IS IT TRUE September 16, 2015

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IS IT TRUE here’s a possible explanation for the increase of labor costs that consumes 87% of the City budget? …Mayor Winnecke has added 187 employees since he took office 3 1/2 years ago? …there were 1341 City employees when he took office and now the City has 1528 employees?

IS IT TRUE that the City and County Councils set the legal purpose of appropriated funds?  …that for funds to be used for other purposes the Disbursing Officer has to get legal authorization?

IS IT TRUE that George Lumley appeared before the joint City/County Councils at the recent budget hearings where he ask and they clarified that the funds budgeted in the River Boat Fund were for residential demolition only?  That other funds were to be used for the related administrative expenses?

IS IT ALSO TRUE that Mr. Lumley appeared before the full City Council on August 24 where they confirmed that residential demolitions were the only allowable expense to be charged to the River Boat Demolition Account?

IS IT TRUE that Mr. Lumley appeared before the City Council Monday evening and presented copies of numerous claims charged to the account that were not related to residential demolition?

IS IT TRUE a claim by Morley and Associates for services rendered in inspecting cracks in the Helfrich Neighborhood pool in the amount of $536.25 was charged to the Riverboat Boat Demolition Fund?

IS IT TRUE  a claim by Altstadt Pluming for the installation of a water service to 2800 Riverside in the amount of $1275 was charged to the Riverboat Fund without explanation?

IS IT TRUE a bill from Morley and Associates in the amount of $2,017.50 for inspecting the commercial building at 1500 North Heidlebach Avenue was charged against residential demolition and taken from the Riverboat fund?

IS IT TRUE that bills for fencing at Miller Plating was $4,620.00 and Owens Block $2,275.00 was charged to the appropriation in the Riverboat Fund that was legally appropriated only for residential demolition?

IS IT TRUE that the Klenck Company invoice in the amount of $15,882.42, representing one day’s work to install a fence at the commercial flea market property at 1500 Heidelbach was charged as residential demolition to the Riverboat Fund?

IS IT TRUE that charges for the daily removal of garbage that is billed to property owners is paid out of Riverboat Fund but the income goes to other operations?  …although these amounts may be small, $240 each, they add up to huge monthly charges?  …that a month of August bill from R & R Hauling totaled $10,397.40 and every month these operating expenses are charged against the appropriation for residential demolitions while the collections for the billings are going somewhere else?

IS IT TRUE these claims cited and presented to the City Council are only a small a sampling that represent hundreds of thousands of dollars that were designated for residential demolition but have been illegally diverted to operating expenses each year?

IS IT TRUE that Mr. Lumley asked the Council to do something about this and we ask you to join him and ask your elected representatives what he or she plans to do about this illegal pilfering of our Riverboat funds for operating expenses and leaving large numbers of zombie houses in the neighborhoods?

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28 COMMENTS

  1. The CCO and Mr Lumley are biting them in the Ass pretty good, but it Looks like the Winnecke Administration is continuing to do whatever they think their Big Enough to do.. it’s going to be up to the VOTERS to stop them as nobody else can.

  2. I wonder how many of those 187 employees were managment. As I said yesterday the city and utility like to cut jobs but love to hire managers. For those that do not know manager jobs are still patronage jobs. Regular employee jobs are not.

  3. …Mayor Winnecke has added 187 employees since he took office 3 1/2 years ago? …there were 1341 City employees when he took office and now the City has 1528 employees?

    Pure patronage abuse. It’s how the little shyster plans to get re-elected. It’s what you do when you can’t do anything else. The Winnecke administration’s theft of riverboat funds to pay operating expenses is disturbing.

    • In a city that is steadily decreasing in population, we suddenly need 187 more municipal employees, in this age of automating many jobs previously done by people??? I wonder if Whiney-ke is counting those among the jobs he claims to have added. Hmmmm…… ‘

      • He’s a one-man economic development dynamo. Unfortunately it’s all smoke and cracked mirrors. Just like that backhoe that has reappeared on that otherwise empty lot downtown. Evansville can’t afford him.

        Ecke ecke might be in the process of getting rich right now.

  4. Seems to me the CCO has awarded their Outstanding Community Services Award to the wrong person. George Lumley is the deserving recipient. Instead you give the award to a member of the Brownfields board of directors.

  5. Are the 187 new jobs all tied to the Johnson Controls wireless water meters ? That project will easily pay for itself, save us billions each year, and easily cover the salaries of these 187 people–in perpetuity, even after the project is over. Remember: the British paid for a lookout on the Cliffs of Dover to watch for the invasion by Napolean . . . he was on the payroll until 1945.

    Good personnel administration by Team Winnecke !

  6. Johnson control meters will not make any profit you obviously have no idea what you are talking about its sad nobody is looking into the actual cost

  7. The meter dept used to have twenty readers making the lowest wage the city paid. They carried a big book and a pencil They now have eight readers that carry electronic readers that cost as much as a reader. While they do not pay or give benefits to the electronic devices they do require more to maintain and replace then pencils and paper. Also management is up to eight employees. I am not suggesting we go back to pencil and paper but an Ipad an a styles would do the job. There are inexpensive methods to read meters.

