John Krull

Dean Of Franklin College  School Of Journalism

Franklin, TN

John Krull,

The purpose of this letter is to serve as an introduction to the history of operations of the City-County Observer, which has served the people of Vanderburgh County, Indiana over the last 20 years. We have highlighted some of our most impactful reporting that has saved the people of Vanderburgh County tens of millions of dollars by avoiding both governmental actions and utility rate increases.

The report on the history of the City-County Observer is attached as a part of this document and addresses our philosophy, financial results and expansion opportunities

We are most certainly looking forward to your presentation at our upcoming annual community achievement award luncheon on November 3, 2022 at Bally’s Casino in downtown Evansville.

We are honored by your acceptance and truly look forward to making your acquaintance.

We anticipate much mutual benefit in the future.

Best Regards,

Ron H. Cosby, CEO

City-County Observer

          Overview Of The City-County Observer Vanderburgh County, Indiana  

Mission:

The mission of the City-County Observer is to serve the local community by reporting news built on honesty, trust, and journalistic integrity. The publication is designed to provide readers with the information they need to live safer and more enriched lives. It is a Beacon of Light for the Community with a continuous focus on good public policy.

Description:

For more than twenty (20) years, the City-County Observer has served Evansville and Southwest Indiana by reporting on issues and events that shape the lives of our citizens.  The publication is built on the cornerstones of service and trust.  It is nonpartisan with consistent and objective reporting.  While our goal is to educate and inform, the publication also serves as a community watchdog by sounding the alarm whenever citizens’ rights and welfare are in danger of being violated by our elected and appointed officials, businesses, and/or large corporations. We encourage our elected and appointed officials to consider the welfare of the citizens and the community.  We understand that a community cannot have a greater ambassador of goodwill than one that keeps its citizens informed about the accomplishments, failures, and triumphs of their elected and appointed officials.

The City-County Observer is published daily online and mobile and monthly in print monthly at no cost.  Our monthly print papers are available in many locations throughout Evansville/Vanderburgh  County at no cost. Our publication is solely supported by local advertising.

The Rationale For Publishing The City-County Observer:

It is widely believed that there is a major void for accurate, truthful, and nonpartisan news throughout the United States and this need has never been more evident than now. 

It is a known fact that national newspaper conglomerates have put their shareholder’s financial interests and ideological dogma over providing their readers with accurate and unbiased news. 

Based upon the above premise we decided to create a locally-owned community newspaper that reports the news and does not engage in publishing unvetted rumors as though it was accurate news. 

It is also widely believed that most of the national media have forgotten their commitment to serve as a guiding light to report both truthful, accurate, and non-biased news.  It is very important to stress that the City-County Observer respects and honors the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The First Amendment  states that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or of the press, or the right of the people to peaceably assemble and to petition the government for the for a redress of grievances.”  Also, let us not forget that “When people Fear The Government There Is Tyranny But When The Government Fear The People There Is Liberty!”  (Thomas Jefferson)

Example of City-County Observer’s Success In Exposing Bad Public Policy And Financial Corruption 

A.  The City-County Observer was informed by several civic-minded individuals that local elected officials were ready to invest in a very questionable and non-vetted business venture known as Earthcare Energy Corporation.  Earthcare  Energy Corporation promised our elected officials to manufacture a device that uses a natural gas pipeline pressure reduction valve to generate power. The City-County Observer proved that this device was not patented as it was represented to be and not proven to be commercially feasible. Furthermore, we exposed the reality that the Earthcare Energy Corporation owner’s and manager’s commitment to our elected officials was hyped beyond reasonable expectations for a technically informed professional.  The City of Evansville elected officials stated that the city would provide a five (5) million dollar loan to Earthcare Energy Corporation and pay for its rent at the location of an abandoned factory at the Evansville Airport./. State incentives also  include one (1) million in tax credits for the Earthcare Energy business venture

When all was said and done, the majority of the Evansville City Council members voted (in a split vote) to advance Earthcare Energy Corporation a sum of $250,000 in seed money to begin this project. Three (3) months after receiving the $250,000 startup money from the City of Evansville  Earthcare Energy Corporation left town without meeting any of the commitments concerning this bogus startup business venture.

The majority of the elected officials who did not heed the City-County Observer’s advice concerning this failed business venture either did not run for reelection or were defeated in their reelection bids.

