The Evansville Police Department Police Pension Board of Trustees will hold an Executive Session on Wednesday, December 5, 2018, at 8:15 a.m. The Meeting will be held in Room 307 of the Civic Center Plaza.
The Executive Session will be closed as provided by:Â
I.C. 5-14-1.5-6.1(7) For discussion of records classified as confidential by state or federal statute.
Immediately following the Executive Session, a regular Open Session will be held in Room 307Â
of the Civic Center Plaza.
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Thursday, November 29 – Sunday, December 1
49th Annual Madrigal Feaste
The University’s most enduring musical tradition, the Madrigal Feaste showcases members of the USI Chamber Choir, who don period costumes and entertain with selections of old English and Irish Madrigals, folk songs and holiday choral selections. More Information
Open through Sunday, December 9
2018 Senior Seminar to showcase capstone work of art majors
The 2018 Senior Seminar Exhibition is on display from Wednesday, November 7 through Sunday, December 9 in the Kenneth P. McCutchan Art Center/Palmina F. and Stephen S. Pace Galleries at the University of Southern Indiana. The exhibit features art and design work by 37 senior art majors and is the culmination of their artistic achievements at USI. Read More
Public tickets go on sale Monday, December 10 for Monday, January 21, 2019 luncheon
49th Annual Madrigal Feaste
Donna Brazile, former Chair of the Democratic National Committee and New York Times best-selling author, will be the keynote speaker at the University of Southern Indiana’s annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Luncheon at 11 a.m. Monday, January 21, 2019, in Carter Hall, located in University Center on the USI campus. Tickets will be available for USI students and employees beginning Monday, November 26 and will be available for the general public beginning Monday, December 10. All tickets may be purchased online on the USI website or at the USI Multicultural Center, located at Room 1224 in University Center East. Tickets are $5 for USI students, $10 for USI employees and $20 for the general public. Read More
Open through Saturday, December 15
New Harmony Gallery showcases Play-themed artwork
The New Harmony Gallery of Contemporary Art will host the exhibition Play through Saturday, December 15. Playprovides an excellent sample of contemporary artists interpreting the theme of play and features a variety of media including painting, drawing, printmaking, photography, sculpture and video. The lineup showcases a range of artists from student to professional, including several University of Southern Indiana students, alumni and faculty. Read More
A collection of events on campus and in the community sponsored by USI student organizations
can be found on the USI events calendar by clicking here.
Applications available today through December 7, 2018
USI SeaPerch Sponsorship
The University of Southern Indiana’s Pott College of Science, Engineering, and Education and the SwISTEM Resource Center are offering a SeaPerch Sponsorship Program for up to ten (10) SeaPerch teams. Schools and organizations in southwestern Indiana, southeastern Illinois, and western Kentucky that are facing financial hardship in purchasing materials to participate in the SeaPerch Program are encouraged to apply. This program will supply one SeaPerch kit per team ($179) and a USI Regional SeaPerch Challenge registration fee waiver ($50). Priority will be given to new SeaPerch coaches/teams but that should not keep seasoned teams from applying. Teams must commit to competition in the 2019 USI SeaPerch Challenge. The deadline to apply is December 7, 2018. Awardees will be notified on December 14, 2018. Click here for a link to the application form. More information about the SeaPerch Program can be found at SeaPerch.org.
The Board of School Trustees of the Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation will meet in executive session at 3:30 p.m. on Monday, November 26, 2018, in the John H. Schroeder Conference Centre at the EVSC Administration Building, 951 Walnut, IN 47713, Evansville, IN. The session will be conducted according to Senate Enrolled Act 313, Section 1, I.C. 5-14-1.5-6.1, as amended. The purpose of the meeting is for discussion of collective bargaining, (2)(A); initiation of litigation or litigation that is either pending or has been threatened specifically in writing, (2)(B); purchase or lease of property, (2)(D); and job performance evaluation of individual employees, (9).
The regular meeting of the School Board will follow at 5:30 p.m. in the EVSC Board Room, same address.
VIENNA BOYS CHOIRVICTORY THEATRE – MARCH 2 – 6:00pmTICKETS ON SALE FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 30 @ 10AM
Evansville, IN– On March 2nd, one of the oldest and most famous choirs will be taking Victory Theatre’s stage. Boys have been singing at the Viennese court since the 14th century, and in 1498 – more than half a millennium ago – Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I moved his court and his court musicians to Vienna. Historians have settled on 1498 as the foundation date of the Vienna Chapel Imperial (Hofmusikkapelle) and thus the Vienna Boys Choir. Until 1918, the choir sang exclusively for the imperial court, at mass, concerts, private functions, and on state occasions.
