1. DEVELOP A PLAN FOR THE DECADE BY THE END OF 2011 FAIL and seem Oblivious
2. CLEANLINESS AND BEAUTIFICATION, THEN KEEP IT CLEAN B+ Since Mayor Winnecke was Elected
3. SEWERS!!! EPA APPROVED PLAN BY 2012, SUBSTANTIAL COMPLETION BY 2020 FAIL, but trying so C+
4. ESTABLISHED ANGEL INVESTMENT FUND BY 2012, ACTIVE VENTURE CAPITAL INDUSTRY BY 2020 FAIL: F-, managed to find private money for a hotel but not a dime for real job creating entrepreneurs
5. INCREASE % COLLEGE GRADUATES IN THE GENERAL POPULATION BY 5% BY 2020 FAIL: F
6. K-12 EDUCATION UP TO STATE ISTEP AVERAGES BY 2015, EXCEED STATE AVERAGE BY 10% BY 2020 FAIL, D, EVSC is improving but not closing the gap
7. GENERAL POPULATION GROWTH OF 1% PER YEAR OVER ENTIRE DECADE FAIL but did stop the losses D
8. RAISE THE AVERAGE EARNINGS OF ALL PROFESSIONS TO NATIONAL AVERAGES BY 2020 FAIL: F
9. ESTABLISH SOME BASIC RESEARCH ENTITY OF DISTINCTION AT EITHER OR BOTH UNIVERSITIES FAIL: F
10. MANAGE PUBLIC FACILITIES LIKE THE ARENA AT POSITIVE CASH FLOW AS ADVERTISED FAIL: F
Published by the CCO at the beginning of this decade 3 years ago
The City County Observer has solicited reader input for the “Top 10 Issues of 2010” and for the “Top 10 things to get right in 2011”. We have received much input and will be putting articles together on each during the next couple of weeks.
The release of the Census data along with the long term nature of some of the reader suggestions inspired us to put together a list of some items of profound importance to solve in the next 10 years. Evansville like many Midwestern cities has been in a holding pattern when it comes to crafting and implementing policies that have the capability of keeping local economies performing at national average levels. Proper planning followed by accurate and honest feedback that is used to continuously improve are what elevates and maintains regions.
Some cities like Louisville had plans for the decade that has just ended. Those cities that had decade plans, annually reviewed them, and took corrective action to stay on course have typically outperformed those that had no plan. For example Louisville had a plan to grow their population by 10% and fell short in growing by only 4% according to 2009 census estimates. Evansville with no plan lost 3.9% of its population after annexation. So our list of Issues and Actions starts with and continues:
1. DEVELOP A PLAN FOR THE DECADE BY THE END OF 2011
2. CLEANLINESS AND BEAUTIFICATION, THEN KEEP IT CLEAN
3. SEWERS!!! EPA APPROVED PLAN BY 2012, SUBSTANTIAL COMPLETION BY 2020
4. ESTABLISHED ANGEL INVESTMENT FUND BY 2012, ACTIVE VENTURE CAPITAL INDUSTRY BY 2020
5. INCREASE % COLLEGE GRADUATES IN THE GENERAL POPULATION BY 5% BY 2020
6. K-12 EDUCATION UP TO STATE ISTEP AVERAGES BY 2015, EXCEED STATE AVERAGE BY 10% BY 2020
7. GENERAL POPULATION GROWTH OF 1% PER YEAR OVER ENTIRE DECADE
8. RAISE THE AVERAGE EARNINGS OF ALL PROFESSIONS TO NATIONAL AVERAGES BY 2020
9. ESTABLISH SOME BASIC RESEARCH ENTITY OF DISTINCTION AT EITHER OR BOTH UNIVERSITIES
10. MANAGE PUBLIC FACILITIES LIKE THE ARENA AT POSITIVE CASH FLOW AS ADVERTISED
What is the payoff of making this happen? What will Evansville and Vanderburgh County look like and live like in 2020 if all of these goals are achieved? Here is a snapshot:
Evansville’ population will grow to 128,781 to a level that it has not seen since the mid 1970’s, Vanderburgh County will be a record level of 193,788 and will be among the leaders in the Midwest. The percentage of the population with bachelors degrees will exceed 20% for the first time in history. The air will no longer smell from combined sewer overflows, litter will be a non-issue, our gateways and public places will be filled with flowers, public art, and dare we say, PEOPLE.
