Signature School maintained its place in the Top 10 high schools in the United States in the 2012 rankings released yesterday by Newsweek.
The top ranked high school is the The Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science in Bowling Green, Kentucky with Dupont Manual of Louisville coming in at #68 placing two of the top 10 and three of the top 100 within 100 miles of Evansville.
Link to Ranking
http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2012/05/20/america-s-best-high-schools.html
OFFICE OF THE MAYOR
LLOYD WINNECKE
May 21, 2012 Contact: Ella Johnson-Watson
For Immediate Release 812-436-4965
Resolution to Extend Homestead Tax Credit Filed
EVANSVILLE, IN – A resolution establishing the Vanderburgh County Homestead Tax Credit for 2013 at the maximum amount allowed by law has been filed with the Evansville City Clerk’s Office with the support of Mayor Lloyd Winnecke. The resolution seeks to have the Evansville City Council adopt an ordinance setting the Homestead Credit Percentage at an amount not to exceed a net of 8 percent.
The resolution and supporting ordinance will go before the City Council tonight. If the Council approves the resolution, the Homestead Tax Credit ordinance will receive a first reading, and a second and third reading could be set for the Council’s June 11 meeting.
“The Homestead Tax Credit allows homeowners to reduce their annual property tax bills,†said Mayor Winnecke. “In today’s economy many homeowners are seeking ways to reduce expenses, and this is one way local governments can help. Throughout my public service career in county and now city government, I continue to support homeowners’ right to a Homestead Tax Credit.â€
The Vanderburgh County Homestead Credit amount for 2013 will be approximately $3.5 million, which will be spread over 48,000 Homestead eligible property tax home owners. The tax credit applies to owner-occupied homes-only. Rental property is not eligible. The estimated share for City homeowners only is 55 percent of the total $3.5 million, or approximately $1.9 million.
The ordinance will be considered by the Vanderburgh County Council on July 5 and the Town Board of the Town of Darmstadt on July 10. The County Council and Town Board are expected to take final action on the ordinance on those dates.
According to state law, the ordinance must be passed by August 1 in order to take effect on January 1, 2013.
Sources have confirmed to the City County Observer that Dr. Sue Ellspermann will be announced today as the running mate for Congressman Mike Pence who is the Republican candidate for Governor of Indiana.
The announcement is scheduled to take place in Ellspermann’s hometown of Ferdinand, IN at 9 AM. The Pence and Ellspermann will then travel to Evansville where they will have an announcement event at noon at Tri State Aero..
This is a developing story so check back often.
The Reality of the Earthcare Deal is in the Deeds and not the Spin
Mayor Winnecke authored an op-ed column that extolled the exhaustive process that was followed to determine the viability of the Earthcare Energy opportunity that was presented to the City of Evansville early in his administration. We still do not really know who made the introductions that lead to the now infamous March of 2012 that saw a deal struck, a marquee photo-op at the old Whirlpool Building, the advance of $200,000 against a loan that was not yet approved, and the 5 – 4 vote that divided the Evansville City Council.
Earthcare Energy even offered the City of Evansville an opportunity to make a loan of $5 Million with a potential not only to be paid back the $5 Million but to receive a commission on power produced that could be as high as $32 Million. The annualized rate of return calculated to roughly 100%. Deals like this while appealing to greed should also ring the caution bells, as guaranteed 100% returns on investments are typically only associated with midnight runs for the border.
Earthcare executives stood before the City Council and made claims of patents that are not yet issued, an exclusive license they never produced, and tests that were never published. They also claimed to be in danger of jeopardizing a big order with the DOD for installations of Langson devices that were scheduled to begin in the summer of 2012 and alluded that there were opportunities for Billions of dollars of business in New York to replace aging nuclear power stations. Private exhaustive vetting efforts eventually uncovered some of the claims that were made were not true and others were physically impossible.
These private vetting efforts led by Evansville City Councilwoman Stephanie Brinkerhoff Riley were made available to Mayor Winnecke, GAGE officials, and other Earthcare supporters soon after the 5 – 4 vote. In spite of these obvious shortcomings they pushed forward with the Earthcare deal like lemmings sprinting into the sea. In truth, the Mayor, GAGE, some City Council members, and some other self serving locals were dragged kicking and screaming by Riley’s findings and public opinion to even read the facts that they should have gathered themselves before calling that March press conference to congratulate themselves.
These people were in denial of the facts until the hour the decision to pull the plug was announced. The comment boards on the Courier and the CCO that day had over 500 comments against this deal and exactly one comment expressing support.
The contract touted by the Mayor as having the language that Earthcare failed to fulfill did not and does not require that Earthcare show an exclusive license. It only requires a letter from Richard Langson to Mayor Winnecke explaining the relationship between Langson and Earthcare with respect to intellectual property. As for the DOE loan guarantee, the program is not currently available to anyone and was not at the time the contract was signed between Earthcare and the City of Evansville. That requirement given the current DOE offerings made as much common sense as a requirement to apply for a loan from a bank on Mars.
