IS IT TRUE that the federal government of the United States of America is still a whirling dervish of spin doctors without a comprehensive solution to assure that the nation’s debt will be paid after August 3rd, 2011?…that the old song “Stuck in the Middle with You” with the lines “clowns to the left of you and jokers to the right” should be the official campaign song of both President Obama and whoever emerges from the magma of 11 Republican hopefuls to oppose him?…that the President did engage in some scare tactics on the subject of Social Security checks being able to be mailed that seems a bit uninformed?…that the so called “Social Security Lockbox” contains no money at all?…that what is on deposit in that lockbox is a great big stack of already issued debt backed by the faith and means of the United States Government?…that if the Social Security Administration sold some of this debt on the open market that the “Social Security Lockbox” would have enough cash in it to cover the August commitments to our nations retirees?…that will ease some of the burden for cash without raising the debt limit?…that hopefully our Congress and our President will log onto the City County Observer today and we will hear no more fear mongering aimed at the elderly?…that as long as the US debt instruments have a market that Social Security checks should not be in jeopardy?

And on the Local Scene

IS IT TRUE that proposed debt instruments down at the Executive Inn Dilemma are becoming a hot topic of discussion among the rapidly growing “VETTING CLASS” of Evansville?…that opinions and concerns are already finding their way into the media regarding the financing that has been proposed to build and operate a new Downtown Convention Hotel?…that skepticism is both justified and necessary in a decent vetting process and that we applaud the expression of any and all concerns?…that raising a red flag or a yellow flag of caution is not a sufficient condition to eliminate either proposal and that to do this part of the vetting process correctly will take more than a couple of weeks and maybe some new knowledge?

IS IT TRUE that the proposal from Prime Lodging LLC expresses the intention to arrange for $22.5 Million of senior debt through a program called EB-5?…that this is a legitimate program that is under the administration of the USCIS (United States Customs and Immigration Service)?…that this was designed to allow desirable foreign nationals (meaning those that are educated in critical need areas like engineering) that have money to come to America on a fast track?…that SW Indiana is certainly a place that could use an influx of brains and money?…that they do not have to move here, but they might in which case two problems are improved upon?…that no entity in Evansville has ever cashed an EB-5 funded check to do a major project like this before?…that there may be no one in the food chain down at the Civic Center that knows and EB-5 from the Space Shuttle?…that this is why Councilman John Friend was correct when he suggested professional vetting by competent people?…that the “we ain’t never seen this foreign money scheme in these parts before and we ain’t havin it” routine is not vetting?…that if and we do mean if the EB-5 program is real that it has favorable loan terms, job creation quotas, and makes the start up period for the hotel less challenging?…that this needs to be vetted for a reality check?…that we are beginning to think that a VETTING PROCESS may actually happen?

IS IT TRUE that to those who say “we don’t want none of that foreign money here”, our advise is for you not to cash your next check that has any federal government sources?…that it is foreign money?

IS IT TRUE that the Kunkel Group’s proposal is more conventional when it comes to financing?…that the senior debt is proposed to be gotten through an investment group in Irvine, CA?…that the terms of the loan in the proposal are not as favorable as the terms disclosed by Prime Lodging?…that the real issue regarding the terms of either proposed senior debt arrangement need to have at least two levels of vetting?…that the first level is simply can these guys really get the money?…that the second level of vetting is to ask the question “if they are successful in getting this loan, will the operation of the hotel be sufficient to service the debt”?…that we are encouraged to actually see vetting style questions being asked?

IS IT TRUE that if after professional vetting that neither proposal is acceptable to the ERC, EEDC, and the City Council then and only then will we be back to square one?…that if this scenario plays out that the next Mayor will have the hotel, the McCurdy, and consolidation kicked down the road and into his lap?

Take That: July 21, 2011

IN RESPONSE TO: IS IT TRUE July 17, 2011 Subject: Awarding of Government Contracts

“I find it unusual that an RFP for a hotel in the $30M range is only advertised for one week before the proposals are opened. How can a prospective builder put together a package in this short of a time? They cannot. This is a done deal with a builder, and is a complete waste of time for any other prospective builder to submit a proposal. Can we be assured the winner is indeed the best propsal, or is this another “behind closed doors” deal?” wsaa2009

“Between the downtown condos, the Whirlpool industrial park, and now this hotel project, I do not believe it is unreasonable for people to wonder about the connection between Ben Kunkel and the mayor of Evansville.” Pressanykey

