Mayor Winnecke’s “State Of The City” Address Made At The Rotary Club Of Evansville

Mayor Winnecke’s “State Of The City” Address Made At The Rotary Club Of Evansville

April 6, 2023

Good afternoon. It’s a pleasure to be with you to present my twelfth, and final, state of the City speech.

Know that I am grateful to the Rotary Club of Evansville for this opportunity, and for the amazing support during my time in office.

Preparing for today, I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about Evansville’s history. The city’s birthday was just last Monday. It reminds me that our city’s founder, Hugh McGary, walked to Vincennes to purchase the original 440 acres of what would become Evansville.  Today, we wouldn’t dream of making such a walk. Instead, the Greater Evansville Region continues work on a transformational project…a new $1.4 billion interstate bridge over the Ohio River… the river by which Hugh McGary first arrived. 

I’ve been thinking about our 19^th mayor, Benjamin Bosse, arguably our city’s most effective mayor. He coined the saying “When everybody boosts, everybody wins.” What a legacy phrase. I like to think that our “E is for Everyone” campaign is a modern-day equivalent to Mayor Bosse’s encouragement for “everybody to boost.” Every success over the last year, actually over the last 11-plus years, is the result of individuals and organizations boosting toward a common goal. 

My most important booster is one of your fellow Rotarians, my wife Carol. This work, that of leading the city, really requires a fully committed partner. I have that, and more, in Carol. Carol has kept me grounded, focused on what really matters, and makes sure that I don’t get too high or too low. Always there with a caring heart, sharing the same goal: making the City of Evansville the best it can be…each and every day. I love you.

We have a lot of other boosters here today: men and women who are charged with leading the departments that provide all of the services our city requires. Trust me: they are dedicated public servants. (?) Will all city employees please stand and be recognized?

As with every evaluation of our city, I have achievement, pride, challenge and opportunity to share with you.

In last year’s State of the City, we detailed the National Safe Communities initiative. This is an effort to reduce violent group crime. All responding law enforcement agencies gather for a “shooting review” following any shooting in which group activity is suspected.  These reviews give investigators the chance to exchange information so that group members can be clearly identified.  Then, there is an intervention with suspected group members…stressing that violence is unacceptable, that their families need them alive, out of prison, and contributing to the community, while also offering potential solutions to stop their criminal activity.

In 2021, there were 12 murders attributed to group violence. Last year, there were only five linked to group violence.  EPD, along with community partners, delivered 40 custom notifications, or interventions last year. In total, EPD reports 30 fewer group or gang-related crimes in 2022 over 2021. We believe that the combination of the shooting reviews and the direct communication with those suspected of group violence is starting to make a difference. To be clear, this is not a statement of victory. It’s an observation of some achievement and evidence that more work remains.  

Staffing is a law enforcement challenge here, as with just about every police agency in the country. More and more officers are changing careers or opting for early retirement, and there are significantly fewer applicants today than there were a few years ago.  It’s understandable given the danger and scrutiny of the profession. While we do have openings in the department, you need to know that we have never reduced staff or defunded police. In fact, we are always looking for means by which to make greater investments.

I’d like to talk about January 19^th. It was a Thursday. You may not remember the significance of the date, but you will when I say “Walmart shooting.” 

I met Chief Billy Bolin at EPD headquarters about 45 minutes after the first 911 call. Thanks to the city’s investment in technology, we were able to view chilling body camera video before officers even returned to headquarters.  What I witnessed affirmed what I already believed to be true, and it is important for our city to recognize: we have an extraordinary police department trained and ready for the unthinkable.

The video you are about to see is dramatic. Its intent is to stress the reality of what police face, and to show the state of their preparedness.  

<VIDEO SOUND FULL runs 5:51 outcue: “…protect the citizens of Evansville.”>

Also charged with protecting us…the Evansville Fire Department.  This team of professionals, like their law enforcement counterparts, ALSO develop a deep bond with co-workers. They essentially spend a third of their lives with fellow firefighters.

