IS IT TRUE that the City of Evansville signed a contract to pay the salary of the person to work on a new software package to debug it so it can function?…to this date this expensive program that was a capital expense still doesn’t work?…apparently the Indiana State Board of Accounts has been to Evansville and cannot even render an opinion as to the accuracy of the City of Evansville’s financial records?…the accounts have not been reconciled since January of 2011 a full 21 months ago?…the problem is in converting the old system to the new Munis System?…the CCO has a copy of the contract for the work and would like to invite the contractor to respond preemptively prior to posting this contract for our readers to see?… many people in authority believe that what should have happened is that both systems should have been used until the conversion to the new system was proven to be successful?…in reality the City of Evansville under the Weinzapfel Administration stopped using the old system and did not run it parallel to the new one?…that failing to keep both systems running has rendered the City of Evansville incapable of performing even basic audit functions such as reconciliation?
IS IT TRUE the Civic Center Moles tell the CCO that the SBOA will issue a Disclaimer of Opinion which basically says don’t look at us if money comes up missing?…in the meantime the Evansville City Council has not received a financial report from the administration beyond the period ending June 30th?… the last report was May of 2012?…when the Winnecke Administration provided the City Council with the proposed 2013 budget, it showed revenue and expenses through June?…that the Evansville City Council has a very incomplete financial picture in which to determine a 2013 budget due to yet another financial fiasco rooted in the Civic Center?
IS IT TRUE that things like this are the kinds of things that lead to a lower bond rating which in turn leads to higher interest rates being charged on new debt?…that some will see having the City of Evansville’s hands tied when it comes to issuing new debt as a positive and they may be correct when it comes to games, parks, and temples to sport but there are legitimate needs for all cities to borrow and a great credit rating makes that less expensive and easier to do?…there is that looming debt of over $500 Million that will need to be issued to get the EPA off our back and fix the combined sewer overflow problem?…that a paltry 1% increase in the interest rate would cost the water and sewer ratepayers of Evansville an additional $5 Million per year or about $100 per water meter per year?…poor financial management by elected officials can be quite devastating to a city and that the CCO encourages the City of Evansville to get this under control so a clean opinion can be rendered by the SBOA and robust day to day financial management can be accomplished by the City of Evansville?
And the city wants us county folks to join them. Vote HELL NO to Consolidation!!
I can’t wait to hear what the IT company has to say about why this package isn’t working and why they turned the old package off before the new one was up and running. I think the guys name is Rolley. Man if he would spill his guts some civic center heads would probably roll.
I agree with you RevWright on this one.
Also looking for a comment from the Evansville City Controller, Russ Lloyd on this one. It looks like the new Mayor has found his political scrapgoat on this issue, Russ Lloyd, Jr.!
Don’t forget to include City Councilman and Budget Chairmen, John Friend, CPA in this financial coverup! Looks like we have another “GATE” in the city of Evansville. It’s called “BUDGETGATE”!
I’m very disappointed in Budget Chairmen, John Friend for trying to covering up this financial bookkeeping mess from the taxpayers.
If we have another gate, let’s sell naming rights to it with the 4 we already have at 2600 Division Street.
First Mayor Winnenke had “Homestead Tax Credit Gate”, then “Earthcare Gate”, next “Johnson Control Gate” and now the Gates of all Gates—“Budgetgate”!
Looks like we now have on our hands a “One Term Mayor Gate”!
Can’t CountGate
perpetual gate, it goes on, and on, and on. Please let us off this horrible ride!
And don’t forget Salarygate.
Money for nothing and the chicks are free!
Oh my God, looks like Mayor Winnenke, Russ Lloyd, Jr. and John Friend have a career ending problem on their hands!
Civic Center employees are laughing out loud on this one.
If the merger goes thru their carreer won’t be over. They will just have to get an appointed position from the Super Mayor.
Amazing, the previous administration bungled a software conversion now people on the forums are blaming the guy trying to fix it.
Word is that the Mayor and Russ Lloyd, Jr. are going to blame City Councilman, John Friend, CPA and former City Controller, Jenny Collins concerning this major record keeping problem with the 2011 and 2012 city budgets.
So, in other words, what we have been witnessing at the public meetings of the Evansville City Council, and most especially with the financial committee meetings for the past 21 months has all been a dog and pony show staged for public consumption for the sole purpose of deceiving the public.
Some of these people need to be removed from office for cause. Where was the City of Evansville’s legal counsel while all of this was going on?
What the hell is the matter with these people on the city council? Does the gravity of this situation escape them?
So much for the State Board of Accounts who looked like they just threw their hands up and said f*^# it we’re out of here.
I believe it is time for the State of Indiana to step in here.
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Maybe, it’s time to call in the United States State Inspector General-Crime Division people in to look at the City of Evansville financial records!
It’s time for City Councilmen, John Friend to come forward and tell us the whole truth and nothing but the truth concerning to this serious bookkeeping problem with the city because the Mayor and Russ Lloyd, Jr. won’t.
It’s time that someone explains why Jenny who obviously wasn’t cutting it as Controller was sent to the Utilities for a newly created position for $81,000 a year? Apparently she’s either deaf or she thinks that she knows better that the State Board and systems analysts. If I was the Mayor, I would be firing her immediately because she’s responsible for the first 12 of 21 months not reconciling.
