The City County Observer has learned that Evansville City Councilwoman Stephanie Brinkerhoff-Riley will be drafting a petition admonish the Evansville City Council to rescind the approval of the $4.8 Million loan to Earthcare Energy.
The petition is on the following link:
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/stop-the-earthcare-energy-loan/
IS IT TRUE May, 4, 2012 Part 2
IS IT TRUE THAT THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NOT ONE SINGLE WORD IN THE LOAN DOCUMENTS BETWEEN THE CITY OF EVANSVILLE AND EARTHCARE ENERGY THAT REQUIRES EARTHCARE ENERGY TO MAKE ANY ADDITIONAL PAYMENTS TO THE CITY OF EVANSVILLE OF $2.5 MILLION PER YEAR AS HAS BEEN WIDELY REPORTED?…THAT WE GUESS THAT THIS COMMITMENT WAS MADE WITH A NOD, A WINK, AND FINGERS CROSSED BEHIND SOMEONE’S BACK?…THAT THE PEOPLE OF EVANSVILLE HAVE A RIGHT TO SEE THIS CONTRACT IF BY CHANCE THERE IS ONE?
IS IT TRUE that at this point there have been 5 articles in two publications regarding the recently disclosed plot for the City of Evansville to borrow money by selling bonds to loan that money to Earthcare Energy at an interest rate of 1.5%?…that this plot sort of came as a surprise to everyone and that its goal was to close this deal before the May 14th meeting of the Evansville City Council?…that as those who rushed the vetting and rushed the vote started getting wind of public opposition to this deal they must have calculated that the only way to jam this thing to completion was to hurry up and borrow the funds and make some disbursement?…that people on a mission from some unknown master often do things that go against the grain of common sense?
IS IT TRUE that those five articles have now attracted 210 comments from readers and that there is still NOT ONE POST IN SUPPORT OF LOANING ANY MONEY TO EARTHCARE ENERGY?…that some comments are well thought out, others are emotional, and others are quite denigrating toward the five members of the City Council who voted for this, Mayor Winnecke, and GAGE president Debbie Dewey?…that it is fortunate that there have only been unkind words, words that may make these people the butt of jokes for a long time, but no threats?…that some of the speculation is unfounded but much of it makes sense?…that the question of whether Ken Haney, an Earthcare manager is somehow related to an Evansville Haynie that is close to Evansville’s first lady Carol McClintock is not correct?…that Haney does not equal Haynie and these people are unrelated so let’s put that speculation to rest?
IS IT TRUE that one of the comments that appears in several posts asks a question regarding just who brought the Earthcare Energy idea to the City of Evansville?…that this poster even states that if one can get to the bottom of that then the reason for normally rational people digging in their heels to support an irrational action will become clear?…that does indeed intrigue us?…that the question of just who in the decision team or who pulling their strings stands to gain from Earthcare borrowing this money is one worth exploring?…that the most prominent local Reverend Adrian Brooks has been vocally supporting this loan from day 1?…that several other people have expressed support including 2nd Ward resident Charlene Braker but no one with the influence of Reverend Brooks has been out in front of this from the beginning?
IS IT TRUE that we stand by our assertion that without respect to who may financially benefit from the borrowing of these dollars that THIS IS EVANSVILLE’S DUMBEST HOUR?…that people who privately say this is not a good idea when faced with making a public statement equivocate or even express support as their masters have told them to?…that we agree that when we find the puppet master(s) behind this unfolding embarrassment to the City then we will know which of our elected and appointed officials really are mindless puppets?…that then and only then can something be done to remove the puppets from positions of power?
Councilwoman Riley to Introduce Resolution to Rescind Earthcare Loan Approval
Evansville City Councilwoman Stephanie Riley today announced that she intends to introduce a resolution next week to rescind the approval of the Earthcare Energy loan approval that passed under duress by a single vote back in March.
Earlier this week it was announced by City of Evansville attorney Ted Ziemer that the bonds that must be sold to fund the Earthcare Energy loan for $4.8 Million and that the loan could be funded as early as next week. Councilwoman Riley stresses the importance that in order to introduce the resolution to rescind the loan approval that the bonds should not be sold before introduction of the resolution to rescind.
Riley released the findings of her personal discovery process yesterday that included bankruptcies, failed businesses, tax liens, and arrests records attributed to the management team of Earthcare Energy. She also highlighted how material misrepresentations had been made by Earthcare officers to the Evansville City Council during the loan application process. Since that release near unanimous support has been expressed by the people of Evansville to rescind the approval which was passed after Ken Haney of Earthcare issued an ultimatum to the City Council.