Throughout history, such noted composers as Heinrich Isaac, Philippe de Monte, Heinrich Ignaz Franz Biber, Johann Joseph Fux, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Antonio Caldara, Antonio Salieri, Christoph Willibald Gluck, and Anton Bruckner have worked with the choir. Jacobus Gallus and Franz Schubert were themselves choristers, and brothers Franz Josephand brother Michael Haydn were members of the choir of St. Stephen’s Cathedral, but frequently sang with the imperialboys choir as well.
In 1918, after the breakdown of the Habsburg Empire, the Austrian government took over the court opera, its orchestraand the adult singers, but not the boys’choir. Josef Schnitt, who became Dean of the Imperial Chapel in 1921, turned the-MORE-
Victory Theatre. 600 Main St. Evansville, IN 47708. Office: (812) 422-8000
Vienna Boys Choir into a private institution. The former court choir boys became the Wiener Sängerknaben (Vienna Boys Choir); the imperial uniform was replaced by the sailor suit, then the height of boys’ fashion. The choir started to give concerts outside of the chapel in 1926, performing motets, secular works – and at the boys’ request – children’s operas.The impact was amazing. Within a year, the choir had performed in Berlin (led by Erich Kleiber), Prague, and Zurich. Athens and Riga (1928) followed, then Spain, France, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden (1929), the United States (1932), Australia (1934), and South America (1936). Since 1926, the choir has gone on more than 1000 tours in 100 different countries.
Today, the Vienna Boys Choir consists of 100 boys between the ages of ten and fourteen, from dozens of nations, divided into four touring groups. Each group spends nine to eleven weeks of the school year on tour. Between them, the four choirs give 300 concerts and performances each year before almost half a million people. They visit virtually all European countries, and are frequent guests in Asia, Australia, and the Americas.
The Vienna Boys Choir has a close association with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. Together with members of the orchestra and the men of the Vienna State Opera Chorus, the choir maintains the tradition of the imperial musicians: asHofmusikkapelle (Chapel Imperial) they provide the music for the Sunday Mass in Vienna’s Imperial Chapel, as they havedone since 1498. In 2016, the choir participated for the sixth time in the New Year’s Concert of the Vienna PhilharmonicOrchestra, conducted by Mariss Jansons.
The choir’s repertoire includes everything from medieval to contemporary and experimental music. Motets and lieder for boys’ choir form the core of the touring repertoire, as do the choir’s own arrangements of quintessentially Viennesemusic like waltzes and polkas by Lanner, Lehár, and Strauss.
We hope that today’s “IS IT TRUEâ€Â will provoke honest and open dialogue concerning issues that we, as responsible citizens of this community, need to address in a rational and responsible way?Â
IS IT TRUE at tonights City Council meeting an Ordinance Regarding City of Evansville Funds Allocated to ECHO Housing Corp will be discussed? …co-sponsors are Justin Elpers, Jonathan Weaver and discussion will be led by Finance Chairman Weaver?  …we hope that members the Evansville City Council will not approve any request to release any funds for ECHO Housing  Corp. without seeing a formal copy of the Forensic Audit conducted by an outside Accounting firm?  …we are hearing that the ECHO Housing Forensic Audit may have been completed and the Evansville Police Department told officials at ECHO Housing not to release any Audit information until their investigation is completed?  …this investigation has been going on for the last eight months and it’s time that the findings be released to the Media, DMD Director, ECHO Housing Board of Directors, the Mayor, and members of City Council?
IS IT TRUE at tonights City Council meeting City ORDINANCE F-2018-25 will be presented for discussion? Â …the Ordinance reads; “An Ordinance of the Common Council of the City of Evansville Authorizing Transfers of Appropriations, Additional Appropriations and Repeal and Re-Appropriation of Funds for Various City Funds Sponsor(s)”? …we trust that members of City Council will ask pointed questions why this ordinance is needed at this late date in the 2018 budget cycle? …that the discussion of this Ordinance will be led by Finance Chairman Jonathan Weaver and Russ Lloyd, Jr., City Controller?
