Home Blog Page 7010

Weinzapfel for Mayor Campaign sent $194,214 to the State Democratic Party in 2010

24

Jonathon Weinzapfel

Evansville Mayor Jonathan Weinzapfel has been portrayed by multiple insiders as “livid” over the State Democratic Party’s decision to bankroll the Davis for Mayor campaign in the last two weeks of the election? By examining the public documents of the “Weinzapfel for Mayor” 2010 Campaign, the City County Observer discovered that the total year to date expenses of $194,214 were paid to the Indiana State Democratic Party? It seems as though the state Democratic Party willingly accepted this money from the Mayors re-election campaign and are now investing it in the campaign of the candidate for Mayor of Evansville who won the Democratic primary, Rick Davis.

It is somewhat ironic that the money being invested in advertising on behalf of Mr. Davis is focused completely on the secret meetings held in Mayor Weinzapfel’s office to remove the Homestead Tax Credit from the people of Vanderburgh County. In a very real way Mayor Weinzapfel paid this one forward by sending $194,214 to the state party coffers last year and this money that was collected to keep a Democrat in the Evansville Mayor’s office is now being spent to do exactly the purpose that it was raised for.

IS IT TRUE? October 24, 2011 (Hiring Good People and Making Rogue Investments)

3


IS IT TRUE? October 24, 2011

IS IT TRUE that with all of the hoopla and negative campaigning that is going on in the race to become Mayor of Evansville that the City County Observer would like to redirect some energy away from the game of “pin the tail on the donkey” that seems poised to start playing itself out and attempt to start a dialog on governance?…that neither Mr. Davis nor Mr. Winnecke has a bag of magic dust to throw at Evansville’s problems?…that the ingredient other than the obvious ingredient of cash on hand that both will have to address will be the retention and attraction of major league talent to their immediate staff?…that another issue will be how to get people of talent to agree to sit on boards through appointments?…that if the truth is told the Mayor of Evansville or any city is only as good as the people that can be attracted to public service?

IS IT TRUE that both candidates have expressed their intention to replace both the Fire Chief and the Chief of Police?…that there are other department heads that may be set to roll as well?…that both candidates have expressed dissatisfaction with the Front Door Pride program, the state of decay in the Evansville Parks, the potholes in our roads, and of course the Combined Sewer Overflow issue?…that we wonder if that set of problems will result in another four department heads rolling with the new administration?…that for every head that rolls for whatever reason a new head will have to be hired?…that one thing is for certain and that is any department that is currently a mess was presided over by a head that may be rolling?…that discontentment with a program such as Front Door Pride may not be the fault of the lieutenant that carried out the action plan at all?…that if you do not like the fact that Front Door Pride houses are too expensive for the neighborhood and are languishing on the market it is the architect of the program that needs to be blamed and not Mr. Tom Barnett who seems to be a very good executive when it comes to carrying out his orders?…that in some cases the department heads should not roll but in others they should.

IS IT TRUE that it is time for candidates Davis and Winnecke to start discussing who and how they will be considering as candidates to fill key positions?…that Mr. Winnecke has rightfully been adamant that “being nice” matters?…that to achieve “niceness” will take a certain personality type in positions that interact with the public and that personality type is most often referred to as “amiable”?…that if there are positions that should be staffed by “amiable” people that are currently staffed by “controllers” that some lesser heads may need to roll too?…that of the four basic personality types only the “amiable” ones will be able to be counted on to project the new “nice” image that Mr. Winnecke has stated that he desires the face of the City of Evansville to be?…that the deck at the Civic Center certainly needs to be shuffled and in many cases some of the cards need to be discarded for either candidate to achieve their goals?…that we wonder if either of them has really thought this through and would welcome position papers on how to hire the best people and who their most valuable people under consideration are right now?