Councilwoman Riley requests that the people of Evansville make join her in opposing this loan and the sale of the bonds to fund it. She calls upon the citizens of this city to contact the 5 members of the Evansville City Council who voted for this loan (Robinson, Adams, O’Daniel, Mosby, & Weaver) along with Mayor Winnecke who has been an enthusiastic supporter of the Earthcare Energy deal and ask them to hold off on issuing these bonds until after the next City Council meeting on May 14, 2012.
At that meeting Councilwoman Riley asks that the concerned citizens of Evansville pack the chambers of the City Council and demand that this previously ignored material information be discussed prior to moving forward with the Earthcare Energy loan.
IS IT TRUE May 4, 2012
IS IT TRUE that 3rd Ward City Councilwoman Stephanie Riley tossed cold water onto the plans of the never vet, rush to vote, and now rush to fund crowd with respect to the Earthcare Energy loan?…that the people of Evansville are lining up in support of Councilwoman Riley’s courageous call to put a fork in this deal over material misrepresentation, withheld material information, a record of failure, and the obstinate way that a small number of people in authority have dug their heels in to protect this monumental mistake?…that as of the time of this writing there have been 125 comments posted between the CP and the CCO and that there IS NOT EVEN ONE COMMUNITY COMMENT IN FAVOR OF MAKING THIS LOAN?…that some members of the Evansville City Council are digging their heels in very vocally with the argument to “STAND BY THE VOTE AND MOVE ONâ€?…that such a statement is one of the most incredibly ignorant things ever uttered by members of any City Council
IS IT TRUE that the three most vocal are Connie Robinson, Missy Mosby, and Jonathan Weaver?…that both Weaver and Mosby have dabbled in real estate and know full well that a bad deal will not go through the vetting process of a home inspection and a loan process?…that if Weaver and Mosby think that if mold is found in the basement and a leak is found in the roof after the contract is signed that there will be changes to the contract to accommodate those new pieces of information?…that if they do not know that then they are as misinformed in the world of real estate as they are as City Council members voting on making a loan?…that Robinson is a businesswoman and knows that deals change when new information is available all of the time?…that it is time for Councilwomen Mosby and Robinson along with Councilman Weaver to have a “coming to Jesus†meeting with their constituents regarding the Earthcare Energy loan?…it is time for these lazy voters who must be dancing to some puppet master’s cadence to reverse their position and prepare for life beyond elected office?…that what needs to happen is that these three elected officials need to MOVE ON?
IS IT TRUE that GAGE president Debbie Dewey needs to send Councilwoman Riley a month of her salary?…that Councilwoman Riley did Dewey’s job for her while raising 4 children, sitting on City Council, and holding a full time job as an attorney?…that just as a reminder the things that Councilwoman Riley discovered during her vetting process are that among the management team of Earthcare Energy that there are bankruptcies, failed companies, over $2.2 Million of tax liens, an arrest, and no experience to speak of running a start-up technology company?…that anyone who thinks that is not material information to making this loan is either completely incompetent or has consumed so much of the Earthcare Kool-Aid that they have no business being a part of the process?…that we must wonder if Ms. Dewey did her job and knew all of these things and withheld this information or if she neglected her duty to vet and was surprised when Councilwoman Riley’s article came out yesterday?…that either way the vetting that was made available to the City Council prior to the infamous vote was grossly incompetent?…that this deal needs to be revisited using Councilwoman Riley’s information along with information from other sources that has not yet been revealed?
IS IT TRUE that the statements that Earthcare has no competition made by the founders of Earthcare and repeated by Ms. Dewey are also either blatantly false or incredibly naïve?…that there are as Councilwoman Riley pointed out a number of companies with a long history of competing in the gas letdown business with turbo expanders?…that the turbo expanders have on inlet for a high pressure gas stream, one outlet for a low pressure gas stream, and a generator that produces electricity?…that these devices do the EXACT SAME THING but do it in a slightly different way?…that the statements made by Haney and Dewey make about as much sense as saying that an SUV does not compete with an automobile for market share?…that Langson devices have been marketed by multiple companies for over 2 years without a single sale?…that maybe there is really no market for this device which essentially makes the competition moot?
Finally, IS IT TRUE that the published World Headquarters of Earthcare Energy is rental mail box #132 in a PostNet packing and shipping center in Humble, TX?…that it sits between a Starbucks and a Radio Shack?…that given all of Councilwoman Riley’s findings that people are beginning to wonder if there is any qualification procedure to get a $4.8 Million loan from the City of Evansville?…that it seems like the only qualification that is consistent with other credit qualifications is a pulse and a fantastic piece of fiction?