IS IT TRUE last week we posted that the newly elected County Commissioner of Vanderburgh County was offered free tickets to professional sporting events from someone who does business with the county? …that County Commissioner-elect Jeff Hatfield declined the free ticket offer? …we also reported that he also declined an offer by another County vendor to wine and dine him at an expensive restaurant? Â …we are told that Commissioner-elect Jeff Hatfield also said he won’t accept any gifts of any kind from anyone doing business or want to do business with the county? Â …were informed that Mr. Hatfield fellow Commissioners (Cheryl Musgrave and Ben Shoulders) had the same experiences with vendors doing business with the County? Â …we are pleased to hear that Mrs. Musgrave and Mr. Shoulders also declined free gifts from vendors?
IS IT TRUEÂ last week we posted that County Commissioner-elect Jeff Hatfield would like to see engineering, road and construction projects to be put out for competitive bidding? …we look forward to hearing Commissioners Musgrave and Shoulders positions on this issues?
IS IT TRUE Â last week we posted that County Commissioner-elect Jeff Hatfield said: “that will not appoint any members of his immediate family to serve on influential local Boards and Commission”? …he also said; “that he is against the practice of nepotism in the public sector”? Â ..we are also pleased to hear that Mrs. Musgrave and Mr. Shoulders also agree with Commissioner-elect Hatfield on this issue?
IS IT TRUE we are told that several partisan and non-partisan individuals are working on a strategy to defeat the current Mayor of Evansville in the upcoming 2019 City election? …we are told that the major upset victory by Democrat Jeff Hatfield over well known and popular Republican Mike Duckworth has caused major excitement within the Democratic party of Vanderburgh County? …we are told that several disgruntled Democrats, Libertarians, Republicans and non-partisan voters of the City are talking about forming a political coalition in order to find a credible person to run against a Mayor whom they considered to be a tax and spend politician?  …we are told that they also feel if Mike Duckworth can be defeated so can Mayor Winnecke?
IS IT TRUEÂ during the Mid-term election we questioned if the Vanderburgh County Prosecutor Nick Hermann has awarded a non-bid “Drug Testing and Tracking” contract to a big political campaign contributor? Â …since that time, we haven’t received any Vanderburgh County Felony Charges reports from his public relations gal? …we look forward to Mr. Hermann to start resending us these reports because the public has a right to know about the who is charged with a felony?
IS IT TRUE that we continue to be impressed by Jon Webb over at the Evansville Courier and Press? Â … kudos to Jon Webb for using his reporter’s skills to reach a highly probable conclusion? Â …we know that Mr. Web has the journalism skills to write an interesting article about local politicians who give no-bid contracts to their big political donors?
IS IT TRUE that Channel 44 Anchor person Amanda Porter does a superb job in bringing us accurate and up-to-date local news of substance?  …that JoJo Genty the Sports Director of News 44 TV has earned the reputation of being extremely informative, detailed, aggressive and creative in providing her viewers with the current sports happenings in our region?  …the above news professionals are some of the reasons why Channel 44 TV is rapidly becoming known as a local news source you can trust and depend on
Todays“Readers Poll†question is: Do you feel that City Council shouldn’t release any funds to ECHO Housing Corp. until they are given a copy of the Forensic Audit report of that agency?
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We understand that sometimes people don’t always agree and discussions may become a little heated.  The use of offensive language, insults against commenters will not be tolerated and will be removed from our site.