IS IT TRUE that Evansville Mayor Jonathan Weinzapfel has been portrayed by multiple insiders as “livid” over the State Democratic Party’s decision to bankroll the Davis for Mayor campaign in the last two weeks of the election?…that what Mayor Weinzapfel may really be torque off about is the fact that according to the 2010 Itemized Expenses of the “Weinzapfel for Mayor” Campaign is listed a total year to date expense of $194,214 to the Indiana State Democratic Party?…that it seems as though they willingly accepted this money from the Mayors re-election campaign and are now investing it in the campaign of the candidate for Mayor of Evansville who won the Democratic primary, Rick Davis?…that the money being invested in advertising on behalf of Mr. Davis is focused completely on the secret meetings held in Mayor Weinzapfel’s office to remove the Homestead Tax Credit from the people of Vanderburgh County?…that in a very real way Mayor Weinzapfel paid this one forward by sending $194,214 to the state party coffers last year?…that we also hear that the state party Chair is not returning phone calls from Mayor Weinzapfel?

Occupy Evansville to March on Vectren Monday at 11:30

6

October 23, 2011

For Immediate Release:

Occupy Evansville and other community leaders are going to meet at he the Four Freedoms Monument at 11:30a.m. tomorrow (Monday October 24) assemble, walk to 1 Vectren Square and march around their building… We will have petitions for people to sign, which will go to the IURC on November 28th at the Centre at 6:00p.m…. Please come and help make a difference!!!

More info contact: Don Mottley 629-5202

Art Council’s “The Window” on the Walkway

0

Features Artist of the Month, Les Miley

EVANSVILLE, IN – The Arts Council of Southwestern Indiana is now featuring world renowned local ceramicist, Les Miley, as November’s Artist of the Month and his work can be publicly viewed in “The Window” on the walkway between 3rd and 4th Streets on south Main. The public will be able to meet the artist and Miley will be talking about his historical work in clay at The Bower-Suhrheinrich Foundation Gallery on Tuesday, November 8 at 11:00 AM.

With over 45 years of work in clay, Miley focuses on the plastic elements of shape, color and texture. His concern with shape is expressed in the wheel-thrown vessels. The shape remains the stable element in his work, while the color and texture expresses his reactions to landscape and atmospheric conditions.

Miley, who began his career with the University of Evansville as an art Instructor in 1961, has been published in nine books, has received numerous honors including Who’s Who in American Art, 12th through 25th editions, and has had his works in over 300 competitive, solo and group exhibitions including “Salzbrand 86: International Salt Glaze Exhibition” in Koblenz, West Germany. His specialty is the salt-glazing technique, a method by which clay pieces are glazed with rock salt in a high-temperature kiln.

The exhibition is available for public viewing on the walkway until the week of Thanksgiving.

“With Main Street’s work almost complete and the new Ford Center on the brink of upcoming events, the Arts Council is excited to feature “The Window” in a fresh and unique perspective. We are excited to have people view art by local artists that will be displayed in “The Window” each month. Some of Miley’s pieces exhibited in “The Window” are for sale,” said Libby Goedde, the new Communications and Gallery Events Manager at the Arts Council.

Founded in 1970, The Arts Council is to be the best source of information and advocacy by increasing awareness and accessibility of the arts and for the arts, arts education and arts organizations in southwestern Indiana.

Downtown Today: 10/24/2011

0

Time 9:30 AM – 10:30 AM
Subject COMMERCIAL REVIEW COMMITTEE
Location 318
Recurrence Occurs every Monday effective 10/3/2011 until 10/31/2011 from 9:30 AM to 10:30 AM
Reminder 15 minutes
KATHIE HOLLEY @ 5228
Categories ROOM 318

Time 5:30 PM – 7:00 PM
Subject CITY COUNCIL
Location 301
Recurrence Occurs every Monday effective 10/3/2011 until 10/31/2011 from 5:30 PM to 7:00 PM
Reminder 15 minutes
LYNN BUHR @ 4993
Categories ROOM 301

EVSC Schol Board Meeting @ 5:30PM Today

0

AGENDA

2. Opening Items
2.01 Roll Call
2.02 Pledge of Allegiance
2.03 Good News (Vice President Duckworth)
2.04 Public Comment Cards