“On the connection between Mr. Kunkel and the Mayor, it may be as simple as Kunkel is willing to do projects in Evansville and the Mayor wants them to get done. Kunkel may be the builder of last and only resort for downtown Evansville. The hotel will be another measuring stick for outside interest. Evansville has not exactly had outside or inside investors beating the door down. Kunkel just seems to hang around and take what is offered when no one else is interested.” Mister Bill

“Let’s cut to the chase: Mayor Whiney-Boy’s reputation is ruined. His fall from grace with his own party and voters was based on gross corruption and negligence. Worse yet, he was crooked long before he became incompetent, and all he has to show for it is a campaign fund with more than one million dollars in it, with no chance of putting it to good use other than to give it to other politicians. The chances of that happening are slim and none, and slim just died…” Dr John Not the Night Tripper

“There is always the option of donating the entire campaign to a non-profit. Of course if that non-profit needed to hire an executive director with mayoral experience and use the new donation to pay him wouldn’t that just be peachy?” TheDonald

In Response To: ERC Password Restrictions on Public Information

“It would be interesting to know who authorized the password entry (my bet would be an appointed official), and who ordered its removal (my bet would be an elected official). But then my gambling record sucks!…. I think the password requirement probably reflects an “I’ll show those pests a thing or two” attitude. And while board members and appointed officials may get by with such arrogance, whoever has that attitude should never be elected to public office.” Soon2B

“The Regime wanted password control to identify any dissident taxpayers that dared to access this public information.” Joe Biden

“Just a programming oversight…..that’ll be how it’s spun, a simple mistake not meant to harm or restrict access, blame it on the IT department, maybe someone can file a FOIA request to see who ask the IT department to impose the password protection?” blanger

“I am sure that you are correct on where the finger will be pointed. Do you have any idea at how low the probability of a password being put onto the ERC page on the very day that the proposals for the hotel are received? We are talking about a 1 in a million chance here. There probably are no more than 5 people in the world that have the codes to enable the password protection option. Someone will talk.” Mapmaker

IS IT TRUE that with respect to the post this morning that discussed the insurance recommendation study that ONB was paid $100,000 to perform for the Evansville Redevelopment Commission, Mole #16 has informed us that the entire study has not been posted on the ERC website?…that we are relieved to hear that there is more to a $100,000 study that 3 spreadsheets that for all practical purposes could have been completed with a dozen phone calls and 2 hours on the computer?…that we anxiously await the release of the entire study and hope that we will be impressed by the amount of work that one needs to do to earn a $100,000 fee for making a recommendation?…that as was pointed out by CCO poster Beerguy that we are quite curious to find out if there were any commissions earned on any of the insurance purchases made by the ERC based upon the paid recommendations of ONB Insurance?

IS IT TRUE that the University of Southern Indiana and GAGE are working together on a study that has the purpose to help Evansville “find its identity”?…that this statement alone that is attributed to a USI marketing professor sort of implies that whatever that identity is that it is wandering in the wilderness lost?…that this could be good fodder for Hoosier comedian David Letterman if he were to hear of this metropolitan identity search?…that all joking aside, how does a city find something that it does not seem to have ever had?…that the method chosen is to survey 200 residents about what they think Evansville’s identity is and also what their “ideal city” would be?…that GAGE and USI are planning to concoct a list of words that will be carefully chosen to draw out the identity of Evansville from these 200 people?…that these touchy feely perceptions are alleged to have value to augment the recently released “Competitive Realities” study?…that we really wonder how one study based on uninformed perception using a protocol of “leading the witness” would have any value whatsoever to an outside assessment done by experts in the field?…that if any taxpayer money is being spent on this that we would like to know how much and where it came from?…that some of the hoards of obese people that will most surely be included in the study make be offended at the president of GAGE’s metaphor about taking “one bite from the elephant at a time”?

IS IT TRUE if you want to know what Evansville’s identity is just read the “Competitive Realities” report?…that it is all there for the reading?…that it is not flattering?…that a better use of tax money would be to spend it teaching the people of Evansville how the world sees us and letting the chips fall from there?…that if you want to know what a current snapshot of Evansville is, think about Snooky with a southern accent?

IS IT TRUE that one of the positive attributes that the Competitive Realities study identified was our central location?…that it pointed out the well known fact that Evansville sits nearly at the center of the population of the United States?…that A third grader can look at a map and identify that Evansville is closer to the center of the country than Chattanooga and Davenport?…that the center of the US population is in a corn field in Pike County?…that the question of interest is what does that really mean to anyone’s economic potential?…that this trivial dot on the map started being tracked in the 1800’s when it was near Dayton and has been migrating across Indiana since then?…that it has not magically created even one crumb of prosperity anywhere.?…that it its present migratory trajectory it will be in Arkansas in 30 years?