In reality the Earthcare Energy relationship with the City of Evansville is not dead yet. Earthcare has a 30 day period to cure the two deficiencies. The City of Evansville has already been put on notice of pending litigation by Earthcare’s Chicago based law firm. The way this eventually plays out and the fate of the $184,000 that is still owed to the City of Evansville will be interesting to watch.
The Earthcare executives for all of the shortcomings in their loan application and the findings of the private vetting efforts really seem to believe they are the next Google. In the event that this lands in court they may very well ask for Google sized damages. If that happens the City of Evansville will get to spend more money on legal expenses in addition the mounting tab already accrued trying to close the deal.
Mayor Winnecke has written that the efforts to seek jobs are still going on as they should. It was not the lead generation process that failed with the collapse of the Earthcare deal. The process that failed was the failure of the City of Evansville to do a complete vetting of the Earthcare business model, their plans, the technology, and the executives themselves before letting the adrenaline of the deal stimulate that Kodak moment out at Park 41. It is not too much to ask of our elected officials and their surrogates to actually think and do some research before smiling for the camera and making premature job announcements. Actually it is expected that they do so. It is unfair for a handful of City Council members and some private individuals to have to do this vetting in an effort to save the City from itself.
The bottom line here is that the efforts of Councilwoman Riley and the courage she showed to go public with the information after being rebuffed in private by the very people who are now patting themselves on the back for killing the deal is what killed the deal. Evansville needs a vetting process and some money set aside to pay for it. During the past few years the taxpayers of Evansville have seen the McCurdy project, the downtown hotel, the $18 Million ball fields, and now the Earthcare Energy loan fail due to a deficiency in whatever vetting process that the powers that be actually have.
Make no mistake, if some process is not defined, approved, and funded that is professional and competent this will happen again. One of the accepted definitions of insanity is to continue doing the same thing and expecting a different result. It is time for the City of Evansville and Mayor Winnecke to stop the insanity and establish a real vetting process that will work. Failure to do so will violate the campaign promises of transparency and will severely blunt the job attraction efforts that we all agree are important. Many times during the campaign, Mayor Winnecke touted his experience as a banker. It is time that he starts to act like one.
IS IT TRUE May 21, 2012
IS IT TRUE that the Mesker Amphitheatre is in Evansville’s 6th Ward?…Al Lindsey is the elected representative on the Evansville City Council for the 6th Ward?…Councilman Lindsey was not told in advance about the closing of Mesker Amphitheatre and that he learned about it in the newspaper like the rest of the people of Evansville did?…not giving at least an hour of notice to the elected representative of the people of the 6th Ward before announcing this closure was insulting and in poor taste?…it was also not even close to being transparent and will be remembered by the people of the 6th Ward for many years?
IS IT TRUE the Evansville City Council will be meeting tonight at 5:30 in the Civic Center?…the agenda includes the 2nd and 3rd reading of Ordinance G-2012-9 that simply states that it is to rescind Ordinance G-2012-1?…there is no reference whatsoever in the agenda as to what Ordinance G-2012-1 is or why it is being rescinded?…every other item on the agenda without exception has a written description of what the Ordinances are about?…leaving the fact that Ordinance G-2012-9 is to rescind the approval for the $4.8 Million loan previously approved by a 5 – 4 margin off of the agenda is just one more verification that the City Council is trying to slide this through under the radar and is cowardly when it comes to cleaning their own messes?…it is better to have a flock of chickens clean the mess than it is for the mess to go without cleaning so if the only way to do this is like a chicken then so be it?…City Council members Stephanie Riley and Dan McGinn got in front of this thing and did the due diligence that GAGE and the Mayor’s office should have done?…that those two are certainly not cowards like many of the others who woke up last November and found themselves elected to office?
IS IT TRUE we encourage those of our readers who are disgusted with how this went down to pack the room tonight and let the City Council know that passing things without reading or understanding them in the style of Nancy Pelosi is not an acceptable way to govern?…unless the people who supported this have a consequence for their cavalier actions and condescending demeanor that this sort of idiocy is certain to happen again and again as it did under the Weinzapfel Administration?…that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results?…that it is time for the government of the City of Evansville to cease with the insanity?
IS IT TRUE the minutes from the Evansville City Council meeting on March 26, 2012 when the loan for Earthcare was approved are finally available on the City of Evansville website?…that the CCO has them posted under a separate heading?…if one reads the transcript of those minutes and pays close attention to the words of Councilman Conor O’Daniel it is nearly incomprehensible to understand how he could have turned around and voted YES?…what would be more interesting to read would be a transcript of the meetings in the hallway when Councilman O’Daniel was “convinced†into voting YES?…Councilman O’Daniel could have saved the City of Evansville much embarrassment by voting to extend that night so the VETTING which was underway in private circles could have been completed?…that someday we will know the cost in real dollars of this emotion driven fiasco?
