IS IT TRUE that the receipt of federal grants in the amount of $2.5 Million have been secured by the City of Evansville and will be used to create 120 new or refurbished living units targeting low income people?…that projects like these done as far back as 50 years ago but certainly in the last 10 years would have improved the look of certain parts of the city?…that a simple division problem of dividing $2.5M by 120 yields a number of only $20,833.33 per living unit as a cost to produce?…that this is less than 10% of what has and is being spent to build Front Door Pride homes?…that this begs the question, “where is the rest of the money coming from”?

IS IT TRUE that $20,833 is the kind of price that it costs to build a half of a Habitat house?…that Habitat for Humanity is able to build low income houses for in the $40,000 range because of extensive volunteerism, drastically discounted materials, and cookie cutter designs?…that there is essentially no way that a new living unit can be created for $20,833 even with volunteer labor?…that we are quite curious to find out the rest of the story on what the real cost is and who is paying for it?

IS IT TRUE that the 40 three and four bedroom homes that are slated for Goosetown will be mingled in and around the other Front Door Pride homes that have already been built?…that the cost to build the first round of FDP homes has been slightly over $200,000 per home and that the selling price has been closer to an average of $100,000 per home?…that the FDP homes have been very difficult to sell with half of them languishing on the market for over a year?…that building 40 more homes into Goosetown that are less expensive and slated to be leased will impact both the value and the marketability of the FDP homes?…that if these 40 homes are comparable to the FDP homes that Evansville is looking at a cost of between $8M and $10M just for construction?…that accepting government money always comes with strings and we are very interested in the strings attached to this $2.5M?

IS IT TRUE as we continuously point out that truly bringing the FDP area back to a point that young educated professionals want to be there requires performing schools, safety, and let us not forget a sewer system that does not continuously smell like a cesspool?…that a wise lady has a saying on her refrigerator that reads “Never trade what you want most for what you want today”?…that a FREE infusion of $2.5M with a photo-op in a dilapidated neighborhood is an irresistible temptation to politicians?…that it may be a good thing?…that it will only be a good thing if it makes a real and sustainable difference?…that a tangible and achievable master plan for an area in need of improvement would be the first step to making that happen?…that the question of “do these 40 homes serve to further the purpose of the master plan?” should have been the first question asked?…that mixing $200,000+ homes with $20,833 homes would never find its way into any professional master plan?…that as with the Downtown we suspect that there is no master plan?…that good public policy comes from thinking and planning followed by action?…that the days of Ready, Fire, Aim in Evansville are numbered?

IS IT TRUE that the City County Observer would really like to believe in these three projects and especially in the FDP part of it?…that we would like to see a MASTER PLAN, where this project serves the goals of the MASTER PLAN, and a full accounting of the total funds budgeted along with the source of these funds released by the City of Evansville?

IS IT TRUE that at the current rate of population shrinkage that it will take approximately 4 months for enough people to leave the City of Evansville to render 140 more living units to be vacant?…that we really wonder what it is about the new units that will stop the flow of people from fleeing the City of Evansville faster than 37 members of the Indiana House of Representatives have fled the Capitol?

IS IT TRUE that the Willard Library is expanding?…that the expansion is seeking some level of assistance from the Evansville Convention and Visitors Bureau?…that if the entire cash stream from the Innkeeper’s Tax would have been committed to building 8 little league ball fields and tearing down Robert’s Stadium that there would be no such funds available for leveraging to make much more value from that cash stream?…that this is the first of many forthcoming examples about why the $18 Million ball fields would not have been a wise use of these dollars?

IS IT TRUE that the parks of the City of Evansville really are could be a tourist draw if they were in any condition to do so?…that it is entirely possible that the Innkeepers Tax and the CVB may just have a role to play in the reclamation of the Evansville City Parks?…that some of the $18 Million was actually slated to do some improvements in Wesselman Park?…that the City of Evansville found a way to hold the project hostage to get Robert’s Stadium demolished with the Innkeeper’s Tax?…that something with the improvement of the parks would be a worthy consideration of that money?

IS IT TRUE that it has now been 1,391 days since the announcement was made on May 14, 2007 that the McCurdy Hotel was to be refurbished into luxury apartments?…that it has now been 1,245 days since the Evansville Redevelopment Commission at the request of Mayor Weinzapfel approved the spending of $603,000 to purchase the parking lot?…that City Centre Properties and Scott Kosene the developers of the McCurdy project are both listed as contributors to the Weinzapfel for Mayor committee for 2010?

