IS IT TRUE it appeared as though there were some citizens who showed up at last night’s meeting of the Evansville City Council as the CCO had recommended?…we have no way of knowing how many tuned in to the WNIN broadcast of that meeting that saw a Finance Committee meeting that nearly lasted for four hours?…there was plenty of controversy and enlightenment offered up on the hot button issues of Roberts Stadium and AuditGATE and that there is a more clear understanding of both as a result of some of the dialog?…there was exactly ZERO public comment at the end of that meeting so we must assume that the public has decided not to have any say in the matter while standing before the City Council?…that some of the constituency of Evansville must have been using the phone, emails, or letters to let their Councilpeople know how they feel because those communications were openly discussed during the meeting?…for the first time in a while it seemed as though the City Council actually did two things they are supposed to do before acting?…those things are to listen and to think?
IS IT TRUE the first topic addressed was the looming demolition of Roberts Stadium and the costs associated with that job which has grown from a supposed $200,000 under Mayor Weinzapfel to a quote of $958,000 today?…that Building Commission Director Dave Rector even called that $958,000 a moving target and hinted that it may be done for less?…that moving targets have a way of moving up when it comes to spending government money so to translate Rectorspeak that likely means that the job will cost more, expensive change orders will be plentiful, and other things LIKE THE REMOVAL OF THE PARKING LOT that were not in any of the quotes will add to the cost?…that Mr. Rector’s response when the question of the parking lot removal was that he had a quote in hand to do it for FREE if they move quickly because the quote is only good for 60 days?…that Mr. Rector told us that same story about this time last year about Roberts Stadium?…this revelation was pure déjà vu as the same sucker’s assertion was made last year that Klenck would tear down Robert’s for the scrap value?…we just have to ask “hey Dave, how did that FREE DEMOLITION OF ROBERTS WORK OUT FOR YOUâ€?
IS IT TRUE that this writer was party to a parking lot removal process in Vanderburgh County in 1999?…that particular project was in the unincorporated county, did not pay prevailing wages as the City of Evansville will have to as an entitlement city, and did not involve any filling of a hole afterward?…the cost of that removal was $3.00 per square foot?…that it would be rash to think that government can do this for less than double that amount?…any way one runs the numbers the removal of a parking lot that accommodates over 3,000 cars at $6 a square foot works out to about $750,000?…this is from the CCO who projected last year that the demolition of Roberts would be about $1 Million when the Weinzapfel Administration and Rector were bouncing between FREE AND $200,000?…this is from the same CCO writer that projected in the summer of 2010 that the downtown hotel would have a value of about $20 Million yet cost $40 Million when all was said and done?…that once again a project seems to have started out like a CARNIVAL SIDESHOW GAME enticing the people of Evansville into the game with promises of FREE work and a Park to play in?
IS IT TRUE that Councilman Adams made a strong constituent based case for auctioning Roberts off and putting it back on the tax rolls even if it only brought $10?…that echoes the sentiments of CCO poster and sometimes author Brad Linzy?…Dr. Adams was correct in his assertion that selling the stadium has not even been given serious thought or consideration?…the CCO has consistently advocated that if Roberts has to be decommissioned that selling to a private entity is the best move and that demolition with public money is a last resort?…that now that we know that the complete demolition will approach $2 Million or more that should be etched in stone?…we completely agree with Councilwoman Mosby who clearly stated that “Evansville cannot afford another park at this timeâ€?…that Councilman Dan McGinn made a well researched plea to proceed to demolition but not with a park on the basis of “these old buildings are bleeding Evansville to deathâ€?…Councilman McGinn cited the Old Court House, the Old Post Office, and the Greyhound Bus Station as old architecturally significant buildings that have bled the City of cash for years while being sparsely used?…McGinn even compared the architecture of Roberts Stadium to a utilitarian facility designed by the former USSR?…he has a point and as usual it was well thought through?…Roberts is actually more Classic Midwest than Klassic Khrushchev but we understand the comment?
IS IT TRUE that when all was said and done the City Council voted 6 – 3 to remove the transfer of $187,000 into the demolition fund?…that the City of Evansville is so poor with managing money that even old Dave Rector had not been paid for work done at Roberts and Mesker?…this was just the latest exposure of utter ineptness in the management of local government?…the incompetence exhibited in the whole Roberts fiasco has been of monumental proportions but it does not compare with what the other 3 hours of last night’s meeting covered which will be the topic of IS IT TRUE Part 2?