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City Government Report Card on the 10 Most Important things for 2011

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The City County Observer kicked off 2011 with a reader’s choice of what the most important things that the City of Evansville and Vanderburgh County need to get right in 2011. Well not all of the actions for 2011 are completed and the results are in. The private part of the public/private partnerships seem to be working but the public part left much to be required. Fortunately for Evansville next year will have a new Mayor and a new City Council.

On a College Scale the City of Evansville Gets a 0.70 on a 4.0 Scale for this Semester.
The Boar of the CVB, KEB, John Kish, the Winnecke Transition Team scored all of the points that lead to that rating or the City Government would have scored a 0.00 on its own merit matching John Belushi’s character in Animal House for academic attainment.

THE TOP TEN and THE GRADES

D: The 2011 City Elections: What we opined would constitute getting it right is for no more partisan voting block control of the City Council and a split party make-up of independent thinkers. After the primaries we had the potential for exactly what we hoped for. What we got is a continued 8 – 1 Democrat majority just like the previous City Council. Additionally every incumbent running was re-elected and there were 5 which makes a majority. The other item of concern with the City Council is that of the 9 members of next years council a majority have been strongly associated with the puppet strings of “The Machine”. The actions and votes of the newly elected City Council will need close scrutiny.

Mayor Elect Winnecke and his Transition Team have been a particular bright spot and are deserving of an A for their excellent choices to appoint to high profile positions of importance. His biggest challenge will be getting anything through a City Council that for all practical purposes looks very much like the outgoing one.

F: An Evansville for the next Decade Plan: Nothing has been done and not one our elected officials or candidates for office has mentioned such a plan. The outgoing Weinzapfel Administration not only neglected to do any planning they spent the last month obstructing any future plan from being comprehensive of nature even announcing a park without identification of a funding source or sharing an provision on who or how to maintain it.

B : Civic Beautification: We can thank Ann Ennis of Keep Evansville Beautiful for a great new fountain at Garvin Park and a northern Gateway beautification plan. There have also been several quite visible efforts by candidates for office and particularly Lloyd Winnecke for mobilizing private litter removal programs. NOTE: The City of Evansville’s Parks Department gets a big fat F for the year thus far for utter incompetence and for rudeness in dealing with the general public.

A+: The Hiring of a new Executive Director for the Evansville Convention and Visitors Bureau: Mission accomplished CVB Board and the plus is for doing the right thing with respect to the rotten circumstances surrounding the departure of Marilee Fowler. When a board commits or is strong armed into committing an egregious action it is commendable that the new board makes things right in very short order which this board did.

D: CSO Plan for EPA: The total of the disclosed accomplishment is the recent announcement that a judge had approved the consent decree. It is time for some real design work to be budgeted and done so we are not hit with fines again at the end of 2012.

D: The MLK Entertainment Complex: John Kish gets an A+ for his work in keeping the Arena on budget and on schedule. The City of Evansville and the Evansville Redevelopment Commission get a big fat F for the hotel fiasco. If there were anything lower than an F they would deserve that. We thought that there was nothing that could have possibly have been done worse and then the ERC, Mayor Weinzapfel, and the Evansville City Council jammed through a non-binding MOU with not legal standing purely for political resume building purposes. It is time for these guys to change their major as they have failed the core curriculum too many times to be able to take it again.

D-: Mental Health Services Improved: Coroner Annie Groves gets good marks for initiating an awareness campaign. The end result is still a D- because the suicide rate is still among the highest if not the highest in the country. This grade would have been an F but Mrs. Grove’s hard work in the first half of the year raised it.

F: Pay Scales: Not a darn thing has been done to make the pay scales of the City of Evansville competitive. As it is time to start the process of replacing some senior positions and transforming the City of Evansville’s attitude toward its customers the paltry state of the official pay scales will soon be quite apparent.

F: Consolidated Government: Every opportunity to craft a plan that demonstrates real efficiency from consolidation has been punted to later. The current plan does not save a dime, offers no tangible benefit to anyone, and relies on trust the government to do things right after passing it. This is no way to run a County.

