County Commissioner STEPHEN (Steve) MELCHER – NAMED VETERAN OF THE YEAR
STEPHEN (Steve) MELCHER – NAMED VETERAN OF THE YEAR
By Don Counts, reporter
The Veterans Day program at Oak Hill Cemetery held a surprise for this Veteran. Mayor Jonathan Weinzapfel said that this ceremony was bitter sweet for him, having the pleasure of making this presentation and being his last as Mayor. The Mayor told of the many accomplishments Melcher had performed while in the Army and National Guard as well as the many years Steve had worked with him during his career.
After the program Steve said that he has turned in his resignation at CAPE as of December 8, 2011. He wants to spend more time with his family and to devote more time and energy to Veteran issues, Non-Profit and Community Service Organizations such as Lakeview Optimist and Right to Life. He plans to continue as County Commissioner and in January 2012 he will file for Re-election and be a full time County Commissioner.
Steve is currently serving his fifth year as Commander of the Vanderburgh County Veterans Council. It is believed that he has served more terms than any other Commander. He is a Life Member of the American Legion Post 354, VFW Post 1114 and Amvets Post 84. He has held leadership roles in the veteran’s organizations.
During the three years he served in the Army he was deployed to a tour in Germany. He said he could see the Russian tanks in the distance. He was a Specialist 5 when he was discharged. After his discharge he joined the National Guard for seven years. During his time of service many times he held billets of higher rank than he held. He was discharged at the rank of Sgt First Class E7 (7th enlisted rank). In order to be promoted to E8 (next promotion) he would have had to have served 14 years or to have been an E7 for 7 years. He decided it was time to end his military career.
After his service in the Military, he got a job at Ohio Valley Sound, which continued for 27 years, starting at the bottom in shipping and receiving. He progressed up the ranks to Vice President, Operations Manager. He has always been interested in community service and when the opportunity arose he took the job at CAPE and is currently Facilities Manager. He had to take a cut in pay but wanted to work helping people.
He served on City Council starting in 1992 where he had been elected President or Vice-President seven times with the bipartisan support of City Council members. While working at CAPE he ran for and was elected as a Commissioner of Vanderburgh County. He is currently serving as County Commissioner District 3 and has held the position of President and Vice-President. Steve considers himself a vital link to his community and is actively involved in neighborhood associations and United Neighborhoods of Evansville. He serves as President of Lakeview Optimist Club (life member), and is a member of the Evansville State Hospital Committee, Fraternal Order of Police Association, Indiana Right to Life and Right to Life of Southwest Indiana (Board member).
Steve attends Grace and Peace Lutheran Church.
Congratulations to Stephen Melcher, the newest member of a growing list of distinguished Veterans of the Year.
IS IT TRUE? November 12, 2011
IS IT TRUE? November 12, 2011
IS IT TRUE that another officer of the Vanderburgh County Democrat Party has resigned his position?…that Adam Schaaf, the Democrat Party Committeeman for Precinct 2-1 tendered his resignation to Party Chairman Mark Owen citing the behavior of local Democrat Party leaders with respect to insider attacks on the Davis for Mayor campaign as reason for his resignation?…that Mr. Schaaf’s resignation letter addressed to Chairman Owen included the following paragraph?
“I certainly hope that Indiana Democratic Party Chairman Dan Parker moves swiftly with a full investigation of the Vanderburgh County Democrat Party. In closing, as a Democrat, I remain committed to upholding central Democratic values within our community. I wish the best to ALL of the Democrat winners on the ballot in 2011 the in their quest to represent our fair city and they remain committed to moving our city forward. I will look forward to a time when I may serve my fellow citizens again.â€
IS IT TRUE that even though Evansville City Councilwoman Elect Stephanie Brinkerhoff-Riley did not share her reasons for her own resignation from the Vanderburgh County Democrat Party we know her to also be a person who is as Mr. Schaaf, “committed to upholding Democrat values within our communityâ€?…that during the campaign one of the things that the CCO learned about Councilwoman Elect Riley is that she is a person of pure convictions and that she through her own deliberations has chose to further the political positions of the Democrat Party?…that we never caught her in a falsehood or a dirty trick toward her equally virtuous but ideologically different Alan Leibundguth?
IS IT TRUE that people who enter politics from a place of conviction founded on thoughts, all deserve respect and that we came during the campaign to greatly respect both Councilwoman Elect Riley and Mr. Leibundguth?…that it is people like these two who are different yet grounded that can make government work?…that our expectations for both of the 3rd Ward candidates was that they would be true to their ideology and would never alter their fundamental beliefs for political convenience?…that the CCO wishes Councilwoman Elect Riley success as a member of our City Council and would welcome her explanation for resigning from the local Democrat Party but will respect her decision to keep that information private if she chooses to do so?…that our opinion of her is that she will be part of the solutions needed for a better Evansville and that we will know where she stands based on who she is and not on who some political strongman tells her to be?
IS IT TRUE that we went from shorts and T-shirts on election day to coats and freezing within 48 hours?…that is the way fall is in SW Indiana and that we at the CCO are grateful for the warm weather that we have been able to enjoy 1/3 of the way into November?
IS IT TRUE that we are thankful that the news of shootings in the 4th Ward has come to a halt?…that we would like to commend the people of the 4th Ward and especially those in the community of faith who have stepped up to lead the effort to take back their neighborhoods?…that we are also thankful for the upcoming Thanksgiving Holiday and that we wish all of our readers a happy time with their families?…that everyone does not have the means for a good meal on Thanksgiving and that the CCO would like to encourage our readers to make a donation to the Evansville Rescue Mission to provide Thanksgiving meals for people among us who may be having a bad year?