June 1, 2012
Presented by Vectren
A stroll on the riverfront, a breathtaking sunset over the Ohio River, music, food, desserts and
libations… Come experience “Evening on the River”.
Ninth Annual Evening on the River Friday, June 1st, 2012 from 6:30pm – 10:00pm
This fundraising event benefiting the Evansville Parks Foundation and Keep Evansville Beautiful will include stage and street performances, horse-drawn carriage rides, a silent auction and a “movable feast” of food, desserts and drinks from area restaurants, wine shops, caterers and grocers, presented at locations along Riverside Drive between Casino Aztar and the Pagoda.
Evening on the River drew nearly 1,400 patrons and raised $75,000 in 2009. All proceeds benefit Evansville parks facilities and programs.
The University of Southern Indiana Accounting and Professional Services (APS) Club, a student affiliate chapter of the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA), has received the Gold Certificate of Excellence, the highest rating awarded to a student chapter by IMA each year.
Dr. Craig Ehlen, professor of accounting and faculty advisor for the APS Club, surprised APS President Matthew Cooper by presenting the certificate to him during Ehlen’s Financial Reporting and Analysis class.
The award is presented to student’s chapters that emphasize promotion of accounting and financial management as a profession and encourage creativity. The USI APS Club created an accounting tutoring room. Staffed by accounting majors, the tutoring room is open to students seeking additional assistance with accounting concepts. The program has no cost and is located in the Business and Engineering Center, the home of the College of Business.
“It provides a sense of pride to see what we can accomplish with team work in giving back to the College of Business and USI,†said Cooper. “It’s all about collaborative effort, and it’s rewarding to watch our groups go from good to great.â€
The APS Club and a nationally known society, Beta Alpha Psi, both made up of accounting, finance, and computer information systems majors, hold a joint bi-monthly meeting. Participants get a chance to learn about both groups, get involved in more activities on and off campus, and exchange ideas across business disciplines. Cooper said the members of the APS Club and Beta Alpha Psi hope to eventually offer student-led tutoring labs in other business disciplines, including computer information systems and finance.
In addition to the creation of the tutoring room, other goals met by the APS Club included increasing membership by 36 percent and community service work. These accomplishments were also a significant part of the IMA Gold rating.
“Having USI’s student chapter receive a Gold Award of Excellence demonstrates the great effort our students placed into their activities for the year,†said Dr. Brian McGuire, IMA’s global chair and the associate dean of USI’s College of Business. “I really want to thank our students for making USI’s accounting program a stronger and more active program.â€
IMA is one of the largest associations focused exclusively on advancing the management accounting profession. Globally, IMA supports the profession through research, the Certified Management Accountant program, continuing education, networking, and advocacy of ethical business practices. IMA has a global network of more than 60,000 members in 120 countries and 200 local chapters. IMA provides localized services through its offices in Montvale, New Jersey; Zurich, Switzerland; Dubai, United Arab Emirates; and Beijing, China
Evansville, IN – Friday, May 18, 2012, Christopher A. Fischer, age 33, was convicted in Vanderburgh County Circuit Court of Burglary, Class C Felony and Two Counts of Theft, Class D Felony. The jury also convicted Fischer as an Habitual Offender.
Fischer faces 2-8 years for the Class C Felony and ½-3 years for each Class D Felony. The Habitual Offender Enhancement could add between 4-12 additional years to the sentence that Fischer receives for the Class C Felony. Fischer will be sentenced by Magistrate Kelli Fink on Tuesday, June 19, 2012 at 9:00 a.m.
CITY COUNCIL MINUTES
March 26, 2012
The Honorable Council of the City of Evansville met on regular session at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, March 26, 2012 in the City Council Chambers, Room 301 Civic Center Complex, Evansville, Indiana, with President Connie Robinson presiding. The following business was conducted.
These minutes are not intended to be a verbatim transcript. Audiotapes of this meeting are on file in the City Clerk’s Office.
ROLL CALL:
Present: McGinn, Mosby, Brinkerhoff-Riley, Friend, Lindsey, Adams, O’Daniel, Weaver, Robinson
There being nine (9) members present and zero (0) members absent and nine (9) members representing a quorum, I hereby declare this session of the Common Council officially open.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
This evening the pledge of allegiance will be led by Councilwoman Mosby.
President Robinson: Fellow Councilmen and those in the audience, welcome to the March 26, 2012 meeting of the Common Council.
RECOGNITION OF SCHOOLS
Are there any students in the audience who would like to be recognized?
TEEN ADVISORY COUNCIL
Will Boston
COUNCIL ATTORNEY
This evening John Hamilton is City Council Attorney.
SERGEANT AT ARMS
There is not a Sergeant at Arms this evening.