 Attached below is an example of a recurring column that the City-County Observer publishes to expose inappropriate decisions and questionable public policy actions that are being considered by our elected officials.

We hope that today’s “IS IT TRUE” will provoke honest and open dialogue concerning issues that we, as responsible citizens of this community, need to address rationally and responsibly.

City-County Observer Comment Policy. Be kind to people. No personal attacks or harassment will be tolerated and will be removed from our site.”

We understand that sometimes people don’t always agree and discussions may become a little heated.  The use of offensive language and insults against commenters will not be tolerated and will be removed from our site.

Any comments posted in this column do not represent the views or opinions of our advertisers.

IS IT TRUE that we have been told by reliable sources that members of the Evansville City Council have signed a contract with “Main Street Communications” for a redistricting study at projected costs of $40,000 to $50,000?  …we have been told by reliable sources that members of the Evansville City Council could have asked Linda Freeman, Vanderburgh Co Surveyor to do the redistricting work for the city at little or no cost to the taxpayers.

IS IT TRUE that according to a statement posted on the “Main Street Communication” website, this consulting firm works for Democratic candidates around the nation to get them elected?  …that the website of “MAIN STREET COMMUNICATIONS also states that “They Make Smart, Strategic, Award WinningTV And Radio Ads For Disciplined Democratic Campaigns”?  …since the majority of the members of the Evansville City Council voted to hire “Main Street Communication” to do the “Redistricting” plan for the City Of Evansville we decided to visit their website to review the section reserved for “Redistricting” services offered by this firm but the section couldn’t be pulled up?  …that we considered this inappropriate public policy when an elected governmental body uses tax dollars to hire a firm that is openly politically partisan?

IS IT TRUE that we are told the Republication candidate for Mayor of Evansville in 2023,  Cheryl Musgrave’s political campaign coffers is approaching the $350,000 range?

IS IT TRUE that we are told that several members of the Evansville City Council, many taxpayers, and a former member of the Evansville Parks Board are extremely upset that the City Parks have not been maintained properly over the last several years?

IS IT TRUE we wonder if you would build a new home and had no clear-cut idea of what the final costs would be. …we also wonder if you wanted to purchase a new car and didn’t have any concrete idea of the total costs of the car would you buy it? …we also wonder how members of the Evansville Parks and Recreation Department Board can decide to build “24 Pickleball Courts” at Wesselman Park without having detailed financial costs for phases 1 and 2 of the project.

IS IT TRUE that we have been told by reliable sources that Helfrich Golf Course has been closed for several weeks due to the grass on the putting green dying because of a lack of water caused by a malfunctioning sprinkler system?

IS IT TRUE that we have been told by members of the Mole Nation that many Evansville City Employees were taken aback when they heard that a few members of the Evansville City Council may have been considering giving themselves, the Mayor, and a few select city employees a big salary increase for the upcoming budget year?  …we have been told that many city employees are extremely pleased that City Council members Justin Elpers and Jonathon Weaver spearheaded the effort to help stop any future discussions of excessive pay raises for the 2023 budget year?

IS IT TRUE that we were just informed that the City Engineer recently resigned from his position to take a job in the private sector?  …that an employee from the Water And Sewer replaced him?

IS IT TRUE that the word gentrification is being bantered about like a weapon?…what gentrification refers to is the mass change in the rental units in a certain area being converted from government-subsidized housing to housing that the new residents pay for themselves?…gentrification is something that cities and counties hope for but sometimes it strikes fear into the hearts and minds of the people who are being displaced?

IS IT TRUE the only problem with gentrification is that it displaces people who have been getting subsidies and who may not have the ability to get by without a housing subsidy?…gentrification has been known to grow homelessness?…in some cases like East Palo Alto, CA gentrification has been an overwhelming success in uplifting the area?…in the liberal bastion of Santa Monica it leads to the city using its laws to round up the homeless and put them on Greyhound busses and give them a one-way ticket to Phoenix, therefore exporting their problem to another state?

IS IT TRUE that we have been told that County Commissioner Ben Shoulders recently hosted his annual golf outing while he was home sick with COVID-19?   …we find it impressive that during his illness he secured over forty (40) golf foursomes for this annual political fundraising event. …that this event also attracted an extremely diverse crowd?

IS IT TRUE that we would like to give five (5) cheers to Vanderburgh County Coroner Steven W. Lockyear for doing an incredible job for the taxpayers of this community?

IS IT TRUE that the City-County Observer newspaper is a proud supporter of our law enforcement?