August 10^th, 2022 was a Monday. It was a “green shift” duty day for the Evansville Fire Department, one of three work shift designations. The crew at Hose House 4 on Oak Hill Road had experienced a fairly normal day… until about 1 o’clock that afternoon. That’s when their station house was rocked as a result of a house explosion right around the corner. Not knowing exactly what happened, Captain Mike Whitledge and his crew instinctively jumped on their engine and rolled out of the station toward the debris field.  

They arrived on scene less than a minute after the blast. 

<VIDEO SOUND FULL>

Sadly, three of our fellow residents died from the explosion. 

As I met with tearful neighbors that afternoon along Weinbach Avenue, they thanked me for the timely, professional response of the Evansville Fire Department.  

Another part of the team of top-notch first responders — equally prepared for disasters of all kind — our dispatchers. They take our calls when we dial 911 and they work to ensure police, fire and paramedics arrive on scene as quickly as possible…. like they did the night of the Walmart shooting, the day of the house explosion and for two of our city’s largest-ever fires …on October 17^th and December 31^st.

<VIDEO SOUND FULL…dispatchers>

Let me be clear: we have remarkably skilled public safety agencies, each of which performs at exceptional levels in the most dangerous and highly scrutinized situations.

Our first responders are also on the front line of another serious issue: drug overdoses. Fentanyl or other opioids are at the heart of most overdoses.  Sadly, Evansville is not immune from this national crisis: 77 people died in our community last year from drug overdoses. 

 (?) How can we reduce that number? (?) How do we make a difference? We think one way is through a creative new partnership between Youth First and Forefront Therapy. Parri Black, Wade Lowhorn, and Ryan and Jessica Wood represent these fine organizations and are with us today.  They, and others, have, over the past many months, been in discussions on the best and most effective use of $3.4 million in Opioid Settlement Funds the city will receive over the next 17 years.

As a result, I’m pleased to announce that we will be asking City Council to fund important initiatives developed by Youth First and Forefront, all of which qualify for matching dollars from the State of Indiana and to which I have signed letters of support seeking those funds.

YouthFirst and Forefront will collaborate on a plan which will allow the two groups to expand their respective outstanding evidence-based services to in-school and outpatient therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and social work services. 

This collaboration will enable Youth First to recruit and retain a strong workforce of highly proficient social workers who are specialized mentors for thousands of young people and their families

For its part, the Forefront team has created a multidisciplinary program for chronic pain to avoid opioid use and to assist those already addicted to opiates with treatment that is opioid free. 

Another piece of this effort is specialized training to bolster the expertise in providing service to babies with Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome, as well as to mothers battling addiction.

Youth First and Forefront will also build a provider symposium so that other experts in this space can develop new strategies and grow capacity to combat the opioid epidemic.

The willingness of these two fine organizations to collaborate is very impressive, and I’m confident they are worthy of our encouragement and financial support.

If we were to assign a color to the first section of the speech it would have to be red. Heavy, life-threatening issues to be sure. We’re going to change the color scheme just a bit — (?) how about orange? 

I’m exceptionally proud of our Administration’s commitment to infrastructure. Investment in this area is a sign of progress, and, of course, some inconvenience. Phase II of the Walnut Street Connector is about 50% complete. This portion of the protected path extends east from Weinbach to Vann Avenue, continues north on Vann and ties into the pedestrian bridge over the expressway towards Roberts Park. We anticipate this section to be complete this year. 

Phase III of the project, from U.S. 41 to Martin Luther, King, Jr. Boulevard, recently received good news.  Despite the challenging bidding environment, bids came in under the engineering estimate.  We expect portions of this stretch to go under construction early this summer. The entire corridor will be complete in 2025.

When finished, the Walnut Street Connector will deliver on the original promises of the Regional Cities award and the Welborn Foundation Grant:  a multi-modal corridor connecting downtown beginning at the medical school, east through the University of Evansville campus to the State Hospital, Roberts Park and Wesselman Park.  This will improve our city’s quality of life and dramatically upgrade connectivity.

Infrastructure investment is also about public safety. Perhaps no project better illustrates this point than the pedestrian bridge over U.S. 41 at Washington Avenue. Governor Holcomb joined me at this site in 2019 and saw first-hand the dangers of this intersection. This visit spurred transportation planners into action. Of course, there were COVID delays, but today final design work is nearly complete and the project will be let for bids in May. Assuming that bids are within budget, utility relocation and construction will begin this summer.  This long-anticipated overpass, with accompanying redesigned left turn movements on Highway 41, will greatly improve safety at this otherwise troubled and dangerous intersection.  

