in favor of either bidder through at the final hour of the Weinzapfel Administration will not pass the smell test at this stage of the process?

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR

14 COMMENTS

  1. Is this the Andrew Smith who has not won a race yet, holds no position in the local GOP and employs nobody?

  2. Geez, the level of incompetence of Weinzapfel and crew is just mind-boggling!

    How the h*** can you build a $100 million arena and NOT have a hotel ready to go in?????? How stupid are these guys?

    • Don’t you know economy is down and private development is at standstill? So you think that means government should build convention hotel with our tax money? Sounds like typical tax and spend liberal thinking. Your other posted messages all support Rick Davis. You must think same as him. You think Rick Davis will build convention hotel with local tax dollars?

      • Actually, I don’t even think the government should have built that arena in the first place! But Good Lord if you’re going to do it, do iit right and make sure a hotel is part of the “package.”

        The fact that they can’t find a private developer to fund the ONLY hotel connected to the Centre and the new arena tells you everything you need to know about how worthless that arena project really was.

        • As stated many times before if the downtown hotel was a good investment Mr Dunn and ONB would have been jumping at the chance to build/manage/finance the endeavor, it’s not and will never be built without a substantial contribution from the taxpayers….I’m thinking to the tune of $40-$50m will be the minimum.

          That would make our (taxpayers) total investment in the downtown arena somewhere in the $300m range by the time it is all said and done without the interest on the bonds…..I wonder how far $300m would have went to correct our sewer problems and get the EPA off our back, while improving the quality of life for a substantial number of citizens?

          JMHO

          • Oh well, at least all the Vice Presidents at Vectren, Old National, and Fifth Third got their shiny new toy with fancy box seats. After all, that’s the important thing, right?????

            Still waiting for all those big time concerts to start pouring in, though!!@!!

          • yeah…really, I think the word is out that you have to pay to play in Evansville.

            JMHO

  3. I was told it was someone who worked for the
    Central Comm who was taken off the float. Failure
    to appear on a speeding ticket. People getting shot
    and we have the police running down to the parade
    to pick up this dangerous person. I wonder who could
    have reported this to the police.

  4. Just a thought. Why aren’t Dunn and other hotel owners hawking an “Arena Event Package” that includes transportation downtown and back? They could cut a deal with the city and issue a card or ticket that would be good on designated buses, on special routes, before and after events until midnight or so. Use the trolleys for a festive note. That would relieve the parking and traffic issues, as well as the long walks. It could also reduce the number of DUI’s if attendees celebrated too much in the “downtown district” after the big shows, hockey matches or UE ball games.

    • Ding Ding Ding we have a winner! and no downtown hotel is needed, thank you sir/ma’am your common sense approach to the problem has probably just saved the taxpayers $50m dollars.

      If they would only listen to reason….(they won’t)

      JMHO

    • Ah Ah Ah, Don’t get too creative. It would only make Dunn etc look bad. And they might actually have to spend some money to do this. Better to keep their money and to let people think Evansville is just a little slow or really doesn’t care that much.

Comments are closed.