IS IT TRUE that a traditional way to make sure that one has the cash coming in to cover the electric bill has been to buy stock in your local public utility?…that as the stock of Vectren (VVC, NYSE) has an attractive dividend of $1.40 per share per year this would be a good strategy for the people who have the means to do so?…that the question of interest is just how much would it cost to purchase enough shares to do that?…that if you live in Henderson and your monthly electricity consumption is 1,000 kWh that you would have to purchase 450 shares of Vectren stock at a price of $13,050 to cover your bills at today’s prices?…that if you are from Evansville and have the same consumption that you would have to purchase 1,350 shares at a total cost of $39,150 to cover your electric bills from dividends?…that all other things considered equal that the difference in those amounts of $26,100 is the amount of pure wealth that is consumed due to the rate difference?…that if that number is multiplied by the 141,000 ratepayers that the wealth required to cover all of the electricity cost on this side of the river is $680 Million?…that puts the rate differences in a different perspective to an outsider who is looking in?

IS IT TRUE that today there are only 25 days remaining in the Weinzapfel Administration?…that it is also the first day in which the Evansville Redevelopment Commission has an opportunity to rescind the agreement that they have with City Centre Properties LLC with respect to turning the McCurdy Hotel into 90 luxury apartments?…that it is time for the ERC to fish or cut bait on this project?…that even in the simplest of games using a stick and a ball after three strikes you are out and this is the 4th Strike for both City Centre Properties LLC and the Evansville Redevelopment Commission in its present embodiment?…that we are all out here in taxpayer land wondering if a 5th extension will be granted or if this lingering deal will finally be unwound so the Winnecke Administration can start with a clean slate?…that the TAXES ON THE PROPERTY THAT WERE DUE ON NOVEMBER 10TH ARE STILL NOT PAID?…that we would hope there would be some discussion about this situation at today’s ERC meeting?

IS IT TRUE that all eyes and ears will be focused on the resolution that is being considered with respect to the downtown Convention Hotel?…that the eyes of Klenck Construction that has thus far been on the receiving end of some shoddy treatment by the City of Evansville will certainly be on this resolution and on any decision that may come from the ERC about proceeding?…that the last minute spending that is being presented to the ERC and to the Evansville City Council is just getting oppressive?…that every time in December that either body meets it is all about spending everything that can possibly be spent?…that we are counting on City Councilman John Friend, CPA to provide the financial oversight and guidance so that no shenanigans are pulled in the last days of the reign of Mayor Weinzapfel?

IS IT TRUE that above all things the CCO hopes that any actions taken by the Evansville Redevelopment Commission with respect to these projects reflect the same kinds of actions that the members of the ERC would make in their real jobs in banking, architecture, accounting, and pawn shop operation?…that in the particular case of pawn shop operation paying too much for something or doing business with financially incapable people is of utmost importance for success?…that the mantra for tomorrow’s meeting needs to be “IF YOU WOULD NOT DO THIS WITH YOUR MONEY, PLEASE DO NOT DO IT WITH OURS”?

IS IT TRUE? December 5, 2011 Part 2

IS IT TRUE that the City County Observer has obtained a residential electric bill for a part of Henderson County served by Kenergy?…that this bill for the month of November is for a home that consumed 1,709 kWh of electricity and that the total charges for this consumption excluding taxes was $128.90 that includes a $11.14 fee?…that this calculates to a net rate to the customer of 7.54 cents per kWh?…that the rate paid by Vectren customers including all fees but excluding taxes amounts to 15.51 cents per kWh or a premium of 106% for the same electrons that Kenergy customers pay for?…that the residential bill is on the link below?

Scan_Doc0051

IS IT TRUE that the bill calculator at the Henderson Power and Light Website calculates during the winter that if a customer of theirs consumes 1,000 kWh of electricity during the winter that the cost to the customer is $49.63 or 4.93 cents per kWh?…that Vectren’s charge for the same amount of consumption is $155.10 or a 213% premium over what our friends in the City of Henderson pay for the same electrons?…that it must also be noted that Kenergy customers pay a premium of 53% over what Henderson Power and Light’s customers pay?…that a link that will get you to the Henderson Power and Light calculator is below?

https://city-countyobserver.com/2011/10/03/henderson-power-and-light-electric-bill-estimator/