Our schools will be recognized nationally for improvement, more of our students will go to college and return home to pursue lucrative and fulfilling careers. Our housing stock will be much improved either through renewal or demolition and the money to pay for it will come from the increased tax revenue from the new citizens that with increased earnings.
Finally, the Evansville Arena, the Centre, maybe a recast Roberts Stadium, and several to be determined projects will be completed and performing well financially. At long last if these goals are used as the basis for a plan and executed to goals, the Mayor of Evansville, the City Council, County Council, and County Commissioners (if we have not consolidated by 2020), will have the respect and backing of both the people and the business base of the region.
By going forward the City of Evansville can return to the place of national prominence that it last enjoyed in 1970 when it was the 100th largest city in the United States.
The City County Observer welcomes reader input on other worthy goals and even suggestions on how to achieve the ones that we have listed. By the way, Goal #2 is FREE TO IMPLEMENT. Starting today, do not litter anything and pick up three pieces of litter per day. In a very short time Goal #2 will become a maintenance issue as opposed to a goal to achieve.
The real beauty of these goals is that all of them are achievable. Other places have done this. It is time for us to join them.
Here’s hoping for the location of an IU Medical School within the county! That would surely help to address #s 5,7,8,&9, but the Mayor needs to “butt out” and support ALL of the proposals. I’m afraid he’s going to botch things by “taking sides” in all of this.
The IU folks have already asked the locals to “back off” and quit trying to influence them. I am sure Hizzoner’s lack of transparency on his proposal is not lost on them.
EKB, He,he,I just read the last comment you posted up on the Faux Pas, not about free speech article.
I was going to respond on that one,however last night while doing a little reading on Global Climate change I came across an interesting article by (Chip brown.)
It seems to cover Evansville’s demise as well as the nations social economic political faux pas out there now.
LMAO..In an unique anthropological perspective definition,
You see the observation made was one of many during his experience in the Indigenous Brazilian Amazon basin.
A cultural tribal area that remains “intact, vital and unvanquished” he notes: They survived the missionaries,El Dorado seekers,slave traders,and rubber barons.
It does note, although, the region is chronically jeopardized forward as development closes in.
The funny thought was the explanation of why the Moms still pierce the childrens ears.
You see,in their culture that “symbolically expands a baby’s capacity to understand language, and the social dimension of thats existence.” He “adds their phrase for..stupid..goes like( ama,kre ket)”
That means—->no ear hole<—- 🙂
It is a hoot, in an awful sort of way. The man (and/or his persona) is a mysogynist at best, and a pedophile at worst. I wonder how many of his followers are going to run out to “marry off” their under-sixteen daughters.
The video is about five years old, so I’m guessing it was done while he was trying to pitch his show idea.
In regard to your current poll, maybe you should add “I don’t care about basketball, there are more important things to deal with” as a choice. Neither of your choices represent my outlook. I just don’t give a crap what happens to Aces basketball. Let the free market decide.
Wow! Sounds like somebody is still bitter for getting picked last for dodge ball in P.E.
I was a BIG backer of the Aces back in the day when Evansville still had a pulse. We’ve got bigger problems than team spirit for one of the two local universities.
Sorry you’re stuck in the past!
elkaybee I totally agree with you. I just love reading your comments. Most of the time your spot on. Have a Happy New Year.
To bad Wayne Parke couldn’t be objective like you.
Wayne is a spend and tax closet democrat!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You have a great 2014, too! It’s not looking too good for ol’ Wayne, though.
I don’t get the whole propping up UE athletics. The focus should be more on propping up USI to d1. It would be a bigger positive impact on the community. More people are enrolled, employed, and are graduates in the area than UE. How many ue grads stay or return to the area after graduating out of each class? 3? USI it’s 100s.
USI is THE University of Southern Indiana.
AS long as the same old crooks,clowns and conmen run local politics we are in for the sane old same old in Evanspatch politics!!! Which means rob from everyone and tell them it is the best for them!
It seems to me that the crooks, clowns, and conmen that have been running this city for decades are just puppets. I state that because they try the same things over and over again with predictably dismal results for the tax payer. One example is the downtown revitalization that has been dragged on for more than 40 years.
So I must ask: Who’s pulling the strings?
ERBC
Local politics is the same in almost every locality…until we consider ridding ourselves of this crazy idea of democracy, let’s try to rid ourselves of the weeds in the garden, but, remember, be careful, we do not wish to uproot the good crop. The day of reckoning will be alway coming!
CCO,
Just because you anointed this Top 10 Initiatives list three years ago doesn’t necessarily mean the City Administrators have paid any attention to it.