EVANSVILLE, IN – The Evansville Water and Sewer Utility (EWSU) and Mayor Lloyd Winnecke launched
a public effort in support of one of the city’s largest capital improvement projects to date, Renew
Evansville. It is EWSU’s approximately 20-year plan to improve Evansville’s sewer system and comply
with the Clean Water Act, as mandated by the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of
Justice and the State of Indiana. Renew Evansville will significantly upgrade Evansville’s sewer system
infrastructure, improve operations and reduce water pollution. Through a detailed assessment of the
current system, public comment and state and federal approval, EWSU will have about 20 years to
complete the plan to comply with a federal consent decree and state and federal regulations.
To gather public feedback as Renew Evansville is being developed, the following tools are available:
• A public website, www.RenewEvansville.com, which contains information about the agreement
with federal and state regulators, the timeline for implementation, copies of many of the
submissions the Utility has filed with the EPA since November 2010 and information for
residents.
• Updates via Twitter by following @RenewEvansville.
• A Citizens Advisory Committee that meets regularly to provide feedback on the plan’s
development.
• A speakers bureau, which can make presentations to neighborhood associations, civic groups
and other community organizations.
“The Evansville Water and Sewer Utility is ready to take action and work to improve and enhance one
of our city’s most important, yet unseen, assets,†EWSU director Allen Mounts said. “We encourage
Evansville residents to provide input and help make Renew Evansville the best investment for our city’s
sewer system.â€
To engage public comment in planning, EWSU plans to hold public meetings about Renew Evansville
between Aug. 1 and Sept. 30, 2012. At that time, a draft plan will be available for the public to review
and comment.
Through Renew Evansville, Utility officials plan to upgrade existing infrastructure, use new construction
and “green†solutions to expand current pipe and sewer capacity, and make improvements to the
Utility’s operations and maintenance. EWSU must submit its final long-term Integrated Overflow
Control Plan to the EPA by Nov. 30, 2012.
For more information about the program, visit the newly launched www.RenewEvansville.com.
EVANSVILLE – The Vanderburgh County Treasurer’s Office is reminding Vanderburgh County property owners that Thursday, May 10, 2012, is the final day to pay the spring installment of property taxes. If your payment is late, a 5% penalty is imposed on your outstanding balance for the first 30 days following the deadline. After 30 days, that penalty increases to 10%.
Vanderburgh County Treasurer Rick Davis reminds local taxpayers about ongoing construction at the Civic Center – construction that has seriously reduced the number of parking spaces available at the Civic Center.
“Although the parking lot construction has been covered extensively by the local news media, including TV, radio and the newspaper, people still forget about the lack of parking spaces and are having trouble finding a parking spot,†said Davis. “We’re trying to alleviate that problem by promoting other popular forms of payment, including paying at Old National Bank; mailing your payment; or using our handy drop box in front of the Civic Center.
“Of course, if you have a question or need to talk to someone in person, we will be glad to assist our taxpayers,†said Davis. “But for the folks who just want to make their payments and do not require personal assistance, I recommend they use an alternate form of payment this year in order to help prevent more serious parking issues for taxpayers who require assistance.â€
Davis reminded taxpayers that the Civic Center will be closed on Tuesday, May 8, due to the Primary Election Day, and that Old National Bank branches will be open and available to accept payments. When paying at Old National Bank taxpayers must bring the statement that was mailed to them by the Treasurer’s Office in order for the bank to process the transaction. Payments will NOT be accepted at the bank once the due date has expired.
You may also mail in your payment to PO Box 77, Evansville, IN 47701-0077. As long as your envelope is POSTMARKED by May 10, 2012, you will avoid late fees.
The drop box is also available in front of the Civic Center 24 hours a day. Davis said the drop box will accept payments even after the Treasurer’s Office closes at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday. Taxpayers can drop their payments into the box until midnight without being assessed a penalty.
Payments can also be made online by visiting www.vanderburghtreasurer.org by using any major credit card. There is a user fee of 2.75% to pay online. The website also accepts electronic checks (E-Checks) for a flat $3 fee.
Payments can also be paid using a credit card by mailing in credit card information on a form provided by the Treasurer’s Office with every bill mailed out. There is a 2.75% transaction fee to take advantage of this feature.
You may pay by phone using any major credit card. Call 1-800-2PAYTAX. You will need to provide the following “jurisdiction code†– 2405. There is a 2.75% transaction fee to take advantage of this feature.
