IS IT TRUE that a  well known local pastor and 2nd Ward resident Steve Ary asked members of the Evansville City Council a couple financial questions during last night’s council meeting?  … City Council President Missy Mosby refused to answer pastor Ary’s pointed questions concerning the utilities costs and payments issues at the Ford Center?  …Missy Mosby announced that he will receive an answer to his questions vie mail from legal counsel in the near future?
IS IT TRUE that pastor Ary is also the editor/publisher of the monthly Vanderburgh Independent Press (The VIP)? …this monthly publication has a strong conservative and religious bent?  … that At-Large City Councilwoman Michelle Mercer (R) stated that his being the editor of a monthly newspapers is the reason why City Council should refused to be transparent in answering his questions concerning utilities costs and payments of the Ford Center?
IS IT TRUE we are surprised to learn that a citizen of Evansville 2nd ward and the editor/publisher of a monthly conservative and religious bent publications seemly have no rights when it came to his receiveing answers from City Council to questions regarding city business? …we strongly believe that Council members Missy Mosby (D) and Michelle Mercer (R) has a responsibility to be totally transparent concerning the finances of this city regardless of who is asking the questions or how they feel about person asking them? …just in case you need to know that the other 6 remaining Council members just in silence watching all this go down?
IS IT TRUE its important to point out that pastor and newspaper publisher Steve Ary has been a tax-paying resident of Evansville nearly his entire life? … that he and his family lives in Missy Mosby’s 2nd Ward? …that Pastor Ary inquiry on how our city tax dollars are spent on the Ford Center could had been handled by either by City Controller Russ Lloyd Jr, Council Finance Chairman Dan McGinn (R), accounting expert Councilwoman Anne Harris-CPA (R), DMD Executive Director-Kelley Cources because they were at the meeting?
IS IT TRUE we are amazed that pastor Ary was singled-out by select members of the Evansville City Council because he is an editor and publisher of a local monthly newspaper? .. Its obvious that pastor and editor/publisher Steve Ary was being discriminated against by two (2) members of the Evansville City Council because of his employment?  …that someone should tell Council members Missy Mosby and Michelle Mercer that there are Federal and State laws that protect people from being discriminated because of their line of work?
IS IT TRUE its been alleged by Pastor Ary that City Council attorney,  Josh Claybourne, advised  him if he does not “announce himself as being with the media†when he at the podium, that he can ask question the Council as a constituent of the 2nd Ward, and therefore he can receive the answers to his questions? …that after taking Claybourne’s advise, pastor Steve did not announced himself as a member of  the media, but rather, as pastor and citizen of  the 2nd Ward?  …that Councilwoman Mosby still refused to answer his questions about governmental issues?  …we wonder who came up with the policy that members of the media can’t ask any questions concerning city business at any official city council meeting?
 IS IT TRUE that we were given the actual questions pastor Steve Ary asked City Council during last nights meeting? …that you can read those questions below?
 1. How much are the annual utility bills for gas, electric, and water at the Ford Center?
 2. Who pays for the Ford Center utility bills? Is it the City, VenuWorks, or is it both?  If it is both, what is that cost ratio?
3. Did the Evansville Redevelopment Commission write any checks to cover either full or part of the Ford Center utilities bills?
4) Recently the ERC approved a contract between VenuWorks and the ERC. Â Does this contract make the city taxpayers responsible for all the debts incurred by the Evansville Thunderbolts Hockey team during the 2016-17 season?
IS IT TRUE that the people of this city deserve answers to paster Steve Ary’s questions,?  … we feel that any members of the local media should be treated with equality, and not as a second class citizen?  …we hope that pastor Ary and newspapers editor /publisher sues members of city council because they discriminated against because of his line of work?
TODAYS “Readers Poll” question is: Do you feel that any member of the media should be allowed to ask any questions concerning city business during any official city council meeting