Wouldn’t a better approach be to haul out LW’s campaign promises, and grade him on his progress against those Initiatives/ PROMISES ? For example, he is doing very poor on Transparency, doing great on Litter, sucks on Meth reduction, etc. ?
We do have one growth industry in this town/county. We had/have a historic jail built in 1890 that housed the sheriff and approximately 30 inmates. This jail was adequate until about 1970 when we started building a jail that house approximately 312 inmates. In 2005 we built a jail that houses over 500 inmates and is already crowded. The number of people on electronic monitoring and on probation or parole is mind boggling.
Another growth industry in Evansville is the homeless.
Our city has mirrored many midwestern towns, like Dayton, OH…most of these communities are very slow to change, fail to attract younger citizens and as a result, find themselves in the “Brain Drain” category. We do not have an ocean or mountains, hell we don’t even have bike paths. The Green Way, although nice on the river front, is a meager 2.5 miles. I know we are now putting some attention into this effort, but, we are so far behind the curve. Of course, we know that our community is considered a “closed” environment, i.e. our building code structure is so intrusive that most developers will not consider Evansville, so we have to resort to crazy giveaway deals (the propeller outfit, Earthcare, HCW, just to mention a few). Now, the poor Trades have to depend upon public projects (North H.S., Ford Center, Johnson Controls, Hotel, fertilizer facility, etc) in order to keep their families a float. Sooner or later, government will be running out of other people’s money and then what? Let’s not forget about our reputation of being in the top three highest utility cost centers in the country. So, why do I live here…well, it’s our folks…I have lived all over Indiana and find Evansville to be one of the most pleasant in regards to the kindness and friendly faces, please believe me when I say this. Yes, we need much improvement and we do have challenges ahead, but, we have not advanced to the gates of hell. Positive attitudes, serious planning together with an atmosphere of cooperation, surely, positive result will be the fruit.
In the short time it takes to blink an Eye, that baby born today will be 25.
Planning out 25 years seems do able, but–It Has To Start with taking the ONLY ROAD,—Education, Education, QUALITY Education. It is both the Start and The Finish Line.
What is Evansville’s Goal Line? It’s becoming more evident every day and bonded dollars worth, it needs to be a bottom up inspired consensus, leading to a game plan to achieve goals, (like those the CCO puts forth here for contemplation, and discussion.)
Next Mayor? New Blood!
I vote to Draft Rick Davis.
+1
The fact that Rick is not the mayor is a good indication of why Evansville is in such a mess. Eric Williams and Connie Robinson should be ashamed of themselves. With LW we just got another version of JW.
Thank you Meter Maid. It is too too easy to fault- find and gripe. We do need much improvement as you say but many cities do. And I especially agree that the people here are kind, friendly, helpful, charitable, and in general more positive than in most places and on the CCO about what is possible and doable for Evansville. I have lived in three states and in various places in Indiana. And here I am back in Evansville helping when I can, giving when it’s possible, and although I get frustrated at times, that does not help. Nor does moaning, or bitching. I guess I am on the bottom trying to improve the foundation. I could use a little positive light down here.
I hope you really live in the city unlike some of the white flighters who left but still complain.
pov,
I most definitely live in the city limits and work in an “almost Jacobsville” area. The mix of people I deal with is interesting, enlightening and I think in many cases a really good thing. Complaining does not move the wagon.
I’m all for real progress, but its hard to know where to start when we have all of the pie-in-the-sky political scheming. I will continue to try to help where there is a real opportunity to help, until my anticipated departure in the next year or so.
elkaybee,
I don’t know you but will be sorry to see you leave the area let alone the country. I can understand that you need a change and that you like to travel. But I venture that we may still see you on the CCO after you leave Evansville. Sometimes I think that you have been too close to the local politics for a long time and could really find personal satisfaction and provide great community help and support in a non-political arena. You may already do that, but I don’t know this. There are times that I choose not to know what is happening in government on any level and it is a refreshing breather. At any rate, I wish you a very happy new year! Martha
I know this is for Los Angeles, a much bigger city, but their vision is still something that should be replicated on a smaller scale here. Good planning all around…
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/12/30/la-in-20-years-2033_n_4468762.html?ncid=edlinkusaolp00000003
Planning is the easy part. It’s the execution that presents problems.
You are correct. Winnecke and Obama can both do a good song and dance routine but when it comes to execution these two parrots are incapable of managing anything to successful completion.
Seriously, I don’t think either of them could read the box and make a stack of pancakes. They are both pathetic. They sound good though.
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