IS IT TRUE that everyone has a right to their opinions even if they are wrong?

IS IT TRUE when the people fear the Government we have Tyranny?  …when the Government fears the people we have liberty?

IS IT TRUE our “READERS POLLS” are non-scientific but trendy?

Positive and Significant Articles that have been Published Throughout the Years

FUTURE PUBLISHING OPPORTUNITIES :

From day one the City-County Observer has maintained that City-County Observer would remain a “Home Owned Home Grown, Locally Owned Nonpartisan” newspaper.

We have always believed that there would be an opportunity to expand our publishing business model into different markets of all sizes.  The City-County Observer is at a point for us to consider a reasonable and affordable expansion into adjoining countries and other regions of Indiana.

We Envision That Some Of the Expansion Opportunities For The City-County Observer could include but not be limited to the following:

1. Expansion of the City-County Observer in the adjoining counties such as Posey, Warrick, Spencer, Perry, and Gibson.
2. Expansion of the City-County Observer to additional metropolitan areas in Indiana that are currently considered to be “News Deserts”.
3. The City-County Observer could expand its operations to the Franklin College School of Journalism.  We believe that the City-County Observer and Franklin College School of Journalism could create an educational consortium that would allow the Franklin College School of Journalism students the opportunity for classroom instruction while offering students additional independent for-hire writing opportunities.
4. It is our preference that the City-County Observer would entertain and consider partnerships or joint ventures with either nonprofit or for-profit ventures headed by individuals willing to invest in a sister publication of the City-County Observer to serve the 91 countries in Indiana.  Our preference is to publish the City-County Observer in rural communities that are considered “News Deserts” throughout Indiana.

CURRENT OPERATIONS TEAM  MAKEUP:

The City-County Observer operates with a small staff that includes the following:

Ron Cosby-Publisher and CEO

Marilyn Cosby-Assistant Publisher-Secretary and Treasurer

Johnny Kincaid, Jay Young, Michael Daughtery, Dannie McIntire Contributing Writer

We have one hundred forty-seven (147) independent contributors of content so we can keep our readers informed about local happenings. Some of these contributors choose to remain anonymous and we honor their wishes. These contributors are a critical component of our “IS IT TRUE” section and the investigative articles that help us expose unethical behavior and bad public policy of our elected and appointed officials.

The information that is provided by our Independent Contributors, helps us ensure that our readers clearly understand that the City-County Observers’ mission is to influence good public policy at all times.

The City-County Observer is fortunate to be a media partner with the Franklin College StateHouse Files Group. This publishing and marketing partnership is an important component of attracting and maintaining a new readership so they will continue to read the City-County Observer.

During the last twenty (20) years, the City-County Observer has built a phenomenal network of local businesses, not-for-profit groups, entertainment venues, schools and colleges, and local and state law enforcement agencies, political individuals, and organizations that provide our publication with daily up-to-date breaking news and informative articles. 

The City-County Observer also has many engaged citizens from our local community who provide our publication with content and articles of significance throughout the year.

 Financial  Philosophy (Explaining the financial status of the City-County Observer to the business community is considered to be abstract or unorthodox to any business inquiries)

From day one, the business model that was adopted assures that profits would always be secondary to our reader’s ability to receive truthful, accurate, unbiased reporting. Consequentially, during the last twenty (20) years our business model has worked very well for the owners of the City-County Observer. We have earned a profit for each month during the last twenty (20) years. Our philosophy and business model for not charging our readers for a subscription has proven to be extremely successful in attracting new readers and retaining current readers for the City-County Observer. 

Also, not charging our readers a subscription fee assures that people are reading our papers and picking up printed papers at many locations throughout the city. The viewership being free helps to maximize our advertiser’s exposure. 

The City-County Observer has no outstanding debt.

The City-County Observer doesn’t have any current, past, or pending lawsuits.

All current and past tax forms have been appropriately filed at the state and national levels.

All of our capital equipment is paid for.

To save money, the City-County Observer is produced out of our home.

The most impressive aspect of the City-County Observer is we have a special financial arrangement with the majority of our advertisers. They pay us a year in advance for advertising.  

We consistently maintain a $75,000 plus balance in our business checking account.  

In conclusion, the City-County Observer also generates additional money throughout the year by producing monthly luncheon events that highlight local business leaders’ company challenges.