READING AND AMENDMENT OF MINUTES OF PRECEDING MEETING
Is there a motion to approve the minutes of the March 12, 2012 meeting of the Common Council as written?
Councilwoman Mosby moved and Councilman Weaver seconded the motion that the minutes of the regular meeting of the Common Council held March 12, 2012 be approved as written. Voice vote. So ordered.
REPORTS AND COMMUNICATIONS
IN YOUR MARCH 23RD PACKET:
*City Council Agenda for March 26, 2012.
*City Council Meeting Minutes from the March 12, 2012.
*Committee Meeting Schedule.
*Revised Ordinance F-2012-1 and redline copy of F-2012-1.
*Ordinances G-2012-5 and F-2012-2.
*Resolution C-2012-3.
*Revised Rezoning Ordinance R-2012-5.
*A letter from Brad Mills, APC Executive Director regarding Ordinance G-2012-5.
ON YOUR DESK THIS EVENING:
*2011 Annual Financial Report from Mayor Lloyd Winnecke.
*State of Indiana Department of Local Government Finance Order.
*A copy of an Email from John Friend to Debbie Dewey concerning EarthCare.
*Birthday Invitation to The Koch Family Children’s Museum of Evansville’s
Bicentennial Party.
*Evansville Bond Bank Financial Highlights.
Councilman Friend moved and Councilman O’Daniel seconded the motion to receive, file and make these reports and communications a part of the minutes of the meeting. Voice vote. So ordered.
CONSENT AGENDA
FIRST READING OF ORDINANCES OR RESOLUTIONS
ORDINANCE G-2012-5 A.S.D. MOSBY
An Ordinance amending the Municipal Code of the City of Evansville: Zoning Code.
ORDINANCE F-2012-2 FINANCE FRIEND
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.
RESOLUTION C-2012-3 FINANCE FRIEND
A Resolution of the Common Council of the City of Evansville Declaring an Industrial Recovery Site for 5401 US highway 41 North, Evansville, IN 47711
Councilwoman Mosby moved and Councilman Adams seconded the Motion to adopt the Consent Agenda First Reading as written. Voice vote. So ordered.
CONSENT AGENDA
SECOND READING OF ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS
ORDINANCE F-2012-1 FINANCE FRIEND
An Ordinance of the Common Council of The City of Evansville, Indiana authorizing the issuance and sale of City of Evansville, Indiana Taxable Economic Development Revenue Bonds, Series 2012 (EarthCare Project), and the lending of proceeds thereof to EarthCare Energy, LLC and authorizing and approving other actions in respect thereto.
Councilman O’Daniel: Madam President, Would it be appropriate to re-open this discussion at this time. I would like to make one amendment or at least an addendum to the consent.
President Robinson: Can we do that now?
Hamilton: Is this the second reading?
President Robinson: Yes, it’s the second reading.
Hamilton: You can do that now at the second reading.
President Robinson: Okay, Councilman O’Daniel.
Councilman O’Daniel: Yes, I would at this time like for Mr. Haney and Mr. Geldmacher at least, I don’t know if it would be proper, to come to the podium. There has been some discussion about how we are going to pay back this five million and the like and obviously I want to take care of the city and the taxpayer’s money as much as we possibly can. There has been a lot of leap of faith here. A lot of “you’ve got my word on it “. We haven’t seen all of the documents, but I am generally a trusting person until someone gives me a reason not to be. I’m glad that both of you have come forth to the council. I know that there has been a lot of due diligence done by Ms. Dewey and the City of Evansville and the Mayor, a lot of testimony in your favor, but with both of you acting as CEO’s, since we don’t have a written agreement to this effect, I would like at least some verbal understanding that in the event that we pass this that you two will enter into negotiations with the City of Evansville and sign an agreement that the city have a priority interest in the revenue the PPA in the event of one monetization, meaning that someone buy into the LLC Earth Care Indiana and not to subordinate the revenue stream from the PPA until such time as the five million dollar loan is paid off. Would you each agree to do that and if so, signify by saying that you would.
Geldmacher: I would agree to do that, yes sir.
Haney: I’d agree to do that.
Hamilton: I have a comment and maybe a question. I know Nick Cirignano from the City Attorney’s office is here. What council is going to be voting on in third reading is an ordinance that incorporates a loan agreement between EarthCare and the City of Evansville. The Council then, once you approve that, you don’t take further action. So that I don’t know if Nick needs any further representations made or if you want any further record between the City and EarthCare, but what the council is voting on in the third reading, if it gets to that, is what’s in front of you. I understand why you’re asking for this representation but I want Council to understand that you don’t get to vote on this again.
Councilman O’Daniel: That’s my understanding, it’s not legally binding with regards to this but I think it’s important to have the two men that are running this company, or two of the men that are running this company, to make that representation in good faith since we are talking about, essentially their word and that when the City finalizes the contracts, that language to that effect will be in there.