F: Smoking Ordinance Revisited: The Evansville City Council has not even had the courage to bring this up in an election year even though it is now assured to pass if it is comprehensive.

Cartoon: The Last Dance of the Puppet Council

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IS IT TRUE? December 20, 2011 McCurdy Redux

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IS IT TRUE? December 20, 2011 Part 2

IS IT TRUE that the McCurdy Hotel was back on the agenda of the Evansville Redevelopment Commission today?…that this time there was a discussion of the represented fact that there is another developer that has signed an agreement with City Centre Properties LLC to replace City Centre Properties LLC as the lead developer for the McCurdy project?…that attorney for the ERC Brad Salmon will not share with us who the supposed two interested developers are and did not even state whether the project will continue to be for apartments or for a Vintage Hotel that actually has a chance for financial success?…that this is of course the same Brad Salmon who advised us all that the financing for City Centre Properties LLC was in order and ready to go only a week before learning that it wasn’t?

IS IT TRUE that the ERC states that City Centre Properties will be responsible to pay the City of Evansville back the $800,000 incentive that was advanced to them for 80 loft apartments as part of the downtown loft program incentive offer if the subcontract deal falls through?…that if the ERC and their attorney really believe that is a realistic possibility then they need to do some basic investigation with respect to the ease with which an LLC can be placed into bankruptcy?…that the ERC is at the mercy of the successful assignment of some contract and the approval of 5th 3rd bank that holds superior debt on the building to even come away with a shred of dignity to hang their hat on?…that when it comes to old buildings that are not producing cash flow that getting a judgment is one thing and getting a dime is quite another?

IS IT TRUE that the City County Observer is quite aware of one investment group that is interested in going forward with a project that will be called McCurdy Place that will return the McCurdy Hotel to its former glory as a hotel and even utilize the flophouse formerly known as the Riverhouse and Jackson House for some constructive purpose as part of the project?…that the location would be quite perfect for tourists to enjoy downtown Evansville, Casino Aztar, the Museums, and the riverfront?…that this is the kind of project that takes vision and courage to implement but the impact can be quite high?

IS IT TRUE that there was no mention of the new hotel or the Kunkel Group in today’s ERC meeting?…that at last night’s meeting of the Evansville City Council that there was indeed discussion about two properties that Kunkel has not paid real estate taxes on due to the fact that they are appealing the valuations?…that one of those properties that is being appealed is the old Whirlpool facility that is assessed for over $10 Million even after Kunkel bought it for about $2.7 Million?…that as per the Indiana Constitution Kunkel will win this appeal which will reduce the taxes from over $300,000 to under $100,000?…that similarly the Walker Building was bought for $10 and with market rate assessment will be set at what they paid for it?

IS IT TRUE that this writer just ran PCMatic that is designed to optimize computers to get as much speed as possible from a computer with the infrastructure available?…that this computer is on a local wireless network and is paying for the best internet service available in Newburgh, IN?…that after putting the computer through a workout that the performance testing website www.speedtest.net was run to see how the speed stacks up?…that this site tested the speed of the overall system to be a D- on both national and global scales for upload and download speeds?…that as long as people and businesses in greater Evansville are only capable of a D- in this critical piece of infrastructure that is needed for doing jobs that required interaction with the outside world.

IS IT TRUE? December 20, 2011 “Paradise by the Dashboard Light Revisited”

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Mission Accomplished Moment Coming to Evansville in the next 11 Days

IS IT TRUE? December 20, 2011

IS IT TRUE that the “last dance of the puppet council” went off last night just as expected with Councilman Dan McGinn recording the only NO vote on a resolution that was characterized as being non-binding and having no legal standing whatsoever for the purpose of expressing support for a memorandum of understanding that explicitly states that it is, you guessed it, non-binding and with no legal standing?…that if and we do mean if the words of the Evansville City Council, the attorney for the Kunkel Group, and even the written words of the MOU are true one must really wonder what was the point to the last four days of urgency?…that if this little exercise had no meaning beyond expressing a willingness to work together in the future to get a hotel built that this was truly an exercise in futility for the sake of futility?