We sponsor an Annual  “Community Service Awards Luncheon” which, honors individuals that have contributed to the betterment of our community. This annual award luncheon generates an impressive profit for the newspaper.

CCO EDITORIAL: IT IS TIME TO CONDUCT A “FORENSIC AUDIT” OF THE FORD CENTER

JANUARY 30, 2024

Following six years of hand-wringing, extravagant impact claims, and efforts to influence the public, Evansville opened the Ford Center in November of 2011 with a concert by Tri-State favorite Bob Seger. The first concert was a sellout and the facility proved itself to have good acoustics and comfortable seats. The then City Council members filed in smiling and waving to occupy the first row of the seating at the long concert.

The Ford Center construction was managed by John Kish, who should have gotten a standing ovation for bringing the project to fruition on time and within the original budget of $128.5 million. Most projects of this type go over budget by tens of millions of dollars and Kish will be forever remembered for being an impeccable steward of the Evansville taxpayer’s money.  We also give five cheers for the outstanding job that members of our local trades did building the Ford Center. With minor opposition Evansville mover and shakers decided to move forward with construction without having a public vote.

One former citizen who didn’t support a stadium launched a campaign called “Sewers Before Stadium” to try to force a prioritization of a projected billion-dollar Water And Sewer mandated by the EPA to no avail. The Ford Center is now completed, and some positive progress has been made with the all-important projected billion-dollar Water and Sewer project throughout Evansville. The reality is that 12 years after the Ford Center’s grand opening, other less-than-important projects were prioritized over the fundamental needs of Evansville such as paving and repairing potholes on many of our city streets, repairs and renovations of our city parks, getting aggressive in correcting blight throughout Evansville, bringing housing stock to livable standards, making positive changes to public safety, and most importantly balancing the 2024 City budget to name a few priorities facing the new Mayor-elect Stephanie Terry and the newly elected members of City Council..

Years ago the City of Evansville commissioned a group called Chema to do a financial projection for the Ford Center and they concluded that it would pay for itself from day one and start to earn profits in year three. These projections never have been achieved.  Quite the opposite, the Ford Center has reportedly lost the City of Evansville many millions of dollars in cash flow for every year it has been operating. In fact, over the years other city departments’ budgets have sacrifice due to the unexpected recurring financial shortfalls at the Ford Center.

In defense of Mayor Winnecke from day one his administration inherited the $6 million dollar annual interest payment associated with a $128.5 million arena construction bond debt. Coupled with the annual $6 million dollar arena bond payment his administration was also forced to figure out a profitable marketing plan to generate enough income to pay the bills. After attempting to do so for the last 12 years it turned out to be an impossible task.

The early years of athletics were anticipated to be lucrative with dollars flowing to the City of Evansville from rents north of $10,000 per game from the University of Evansville Aces, and the Evansville Icemen hockey team. After only a few years, the Evansville Icemen decided to leave for the greener grass of Jacksonville, Florida where they reportedly found phenomenal success. The Lady Aces unfortunately never had the kind of crowds needed to pay the kind of rent that the Ford Center Center required and left for the safety of Carson Center on the University of Evansville campus. The UE men’s basketball team has struggled with attendance and with winning as the Purple Aces fans had become accustomed to at Robert’s Stadium where they won 5 NCAA championships and routinely drew crowds of over 10,000 per game. The Evansville Thunderbolts have also been disappointing in attendance because of their up-and-down seasons over the years.  We were told by confidential sources that it would be in the best interest of the citizens to do a Public records request on who is paying for all of the detailed expenses of the Evansville Thunderbolt Hockey team.

We have been told that there is a strong possibility that the rental income coming to the Ford Center from UE men’s basketball and the Evansville Thunderbolts and Guns And Hoses fundraising event may be receiving a big reduction on their home game rental charges which doesn’t improve the Ford Center lack of profitability.

 The Ohio Valley Conference has held its annual basketball tournament at the Ford Center for several years. In years when the Murray State Racers have a big local following, their games drew large crowds but the other games struggle to get 1,000 basketball fans in seats. The impact of athletics has not been close to the expectations set forth by the OHIO VALLEY Conference promoters and the cash flow results reflect that.

The largest crowds ever at Ford Center are the two trips to the Tri-State made by former President Donald Trump during his campaigns that drew over-capacity crowds that spilled into the street. It is not publicized as to whether the Trump campaign paid a fee or not. Also, over the years several rock and county concerts drew-capacity crowds.

