The Traveling City Hall meeting on Wednesday at Washington Square Mall appeared to be quite a flop for the powers that be. As approximately 30-40 Department Heads sat around at tables configured in a large rectangle to answer questions from the citizens of Evansville, on average at any given point in time there were only about 4 people asking the Department Heads anything regarding the operations of the city.

On the other hand, there were several news crews, cameramen, and reporters there to document the event. But it was not the Traveling City Hall and its Department Heads about which the news crews were interested. Instead, the news crews were all over the three or four dozen policemen and firemen who came out in peaceful protest against Mayor Lloyd Winnecke’s 2017 Budget Proposal and Executive Director of H.R. Administrative Services’ George Fithian’s newly proposed insurance plans for city employees.

At Monday night’s City Council Meeting, a packed house revealed that there were a great number of city employees who were not happy with the changes to their insurance plans, which increased their premiums and increased their monthly payments.  Meanwhile, the Winnecke Administration intends to fund Mesker Zoo with a new penguin exhibit using millions of taxpayer dollars as the previous healthcare bills of city employees remains unpaid. The new insurance plans proposed by  the City Personnel Director George Within and Mayor Winnecke have increased city employee family insurance payments drastically. Some officers and firemen even stated that their payments have quadrupled.

One fireman said that this protest is nothing personal against the Mayor but we just don’t believe that the city has done its due diligence in finding a better option. We think the city has better options, and we are the people who risk our lives, have multiple exposures to carcinogens and getting shot at. We think we deserve a plan that’s not going to bankrupt our families and cause us to lose our homes.

A police officer stated that the penguin exhibit is pointless, especially for us because if they raise our insurance costs this much, we won’t even be able to take our children to the zoo the see the penguin display. He went on to say that it amazes him that if the city has a pet project they find a way to fund it, but when it comes to public safety the funds are just not there.

George Fithian, who proposed this new Health Care plan, first to the city employees and then publicly at the city council meeting Monday night, said Monday that he has been in his position with the city for 16 years. When questioned about the city’s Health Care fund being self-insured he stated it was self insured.   When asked what he knew if Old National Bank’s is involved with the City Employee Health insurance Program he said, “I don’t know nothin’.”  He also said that he doesn’t know anything about a Health Care Insurance Consultant hired by the city except that he pays the  premium when he gets a bill.   He went on to say that he just receives a paper on his desk fresh off the printer and signs the one that is best for the city employees. When asked a third time, “So you have no idea who the City’s Health Insurance Consultant is?   ” His answer was a simple, “No”.

When he realized that the interview was being recorded, Fithian quickly became angry and almost threatening, as if he was about to punch the cameraman for filming. Apparently, he didn’t want the people to know that he has no clue about the details regarding the City’s Health Care program.

That ruling came down Wednesday and says Bevin “served as judge, jury and executioner of the U of L Board of Trustees.”

The judge also said Bevin side-stepped state law that says trustees can only be removed with just cause and through a hearing.

In June, Bevin dismantled the board and replaced it with 10 people he appointed.

The current board will stay on, until or unless Bevin appeals and wins in the state appeals court or supreme court.

There is no word whether that will happen.

The Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride is helping to raise awareness of prostate cancer. It is a free event that will be held Sunday, October 2nd beginning at 11 a.m. with a motorcycle show and pre-ride event at Deaconess Gateway in Newburgh.

The ride will start at 1 p.m. with the first stop at the Old Dam in Newburgh. The scenic tour will also make stops at Eastland Mall, Burdette Park, and end at Lamasco Bar and Grill at 3:30 p.m.

There will be special recognition for prostate cancer survivors as well as education/awareness activities for men’s cancers, awards for best facial hair, and best dapper man and elegant lady among other things.

In 2015, more than 37,000 participants raised more than $2.3 million for prostate cancer research.