Hamilton: I think they are making that representation to the City, so the City may have some remedies if they don’t get the details of the contract worked out, if not, this Council.
Cirignano: I’m Nick Cirignano with the City Attorney’s Office and I just think it should be clear what we are talking about here. I believe what Conor and I would ask him to elaborate to the extinct he thinks I’m not properly representing what he said, is the point would be that documents would be negotiated between the City and EarthCare that would provide that the City would have a first priority lien on revenue generated by its power purchase agreement with Vectren or is it with other companies as well?
???I think it would be with ….inaudible ..here in Indiana as that would be the legal entity as I understand.
Cirignano: Okay, so it would be any purchase, and we can take a security interest in that revenue stream. And once, I don’t know whether they would go and get a loan based on that or how they would do it, but we could certainly encumber the power purchase agreement and take a lien on that. It’s my understanding that the City Council is, it is being put to City Council that this part of the deal would be our negotiation of a collateral assignment of that agreement upon such terms and conditions as approved by City Attorneys, is that correct?
O’Daniel: Yes, I think in general that’s the nature of it. It makes me feel more comfortable that our five million dollar loan is not, well, it’s secured to the extent that it possibly can. After that, lot of that is just gravy as far as I’m concerned. I’m worried about the first five million dollars that are the tax payer’s money.
Cirignano: Sure, and that’s not part of the deal right now. But, they have committed to doing that. It’s my understanding.
Councilman McGinn: Ok, if I may, a question to ask on that. Is it part of the deal, is the security interest and the hardware and the generators that are purchased that’s in addition to the PPH?
President Robinson: That’s an addition, isn’t it?
Cirignano: Correct.
Councilman McGinn: Okay, thanks.
Cirignano: John, does that satisfy?
John Hamilton: It does, but I want Council to make sure that they understand that this is not a conditional vote. You are approving what is in front of you. You are hearing some representations but your vote is not conditioned on that.
Cirignano: In that regard, I would put this to the folks from EarthCare. There’s a certain letter agreement between the parties and what we have just discussed here is not part of that. I guess I would take their testimony or presentation here tonight is to agree to amending those terms because they don’t presently exist in that letter agreement. Thank you.
O’Daniel: Obviously I know that this is not legally binding from the standpoint of your negotiations but you know when I’m making this vote I’m doing that on the word of a lot of the parties here. That it’s going to be done and should it not be done. I think that would be the recourse that I would have is to expose that.
Cirignano: Sure.
President Robinson: Thank you. Committee Reports, Finance Committee, Chairman John Friend.
COMMITTEE REPORTS:
FINANCE COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN JOHN FRIEND
Councilman Friend: Yes, Madam President, tonight we had a long meeting to discuss
F-2012-1 as amended. It comes forth with a do pass recommendation, best I can tell.
President Robinson: Thank you. Can I have a motion to adopt the committee reports?
Councilwoman Mosby moved and Councilman Adams seconded the motion to adopt the Committee Report and move this ordinance to Third Reading. Voice vote. So ordered.
REGULAR AGENDA
THIRD READING OF ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS
ORDINANCE F-2012-1 as amended FINANCE FRIEND
An Ordinance of the Common Council of The City of Evansville, Indiana authorizing the issuance and sale of City of Evansville, Indiana Taxable Economic Development Revenue Bonds, Series 2012 (EarthCare Project), and the lending of proceeds thereof to EarthCare Energy, LLC and authorizing and approving other actions in respect thereto
Councilman Adams moved and Councilman Weaver seconded the motion to adopt Ordinance F-2012-1 as amended and call the roll.
McGinn: I have an internal clock and I have to be of the belief that I would invest my personal money in something. I spend a lot of time wanting to hit that level and I can’t pull the trigger on it. I’ve worked very hard and there are too many things on this that I have to take at face value, too many things that they say can’t be proved, too many things that have to fall in place. And I also further believe that we are being asked to finance step eight in the MSL that has been provided and I think that should be done before we approve any funding. I don’t think we should be part of the research and development, so I vote no.
Mosby: My constituents need jobs, I vote aye.
Brinkerhoff-Riley: I would first of all really like to thank Miss Dewey. I think you have done a fantastic job. You have worked exceptionally hard over the last two weeks, you booked a flight, you’ve really generated a lot of information and I didn’t get a chance to speak to you personally but I believe that you are doing a fantastic job and I really appreciate the work that you’ve done on this project. I also really want to thank Mr. Haney and Mr. Geldmacher for coming. I love this idea and a lot of things about it but I too have this sort of instinct that says this is not an appropriate use of public monies at this stage. And I agree with Councilman McGinn and I vote no.
Friend: Again I would like thank all of the participants tonight. It’s great coming out here and our City does need to move forward with new innovative technologies and whatever else. My concern is if I could have a little bit more time to get my arms around it, I would probably go for it. But with this, I would say nay.