Evansville Redevelopment Commission AGENDA
Evansville Redevelopment Commission
AGENDA
Tuesday, November 15, 2011 – 8:30 am
Civic Center Complex – Room 307
1. Call to Order
2. Approval of Minutes of November 1, 2011
3. Approval of Accounts Payable Vouchers
4. DESIGN REVIEW
Downtown Redevelopment Area
TABLED from 11-1-11 Kunkel Group/Hilliard Lyons – rear parking area w/ wrought iron fencing & landscaping
TABLED from 11-1-11 Strouse Building – 203-205 Main – façade renovation
5. Downtown Redevelopment Area
11-ERC-91 – Designation Of Pledged Tax Increment For The Payment Of Debt Service And Other Obligations Related To City Of Evansville, Indiana, Economic Development Bonds Financing An Expansion Of Berry Plastics
11-ERC-92 – Change Order No. 4 for Downtown Sidewalk Repair Project Phase 1
6. Arts District
11-ERC-93 – Authorizing Change Orders No. 2 & 3 to the Contract for
Exterior Renovations at the Alhambra Theatre
7. Other Business
Dream Park – review/discussion of restrictive covenant documents
8. Adjournment
* This preliminary Agenda is subject to change. The final Agenda will be posted at the entrance to the location of the meeting prior to the meeting.
IS IT TRUE? November 11, 2011 Part 2 What Next?
IS IT TRUE? November 11, 2011 Part 2 What Next?
IS IT TRUE that some people who dwell in the unincorporated parts of Vanderburgh County have been expressing a re-consideration of previous positions with respect to consolidation after Tuesday’s Evansville City Council elections?…that it has become painfully clear to some that the City of Evansville is now through brain drain, population shrinkage, and dependence on government subsidies is now either at or near the point of no return for Republicans to ever have a potent voting block on the Evansville City Council?…that some people from the county who have been adamantly opposed to consolidation on the basis that the City of Evansville has too many problems that will cost county people money for little or no benefit are now reconsidering based on what basically is a mercy mission?…that to paraphrase a staunch opponent of consolidation “it is now clear that Evansville will never fix itself, so we will have to consolidate and help Evansville or watch it rot down before our eyesâ€?…that this has been the unspoken reason for many consolidations including ones in Louisville, Lexington, and Nashville?…that this subject will be rather interesting during 2012?
IS IT TRUE that that this deadline has passed for each and every property owner including City Centre Properties LLC of Carmel, IN that owns tract #82-06-30-020-005.002-029, aka the McCurdy Hotel to pay their taxes?…that the tax bill on that property that was due yesterday is $10,268.66 and that the Vanderburgh County Assessors website indicates that the payment is still due?…that means a penalty of 5% is now added to the total?…that at day 31 that penalty is increased to 10%?…that the choice to pay or not to pay this tax bill serves as an early indicator as to whether City Center Properties LLC has the means or intention to move forward with this project?…that many properties appear to have paid so this is probably not the slow moving of the website?…that the Evansville Redevelopment Commission is now pretty much powerless to do anything about this non-payment?
IS IT TRUE that the CCO is eagerly awaiting the agenda for next Tuesday’s meeting of the Evansville Redevelopment Commission to see if there is anything at all about the McCurdy Hotel or the downtown Convention Hotel VETTING process on the agenda?…that this incarnation of the ERC has only three more meetings scheduled before Mayor Elect Lloyd Winnecke takes over?…that there are only three more opportunities for this ERC to hold public discussions regarding the two most prominent yet unresolved construction fiascos of the Weinzapfel Administration?…that it would be best to let the Winnecke Administration handle the downtown Convention Hotel decision after the first of the year?…that first there was no VETTING and now there is a prolonged VETTING process that could have and should have been completed in a month?…that in China hotels are built in less time than it has taken to VET two proposals in Evansville?…that leaves one wondering just how on earth we can compete on a global scale to do anything?
IS IT TRUE that there are three Evansville based high school football teams still in the hunt for an Indiana State Championship?…that the CCO sends good luck and good wishes to the Central Bears, Mater Dei Wildcats, and the Memorial Tigers to go out and win this weekend?
Bankrupted Birmingham: Fears of Fallout Setting In
Business leaders in Birmingham, Alabama, the largest city the state and in Jefferson County that was just granted Chapter 9 bankruptcy protection are bracing for the fallout that is certain to follow such a large and public financial debacle.
Both businesses and residents are bracing for increases in utility rates and cuts in services that will erode the already weak attractiveness as a place to expand or establish a business.
Jefferson County has already enacted massive budget cuts of nearly $100 Million from a budget of just over $300 Million and laid off hundreds of civil servants. The Wall Street Journal reports that some citizens welcome the bankruptcy as a “lancing of a boil” that had to happen before Jefferson County could move forward in a positive and sustainable manner.
One car wash owner shared the fact that the utility bill for his Birmingham based facility is already 20% higher than one in a neighboring county making it difficult to make a profit and prohibitive to expand in Birmingham. Economic development leaders who recently attracted two businesses from Florida are quite concerned that the “sales pitch” will be tainted by what has happened.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203537304577030522343960712.html?KEYWORDS=birmingham