IS IT TRUE that there are now 619 days remaining in the two years that the EPA had given the City of Evansville to present an acceptable solution to the Combined Sewer Overflow problem?…..that this plan is an expensive and complex endeavor that needs immediate attention to avoid the embarrassment and expense of another round of fines?

IS IT TRUE that Mole #3 says the Evansville Department of Water and Sewers is putting out a request for proposals (RFP) to accept bids to implement a modernization of reading of water meters?…that if implemented that this technology will eliminate the need for meter readers and may just eliminate all of those jobs?…that there are only a couple of companies that offer this technology and that the call for bids has not been published in local papers?…that the Director of Information Technology may have inserted a clause into the RFP that states that any prospective bidder that speaks to any person outside of the Department administration will be disqualified?…that seems to include talking to not only the press but to members of the City Council as well?…that this project is alleged to be in the tens of millions of dollars?…that this GAG ORDER is censorship of the highest order?…that contemplating the purchase of new technology with a price tag of over $10 Million should be done in public according to open door laws?

IS IT TRUE that candidate for the Democratic nomination for Evansville City Council from the 6th Ward, Evansville Firefighter Al Lindsey will be represented by one of the most competent and tenacious attorneys that practices in SW Indiana?…that none other than Republican extraordinaire Les Shively will be representing Mr. Lindsey’s right to run on Thursday at 1:00?…that politics really can make for unexpected alliances?…that the City County Observer is not surprised as Mr. Shively is known to be on the side of law and frequently advocates for upholding the law?

IS IT TRUE that Mole #3 says that the fiber optic connection between the new Arena and the Civic Center that was celebrated as costing under $100,000 and saving great sums of money is now running over budget by a newsworthy amount?…that we are curious when that expenditure and the revised cost will be made public?…that we wonder why there is not RFP published for this project just as no bids were taken for the demolition of the Executive Inn?

IS IT TRUE that the City of Evansville just announced yet another win of outside grant money that will be used to build 120 units of “affordable” housing?…that Director of DMD Tom Barnett is on record as stating the over 8,000 homes in Evansville are dilapidated and that the US Census confirms that over 7,000 homes are abandoned in Evansville?…that the population has been shrinking for 50 years?…that as pretty and nice as the 120 “affordable” units may be we question the need for housing in a city that has 8,000 abandoned homes?…that maybe the money to build these units is federal grant money that is considered “free” by local government?…that these homes have the sound of “bridge to nowhere” unless of course the demolition team is out taking down as many of the 8,000 dilapidated obsolete houses as possible?…that these 120 units will not be something that attracts educated young professionals nor will these units do anything about the poor performance of the schools in the FDP area?…that projects like these do not improve the demographics of Evansville and do not benefit anyone except the few people who live in the reduced cost housing and the politicians who claim credit for doing something?

IS IT TRUE that competent fishermen do not cast their nets in places where there are not any fish?…that hunters do not hunt for elephants in SW Indiana because there are no elephants here?…that private builders do not build homes for sale in places that people are leaving in droves?…that governments should have the good sense to do the same?…that if the re-population of Evansville’s Front Door Pride district is to begin that it will start with the eradication of criminal activity and with the establishment of acceptable schools in that area?…that bricks and mortar can not buy brains and safety?

Ann Arbor Sidewalks Cleared Quickly and Completely

The City County Observer has never had a story posted from an airport before so here goes a first. In my weekend in Ann Arbor I was able to walk on probably 10 miles of sidewalks that had been cleared of snow that fell last week by City of Ann Arbor employees according City of Ann Arbor policy. The picture sort of says it all from the window of a Starbucks.

I did speak to a few people about the cleanliness and the most telling comment came from a University of Michigan Astronomy professor who said;

“they (the city) don’t shovel every sidewalk in town, just the ones that they really care about in the downtown because they want it to be an attractive place for people to go for entertainment”.

I think that says it all. Will the City of Evansville ever get it? Ann Arbor’s downtown was full of businesses and even had two old theaters that were operating and showing foreign and film festival films for $6 per ticket. I can not say that I am surprised in the least.

IS IT TRUE that Evansville Memorial High School’s Kyle Kuric once again was a hero for the Louisville Cardinals Coach Rick Pitino in the Cards victory over 4th ranked Pittsburgh?…that Kuric sank a three pointer in overtime to put the Cardinals up to stay and then got loose for a breakaway slam dunk to put the exclamation point on the game with 0.5 seconds remaining?…that a happy cheerleader got a technical foul called on himself and caused a bit of drama in the last 0.5 seconds but that the Cards were victorious anyway?…that seeing Kyle Kuric have such a good year with his frequent TV appearances is good for Evansville?