Lindsey: I think Debbie has done a good job and you know I have a lot of reservations and I am not going to extend my voice pretty much. I didn’t have much to say tonight because sometimes you have to listen to people that have more knowledge and more education and know to ask the right questions. My vote is no.
Adams: I think we’ve all done an awful lot of work on this particular project. I think from my mind’s eye, the technology is there, I think the promise is there. We all talked about getting jobs as a basis for our work last year. I think the risks are minimal and I love the fact that these people are willing to add to their promise to my colleague to my right and I vote aye.
O’Daniel: I have really struggled with this over the last two weeks. Clearly the possibility of having 120 jobs is a wonderful thing. I don’t think anybody would ever vote against it, if it was just simply that easy. On the other hand, you’ve got 5 million dollars of tax payer money, who to a company, that frankly is completely unproven at this point. It’s a great idea and I’m very happy that Miss Dewey was able to visit the facility out in Nevada, Mr. Geldmacher and Mr. Haney for attending tonight. Being good stewards of the public money sometimes means looking at somebody right in the eye and trusting what they are going to say and what they are going to do. I’ve gotten that sense tonight. Sometimes they say if it’s too good to be true, it just might. But then listen to Miss Braker, she said it is. It is too good. You know, not to be true but this is true. This is going to happen and I think we’ve done everything we can to minimize the risk. We’ve never taken this step before, this kind of money and this sort of startup. I think their word in securing the 5 million dollars, if they monetize the PPA they have with Vectren and paying this loan off is just enough security that I need. And for that reason, I vote aye.
Weaver: Aye.
Robinson: I am glad to see that Evansville is taking the next step today and becoming an innovative community. I like to think of us as being the apple of Evansville. Therefore I vote aye.
Ayes: Mosby, Adams, O’Daniel, Weaver, Robinson.
Nays: McGinn, Brinkerhoff-Riley, Friend, Lindsey.
There being five (5) Ayes and four (4) Nays, Ordinance F-2012-1 as amended is hereby declared adopted.
MISCELLANEOUS BUSINESS
There will not be a City Council Meeting on Monday, April 2, 2012. The next City Council meeting will be Monday, April 9, 2012 at 5:30 p.m. Committee Meetings will begin at 5:10 p.m. on April 9, 2012.
COMMITTEE REPORTS:
FINANCE COMMITTEE: CHAIRMAN FRIEND
Resolution C-2012-3 Declaring an Industrial Recovery
Date: April 9, 2012 Site for 5401 US Highway 41
Time: 5:10 p.m.
Notify: Debbie Dewey (GAGE)
Ordinance F-2012-2 Authorizing Transfers of Appropriations,
Date: April 9, 2012 Additional Appropriations, and Repeal
Time: 5:15 p.m. and Re-appropriation of funds
Notify: Russell G. Lloyd, City Controller
ASD COMMITTEE: CHAIRWOMAN MOSBY
Ordinance G-2012-5 An ordinance amending the Municipal Code
Date: April 9, 2012 concerning the zoning code
Time: 5:20 p.m.
Notify: Janet Greenwell (APC)
PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE: CHAIRMAN McGINN
Nothing scheduled at this time.
YOUTH LEADERSHIP GRANT SUBCOMMITTEE MEETING
Date: April 9, 2012
Time: 4:00 p.m.
Room: 318
Notify: Chairman Dan Adams
Council Members: Missy Mosby, Conor O’Daniel, Stephanie Brinkerhoff-Riley, Al Lindsey
.
YOUTH SPORTS GRANT SUBCOMMITTEE MEETING
Date: April 10, 2012
Time: 4:00 p.m.
Room: 301
Notify: Chairman Dan McGinn Council Members: Missy Mosby, Jonathan Weaver, John Friend, Connie Robinson
Robinson: Before we adjourn, we had two people in the audience who wanted to speak. Are they still in the council chambers? Okay, you can come forward.