Brian Tabor joined IHA as VP of Government Relations in 2008 where he oversaw the association’s state and federal legislative initiatives and health policy development. Tabor was promoted to Executive Vice President in 2015. Gov. Mike Pence honored Tabor in 2015 with a Sagamore of the Wabash award for his contributions to the Healthy Indiana Plan 2.0.

Tabor says, “I’m humbled to be chosen to serve as the next president of the Indiana Hospital Association. Our industry is undergoing rapid change, and it will be a privilege to help shape the direction of health care for hospitals and patients across Indiana.”

Tabor has worked for and around the Indian General Assembly for nearly two decades. Before joining IHA, he served as a fiscal analyst for the Indiana State Senate and policy director in the Indiana House of Representatives.

Tabor will oversee staff and all operations at IHA, which has more than 170 hospital members across the Hoosier state.

JIM BUSH

DENNIS AVERY

MIKE ADAMS

TAMI TENBARGE

MARY HART

ALLEN KELLER

ABBY ELPERS

MIKE ADAM

TAMI TENBARGE

IAN HAUER

JEANNE  McCORMICK

DEBI WOLLFE

RICK RINEY

TYRONE EDWARDS

VICKI HUBIAK

CONNIE RALPH

MICHAEL W SANDERS

BOB BALLARD

PATRICK MOORE

MELANIE LEACH-MOORE

AMANDA GREEN

CABBLE STUART

JAKE HICKS

Jennifer Warner Mitchell

Jim McGillem

Brenda Floyd

Scott Evernham

Sandra McCullough

Pam Chaddock Doerter

A.J. Naas

Jeffrey O Stratton

Annie Groves

Cliff Louis Dardeen

Dan Katz

Reenie Brown

Candle Boss

Deborah Bates-Kessinger

Lori Mae

Linda Barth

In preparation for the upcoming heating season, Vectren Energy Delivery (Vectren) is extending its call center support hours for the month of October. October is traditionally a very active month for natural gas customers who are preparing for colder temperatures by reconnecting gas service or inquiring about energy assistance programs. Currently, customers can call 1-800-227-1376 and speak to a customer service specialist Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. In addition to the regular service hours, customer service specialists will be available Saturdays in October from 7 a.m. until noon CDT. Customers also have the option of utilizing live web chat for customer service assistance.

“Flexibility during this busy season is very important as we often experience higher-than-normal call volumes during regular business hours, particularly on Mondays,” said Dan Bugher, vice president of customer experience and administration. “As we prepare to enter the heating season, we encourage customers to get a head start on reconnecting their service to avoid and hopefully reduce wait times.”

Community action agencies will begin taking applications for all energy assistance programs on Nov. 1.

Income-qualified Indiana customers are encouraged to call 1-800-872-0371 to locate their nearest community action agency and apply for financial assistance through the state’s Energy Assistance Program (EAP). To qualify, the customer’s gross household income must be at or below 150 percent of the federal poverty level, which would be about $36,450 for a family of four. All eligible natural gas heating customers who enroll in the state’s EAP through local community action agencies will automatically be enrolled in the Universal Service Program, (USP) which provides additional gas bill reductions from December through May.

Customers are also encouraged to apply for all residential weatherization programs. Customers who are at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty guidelines, which would be about $48,600 for a family of four, may qualify for these weatherization programs.

For more information or to access Vectren’s self-service options, including billing and payment options, rebates on energy efficient appliances, energy conservation tips and account information, visit www.vectren.com.

About Vectren
Vectren Corporation (NYSE: VVC) is an energy holding company headquartered in Evansville, Ind. Vectren’s energy delivery subsidiaries provide gas and/or electricity to more than 1 million customers in adjoining service territories that cover nearly two-thirds of Indiana and about 20 percent of Ohio, primarily in the west central area. Vectren’s nonutility subsidiaries and affiliates currently offer energy-related products and services to customers throughout the U.S. These include infrastructure services and energy services. To learn more about Vectren, visit www.vectren.com.