IS IT TRUE that there are many lessons that Evansville could learn from Louisville?…that the new YUM Center has sold out all 20 (all nationally televised) of the men’s basketball games this year with an average attendance of just over 22,000 people per game?…that the Lady Cardinals are #2 in the nation in attendance at 11,058 people per game?…that with the University of Louisville basketball teams drawing over 825,000 people since YUM Center opened in November that the overall attendance has thus far topped 1 Million people?…that with at kind of attendance and exposure it is no wonder that YUM Brands was willing to ante up over $1M per year for naming rights.

IS IT TRUE that Mole #13 tells us that Ann Arbor, Michigan has chased the abominable snow man out of town and that all of the sidewalks in the 25 square block downtown district are cleared of snow?…that caring for downtown’s must do something for commerce because empty storefronts are few and far between and the streets are relatively filled both day and night?…that the feel of the streets when the sidewalks are cleared, the streetlights work, and there are people around is SAFE?…that it is hard to find a parking place none the less?

IS IT TRUE that Roberts Stadium was sent out in style with an University of Evansville Purple Aces VICTORY and with a crowd of nearly 11,000 people?…that the sounds of the crowd and the energy of the team was a great reminder of just how those 5 national championship banners were earned by the Aces of the past?…that the City County Observer is rooting for championship seasons, banners to hang, and sell out games at the new downtown Evansville Arena for both the UE Aces and the USI Eagles?

IS IT TRUE that we and others are truly beginning to have more than a passing concern for the non-start of any activity down at the McCurdy Hotel?…that after over three years windows remain open, pigeons seek refuge, and lights eerily come on from time to time?…that neglect is a very well proven way to devalue a building, and especially a historical brick building with aging tuck pointing?…that the City of Evansville is already into this project for $1.4 Million and counting and has negative equity to show for it?…that it is time to have this developer either perform or get out of the way so the project can be opened up for another developer?…that this looks like the extended version of the Executive Inn Dilemma?…that Evansville people and Evansville money came to the rescue of the downtown Convention Hotel saga?…that maybe some local group will pull the City of Evansville’s fat out of the fire down at the McCurdy too?…that it is getting tiring to watch one Indianapolis based business after another come to Evansville to prove what they can’t or won’t do?

“Complaint Cited Police Report over Three Chickens mauled by Pit Bull to challenge Residency”

On February 24, 2011 the Vanderburgh County Election Board received a complaint from Mr. Randall Whitehouse regarding the eligibility of 6th Ward democratic City Council hopeful Evansville Firefighter Al Lindsey to be a candidate for Evansville City Council. This complaint challenges the residency requirements as set forth in Indiana law claiming that Mr. Lindsey has not resided in his residence at 433 S. Bosse Avenue in the City of Evansville long enough to be allowed to run for City Council.

In his complaint Mr. Whitehouse included a day by day diary of what he had observed over a period of two months when he claimed to have gone to Mr. Lindsey’s home to take notes twice daily regarding whether or not a vehicle was in the driveway. Mr. Whitehouse also submitted a police report regarding a dispute over three chickens belonging to Mr. Lindsey that were killed by a pit bull dog. The date of the incident report was 04/11/2010 and the address of the incident was recorded to be 10410 New Harmony Road, Evansville, IN. The responding officer was K. Chapman of the Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Department.

On February 25, 2011 Mr. Lindsey filed a complaint with the Evansville Police Department for stalking against Mr. Whitehouse. The responding officer J. A. Becker recorded the following in the police report.

“Victim is currently a candidate running for office. Offender is a friend of the victim’s opponent. Yesterday the offender filed a complaint with the clerk’s office trying to discredit the victim and prove that the victim does not live in the city as is required for the position which he is running for. To back his claim the offender turned in two calendars showing where he has been tracking the victim’s activity for the last two months.”

The Vanderburgh County Election Board will be hearing Mr. Whitehouse’s complaint and Mr. Lindsey’s position regarding his residency on Thursday March 3, 2011 at 1:00 in the election office located in Room 214 of the Vanderburgh County Civic Center.

“Driving past here, it was very depressing,” Discon said. “It really captured a feeling of how the city was not good.”

Discon, who had moved to Mandeville shortly before the storm, said his frustration with the city’s slow pace of recovery came to a head when he was surrounded by the park-turned-wilderness.

“I was driving through the park, going to work. It was hot. At the time, (Mayor Ray) Nagin was mouthing off to the federal government that New Orleans was open for tourism, and that’s what kind of pissed me off .¤.¤. because a simple drive through the park showed that it was not,” he said.

“The grass was like 2 feet high. I would see tourists looking at it. So I just got out and started pulling some weeds.”