IS IT TRUE that why people think this is of economic importance is just mystifying…that it is of no more significance that the world’s largest ball of twine unless you invest in something that gives people and capital a value adding reason to stop here on their way to someplace else?…that capitalizing on a central location with a state of the art airport, multiple interstates, and intermodal logistics as Louisville, Memphis, and Indy have done is what matters?…that the dot in the cornfield means nothing?…that strategic infrastructure is required to capitalize on location?…that finding a way to create or find an identity to create a few jobs or enable some entrepreneurs to start a profitable enterprise near the transitory dot on the map would be worthy of spending some thought and public dollars on?…that if we don’t the ball of twine will pass us by like it has Dayton, Muncie, Anderson, etc. etc. etc. without bearing any economic fruit?

IS IT TRUE that this is a link to a map of the median center of population of the United States from 1880 until now?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:USCenterPop_Median2010.png

TheDonald’s Parody on the House at Pooh Corner or “the Front Door Pride House at POO Corner” deserves a high five

TheDonald on July 19, 2011 at 7:57 am

Weiny the Pooh
Doesn’t know what to do
Got a money jar stuck on his nose

He came to me
Seeking help and advice
and from her no one knows where he goes

He wandered much further today than he should
and he can’t seem to find his way back from the hood

So help him if you can, he’s gotta get
back to the front door pride house at poo corner by 1
You’d be surprised there’s so much to be done

Count all the bucks in the hive
Drink all the beer in the dive

Back to the days of Jonathan Weiny
Back to the days of Jonathan Weiny
Back to the days of poo
pooo – pooo -poooo

Apologies to Winnie the Pooh and Christopher Robbin

The University of Southern Indiana women’s basketball team ranked 15th in the nation amongst NCAA Division II institutions in team grade point average according to the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association.

USI, which amassed a 3.511 team GPA in 2010-11, missed the top 10 by .023 points. The Screaming Eagles, who ranked fourth amongst Great Lakes Valley Conference teams, finished 2010-11 with a 16-11 overall record and a 12-6 mark in conference play.

The Eagles, who captured the GLVC East Division crown, placed seven players on the GLVC All-Academic team this past season and had four players earn the GLVC Council of Presidents’ Academic Excellence Award.

“I am extremely proud of our players and our team for this accomplishment,” Head Coach Rick Stein said. “Our team works extremely hard to excel both on and off the court. To be recognized as one of the top 15 academic programs in the country is outstanding.”

The Eagles also earned the USI Student Athlete Advisory Committee Team GPA Award earlier this spring.

Source: USI.edu

Time 1:30 PM – 3:00 PM
Subject BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS
Location 301
Recurrence Occurs every Thursday effective 7/7/2011 until 7/28/2011 from 1:30 PM to 3:00 PM
Reminder 15 minutes
Sharon Evans @ 4982
Categories ROOM 301

Time 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Subject BOARD OF ZONING
Location 301
Recurrence Occurs the third Thursday of every 1 month effective 7/21/2011 until 7/21/2011 from 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Reminder 15 minutes
KATHIE @ 5228
Categories ROOM 301

IS IT TRUE that yesterday July 20, 2011 set a new record for online visits to the City County Observer?…that the online numbers for the website trafficestimator.com were updated yesterday and that the City County Observer has experienced an 11.1% growth in visits over the last measurement period?…that the Courier & Press experienced a decline of roughly 2% over the same period?…that the CCO’s lead on the CP in the metric of minutes online has now expanded to 30%?…that we pay Google to do exact counts and that trafficestimate.com is within 1% of the actual counts so we believe the algorithm that they use is accurate?…that we can accurately project growth and that we are pretty certain that our visit number will be increasing by another 5% – 6% when the next update happens in August?