We wonder how on earth can a major facility that was touted as the savior of downtown Evansville lose money and come up short on economic impact, without the people in power not realizing it. We expect that the answer will likely never come from the current Mayor, City Controller, and or City Council members.

The Ford Center, as nice as it may be, has seemingly never been anything but a financial drain on the people of Evansville. The most recent approval of Evansville City Council Financial ordinance G-2023-17 which grants the City of Evansville Redevelopment Authority (not to be confused with the Commission of the same name) the approval of a $9 million dollars in “LEASE /RENTAL REVENUE BONDS by a 6-2 vote  (Missy Mosby and Ron Beane voting against the proposal with Jonathan Weaver being absent) bonds to update the Ford Center and knowing that the current Ford Center annual income can not support an additional $9 million dollar bond debt payment.

The collateral for the $9 million dollar projected costs to update the FORD CENTER interior and exterior signage and concession areas are leasing and renaming rights of 29 streets throughout Evansville by using a little-known “LEASE/RENTAL REVENUE” bonds.  It’s important to point out that members of the Evansville City Council unwisely approved this transaction during a recent meeting with little discussion and without asking for the details of the costs of the improvements at the Ford Center, the interest rate of the bonds, and the length of repayment of this bond. This important information was not disclosed in the loan document given to City Council members at the time they voted.

It is time for transparency to be demanded on behalf of the taxpayers of Evansville concerning the financial operations of the Ford Center. The Evansville taxpayers, not the politicians) who pays the tab at the Ford Center deserves to know how the cash flows from one government entity to another in the game of many Cards Monte played in Evansville to generate an honorable profit.

The only way this is likely to happen is for the new financially responsible Mayor and a responsible City Council to order a Forensic Audit to be conducted on the financial transactions between the entities created to perpetuate this currently unsustainable financial project. Whatever may be found, we are convinced that the taxpayers of Evansville/Vanderburgh County will be stuck with this financially underperforming Ford Center until our newly elected official comes up with a workable plan to make it more financially sustainable!

We ask the taxpayers of Evansville to do the right thing by asking their newly elected city officials to conduct aForensic Audit by an out-of-state private auditing firm of the Ford Center.  We would like to stress that we feel a Forensic Audit would be appropriate due diligence on behalf of the taxpayers of Evansville and will help to find a new direction for running the Ford Center toward being more profitable.

Tribute to Ron Cosby

Happy 80th Birthday, Ron Cosby!

On this special milestone, we celebrate the remarkable journey and contributions of Ron Cosby, a distinguished figure in Evansville, Indiana, and Bristol, Tennessee. As the publisher of the City-County Observer, Ron has made a significant impact on the local community through his dedication to journalism and public service.

Ron’s path to becoming a respected publisher was far from easy. Born into challenging circumstances, he overcame adversity with perseverance and faith. His early years were marked by struggle, yet he was driven by a dream to rise above his circumstances, a dream inspired by his mother’s unwavering determination and biblical teachings.

Throughout his life, Ron has been a tireless advocate for truth and integrity. His career in journalism began with a strong desire to give a voice to the voiceless, a mission he has pursued with passion and commitment. Under his leadership, the City-County Observer has become a vital platform for community news and political discourse.

Ron’s political journey is equally noteworthy. He started his political life as a Democrat, later switched to the Republican Party, and eventually chose to become an Independent. This evolution reflects his independent thinking and dedication to serving the best interests of his community, regardless of party lines.

Adding to his distinguished career, Ron proudly served our nation as a Navy SEAL. His time in the military is a testament to his bravery, discipline, and unwavering commitment to the values of honor and service.

Beyond his military and journalistic achievements, Ron also made significant contributions to higher education. As President of a university in Bristol, Tennessee, he played a crucial role in shaping the institution’s direction and impacting countless students’ lives. His leadership in academia underscores his dedication to education and community development.

In addition to his professional accomplishments, Ron is also a family man. He has shared his life with his mother, wife, and two children, always striving to provide them with a better future. His story is one of resilience, faith, and the relentless pursuit of excellence.

Today, as we honor Ron Cosby, we recognize not only his achievements but also his enduring spirit and the positive influence he has had on countless lives. His contributions to journalism, military service, and education are invaluable, and his legacy will undoubtedly inspire future generations.

Happy 80th birthday, Ron! May your day be filled with joy, reflection, and the love of those whose lives you’ve touched.