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AGENDA
| I. | INTRODUCTION |
Agenda Attachment:
| II. | APPROVAL OF MEETING MEMORANDA |
Memo Attachment:
| III. | REPORTS AND COMMUNICATIONS |
| IV. | SPECIAL ORDERS OF THE DAY |
| V. | CONSENT AGENDA:Â FIRST READING OF ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS |
A. ORDINANCE G-2018-32 An Ordinance Granting a Certificate of Convenience and Necessity for the Operation of Taxicabs for the Year 2019 (PAST, LLC) Sponsor(s): Adams Discussion Led By: A.S.D. Chair Adams 12/10/2018 Notify: Bill Kramer, PAST, LLC G-2018-32 Attachment:
B. ORDINANCE G-2018-33 An Ordinance Granting a Certificate of Convenience and Necessity for the Operation of Taxicabs for the Year 2019 (Relaxi Taxi Co.) Sponsor(s): Adams Discussion Led By: A.S.D. Chair Adams 12/10/2018 Notify: Keith Kollker, Relaxi Taxi Co, LLC. G-2018-33 Attachment:
C. ORDINANCE F-2018-25 An Ordinance of the Common Council of the City of Evansville Authorizing Transfers of Appropriations, Additional Appropriations and Repeal and Re-Appropriation of Funds for Various City Funds Sponsor(s): Weaver Discussion Led By: Finance Chair Weaver 12/10/2018 Notify: Russ Lloyd, Jr., City Controller F-2018-25 Attachment:
D. ORDINANCE R-2018-29 An Ordinance to Rezone Certain Real Estate in the City of Evansville, State of Indiana, More Commonly Known as 1841 Buchanan Road Petitioner: Nora Elaine Roberts Owner: Nora Elaine Roberts Requested Change: M2 to R2 Ward: 6 Brinkmeyer Representative: Nora Elaine Roberts R-2018-29 Attachment:
E. ORDINANCE R-2018-30 An Ordinance to Rezone Certain Real Estate in the City of Evansville, State of Indiana, More Commonly Known as 612-614 Line Street, 300-310 E. Mulberry Street and 611-619 S. Governor Street Petitioner: Community Action Program of Evansville and Vanderburgh County, Inc. Owner: Community Action Program of Evansville and Vanderburgh County, Inc. Requested Change: C2 to R3 Ward: 4 Robinson Representative: Bret Sermersheim, Morley Corp. R-2018-30 Attachment:
F. ORDINANCE R-2018-31 An Ordinance to Rezone Certain Real Estate in the City of Evansville, State of Indiana, More Commonly Known as 1900-1912 N Fifth Avenue Petitioner: John and Anita Smith Owner: John & Anita Smith Requested Change: C4 to M1 w/UDC Ward: 6 Brinkmeyer Representative: Thomas J. Keith, Andy Easley Engineering, Inc. R-2018-31 Attachment:
| VI. | COMMITTEE REPORTS |
| VII. | REGULAR AGENDA:Â SECOND READING OF ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS |
A. ORDINANCE G-2018-31 An Ordinance to Vacate Certain Public Ways or Public Places Within the City of Evansville, Indiana, Commonly Known as All That Alley Being Approximately Twelve (12) Feet in Width and Located South of West Franklin Street, North of West Illinois Street, East of Mary Street and West of Harriet Street, in the City of Evansville, Indiana Sponsor(s): Hayden Discussion Led By: Public Works Chair Mosby 11/26/2018 Notify: Marco DeLucio, ZSWS G-2018-31 Attachment:
B. ORDINANCE F-2018-03 An Ordinance Regarding City of Evansville Funds Allocated to ECHO Housing Corp. Sponsor(s): Elpers, Weaver Discussion Led By: Finance Chair Weaver 11/26/2018 Notify: Joshua Claybourn, City Council Attorney F-2018-03 Attachment:
C. ORDINANCE R-2018-25 An Ordinance to Rezone Certain Real Estate in the City of Evansville, State of Indiana, More Commonly Known as 4445 Commerce Street Petitioner: Kevin Ferrell Owner: F&P Real Estate Holdings, LLC Requested Change: C2 to C4 Ward: 5 Elpers Representative: Kevin Ferrell, F&P Real Estate Holdings, LLC R-2018-25 Attachment:
D. ORDINANCE R-2018-27 An Ordinance to Rezone Certain Real Estate in the City of Evansville, State of Indiana, More Commonly Known as 5401 Weaver Road Petitioner: Brad Morton Owner: Brad Morton Requested Change: C4 to R1 Ward: 5 Elpers Representative: Brad Morton R-2018-27 Attachment:
E. ORDINANCE R-2018-28 An Ordinance to Rezone Certain Real Estate in the City of Evansville, State of Indiana, More Commonly Known as 401 NW Second Street Petitioner: Michael Martin Owner: Michael Martin Requested Change: C4 to C3 Ward: 4 Robinson Representative: Michael Martin R-2018-28 Attachment:
| VIII. | RESOLUTION DOCKET |
A. RESOLUTION C-2018-35 A Resolution Memorializing the Mater Dei Girls Soccer Team for Winning the State Championship Sponsor(s): Adams, Brinkmeyer, Elpers, Mosby Discussion Led By: President Brinkmeyer 11/26/2018 Notify: Joshua Claybourn, City Council Attorney C-2018-35 Attachment:
B. RESOLUTION C-2018-36 A Resolution in Support of Mesker Park Zoo & Botanic Garden’s Destination Development Grant Proposal Sponsor(s): McGinn Discussion Led By: President Brinkmeyer 11/26/2018 Notify: Joshua Claybourn, City Council Attorney C-2018-36 Attachment:
C. RESOLUTION C-2018-37 A Resolution of the Common Council of the City of Evansville, Indiana, Approving and Authorizing Certain Actions and Proceedings with Respect to Certain Proposed Economic Development Revenue Bonds and Related Matters Sponsor(s): Weaver Discussion Led By: Finance Chair Weaver 11/26/2018 Notify: Kelley Coures, Dept. of Metropolitan Development C-2018-37 Attachment:
