IS IT TRUE that according to the published report by the Winnecke Administration, prepared by City Controller Russell Lloyd Jr. concerning the finances of the City of Evansville shows a potential financial problem facing the city? …that on the day Mayor Winnecke took the oath of office, the City of Evansville health and hospitalization fund had $5,668,108 ear marked to fund the health and welfare needs of our city employees? …that the Gateway System reports today that this fund only has $465,940 in it?…we wonder where the $5,202,000 went?…we also wonder, where will the money come from to fund future employee health and hospitalization benefits if this account only has $465,940 in the year end balance?
IS IT TRUE we feel if the above imformation is correct, it’s time that Mayor Winnecke focus more attention to the health and welfare issues of our police, firefighters, and support personnel and less on assuring his being elected to his second term in office?
Confirmation on line item 704 on the following link after choosing Cities/Towns, then Annual Financial Report, then Cash and Investments, then choose Vanderburgh, 2012, City/Town, and Evansville Civil City.
IS IT TRUE that the Libertarian Party of Vanderburgh County has announced a new candidate seeking the office of Sheriff?…that his name is JD Walters?…that a new Facebook page has been set up to handle public relations?…that already the question of a hypothetical Department of Homeland Security firearm confiscation has been addressed and a full platform has been released?…this platform includes bullet points denouncing any attempts at federal firearm confiscation, the use of drone technology, and the acceptance of any federal funds?…that the platform also includes mandatory customer service training for all officers and a return to an emphasis on curbing reckless and dangerous driving?.. the platform signoff includes the Patrick Henry reference “Liberty or Death”?…that this should make for an interesting injection of ideas into an otherwise dull race for the office of Vanderburgh County Sheriff and we look forward to seeing it unfold?
IS IT TRUE that it was revealed by the Associated Press that the application for Obamacare is 17 pages long?…even the most complicated tax returns with multiple schedules, ownership in private companies, and capital gains do not usually get to be that long?…the only federal program that real people have to routinely deal with that even approximates 17 pages of complex questions is the FAFSA that is used to evaluate college students eligibility for federal financial aid?…several years after FAFSA was introduced it was recognized that low income and low education families were not filling out the forms thus leaving lots of financial assistance and more importantly the opportunity for their children to get an education on the table?…the FAFSA was shunned because it was intimidating for the very people who need it to fill out?…now there is a cottage industry around helping people fill out a FAFSA by entrepreneurs who do it for A FEE?…all of the claims about the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) being an engine of job creation may just come true?…it won’t be what was advertised though?…these jobs will be replicating the business model of H. R. Block and Liberty Tax Services into yet another service industry that would not exist if federal programs were simple and short?…look for franchise service providers like ObamaCare-R-Us or even Health Forms & Go to join the ranks of tax preparers, payday loans, and pawn shops feeding on the poor and the uneducated?…Obamacare will well deserve the credit for any jobs that come from yet another unnecessary service industry?
IS IT TRUE that the zinger of the week comes from Evansville City Council President Connie Robinson and was directed at Councilman Jonathan Weaver at Monday night’s meeting of the City Council?…this zinger came as a result of the Council being asked who had read a 60 page document they were being asked to discuss?…of the 9 members of the City Council Mr. Weaver was the only member to have read it?…the zinger was along the lines of “the real estate business must not be doing so well if you had time to read 60 pages on a Sundayâ€?…while this zinger is funny, the reality is that Councilman Weaver is to be commended for budgeting his time well enough to have read the document before the council meeting?…it is not reading documents before voting for them that has the whole country in a bit of trouble now regarding the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) and many other complex laws that have been passed without the benefit of reading or understanding by our lawmakers?
IS IT TRUE that last weekend’s Great Lakes Valley Conference men’s and women’s basketball tournaments had a surprisingly low attendance even with two local teams in the field?…it is now apparent that the average attendance for men’s two game sessions were under 1,000 and the women’s were under 500?…one would think that with local teams in the tourney that friends and family would have drawn more than that alone?…even with a pub crawl type of event organized in downtown Evansville the attendance at the games was not even at a level of doormat high school team attendance?…while 500 to 1,000 people look like allot out in the street, that number of people in Ford Center make the place look deserted?…the CCO hopes that in the future and especially at next year’s division 2 championship at least 5,000 people will show up just for the love of the game of basketball?…we are also hoping for a USI vs. Kentucky Wesleyan final?…if that does not pack the Ford Center then nothing in division 2 ever will?
Deaconess Health System and The Women’s Hospital both have been named a Top 100 Best Places to Work in Healthcare by Becker’s ASC Review/Becker’s Hospital Review. This is the second year in a row that Deaconess Health System was named on the list. The 2012 list was developed through nominations and research, and Deaconess Health System and The Women’s Hospital were selected “for its demonstrated excellence in providing a robust benefits, wellness initiatives, professional development opportunities and atmospheres of employee unity and satisfaction.â€
To be considered for the list, organizations may be nominated or selected based on Becker’s research. Deaconess Health System and The Women’s Hospital were chosen based on research. Becker’s advertisers were not eligible for the list, and no winner paid any fees to be considered or to be named to the list.