Volunteers continue to make a difference in a City that couldn’t or wouldn’t. Please read the whole story.

http://www.nola.com/news/index.ssf/2008/07/volunteer_grasscutters_still_w.html

IS IT TRUE that the rotting shell of the Executive Inn is finally scheduled for demolition?…that Arena project manager John Kish is now saying that the demolition process will begin sometime in March?…that we are curious about the price that is being paid for this demolition?…that we are equally curious about when the request for bids went out, how many companies submitted bids, and what the range of these prices happened to be?…that as this is a public project that this should have been bid and should be made known to the public?

IS IT TRUE that no contract is in place between the City of Evansville and Woodruff Hospitality yet?…that it was expected that this important step would be completed no later than mid February?…that two demolitions under a single contract would probably be less expensive that two independent contracts?…that if the City of Evansville is going forward with the demolition of the Executive Inn that maybe that job should be upgraded to include the parking garage where the new Hyatt Place Convention Hotel will be built should be done at the same time?…that we are still completely baffled how anyone in their right mind could have ever thought that a refurbishment of the existing Executive Inn would have complemented the new Arena?…that we also wonder how equipment would have been staged into and out of the new Arena with the old Executive Inn still standing?…that it still does not seem like there is a maestro leading the orchestra down on Main Street?

IS IT TRUE that Evansville’s own Gail Riecken, one of the members of the Indiana House of Representatives who are holed up in a hotel in Urbana, IL to obstruct the agenda of the Speaker of the House made the national FOX NEWS report on the Neil Cavuto show yesterday?…that the music in the background during the report about the Indiana Democratic contingency was “Runaway” by Del Shannon?…that we once again encourage our elected representatives to stop this childish tantrum and get themselves back to Indianapolis to do the job that they were elected to do?…that if obstruction of legislation is the right thing to do that there is a right way to do it?…that running for the border to hide behind the fortress of Illinois is the exactly wrong way to do it?…that Indiana is being made into a laughing stock on national news broadcasts all across the country?...that this type of behavior is of no help whatsoever for job creation efforts by the State of Indiana?

IS IT TRUE that just yesterday a lady was attacked by four pit bull dogs while walking on a public sidewalk in South Evansville?…that just last week that the City County Observer reported that one of the negative aspects of looking over the IDEA HOME is the fact that three free roaming pit bulls were hanging out right next door?…that if city beautification programs like Front Door Pride are to ever work that the basics of a safe life must be assured?…that these basics include freedom from violent crime, freedom from property crime, freedom from free ranging pit bull dogs, and a local school that ranks highly in ISTEP achievement?…that building McMansions in unsafe places with poor school performance never really works?

The collective bargaining agreement by and between the City of Evansville and the Chauffeurs, Teamsters and Helpers Local Union #215 makes it somewhat difficult and even expensive for the Department of Parks and Recreation to accept the volunteer services of local individuals and civic organizations.

First off the time requirements prohibit any work being done by part-time or volunteer laborers during the four and a half months from November 1st to the following March 15th so volunteer snow clearance, cutting up of tree limbs that have fallen or any other winter related improvement are not allowed as per the contract.

Second, this broadly reads like the acceptance of volunteer efforts has to run a gauntlet the last of which is whether or not a full-time employee wants to work overtime. If you wish to volunteer in a park on Saturday at ZERO COST, before your offer can be accepted a full-timer has to be offered the work at overtime rate. This whole requirement makes the red tape associated with seeking volunteers or being a volunteer a deterrent to the whole volunteer process.

From an overall perspective to enter into contracts that make volunteering to do work in public parks difficult undermines civic pride and adds unnecessary costs to the budget of the City of Evansville. In prosperous times when the parks are pristine such contracts while damaging could actually be tolerable. In times like these when playground equipment is falling apart, needles are in sandboxes, and four letter graffiti artists have tagged our parks, the restrictions on volunteerism is just insane.

There are many tasks that lend themselves to volunteerism. Just as there are exceptions to pulling permits to do small maintenance types of work on a home, there should be a list of tasks that volunteers can do at will in the public parks and they should be able to be completed year round. If the City of Evansville will not or cannot pay to have our parks properly taken care of let them at least enter into contracts that allow the citizens of Evansville to do things to take care of the parks that they the citizens own.

Following is the exact wording from the collective bargaining agreement regarding staffing levels.

Article XXXIV: Staffing Levels

Failure of the City of Evansville to comply with the March 15th notification or the October 31st cut-off date, or those employees not identified prior to March 15th or who work past the October 31st cut-off date will become full-time employees of the City of Evansville.