| IX. | MISCELLANEOUS BUSINESS |
A. THE NEXT MEETING of the Common Council will be Monday, December 10, 2018 at 5:30 p.m.
B. TAX PHASE-IN COMPLIANCE REPORTS:Â Andrea Lendy, Growth Alliance
C. ADDITIONAL MISCELLANEOUS BUSINESS
| X. | COMMITTEE REPORTS |
| XI. | ADJOURNMENT |
By Mary Beth Schneider
TheStatehouseFile.com
The new Indiana General Assembly was sworn in Tuesday, with an important milestone reached.
More women now represent Indiana in the state legislature than ever before. In all, 35 women now serve in the House and Senate, beating the past record of 33 women set in 1995.
Yes, it took Indiana more than two decades just to add two additional women to its 150 members. Hardly a reason to pop the champagne. Women make up about 51 percent of the population of Indiana, but only 23 percent of the General Assembly, even with this year’s historic gains. That’s less than the national average of just over 25 percent in 2018, a number that’s sure to be higher due to the so-called “pink wave†in this November’s elections.
Except, that is, for the House Democratic caucus. Only two of the 10 Senate Democrats are women and only seven of the 40 Senate Republicans. Among the 67 House Republicans, 9 are women, for a paltry 13 percent.
But women are actually a majority of the House Democratic caucus, holding 17 of that side’s 33 seats.
Tuesday, as lawmakers took their seats in the House of Representatives, the differences were striking. On the Republican side, every face was white. The first three rows? All men. But the Democrat side looked a lot more like a portrait of the state, with 15 black lawmakers, one Hispanic and the state’s first Asian-American in the legislature.
Looking down the rows of lawmakers, some new faces joining long-time members, the change that this year’s election brought was clear. In one row on the Democratic side, there were six women and one black man. Take it from someone who started covering the legislature back in 1990: That’s an unprecedented sight.
Does it matter? Women and minorities — including the first openly gay senator — now have more seats at the table. But do they have a voice, especially considering that Republicans, who hold supermajorities in both chambers, have no minorities at all among their members and only 16 women among their 107 members?
And women have yet to break into the top leadership roles, though they fill a variety of “assistant†this and “deputy†that, plus committee chairmanships. All four caucus leaders are white men.
“It’s still a man’s world,†said Rep. Vanessa Summers, a black Democrat from Indianapolis who has served since 1991. “Hopefully that will change just by listening to some of the things we have to say and (realizing) how important it is to hear another side.â€
Rep. Maria Candelaria Reardon, a Hispanic Democrat from Munster, said “the chamber should reflect the population. It gives people a different perspective. People only know what they know, and when they hear another perspective then they can give it weight and consideration.
She and Sen. Vaneta Becker, a Republican from Evansville, were both optimistic he legislative agenda will reflect many of the concerns of women, from better funding for the Department of Child Services to raising teacher pay.
Rep. Sheila Klinker, D-West Lafayette, has been in the legislature longer than any other woman currently serving, first winning the election in 1982. Then, she was one of only 14 women serving in the House and Senate.
She now sits in that nearly all-female row. And she expects the numbers to grow, citing women elected to city and county offices who may later move up to the Statehouse.
That, though, is the same story I’ve heard since the 1980s. It’s the year of the woman! The glass ceiling has a million cracks! A pink wave! And then — tiny incremental change.
Maybe this year will be different. After all, it just isn’t in Indiana that more women than ever are holding elected office. At least 122 women will serve in the next Congress, a record-breaking high of 24 percent that leaves Congress far from reflecting the nation’s demographics. There, as in Indiana, the gains are largely on the Democratic side.
Parity, though, shouldn’t be a partisan issue. Republicans cannot grow if they are the party of old white men. America and Indiana are better with a leadership that truly represents the people.
The gains of 2018 have to be a start, not the finish.
FOOTNOTE: Mary Beth Schneider is an editor with TheStatehouseFile.com, a news website powered by Franklin College journalism students.
This article was posted by the Ciyi-County Observer without editing.