Becker’s Hospital Review is a bimonthly publication offering up-to-date business and legal news and analysis relating to hospitals and health systems. Content is geared-toward high-level hospital leaders and includes hospital and health system news, best practices and legal guidance specifically for these decision makers. Each issue of Becker’s Hospital Review reaches more than 15,000 people, primarily acute care hospital CEOs and CFOs.
St. Mary’s Warrick Foundation will hold its 20th Annual Gala on April 5th, 2013 at the St. Mary’s Manor Auditorium. The event begins at 6:00 p.m. with a cocktail reception and silent auction, followed by dinner, and then a live auction. Three local physicians, Dr. James Goris, Dr. James Mooney, and Dr. Kenneth Parker will be recognized for their support and services they have given to our community and hospital.
This year, a special auction item will be up for bid. UK fans will have a chance to own a piece of the actual 2012 Final Four floor where the Wildcats captured their eighth NCAA Championship, hand signed by Coach John Calipari. Only 1,000 of these pieces were produced. Each measures 12†by 18â€. Northwestern Mutual, proud sponsor of the NCAA, has graciously donated this item to St. Mary’s. View all the auction items.
The Gala raises money to support St. Mary’s Warrick Foundation, which helps fund a wide range of hospital-related initiatives, all focused on helping those in need such as new equipment, staff education, remodeling, and care of the poor in the community.
Tickets are $75 each and must be purchased in advance. Sponsorships are also available. For more information and to reserve tickets, contact the St. Mary’s Warrick Foundation office at (812) 897-7397.
Below is a list of felony cases that were filed by the Vanderburgh County Prosecutor’s Office on Monday, March 11, 2013.
Kegan Mullen Burglary-Class B Felony
Theft-Class D Felony
Receiving Stolen Property-Class D Felony
William Slaton Jr Criminal Trespass-Class A Misdemeanor Enhanced to D Felony
Joel Word Operating a Vehicle as a Habitual Traffic Violator-Class D Felony
Jason Redman Operating a Motor Vehicle after Forfeiture of License of Life-Class C Felony
For further information on the cases listed above, or any pending case, please contact Regene Newman at 812.435.5156 or via e-mail at rinewman@vanderburghgov.org
Under Indiana law, all criminal defendants are considered to be innocent until proven guilty by a court of law.
SENTENCE CHART
Class Range
Murder 45-65 Years
Class A Felony 20-50 Years
Class B Felony 6-20 Years
Class C Felony 2-8 Years
Class D Felony ½ – 3 Years
Class A Misdemeanor 0-1 Year
Class B Misdemeanor 0-180 Days
Class C Misdemeanor 0-60 Days
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Jax – Jax has become a favorite at the VHS for his playful and charismatic nature! He is a young black cat, full of energy and love to give. His mother brought him to someone’s home and he was born under their window. She knew he would be safe, and he is the last of all of his siblings to be adopted. He has done well around other cats and children, and would be the perfect addition to your family! Jax’s adoption fee is $30, which includes his neuter surgery, age-appropriate vaccines, a nationally-registered microchip, a bag of food, and more.
Moody’s Investors Service has reaffirmed the “A1†bond rating on the City of Evansville’s Sewage Works Revenue Bonds. The bonds represent $57.7 million of outstanding “Moody’s rated†debt related to city sewage projects.
In a report released by Moody’s stated: “The affirmation reflects the utility system’s stable financial position with adequate debt service coverage, a history of regular rate increases and a diversified customer base,†with a good mix of residential and commercial customers.
The report described the Utility as a “large system that serves a strong local economy†and said the debt service is “adequate and expected to increase in the near term.†Difficulty implementing new financial software was listed as a challenge. However, Moody’s noted that the city was able to reconcile the accounts, and the Utility system “has exhibited stable financial performance.â€
Moody’s stated the Utility also has a sizable customer base. Analysts recognized Evansville as a regional economic hub diverse customer base includes manufacturing, higher education, medical facilities and gaming.
“The City has been experiencing some growth in the manufacturing sector, with expansions planned at Berry Plastics and Toyota,†the report stated. “The City’s growth in the Downtown area is expected to continue as well, with an upscale hotel expected to be built near the Ford Arena and the convention center.â€
Mayor Lloyd Winnecke, in partnership with the Mayor’s No Meth Task Force and WTVW/Local 7, will present the live town hall broadcast “The Meth Next Door†this Sunday, March 17, from 7 to 8 p.m. The broadcast will focus on the impact that the illegal drug has on our community and how we can combat this serious risk to our health, safety and economy. The program will feature expert panelists discussing the issue before a live audience and live questions and comments from the public.