You may also visit the Vanderburgh County Treasurer’s Office at The Civic Center, 1 NW MLK Jr. Blvd., Room 210. The office is open to the public from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
A Debit Option feature, where taxpayers can have their property taxes deducted electronically straight from their banking account without a fee, is also available for the fall installment and all payments thereafter. (The deadline to sign up for this program for the spring installment has already passed). To set up the Debit Option payment plan for the fall payment, please contact Arrinda in the Treasurer’s Office at 435-5437.
All of the various payment options are included with your bill, said Davis.
If taxpayers have questions about the assessment of their properties, they should contact the Vanderburgh County Assessor’s Office at (812) 435-5530. If taxpayers have questions about exemptions for their property, they should contact the County Auditor’s Office at (812) 435-5293. For questions concerning property tax payments, contact the County Treasurer’s Office at (812) 435-5248.
Captain Jennifer Hunt is being promoted to the rank of Inspector. Hunt, a 12 year fire department veteran, will be the first female promoted into that position. Captain Hunt will assume her role in the Inspection Division which is responsible for inspection of businesses and enforcing the City’s Fire Prevention Code. Hunt’s first day in the Inspection Division will be May 7th and she is excited about the challenge of her new assignment.
Mark Sullivan made some pretty outlandish claims about his idea that has not yet been tested in the real world and got laughed off of Shark Tank. This part of the segment starts at 18:30 and runs to 25:00 in episode 11 of this year’s Shark Tank. Enjoy, this may hit pretty close to home for some folks in Evansville.
In all fairness to Mr. Sullivan and the sharks, Mr. Sullivan really does have a patent on his idea.
IS IT TRUE May 3, 2012
IS IT TRUE the Evansville City Attorney has stated that the bonds will be sold to fund the $4.8 Million loan to Earthcare Energy by the middle of next week?…that just as the situation at the Riverhouse has run into some real problems due to having undisclosed material information come to the table after the initial loan approval, the Earthcare Energy deal has had new material information discovered or disclosed after the 5 – 4 vote to approve the $4.8 Million loan was approved?…that when material information changes occur, the lending institution whether it is a bank or the Evansville City Council needs to take a step back and digest that information?…that one member of the Evansville City Council whose name is Councilman Jonathan Weaver is on record as saying that “We had to take the best information we were provided at that time, and we now have new (other) issues to tackle.”?…that this is one of the most misinformed and ignorant statements possible?…that when material information is made available after the fact that was either withheld or undiscovered that any prudent person or lending institution would reconsider a decision based on the new information?
IS IT TRUE that the normally rational and intelligent voice of the Evansville City Council, Dr. H. Dan Adams is quoted as saying that “with my limited resources of vetting, I have found no smoking gun.”?…that one must ask, are arrests a smoking gun, are bankruptcies a smoking gun, are untested products a smoking gun, are tax liens smoking guns, and are patents claimed that do not exist smoking guns?…that if those five things are not “smoking guns†then there must be a blind spot when it comes to smoking guns?…that the real problem lies with the “limited resources of vettingâ€?…that this deal has been turned down by 6 or 7 banks according to GAGE president Debbie Dewey, has attracted exactly ZERO private investors, and has not sold a single unit in spite of the fact that there are multiple distributors authorized to make sell these products?
IS IT TRUE that it is time for the other two members of the Evansville City Council namely Dan McGinn and John Friend to come forward and let us all know why they were not in favor of this deal?…that both of these gentlemen Councilmen have been candid in private about what they think about this deal but that it is now their duty to make that known before a check is issued?…that there was a rush to vote and now there is a rush to fund prior to the City Council meeting of May 14, 2012?…that no patent exists, no contracts have been shown, no test results have been published, and no track records of the principals have been verified?…that the people of Evansville who are disgusted with this foolishnes sneed to pick up the phone and call their City Council members and let them know that this is not good public policy and that it is not acceptable?
IS IT TRUE that if the people of Evansville fail themselves on this deal that they deserve what they get today, tomorrow, and into the future?…that finally there is no Power Purchase Agreement in place with Vectren at the present time and that Earthcare does not even have the ability today to try to capture the energy that they claim makes the Langson device valuable?…that Vectren has nothing to lose by signing this agreement that will allow them to triple their money on power if and we do mean if it works except their self respect if this turns out like the other dozen businesses that this management team has presided over?…that Vectren which is usually a prudent business will suffer much embarrassment along with their shareholders if this deal does not deliver as advertised?