  8. “IS IT TRUE a bill from Morley and Associates in the amount of $2,017.50 for inspecting the commercial building at 1500 North Heidlebach Avenue was charged against residential demolition and taken from the Riverboat fund?” (CCO)

    * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

    I noticed that Victoria Investments LLC Evansville got current on their taxes on this property this spring to the tune of over $30,000.

    How much longer is the public going to have to put up with this eye sore? The building was last purchased for $200,000. and it is anyone’s guess what the property is worth in its current condition.

    One would think that the best use of that property would be as additional parking for Bosse Field, but since Bosse Field is owned by the Evansville-Vanderburgh School Corporation it would be a hard sell to local taxpayers to foot the bill for the purchase and demolition of the property and the cost of installing a new parking facility.

    # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # #

    “IS IT TRUE a claim by Altstadt Pluming for the installation of a water service to 2800 Riverside in the amount of $1275 was charged to the Riverboat Fund without explanation?” (CCO)

    * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

    This property is owned by Dog Investments LLC of the same Evansville address as this property. Dog Investments owns about 10 other residential properties in Vanderburgh county.

    Only the city water department could explain the use of riverboat residential demolition funds for the installation of water service to the property. I suppose there could be some sort of legit reason, however, an explanation is needed.

    • Press, you must be the only one complaining about that eye sore. If it was an issue with the public I am sure our code enforcement people, DMD, Building Commissioner and Mayor would have already taken action. If we would take action and fine for violations no one would have to buy the building. The owners would let it go back to the county and the city could have the property for free.
      Maybe no one has complained yet. The building commission does not take action unless someone complains. Did anyone call 812 436 7885 or email buildingcommission@evansvillegov.org and complain? That is what I thought we only have ourselves to blame.

      • Seeing as how it would be hard for anyone attending an activity at Bosse Field to miss the eye sore, the local community organization must surly have complained about it to the city by now.

        • Not only that, if one has ever been at the intersection of your East Morgan and North Heidelbach after a nice evening with the Otters one will suddenly notice if you want to turn north at that intersection, its on a dare.
          The old refrigeration supply building is built nearly to the corner as it is, however the neglected landscape scrubs along its frontage are indeed a public safety denominator. If one wants to head north to Diamond its a leap of faith, no one approaching headed north on your N. Heidelbach passage can see you, and you cannot see them. Likely one of the worst case blind intersections in your old musty town. That’s a daily safety incursion no driver should ever have to face.
          Look! –> https://www.google.com/maps/@37.9920941,-87.5611818,120m/data=!3m1!1e3

        • Maybe, but a single complaint is easily lost. I know, because they lost abut 500 of mine back in May and June. I turned in properties that never appeared on the complaint log.

          • I have no doubt that is true. I have complained about that intersection several times, perhaps to the wrong dept. but never got so much as a sneeze in my direction. And I used to use that intersection a lot. Not any more if I can help it. My spouse and I even joke about going down there at 1:00 AM with a chain saw and taking down those evergreens. Maybe sell them for Xmas trees or give them to the homeless shelters with free decorations.

        • Again press, everyone assumes that the city has a plan. The city does have a Brownfields Corp. that was formed to address such issues; however, they have found it to be more lucrative to land bank and market real estate in the arts district. I am sure this property will catch someones attention eventually after the right person gets ownership and then the city will come up with a million to buy it and $200,000 to tear it down.

  9. 187 times a low ball $40,000/yr not including benefits comes to
    $7,480,000 —-yes, this how the game is
    Managed and how much 187 “recruits” are paid by “The Boss”.
    from the Citizenry s pocketbook, and stark evidence Evansville needs a NEW Coach!

    • Don’t forget to add that $20,000 per employee health care benefit. That adds $3,740,000 to your total making the new total $11,220,000. There are of course other benefits of tangible value too.

      • Joe, this silly Evansville stuff set aside, our observations in the last 100 hours showed some spikes. Hang on this could be nothin, or maybe more, Matris naturalis took some hits in the recent, and the focus could be your regional. Space weather, however a straight impact to some. We have people out there, we’ve sent the precautionary to them as well.

  10. I noticed that there are a couple of proposed city ordinances in today’s legal section that seem crafted to protect the Levee Fund from disbursing funds for anything other than their intended purpose. It makes one think that maybe there has been a problem in the past with that fund also. The more of these transfers from funds for purposes other than their intended use, the more it paints a picture of a city administration struggling with its finances.

    Mayor Winnecke can try and blow it off as election year mud slinging but most people, after they have seen how long this has been going on, will not buy that argument.

  13. How about the big pay increase for the ( $450,000) magnificent 12 that Winnie passed out last month. Didn’t hear much about that…….that one was swept under the rug

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