IS IT TRUE that last night’s meeting of the Evansville City Council was filled with contention and anxious moments as many have been lately over the aggressive nature of Councilman Jonathan Weaver and the apparent alliance between Councilman Weaver and Councilwoman Missy Mosby together in opposition to any form of outside financial oversight that other members of the City Council support?…in another vote of 7 – 2 in favor of hiring outside financial oversight Weaver and Mosby found themselves once again as standing alone against outside financial oversight?…this time the object of outside oversight being considered is the Ford Center construction project?…City Councilman Dr. H. Dan Adams who has consistently been a voice of reason since his election in 2007 stated that he wants to put “heavy rumors†to rest regarding the financial oversight during the construction phase of the project?…last night’s City Council meeting was not the first time that the words “Fraud Center†have been uttered with respect to the Ford Center construction project?…that without making any allegation that Councilman Weaver pushed Dr. Adams for, Adams made a strong enough case to conduct a forensic audit of the Ford Center construction project that it was passed by a clear majority of the City Council?
IS IT TRUE in defense of the position of hiring no after the fact outside oversight that Weaver and Mosby have been hanging together on, this kind of oversight SHOULD HAVE BEEN IN PLACE FROM DAY ONE THROUGH THE DURATION OF THE PROJECT?…unfortunately outside financial oversight was not one of the things made a part of the deal so now that the project is over and the financial performance is not up to the projections set forth in the series of public meetings held by the committee appointed by former Mayor Jonathan Weinzapfel, people are asking questions?…respectfully speaking, the rumors of fraud or mismanagement need to be put to rest and hopefully a forensic audit that comes up clean will do that?…this is what happens when things get shoved down the voters throat without a referendum?…let this lesson be learned by all politicians past and future that circumventing the will of the people has consequences and this “pall of fraud†that the constituency of each and every one of the 9 City Council members are concerned over will not be the last unintended consequence as a result of doing and end run to build the Ford Center?
IS IT TRUE there is one cure for the suspicions of the citizenry and that is profitable performance by the Ford Center?…the City County Observer is fairly certain that whomever conducts this forensic audit whether it is a big name CPA firm, a local bookkeeper, or a high school math project WILL FIND instances of poor decisions, overpaying for items, cronyism, and differences in the specifications and reality?…none of those things rise to the level of fraud and we do not expect that fraud will be exposed?…as with nearly every other project taken on by the City of Evansville during the last 10 years from the McCurdy debacle, the Executive Inn dilemma, the demolition of Roberts Stadium, the $20 Million ball fields, the Earthcare Energy fiasco or the dozen moronic dramas that end with GATE, what will be exposed is abject ignorance and a cavalier attitude about said ignorance?
IS IT TRUE as Metallica wrote in their classic song Holier than Thou, “Arrogance and Ignorance go hand in handâ€?…that the voters of Evansville who are now disappointed in the apparent arrogance and ignorance that have dominated nearly every project brought forth by the last two administrations are no more disappointed than those who expected competence and oversight in local governance?…we have gotten neither?
IS IT TRUE we were looking forward to seeing the scheduled public exhibition of the latest round in the David Garrett vs. the Winnecke Administration regarding the report Garrett made to the City Council last week?…a reasonable discussion without the press conference staged before the event and the calling off of a private meeting last week by City Controller Russ Lloyd Jr. could have been constructive and even respectful?…in this case the pregame press conference served much like a tent revival in Salem, MA in 1692 that was well planned to froth the crowd up for a witch burning?…David Garrett chose not to attend the City Council meeting last night even after Mayor Winnecke asked him to?…Mr. Garrett’s boss in this matter is the City Council and not the Mayor of Evansville?…perhaps if Mayor Winnecke would have asked Mr. Garrett’s client (the City Council) to request his attendance he would have attended?…in the absence of a direct client request the WITCH BURNING PARTY WAS AVOIDED?
The first Leadership Conference was held on March 5 providing local elected officials along with economic development organizations the opportunity to convene and hear from highly regarded speakers in fields of economic development and site selection. The conference keynote speaker, Will Hearn of Site Dynamics, CH2M Hill, spoke about the site selection process and how Southwest Indiana could market its strengths as new trends emerge. Hearn, who earlier toured the University of Southern Indiana’s newly created Applied Engineering Center, was impressed to see how Southwest Indiana is striving to become an innovation corridor through assets like USI’s new center or the opening of I-69 linking Evansville to NSWC Crane.
Approximately 80 participants attended the Leadership Conference, which was sponsored by Zeimer, Stayman, Weitzel & Shoulders, LLP and hosted by the Southern Indiana Career & Technical Center in Evansville.
(pictured above: Will Hearn of CH2M Hill along with various pics during the conference).