3. Consent Items (Dr. David Smith)
3.01 Consideration of Minutes of the October 10, 2011 Board meeting
3.02 Consideration of Allowance of Payments
3.03 Consideration to purchase items from Extracurricular Accounts
3.04 Consideration to submit one grant proposal
3.05 Consideration to approve the school calendars for years 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2014-15
3.06 Consideration to approve the agreement between EVSC and Welborn Baptist Foundation, Inc. and New Hope Development Corporation
3.07 Consideration to approve the agreement between EVSC and Evansville Vanderburgh Public Library
3.08 Consideration to approve the change orders for the New North Campus

4. Consideration of Personnel Recommendations (Pat Tuley)
4.01 Personnel Recommendations

5. Action Items
5.01 Amendment to Lease agreement between Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation and Evansville-Building Corporation (Tuley)
5.02 Public Hearing on Additional Appropriation for 2012 General Obligation Bonds (Tuley)
5.03 Adopt Bond Resolution for the 2012 General Obligation Bonds (Tuley)
5.04 Disclosure Undertaking for the 2012 General Obligation Bonds (Tuley)

6. Information
6.01 Temporary Highway Easement for Vogel Elementary School (Cameron)
6.02 Easement Acquisition for Vogel Elementary School (Cameron)
6.03 General Fund Monthly Review (Tuley)
6.04 Monthly 5% over expended report (Tuley)
6.05 Summary of Cash Balances by Fund (Tuley)
6.06 Expenditure Ledger Summary by Function and Object (Tuley)
6.07 2 Year Revenue Comparison (Tuley)
6.08 2 Year General Fund Expenditure Analysis through September 30, 2011 (Tuley)

7. Public Comment
7.01 Public Comment

8. Continued Business (Dr. Smith)
8.01 Continued Business

9. Adjournment

IS IT TRUE? October 24, 2011

19

The Mole #??

IS IT TRUE? October 24, 2011

IS IT TRUE that the official press release from the Indiana State Democratic Party has finally been made available and that the reasons for speculation on the reasons for their heartburn with the Democrats of Evansville is finally published?…that straight from the horse’s (State Party Chair Dan Parker) mouth comes yet another scathing of Republican Candidate for Mayor Lloyd Winnecke?…that as campaigns go this is a continual pounding of the same negative drum that many people are growing deaf too down here in the Pocket City?…that if the real facts are to be known that Mr. Winnecke or one of the other Republicans that were carefully handpicked for an invitation to that secret meeting needs to give us a real blow by blow analysis of what really happened and how on earth that many people could have lost their memory?…that this is the time for Mr. Winnecke to put a stake in the ground and to name names about that April Fool’s meeting?…that for the Indiana Democratic Party Chair to make Mr. Winnecke the singular focus of the blame for this dark hour in Evansville politics is not the whole story either?

IS IT TRUE that CCO comment poster haveagoodun has suggested the old Three Dog Night song “Mamma Told Me Not to Come” as the theme song for the secret meeting that was held in Mayor Weinzapfel’s office to take away the Homestead Tax Credit?

IS IT TRUE that Mole #13 tells us that in addition to City Councilwoman Connie Robinson who announced that she is crossing party lines and throwing her support to Lloyd Winnecke as many as 17 more prominent and well known local Democrats will be making public statements backing the Winnecke campaign?…that is not as surprising as it may sound to an outsider as everyone in Evansville who has been watching this year’s mayoral race knows about the feud within the Vanderburgh County Democratic Party?…that we need to call Weird Al to town to do a parody of Randy Newman’s “I Love LA” with some perfect lyrics chosen for the antics of the Vanderburgh County Democratic Party?

IS IT TRUE that yesterday between NFL football and the St. Louis Cardinals games that the Evansville Police Department only had a 7 page activity report?…that is about half of what most reports are?…that sports of local interest at least correlate slightly to days of lower crime?

IS IT TRUE that the Courier and Press published their “endorsements” for Evansville City Council yesterday in the paper but did not put that information online until later in the day?…that even though the CCO will not make endorsements and encourages the general public to read, think, and vote as opposed to letting a publication, a party, a union, or some other group that feels a need to offer guidance tell them how to vote?