IS IT TRUE that the CCO and others suspect that other actions will be furthered by the Weinzapfel Administration in its last 11 days that will result in a “MISSION ACCOMPLISHED” moment for Mayor Weinzapfel?…that we furthermore expect that the whole urgent circle jerk was not as futile as the participants are portraying it to be?…that if and we do mean if the City Council and all of the supporting cast of characters in this so called meaningless charade are truthful that they have been indulged, the media has provided the desired adoration, and without further adieu the Winnecke Administration can get on with the business of hammering out a deal that can really ACCOMPLISH THIS MISSION that the Weinzapfel Administration has failed miserably with?

IS IT TRUE that in the “POLITICAL MACHINE LOVE FEST” that followed the final vote of the puppet council, Councilwoman Connie Robinson actually called Councilman Curt John “THE GODFATHER”?…that she actually said it two times while expressing brotherly love and giving him a hug to go with his service plaque?…that we wonder if Councilwoman Robinson has ever seen “THE GODFATHER” and if she knows that “THE GODFATHER” is a behind the scenes manipulator who directs criminal activities including, assault, extortion, theft, gun running, drug running, racketeering, election rigging, politician buying, gambling, prostitution, and even murder all for the purpose of acquiring a lavish lifestyle and maintaining control of his neighborhood?…that the CCO hopes that Councilwoman Robinson was not using the term “GODFATHER” in the same context that nearly any American or Italian understands it to mean about outgoing Councilman Curt John?

IS IT TRUE that in closing that the CCO wishes to include a song that is very reminiscent of the events of the last 4 days that culminated in last night’s vote by Evansville’s chosen ones (sans Councilman McGinn) enthusiastically chanting “AYE” for a supposed non-binding and unnecessary resolution that has no legal standing at all?…that Meatloaf could have written the words to “Paradise by the Dashboard Light” just for the Evansville City Council’s showboating self love fest last night?…that for those of you who have forgotten the song is about two teenagers rationalizing saying the words that just had to be said for them to justify their actions?

Ain’t no doubt about it we were doubly blessed! Enjoy the Meatloaf!

VHS Pet of the Week: “Sadie”

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Happy Holidays from Sadie. Sadie is a 6-year-old spayed DSH. She is also front-declawed. Sadie is quite a love bug and wants nothing more to be cuddled up next to her favorite person. She is used to being an only cat but with some adjustment time, should fit in quite well in a multi-cat household. Gentle children would be best for her. Sadie loves to play with toys and still considers herself to have many kitten like qualities. Her Christmas wish this year is to find a family to love and spoil her. For more information on Sadie and how to make her a member of your family, visit www.vhslifesaver.org or call (812) 426-2563.

Attorney General’s statement on hearing on school vouchers case

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Zoeller: Choice scholarships program Legislature created is constitutional

INDIANAPOLIS – Today a Marion County court heard arguments on several motions in a legal challenge to Indiana’s new choice scholarships law, sometimes called the school vouchers law, House Enrolled Act 1003 (Public Law 92). Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller’s office is defending the statute from the plaintiff’s legal challenge. Zoeller today issued this statement:

“In defending the statute as is our obligation, we contend the Legislature in creating broader educational opportunities followed the Indiana Constitution, since the scholarship funding is directed to students’ families, not to the private schools, and the program does not violate anyone’s rights. The state law that legislators passed has allowed approximately 3,900 students across Indiana to use choice scholarships to access wider educational options,” Zoeller said.

Arguing the State’s case today was Indiana Solicitor General Thomas M. Fisher. The State opposes the plaintiff’s motion for summary judgment, and the State has filed a motion to dismiss and motion for judgment on the pleadings. Judge Michael Keele took the case of Meredith v. Daniels under advisement and will issue a ruling at a later date.