Griffin: Bruce Griffin, 4100 Court, Evansville. Now I’ve got to get my notes. Don’t want to make a public spectacle of myself if I don’t. You know that I like talking about Downtown development, that’s my deal. That’s what this is all about. It will just take a couple of minutes. I’ve watched with much interest and pride as the Ford Center has already proven a great new addition to Downtown Evansville. Over 300 thousand patrons have walked through the doors of the arena and brought with them the promise fulfilled of jobs, prosperity and growth for our City. This is the crux of my comments tonight, now is the time to seize the momentum that Downtown Evansville has realized in the past four months, actually I think it’s in the fifth month now, by filling up any and all vacancies on Main Street. My message is meant to be heard by all in attendance tonight and those watching the broadcast on WNIN, whether you are a part of the decision making process or not. I’ve got a few ideas for a better downtown. I’m calling for our local economic development officials and agencies to define specific retail market needs for downtown right now. Because you know we’ve got some empty spaces on the walkway and I think we need to define what the market is for new businesses. By establishing what retail sectors are being underserved in Downtown Evansville, we can then embark on a unified effort to fill those needs by attracting businesses to the City center that can be proven profitable. I would like to see also, this is a totally separate thing, but I would like to see a request tendered to Simon Properties in Indianapolis for a visit to our Downtown to showcase the progress we’ve made in terms of attracting these thousands of visitors to our area. I believe a privately financed and that’s really you know I want to emphasize that, a privately financed retail and entertainment complex, a mall basically, complete with retail shops, eateries and even a multi-complex cinema, would fill a market niche that currently is being under served in the Downtown area. Simon Properties might be interested in developing a smaller version of Circle Center Mall in our Downtown. Furthermore, Salt Lake City has a development which was dedicated I believe last week, City Creek Center. You might go on the internet and see what they’ve done there with an indoor/ outdoor retail and entertainment complex. It’s pretty interesting and I think it’s going to be a big success there. We might adapt that kind of development to Downtown Evansville, again on maybe a smaller scale. We’ve got Casino Aztar in place, which due to facility improvements and increased traffic from the new arena has already shown 2 percent growth in the first couple of months of 2012. We’ve added the Ford Center, which is probably heading towards 400 thousand admissions by the end of April; let’s hope the Icemen can get to the finals of the CHL playoffs. I think we will get toward that 400 thousand mark, which to me is phenomenal. I firmly believe that now is the time to add some retail options Downtown, not only for Downtown residents and workers alike, but also for the thousands of patrons who come from nearby cities and towns looking for retail and entertainment options aside from Aztar and the Arena. Talk about location, I’d put it right smack dab at the crossroads between the Arena and the Boat. You know how the boat is located on the Northwest side of Downtown, the arena is on the Southeast side of the Downtown core. I would park a new mall right at the block north of the Hulman Building, that two block area. I know there is the Bicentennial Park thing, my idea is to put that Bicentennial Park right next to Old National Bank. Because on the Greyhound block you could build a multilevel parking garage to service the mall up around and over the Greyhound Bus Station. So I think all that coming together at the crossroads, at the midway point between the arena and the boat. You would have the arena, the mall, the boat, those three destination places coming together. I think it would draw a lot of people. Just my two cents. My intention in addressing this meeting tonight is to ramp up our city’s efforts in attracting a growing number of visitors and patrons to downtown, if nothing else, maybe my words can inspire much needed dialogue on what we can all do to foster further progress for downtown Evansville. I believe we are almost there in terms of creating a vibrant active center for commerce and trade downtown and I think we now need to double our efforts in promoting downtown as a viable area for new businesses to locate. Real quickly, if I wanted to buy a pair of shoes downtown, I don’t think I can do that, so let’s get Shoe Carnival down there. Maybe a Shoe Carnival, a Finish Line, Foot Locker, there’s a lot of walking and running events downtown during the good weather months. I think that would fill a niche there, bring Libs Candies back, get Mike Libs to come back downtown and do business. A florist, a place you can get flowers for your honey before you go home from the office. just some ideas, food for thought.
Robinson: I think those are some good ideas. I think you could present it to the Redevelopment Commission or you could leave it here and we can make sure madam clerk gives a copy to the Redevelopment Commission because that’s what they are charged to do. I think those are some excellent ideas in bringing additional life back into downtown.
Griffin: I would like to make a copy and bring it to your office tomorrow.
O’Daniel: And feel free to talk to Miss Dewey because I’m sure she is very interested in these sort of things too.
Griffin: I have a love and loyalty to downtown and I think you know that after hearing me so many times talk about this. I’ve walked these streets and lived and worked and played downtown and I just keep coming up with these ideas for I think will work. I’ve got a pretty good idea, pretty good handle what’s going on down here and I’m just thrilled with the Ford Center and all that. We are bringing these people in by the thousands and if you give us some retail options, I think that’s the icing on the cake.
Robinson: That’s the only thing that’s missing downtown is retail options.
Griffin: The multiplex cinema, I know Steiler didn’t go through with it but I believe there is a niche for that even. Like maybe just two screens, just a two screen theater in the heart of downtown, would be part of a mall probably. Crossroads Plaza in Salt Lake City was built in 1980, it was a dead zone at that time, it made all the difference in the world and I think it would do the same for Evansville.
Robinson: Thank you, thank you. I have someone else under miscellaneous. Deanne Kempa? I’m not sure I pronounced it right. Why don’t you give us the correct name?
Kempa: No never mind, it’s not……… inaudible…miscellaneous……animal crap…what it was so …….miscellaneous.
Robinson: Okay that’s just your, you are under that part of the business. Okay.
Kempa: It’s perception.
Robinson: Perception, okay, at this point it could be anything, it’s ten after eight.