Speaking of troubled intersections, the state reports that the Lloyd Expressway upgrades are nearing final design. This collection of improvements is known as the Lloyd4U, and includes upgrades from the Posey County line to the Warrick County line: 17 individual projects in all. 

The state plans intersection improvements at Cross Point, Burkhardt, Stockwell, Vann, Wabash, St. Joe and Rosenberger. In addition, the state will completely replace the pavement from Wabash Avenue west to the Posey County line. 

These projects represent a total state investment exceeding $150 million. This is money INDOT could spend anywhere in Indiana, but leaders understand the need for improved and safer traffic flow on the Lloyd.

The first contract is expected to be advertised for bid late this year with construction set to start in 2024, with modifications and re-construction of intersections at Vann Avenue and Stockwell Road. The intersections at Burkhardt and Cross Pointe will be re-constructed in 2025.  Engineers are still working on the sequencing of the westside projects.  

So, be prepared for orange barrels and cones galore beginning in 2024.  Be ready for delays and all that come with major road projects. I urge you to exercise caution and patience in these work zones. And know this, when it’s all done traffic flow on the Lloyd Expressway will be significantly smoother and safer.

While I have you deep in the mindset of infrastructure, it’s also important to apprise you of the latest developments within the Evansville Water and Sewer Utility.

Allow me to begin with the status of the new water treatment plant, which will replace our current facility that opened in 1897. 

Here is a rendering of the new facility, which will be constructed at the site of the current street maintenance garage and Levee Authority facility at Waterworks Road and Veterans Memorial Parkway. Engineers recommended the new plant be constructed as close to the river as possible. They said that for every mile the new plant is away from the river, we should expect an additional $15 million in cost. A majority of the design work is complete on the new plant, and we anticipate having a final fixed price in the coming weeks.

To make room for the new treatment plant, we are relocating the street maintenance garage to city-owned land adjacent to the county jail. We anticipate construction on it to be complete in about a year. 

The Levee Authority will move to city-owned land on Stanley Avenue, also on the city’s north side. We expect that new facility to be opened next May.

If you drive downtown at all you are well aware of the traffic disruption caused by the Toyota Trinity Storm Water Park. This is a project pitched as part of the University of Evansville Changemaker Challenge, by then-Bosse High School student Robert Lopez.  Robert is now a UE senior. This is an important project because it will remove 26 million gallons of stormwater per year from our system. We are also replacing 4,700 feet of water lines with this project. Because of supply chain issues, we now anticipate completion later this year. 

We continue to work on our Integrated Overflow Control Plan. You will recall that we agreed to a $729 million plan with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Justice back in 2016 for the expressed purpose of reducing the number of combined sewer overflows.  In 2018 we asked to renegotiate that deal because prices on the first set of projects came in significantly higher than engineers’ estimates.  Our efforts led to a five-year pause of plan implementation with federal and state regulators, which has produced a three-year stretch with no sewer rate increases.  We are, however, still obligated to complete specific projects not in the Integrated Overflow Control Plan, such as a new lift station at Wansford Yards on the north side.  We do anticipate sewer rate increases beginning in 2024 to fund that project. 

We’ll propose a new, more affordable Long-Term Control Plan to our federal partners by the end of this year and use the final two years of the five-year pause to negotiate a final deal. 

I’m pleased to announce that one of our utility projects that also creates a wonderful riverfront amenity is about ready to open. The cascade at the Sunrise Pump Station, and the greenway near the cascade, will open on April 17^th.  The Pump Station was built as part of the expansion of our East Wastewater Treatment Plant, and the cascade is the means by which we return treated water back to the Ohio River.

The utility is the ONE department on which every citizen relies daily.  It handles our sewage and produces our water at CRAZY levels…all part of the day-to-day operation of city government. 

Impressive work by the city’s 12-hundred-plus employees.

Here are five other very impressive numbers: 23, 15,000, 30 million, 32.5 million, and 62.5 million.