Downtown Today: 12/20/2011

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Time 8:30 AM – 9:30 AM
Subject ERC
Location 307
Recurrence Occurs the third Tuesday of every 1 month effective 12/20/2011 until 12/20/2011 from 8:30 AM to 9:30 AM
Reminder 15 minutes
SARAH @ 7825
Categories ROOM 307

Time 9:00 AM – 10:30 AM
Subject SECURITY SUB-COMMITTEE
Location 318
Recurrence Occurs the third Tuesday of every 1 month effective 12/20/2011 until 12/20/2011 from 9:00 AM to 10:30 AM
Reminder 15 minutes
Angie @ 5233
Sgt. Vernon Lutz @ 7971
Categories ROOM 318

Time 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Subject COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
Location 301
Recurrence Occurs every Tuesday effective 12/6/2011 until 12/27/2011 from 5:00 PM to 6:00 PM
Reminder 15 minutes
KRISTIN @ 5241
Categories ROOM 301

Bond Bank Meeting Called for December 22nd

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NOTICE OF REGULAR MEETING OF
THE EVANSVILLE LOCAL PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT BOND BANK

¬¬THURSDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2011 AT 12:00 P.M.
ROOM 307
CIVIC CENTER COMPLEX
ONE N.W. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. BOULEVARD
EVANSVILLE, INDIANA

The Board of Directors of The Evansville Local Public Improvement Bond Bank will meet to conduct such business as may properly come before it on December 22, 2011 at 12:00 p.m. in Room 307 of the Civic Center Complex, One N.W. Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard, Evansville, Indiana.

For further information, contact Jenny Collins, Executive Director, The Evansville Local Public Improvement Bond Bank, 300 Civic Center Complex, One N.W. Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard, Evansville, Indiana 47708-1833; Telephone: (812) 436-4919.

Evansville City Council Passes Hotel Resolution along Party Lines

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Councilman Dan McGinn who cast the lone no vote for tonight's hotel resolution

Tonight the Evansville City Council voted 8 – 1 along party lines to “support” going forward with negotiations with the Kunkel Group to eventually reach a binding contract to develop a downtown Convention Hotel.

Attorney for the Kunkel Group Krista Lockyear openly emphasized that the Memorandum of Understanding touted Friday by outgoing Evansville Mayor Jonathan Weinzapfel as “the” hotel agreement was not binding and has no legal standing. The document itself confirms this. Ms. Lockyear made a case that the project was needed for the reported 850 jobs that is has been asserted to create along with the need for a hotel to be used to re-establish a convention business base in Evansville? Bob Warren, the newly hired CEO of the Convention and Visitors Bureau echoed Lockyear’s sentiment in stating that Evansville can only do small meetings and that convention attraction is essentially impossible with the facilities that Evansville has in place now.

Lockyear was explicit in here statement that by voting yes tonight that the City Council is not funding this project and is only giving its “support” for the Winnecke Administration to go forward in a negotiation with Kunkel along the lines of the MOU. She also committed that only upon closing of a $22 Million construction loan that Kunkel’s $2.5 Million in equity and the City of Evansville’s incentive of $8 Million will be placed into an escrow account. Councilman John Friend reported and Ms. Lockyear agreed that the City Council can put a 3rd Party manager in place to provide management oversight for the project much like John Kish did for the Ford Center.

Councilman Dan McGinn who was the only dissenting vote made it clear that this vote was not needed to go forward with negotiations and technically has not legal reason to be held asked many questions about the projects including one about the market for a 220 room hotel in downtown Evansville. Although Ben Kunkel stated that there was actually a need for more rooms it has been previously reported that a professional study indicated that the immediate need for rooms is only 160 and that the reason for the need to incent the project with public money is due to the indication that the additional 60 rooms are not needed at this time.

Councilman McGinn also made it a point to state for the public record that there are no other meetings of the Evansville Redevelopment Commission this year and that this project is not on tomorrow’s docket. Without a meeting of the ERC the Weinzapfel Administration would have difficulty in getting to a binding contract during the next 11 days.