IS IT TRUE that the State of Indiana has now taken down 1,151 meth labs in the state this year and that Vanderburgh County continues to lead the state in meth labs busted?…that unfortunately that probably means that we are also leading the state in meth production, distribution, and personal use?…that the eradication of meth became a hot campaign issue this year for the office of Mayor of Evansville with both candidates acknowledging the seriousness of the problem and vowing to do something about it?…that one of the remedies that has seen success in other states is making pseudoephedrine, the active ingredient for meth makers a prescription only substance?…that it is very hard to argue with the successes of Oregon and that the State of Indiana needs to add discussions regarding pseudo prescriptions to their laundry list of Right to Work, and a smoking ban?

IS IT TRUE that investors are looking for ways to profit from the soon to be phased in EPA restrictions on the burning of coal?…that this is the origin of the coming price increases in electricity in other coal burning areas that Vectren has been touting as the answer to the high premiums that we pay in SW Indiana?…that the Wall Street Journal today profiled three companies that are poised to grow rapidly from orders from utilities that are expected to spend lots of money over the next several years to achieve compliance with the EPA restrictions?…that these companies are ADA Environmental Solutions of Littleton, CO and Fuel Tech Incorporated of Warrenville, IL?…that knowing what was coming and how to deal with it would have been and could have been a very good opportunity for start-up companies in greater Evansville?…that if this area misses out on opportunities to prosper from coal cleaning solutions that we deserve what we get which may just turn out to be nothing?…that at the end of 2011 Evansville still does not have an Angel Investment Network or a Venture Capital Firm?

IS IT TRUE that at the time of this writing that 84% of the respondents to the City County Observer poll believe that the Evansville Redevelopment Commission is on the eve of offering a contract to one of the bidders on the downtown Convention Hotel WITHOUT regard to the VETTING that has been paid for?…that this 84% actually believe that the ERC will move forward with no favorable opinion from Hunden Strategic Partners whom they paid to VET the bidders?…that in a separate poll 77% of the voters expressed the opinion that the Evansville City Council will rubber stamp whatever they are presented as their last act of 2011?…that the comments during the last 48 hours resulted in more removals in any such period in the history of the CCO?

IS IT TRUE that the voters of these polls are counting on Evansville City Councilman John Friend, CPA to actually use his CPA skills on behalf of the voters of Evansville and do some VETTING of his own?…that Councilman Friend is the most qualified member of the City Council when it comes to accounting skills and is expected to use those skills to make sure that the taxpayer’s money is not squandered?…that Councilman Friend should use these skills to do some VETTING around town on both Prime Lodging and Kunkel to see how they conduct their business in advance of any vote to fund the downtown Convention Hotel project?…that in the case of an ERC that is determined to do something without backup the Councilman John Friend, CPA may be the last line of defense for the taxpayers of Evansville?

IS IT TRUE that Mole #7 tells us that the incoming Winnecke Administration has settled on a new Chief of Police?…that Mole #7 tells us that the name of Billy Bolin will be announced soon as our new City of Evansville Chief of Police?…that having some experience with Officer Bolin the CCO is pleased to support him over what we are sure was a well qualified group of candidates under consideration?…that we will commission our cartoonist upon the formal announcement to do a drawing of Mayor Elect Winnecke and Chief Bolin in a surveillance vehicle that looks more like a Brinks truck full of high tech equipment than an Abrams tank?

IS IT TRUE that the Evansville Icemen drew a respectable crowd of 2,605 to the Ford Center another victory last night in what was a very wet day?…that sometime today 2011 will become the wettest year on record for Evansville when the previous record for rain is passed?…that all of the water has been good for the plants but bad for the allergies?

IS IT TRUE that former Knight Township Trustee Linda Durham’s Chief Deputy Tonda Pauley is once again on the public payroll?…that Ms. Durham’s assistant is now working in the Evansville City Garage under the leadership of Ed Ziemer?…that Ms. Pauley has been reported by the Courier and Press to have a civil judgment for more than $3,300 against her from her time in service of Ms. Durham?…that the CCO wonders just how many applicants there were for this job, what the qualifications were, and what the vetting criteria was for hiring?

http://www.courierpress.com/news/2011/aug/09/no-headline—ev_knighttownship/