15,000 residents living in 12 economically challenged census tracts — over the next five years — will benefit from a $30 million Department of Education grant to the University of Evansville to create the Evansville Promise Neighborhood. 

With UE as the lead partner, 23 other agencies will provide an additional $32.5 million in matching funds — mainly through in-kind services — over the next five years.

The $62.5 million total investment will offer wraparound family and community support systems, assist children in this neighborhood to achieve academic excellence, help them transition to post-secondary education, and ultimately help them embark on a career.  

The Promise Neighborhood includes Evans Elementary, Delaware Elementary, Lincoln, Lodge Community School, Glenwood Leadership Academy, and Bosse High School.

The grant is one of only three such awards in the entire country. A special thank you to UE President Chris Pietruszkiewicz, EVSC Superintendent Dr. David Smith, EREP CEO Tara Barney, the Promise Zone’s Silas Matchem, and many other community partners who came together in a collaborative spirit that is uniquely Evansville.  

Evansville’s unique riverfront will soon be home to a new project, which will be the largest of its kind in the entire state: the Sunset Skate Park.  Site work is now underway at the park, which is between the Sunrise Pump Station and Mickey’s Kingdom. The skatepark will feature artwork, jumps for serious skaters and even a cycle track for skaters and those learning to ride a bike. The design truly has something for everyone.  We anticipate completion in late fall.

No doubt that you have heard about our plans to build pickleball courts adjacent to the tennis courts at Wesselman Park. Pickleball is the fastest-growing sport in the country, and if you don’t play, chances are you know someone who does.

When local pickleball enthusiast Michael Watkins first pitched the idea of new courts back in 2021, we quickly learned that residents all over the city play in church and school gyms, fitness centers, community buildings, and tennis facilities.

The Parks Department, with extensive input from the Wesselman Woods staff, Visit Evansville and others, developed a plan to provide courts free to the public while also positioning the city to host state and regional tournaments. 

Like most projects, initial bids came in over budget so we have adjusted the project scope to fit our funding. As a result, 16 courts are proposed. We hope to begin construction later in the spring.

Evansville is blessed to have iconic parks that have great historical and sentimental significance. Garvin Park and Wesselman Park are two such facilities. It’s time that we make new investments in each.  

Wesselman Park will benefit from our partnership with Wesselman Woods, the 200-acre hardwood forest.  Back in 2020, we committed to grant the land, which formerly was home to the par 3 golf course, to Weselman Woods for the expressed purpose of reforestation.  This collaboration will expand the nature preserve by 32 acres.  We are equally excited by Wesselman Woods’ long-term plan to build a new visitors center near that re-forested area in order to bring increased visibility and awareness to their programs.

And what way to begin restoring Wesselman than by completely renovating the entrance? Work is underway to create a safer, more attractive front door to the park on Boeke Road. This new entrance will benefit walkers, runners, and motorists and most importantly, create a better connection to the neighborhoods around the park. 

The revised Master Plan for Wesselman + Roberts Park envisions designated walking and running paths, builds new basketball and sand volleyball courts, a Parkour (ninja type) course, slows traffic, relocates and creates a new destination playground, all in addition to connecting to the former location of Roberts Stadium. 

We remain committed to a large festive lawn area at Roberts Park, along with a new lake to the south, a pavilion, restrooms, and hundreds of new trees which are in addition to the reforested area I just referenced. 

One of the motivations behind this design is the opportunity to create connected green space from Morgan Avenue to the north — all the way through Wesselman Park, Roberts Park, across the Lloyd Expressway via the pedestrian bridge, and through the state hospital grounds to Lincoln Avenue. The trail system that will be created will connect with the new Walnut Street connector that — again — will extend all the way to downtown Evansville.  

There’s an equal sense of energy surrounding Garvin Park. We have initial concept designs to relocate the shelter house, playground, and basketball courts that were displaced as a result of the Deaconess Aquatic Center. We also have ideas on how to improve the lake, walking paths, baseball fields, and the Don Mattingly tribute. 

The Parks Department has spent the past year talking to stakeholders in the area, and have identified even more improvements, including the main fountain.  We are fortunate that the Welborn Baptist Foundation is a partner in these discussions and is highly engaged in developing a plan to re-energize the park and better connect it to the neighborhoods. 