Kempa: I know, I’m tired, aren’t you?
Robinson: Why don’t you give us the correct name.
Kempa: I have no idea who I am. Diana Deanne Kempa, but I go by, sometimes when I get a microphone in my face when I’m someplace else because I’m an activist.
Robinson: So you are Warrick and Iowa?
Kempa: Yeah and I’m in the process of moving to Evansville.
Robinson: Okay.
Kempa: Up by Theater Drive and Saratoga, if that man gets the place cleaned up right. You know, the man.
Robinson: Okay, what can we do for you?
Kempa: I just have a question, would you like to save Evansville roughly 2 million dollars? Real quick, everybody who knows me, knows I don’t want hoopla and prefer to be anonymous, I’m bashful.
Robinson: Well, you’re on television now.
Kempa: No, I’m not.
Robinson: Yes you are.
Kempa: Oh, that’s kind of scary. Okay, let’s start at the beginning. I came back here, I came back to Evansville two years ago to start a family social network. At the behest of Sheriff Eric Williams when he sent me an email out of Kiplingers Finance magazine naming Evansville number one City to go to school, stay at work and raise a family and by college students. I’m still struggling like everybody else, but jump to the future here. I would like to see Evansville save, like I said, 2 million dollars to apply elsewhere instead of 2 nuisance lawsuits determining, determined to drag out a year at least. I would like to ask you please adopt, consider adopting the smoking ban already passed in Indianapolis a couple of weeks ago, that exempted the bars. Oh boy, could you please hand me those? I forgot.
Weaver: Do you want it more or less restrictive than what was just passed?
Kempa: I would like to have it turned over, you see maybe I’m just too short. I would like to see it turned over because the way it was done, I consider it, I can’t even read now and I just wrote this because I thought I was going to come here and say four lines and get it over with. That’s before I fell asleep. But anyway, I’ve only got like three lines and I’m done. The smoking ban to exempt the bars and private clubs, just do the right thing. I won’t go into any technical points here, however we all know it’s a double standard contradiction. These businesses are very upset right now and their livelihood is at stake just as Aztar employees demonstrated here two weeks ago. I intend all of them to get smoke eaters, because when you’ve been in some places and they have them, it’s pretty nice. I don’t smoke, I can’t stand it, I have a web site dedicated to making people stop. Just two more lines, I already said that. Oh I also want to know if I can come back in here and get a five hundred, five million, no just a little bitty loan, because my business that I came here to build was a social network. A family network where in one building a family can come do their thing and separate. It’s a great idea but you know the economy has hit all of us.
Robinson: inaudible.
Kempa: It’s a social network that starts out with an internet café and fast food places and I have some that are already interested that want to set up one or two nights a week.
Robinson: Debbie Dewey is out in the hallway. You need to go and talk to her before she leaves. She would be the one that could assist you.
Kempa: Why?
Robinson: If you want that loan.
Kempa: Maybe I’m joking, I don’t know. Okay.
Matlock: Is this your card that I have maam?
Kempa: Yeah. That’s my, it’s a PR firm. Now I’m into a little bit of everything. I’ve got stuff going on in Iowa and Ohio.
Matlock: We are in Evansville tonight.
Kempa: I know, and Evansville, believe it or not, this is where everybody wants to come back to.
Matlock: Yes it is.
Kempa: So, I’m just hoping you are going to consider that. To overturn it and exempt the bar owners because they did it in Indianapolis anyway. And these people are pretty upset. I’m upset, when I said a double sided thing here, I want to see the rules reinforced regarding taverns because a lot of them are doing stuff that…
Robinson: Let me tell you, you would have to find a council member to amend the Ordinance because we have already passed the ordinance. So you can get with madam clerk and she will give you an email address and telephone number of council members.
Kempa: You mean I don’t have a sponsor?
Robinson: No, you have to get one.
Hamilton: There will be a public hearing, it’s going to be a court proceeding on Wednesday, over these issues.
Kempa: Now who is the attorney?
Hamilton: Which is an open area, it is an open proceeding and I believe Charlie Berger is one of the attorneys and Les Shively the other. I am sure they would welcome your input if you choose to talk to them.
Kempa: Okay, because when this started the day after this vote came down, I called, I don’t know how many of them and I was invited to different bar owners and operators
groups.
Robinson: inaudible.
Kempa: But this is something I made yesterday and today and it’s online already, that this is not a smoke free Evansville.
Robinson: inaudible.
Kempa: I’m sorry that I am so nervous.
Robinson: inaudible.
Kempa: I would like to be in a movie.
Robinson: Do I have a motion for adjournment?
ADJOURNMENT
Councilwoman Mosby moved and Councilman Weaver seconded the motion to adjourn. Voice Vote.
So Ordered. Meeting adjourned at 8:20 p.m.
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Constance Robinson, President Alberta Matlock, City Clerk