The Council adjourned after passing this along party lines after a 30 minute series of expressions of appreciation to each other by current and past members for having served together. It was truly a democrats love fest joined by former council members Steve (Bags) Bagby and outgoing Fire Chief Kieth Jarboe.

IS IT TRUE? December 19, 2011 “The Last Dance of the Puppet Council”

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IS IT TRUE? December 19, 2011

IS IT TRUE that tonight will be the last meeting of the Evansville City Council for 2011?…that this will be the last time that Councilmen Curt John, Don Walker, B. J. Watts, and Councilwoman Wendy Bredhold will ever have to endure one of these meetings again?…that as their last act as members of the City Council it seems as though they are being asked to be the last rubber stamp on the cram through of the deal between the Evansville Redevelopment Commission to contract the Kunkel Group to build and operate a new downtown Convention Hotel?…that the language that these members of Council and the five incumbents who will be returning will have to vote Yeh or Nay on is as follows:

RESOLUTION C-2011-40 (DOCKET) SEQ CHAPTER \h \r 1 FRIEND

A Resolution of the City of Evansville, Indiana, Affirming the City of Evansville, Indiana, Redevelopment Commission’s Determination to move forward with the Downtown Hotel Development through the negotiation and completion by the City of Evansville, Indiana, Redevelopment Commission of definitive agreement addressing the matters set forth in a proposed Memorandum of Understanding, and related matters

IS IT TRUE that there are those who will say that since the Memorandum of Understanding announced by Mayor Weinzapfel last Friday explicitly states that it is non-binding and has no legal standing that tonight’s vote will also be non-binding with no legal standing?…that reading that over would cause one to say “not so fast” with that assumption?…that what passing this measure does is grants implied and explicit approval for the ERC and the Mayor of Evansville to finalize a binding agreement based on the incentives outlined in the MOU without having to come back to the Evansville City Council for affirmation or approval?…that this resolution as written commits the funding as it has been set forth in the MOU as having Evansville City Council approval?…that passing this tonight will not only be an affront to the newly elected Winnecke Administration but it deprives the next City Council of the opportunity to do a little vetting of their own?…that doing something like this that provides Mayor Weinzapfel and his puppets on the ERC a clear path to craft a binding agreement before the end of the year is the height of irresponsibility?

IS IT TRUE that incumbent members elect of the Evansville City Council Dan McGinn, Connie Robinson, Missy Mosby, Dr. Dan Adams, and especially John Friend, CPA need to take time to decide if they will join this last dance of the puppets and participate in jamming this through at the last hour or if they will start their duties as part of the Winnecke Administration tonight?…that the resolution may be subject to modification tonight that could make it less of a blank check for Mayor Weinzapfel’s last act?…that we are sitting on pins and needles to see if the puppetmaster can get one last dance out of his collection of 5 marionettes?

IS IT TRUE that whether they believe it or acknowledge it tonight’s vote will be what this Evansville City Council will be remembered for?…that the time is today to forever seal their legacy as puppets or to wake up and stand with the people of Evansville for accountability in government finance?…that Mole #44 tells us that Councilman Curt John was overheard at lunch jovially saying that tonight’s City Council meeting will be over in time to see the IU game in full?

IS IT TRUE that multiple Moles have provided us with links to the Vanderburgh County Assessor’s website that indicates that the Kunkel Group and Renaissance on Main are delinquent on property taxes?…that Kunkel officials have assured us that the taxes have been “paid for weeks” and that the Assessor’s website is not up to date?…that we do have an inquiry in to verify that?

UPDATE @ 4:29

IS IT TRUE that the CCO has confirmed with Vanderburgh County Treasurer Rick Davis that the taxes on the 4 propertied that the Assessor’s website indicates are in default WERE PAID BY THE KUNKEL GROUP ON DECEMBER 2, 2011 ALONG WITH THE 5% PENALTY FOR BEING LATE?

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