I’m really proud to announce that one of our city’s most recognizable landmarks is getting a long-awaited renovation.  

The Four Freedoms Monument, which was dedicated in 1976 to commemorate our nation’s bicentennial, will be cleaned and the concrete and pavers replaced. This iconic site hosts tributes, memorials, protests, and prayer services too numerous to mention. I hope you share my pride in knowing that a restoration of this important city landmark will soon begin. 

Tomorrow is an important day for the Park Board of Commissioners. At their meeting, they — and the public — will get a first look at the new Five-Year Master Plan for the Department of Parks & Recreation. The State of Indiana requires communities to develop these plans to be eligible for state and federal grants.  It’s important to note that implementation of many of the recommendations in the new plan is already underway…including the addition of a new maintenance crew and the creation of a park-by-park improvement plan.  A special shout-out to Interim Parks Director Steve Schaefer, Deputy Director Danielle Crooks and the entire staff for completing this important and exhaustive effort.  

Among my most frequently asked questions of late (besides what I’ll be doing when I leave office) is the status of the 5^th and Main project. Construction costs, interest rate increases and supply chain shortages — all issues beyond our control — have slowed the pace of this project, but progress IS being made.

The scope of the project has changed to include more apartments, and less commercial space while keeping restaurant space on the first floor, along with underground parking and a park at the corner of 4^th and Main. I’m pleased to share with you the most recent rendering.  

The state of Indiana just recently approved the transfer of state incentives to our new developer, so they are now working on the construction drawings. This will take six-to-eight months. Our team is laser-focused on trying to break ground before the end of the year.

The medical school campus will begin to take a new look in the next 18-to-24 months. The University of Evansville needs downtown housing for its graduate and undergraduate students, and they need additional classroom space. As a result, a new facility is currently being designed to accommodate UE’s needs. It will be located in a portion of the former Deaconess Clinic, while another portion of that old clinic will be razed for future development. This is one of the numerous projects for which we’ll lay the foundation but will be completed under a new administration.

Last year’s State of the City included news regarding the riverfront. I told you about our bold new plan for the future called River Vision.

This vision imagines a new traffic pattern on Riverside Drive along with opportunities for new housing, retail and public space from Cherry Street to Court Street. 

The Evansville Regional Economic Partnership and the Downtown EID are working with a downtown planning consultant to assist us with our vision, as well for planning future developments in downtown Mt. Vernon and Newburgh.

River Vision is one reason I am SO excited about our city’s future.  Our city’s been aiming to the stars, and It’s been an overwhelming honor to have a front-row seat to now twelve years of growth, development, community pride — of positive progress! 

Our success — and I mean every success — is about all of you and every resident. Whether you embody the pioneering spirit of Hugh McGary or the cheerleading personality of Mayor Benjamin Bosse –- our success should be credited to everyone who comes alongside us to dream, to volunteer, to contribute, to celebrate. 

The state of our city is bright. It’s bright because we are city of stars. Stars that get brighter when we need the greatest light, support, and love. A constellation shining with such intensity as to clearly illuminate our city’s future. 

<EVSC Honors Choir enters and performs>

It’s always a pleasure to highlight our community’s future stars. A special thank you to the Evansville-Vanderburgh School Corporation High School Honors Choir.

I hope that you enjoy a small token of my appreciation — a chocolate key to the city — for your amazing support (thank you to Tom Libs at Stephen Libs Finer Chocolates). 

As we conclude today, please know that it has truly been my highest professional honor to serve as our city’s 34^th mayor. I’ve enjoyed convening, collaborating, debating and dreaming. I’ve relished the receptions, ribbon cuttings, groundbreaking, and proclamations. Our objective by leading the way we have was to be the booster Mayor Bosse encouraged. 

Our time of service in this role is drawing closer to its conclusion…271 days to be exact. We have much work to complete and much to start for a new mayor to oversee. I’m confident, that as you have embraced our leadership style and vision, you will be equally supportive of my successor when she comes before you next year. 

May God bless each of you, the good work of the Rotary Club, and the City of Evansville.

FOOTNOTE:  The City-County Observer posted Mayor Winnecke’s “State Of The City” address without bias or editing.