IS IT TRUE that on our readers poll regarding crossing party lines to vote or make endorsements our readers mostly chose “crossing party lines is the mark of an informed voter” (48%), or “Parties, we don’t need no stinking parties” (31%) to the only 20% who see crossing party lines as political treason?…that we are encouraged that our readers are supportive of freedom of choice and freedom of thought in the voting booth and with respect to endorsements?…that the old days of “pulling the rooster” and brainless straight ticket voting are finally on the way out?

Official Press Release of Indiana Democrats Regarding Davis Campaign Cash Infusion

14

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 22, 2011

Indiana Democratic Party launches television blitz in Evansville mayor’s race
New commercial highlights Winnecke’s involvement in secret property tax hike

INDIANAPOLIS – The Indiana Democratic Party has begun airing a new television commercial highlighting Evansville Republican mayoral candidate Lloyd Winnecke’s involvement in a secret property tax deal that raised taxes on 46,000 Evansville homeowners by $5.1 million.

Winnecke called for and chaired the secret meeting in April 2008 where the decision was made not to renew the county’s local homestead credit. Homeowners didn’t find out until a year later when increased tax bills hit their mailboxes – without the credit.

“Lloyd Winnecke’s record is shameful,” said Indiana Democratic Party Chair Dan Parker. “He led the effort to sneak behind taxpayers’ backs and raise taxes, and now he wants to be Mayor?”

Parker said voters have a right to know how deeply Winnecke was involved in the secret meeting and its consequences.

“Not only did this guy not think twice about raising taxes on property owners as a source of ‘new’ revenue, but he did it behind closed doors and didn’t tell anyone about the deal until a year later,” Parker said.

Parker said voters have a choice between Winnecke and Vanderburgh County Treasurer Rick Davis, who will bring an eye for fiscal responsibility and a commitment to government transparency to the job.

The Indiana Democratic Party is in-kinding the commercial to the Committee to Elect Rick Davis Mayor, which will air on local Evansville television stations. A copy of the commercial and script are available upon request.

###

If I Only Had A Brain – Overcoming The Manipulation Of Political Endorsements and Money

11

The endorsement season from every self important group in town that wants to portray the opinion of a person or two as worth following is starting. The CCO as always will not make any endorsements because we want people to think for themselves and vote according to who will propose and push for good public policy. We therefore encourage each and everyone of our readers to IGNORE POLITICAL ENDORSEMENTS.

Voting is a privilege that we have long taken for granted. It has become subject to the indifference of our entitlement rather than being subject to the scrutiny of our responsibility. The significant work for this next election will not be accomplished by the candidates, or at least it’s not supposed to be. The most important and essential work for the next election will be accomplished by the electorate, the voter…you and me.

We tend to believe that we will go into the voter’s booth, push a button or two, and magically, our candidate, whoever they may be, will be elected to office. When, in fact, the real work should be taking place right now, in the privacy of our homes, as we do the research necessary to make the best possible decision. The alternative is that we continue to spend months on end being dirtied by political mudslinging while we sit on the sidelines and let the candidates “fight it out”. Political campaigns have become sport and we have become avid spectators. And, this is what we call democracy?

Political campaigning has become a sideshow, of sorts, designed to distract us from the work we need to do to put forth an honest vote. Candidates for public office, Presidential or otherwise, should not be sold to us like exercise equipment on a midnight infomercial. We have to choose who our personal candidate will be, not told who they will be. Voting is as much an exercise of freewill as anything. Rights come with responsibilities. We, then, need to be responsible in how we make the decision. In order to exercise our right to vote, it is incumbent upon us to turn away from the glitz and glamour of the political “red carpet” back to the organic nature of true democratic process. We are too far afield of the essence of the democracy, and have become far too enamored with the fame and celebrity overshadowing the candidates.

Exercising your right to vote consists of 4 essential steps:

1. Knowledge of the candidates. Who they are. Why they’re running. What they stand for.

2. Understanding of your personal values. What you believe and why.

3. Diligence: Which candidate has most closely demonstrated that he or she values what you value. (Tip: This decision should not be party-based, it should be value-based.)