I also question her value. Why do they bring Umbaugh in to the Utilties for hundreds of thousands of dollars a year to do the kind of work that a CFO should know how to do?
FYI. Consolidation calls for the City Controller to do the accounting for the consolidated government and will dissolve the County Auditor’s Office. Do you really want to hand over the County’s financial system to folks who haven’t reconciled in 21 months? I’d be furious if I was in the Auditor’s Office because they have always done a great job and they are going to lose their office to a bunch of political flunkies.
I don’t believe this is possible because the County Auditor’s Office is a Constitutional office.
A properly designed unification plan would have folded the City Controller’s Office into the County Treasurer’s and Auditor’s offices.
Despite this weakness, I believe the efficiencies created by unification surpass the weakness obvious in our present mish-mash of duplications of services.
While it does look really bad, we need to be careful and not be to quick to jump to the gun. But— Why is Winnecke covering up for Weinzapfel?
How could any professional finance person not think it is a requirement to run both systems parallel until the bugs are worked out of the new system?
Why would Winnecke substantially raise Jenny Collins, the previous controller’s salary?
One needs to be careful about putting blame on Russ Lloyd. He works for the Mayor. He is an honorable person.
Yes–we could be in a mess. This causes a loss in confidence.
Winnecke is covering Weinzapfel’s tracks because Weinzapfel made him Mayor.
Could not have said it better! Look at all the Dems who supported him. They need to protect the gravy train…..how else will they get paid more than they would in the private sector? What a bunch of incompetent bums!j
Agreed…….funny how it;s the same group that has thrown their full support behind VandiGov, CONsolidation, Unification,Reorganization or whatever today’s buzz word is today. 🙂
JMHO
Agreed Johnboy. Let’s reshift the blame cocerning this major budget problem called “Budgetgate” to the past city controller Jenny Collins, past Mayor Weinzapfel and Mayor Lloyd Winnenke for this unacceptable budgetary coverup.
Why did Mayor Winnenke approve to give past City Controller, Jenny Collins that worked under Wienzapfel a $81,000 a year salary in a newly created position with the Evansville Water and Sewer Department at the beginning of his term???????????????????????????
Now I know why my water rates are extremely high. City of Evansville Water and Sewer Department is paying the ex-city Controller a whopping $81,000 per year after 3 months on the job. Fact is that she started out making $61,000 a year when she was hired in this department sometime in Jan. 2012!
I also want to know why did Mayor Winnenke push to give her a $20,000 increase in pay after 3 months on working at this newly created job?
Looks like we have a one term Mayor in the making!
Can anyone tell me who are the members of the Evansville Utitilies Board?
They also need to be held accountable for giving the past city Controller a $81,000 annual salary for a newly created job in this city controlled department!
This is their official website:
http://www.evansvillegov.org/index.aspx?page=60
But if you find any mention of their Board, Board Members, meeting times, or minutes, then your eyes are a lot better than mine.
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Same old gang of crooks and cronies that have made themselves rich off the backs of the people of Evansville!!! Let us hope someone stands up and fixes this problem, Vote NO to CONsolidation!!! Would you want this bunch of clowns and con-men running the county too!!!!!!!!!
We certainly have consistency in E’ville city government.
We did have a chance at change with Davis; but then the good ol’ boys and girls would have had to get real jobs.
This remains a really funny town. Too bad I have to help pay for this crap.
I am convinced that Weinzapfel/Tornatta/Winnecke people were going to JAIL if Davis had won.
Why else would all the DemocRATS jump ship and help Winnecke win?
I think this is just the tip of the iceberg … the non-criminal white collar incompetence we are seeing now is nothing compared to what Davis would have uncovered. (Think DMD + GAGE = JAIL).
Rule 1. Follow the money.
Rule 2. Follow the money.
Reality: Even the State Board of Accounts couldn’t follow the money.
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Only an idiot or a GD fool would not run the new and the old systems in tandam until the replacement system has proven to work. (Accounting 90)
This incompetence belongs on the shoulders of Jenny Collins and Joh Whinezapfel.
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Recently I was watching Rusty Lloyd before the City Council Finance Committee. Boy was I disappointed. He looked and responded like a deer in headlights.
I like this website but the constant cry of conspiracy & cover up is very taxing on this reader’s psyche. I think you are overlooking the simpler picture. It’s not a cover up at all. The new mayor inherited a problem. He and his controller are making efforts to fix the problem before the State Board of Accounts releases its audit. Financial errors of this nature come to light each and every year though the State Board of Accounts’ auditing process. What happens if an “unfavorable” audit is reported by the state? Answer: Evansville could get less favorable borrowing terms when new loans are sought out. In addition, it makes the city look bad to investors, new business, existing business, its citizens etc.
So our new Mayor is doing what we hired him to do and FIXING the problem and trying to keep Evansville in good standing with the SBOA. If he sat back and just accepted the state’s “unfavorable” opinion and just pointed his finger at Winezapfel without making a full effort to avoid the bad opinion in the first place then I would be very upset and screaming right along with you all.
For now, I respectfully disagree with the cover up claims. This is simply one administration trying to clean up (not cover up) another administration’s mess.
You’re not fooling anyone Jarvis.
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