4. Vote using the information you acquired in completing steps 1-3 above.

What we know today as democratic process is long overdue for an overhaul. Voting is a private decision albeit one that has public rewards or consequences, or both. Our individual votes determine who will decide how we will live as a nation and what our position in the world will be. It is not a decision that should be taken lightly or left up to someone else to make on our behalf because ultimately, the choice is ours and we will be held accountable for it.

We have minds of our own we need to use them to make the right decisions. We must stop the cycle of being influenced by another person’s world view. Each of us has or at least should have a view of the state of Evansville, and therefore, each of us also has the responsibility of doing some heavy lifting, pitting value to value, between now and the next election. We have the inherent capacity of being able to make informed decisions and we need to use it. We don’t need endorsements, expensive campaign “war chests”, special interests, or any such thing.

When you step into the voting booth, it should be simply you and your candidate. The only voice in your head needs to be one telling you that you can confidently vote for the candidate that you believe will, based on your own due diligence, best fulfill the spiritual, intellectual, ethical, and physical demands that will be required to execute the duties of holding office. It’s your voice and it’s your choice. Choose wisely.

CVB Chairman’s Report on the Future of Tourism for Evansville

2


Tourism Progress – EVCB Update

On behalf of the Evansville Convention and Visitors Bureau (ECVB), I would like to update the community on our efforts to assist the tourism industry.

Over the past 10 months, the ECVB Board of Commissioners has built upon past success to provide sound management and fiscal responsibility to promote our region.

In June, Bob Warren moved to our area as the new ECVB executive director. His 25 years of tourism experience in four states (Texas, Florida, Illinois and now Indiana) is having a positive impact on our agency.

A new set of policies and procedures have been approved to ensure management and the Board has full control over appropriate expenditures. The Board has improved our organization’s transparency, accountability and fiscal responsibility to the lodging tax collected and used for the promotion and marketing of our region.

Following the overhaul of policies and procedures, a complete review of our organizational structure, budgeting, staffing, market segments and destination product was completed to refocus efforts on attracting visitors.

Through our analysis, it is clear that the leadership of our county and city have done an outstanding job of developing this product as a destination. We have year-round quality special events, a great convention center, the new Ford Center, museums, history, visual, cultural and performing arts, the LST, the Mesker Park Zoo, Casino Aztar and an incredible Riverfront, just to name a few. Our inventory audit found the opportunity is in marketing – we must tell our story to people who will come.

With the support of the Vanderburgh County Council we have identified existing financial resources to launch an aggressive marketing strategy to assist us in attracting a new leisure market. Not surprisingly, we discovered 29% of our annual lodging or 375,634 available room nights annually are weekend inventory. If we successfully market and promote our weekends to leisure travel and special events we could generate an additional $15.2 million in lodging sales annually.

The ECVB Board recently approved the adoption of a new Special Events Policy that will allow our organization to assist existing and new special events with the financial resources necessary to properly market and promote events. Our goal is to make certain the events grow in size, scope and length, making them more profitable for the host organizations while accomplishing the ECVB mission of attracting overnight visitors.

An important point to relay is that our organization is currently developing criteria to utilize when funding requests for large-scale projects are presented. The EVCB Board is intent on evaluating these projects to ensure a solid return on the investment with the ability to provide a firm justification before appropriation of funding.

Our industry represents $490 million in annual expenditures attracting an estimated 4.2 million visitors annually employing more than 6,100 employees who contribute in our economy. While annualized occupancy is at 58%, that number can be improved using proven industry techniques, sound marketing strategies, and effective direct sales in various markets.

As the president of the ECVB Board of Commissioners, I would like to recognize and publically thank our Board; Barbara McCarty, Rita Bauer, Mike Roeder, Ward Shaw, Donna Leader and John Montrastelle for their service and dedication to the tourism industry. They are serving with the energy, enthusiasm and a professional attitude that is required for success. It is our commitment to strive for continued success in this important industry we call tourism.

Steve Schaefer
President
Evansville Convention & Visitors Bureau Board of Commissioners

1...7,0097,0107,011...7,198Page 7,010 of 7,198