IS IT TRUE that the latest Freedom of Information Act request that we filed on behalf of City Councilman John Friend inspired the City of Evansville DMD to just post the information online?…that the information that we requested was concerning the insurance recommendation study that ONB was paid $100,000 to perform for the Evansville Redevelopment Commission?…that we were surprised that there were only three pages of spreadsheets posted that made a specific recommendation that a Contractors Pollution Liability Policy with a premium of $94,116 be purchased along with a Builder’s Risk Policy in the amount of $226,934?…that the CCO is having an insurance expert look over the contents for us to see if the recommendations were really worth $100,000?…that we are very interested to learn if it is worth $100k to be told how to spend $321k?…that you may view the spreadsheets yourself under the heading Arena at the following link?

http://www.evansvillegov.org/Index.aspx?page=277

IS IT TRUE that Evansville 5th Ward City Councilman and Budget Chairmen, John Friend, CPA has the means and the power to hold onto a downtown hotel resolution from going to full council for a vote? …as Budget Committee Chairmen he has the authority to stop the vote that would commit millions of our tax dollars to fund the downtown hotel until he is convinced that proper financial vetting was done on this project?

IS IT TRUE that one of our regular bloggers doesn’t realize that he personally talks with CCO Mole #3 at least once a week? …that CCO Mole # 3 is a member of the church the Joe Biden attends?

IS IT TRUE that CCO Mole #3 is telling us that the Mayor of Evansville is telling his close friends that he can’t figure out 5th Ward and Budget Chairmen, John Friend, CPA political actions anymore?…that the answer is simple, Councilman Friend’s political decisions are finally being based on “GOOD Public Policy” and cognitive thought?

IS IT TRUE that CCO Mole #3 is telling us if the election for Mayor of Evansville was held today that Lloyd Winnecke would likely win?

IS IT TRUE that CCO Mole #3 tells us that 2nd Ward City Council member, Missy Mosby’s re-election campaign is becoming something to behold?

IS IT TRUE that CCO Mole #3 has just informed us that 1st Ward City Councilman, Dan McGinn is becoming extremely interested in finding out how much the Mayors Legal Counsel has been paid for legal services from all revenue sources this year?…one should get ready to watch Councilman McGinn’s actions pertaining to this subject during the upcoming budget hearings?

IS IT TRUE that the Democratic party 6th Ward candidate Al Lindsey feels he is a shoe-in to be elected to the Evansville City Council seat in November ?…that CCO MOLE #3 feels Mr. Lindsey shall better get ready for a real political dog fight in the 6th Ward City Council race?

Free and Easy Public Access is Supported by All

“As soon as this issue was brought to my attention by several calls from concerned citizens, I sent an email to Mr. Matt Arvay, the City/County CIO officer requesting that this situation be correct immediately. My email was sent to Mr. Arvay at 8:55 P.M. last evening. Denying the people access to their government is contrary to everything that our forefathers fought and died to guarantee that their government is held accountable and the access to information regarding actions by their elected officials and those who are appointed by those officials in positions of policy is not hindered. As an elected official, I take freedom of information very serious and do not condone any actions that violate this sacred right.” John Friend, 5th Ward Councilman

IS IT TRUE? July 20, 2011 Special Evening Edition

IS IT TRUE that today is the inevitable day that the remaining employees of SMG have been dreading?…that SMG was just given 60 days notice by the Evansville Parks Board to vacate Roberts Stadium?… that September 17, 2011 will be the last day that SMG will be maintaining offices in Roberts Stadium?…that the City County Observer wishes every one of the employees that are still working out of Roberts either a seamless transfer to another SMG facility within Evansville or a fast and lucrative search for a new job?…that just as creating jobs is one of the reasons always touted for building something, some jobs are destroyed too?…that we do not expect to see any headlines with smiles and handshakes announcing the jobs that are destroyed and the lives impacted by the collateral damages of the Arena?…that we do have faith in the human spirit and expect that all of the people affected now have an opportunity to better themselves with this unsought change?

IS IT TRUE that we do have some questions about just how today came to be the day that Roberts Stadium was given 60 days notice to vacate?…that we did examine the website of the Evansville Parks Board and were able to find the agenda for today’s meeting?…that there was no line item on today’s agenda regarding SMG or Roberts Stadium?…that the website for the Parks Board only has the agenda for the next meeting and the schedule of the dates of the meetings on it?…that there are absolutely no minutes or agendas of previous meetings posted for public examination?…that we therefore must ask the question “in what public meeting was the 60 day notice to vacate Roberts Stadium discussed and was it ever on a published agenda?…that given the hubbub of today regarding the password requirement being placed on the ERC website, we are curious as to why the Parks Board does not even keep up to date posting as the ERC and the Evansville City Council do?…that maybe we have discovered a public board that is less disciplined and less competent than the ERC?

IS IT TRUE that we are also still bothered about the entire password episode of yesterday involving the ERC website?…that there were many rumors in the Civic Center today that a statement was going to be made blaming a computer glitch for enabling the password restriction?…that this password restriction was enabled on a sub-domain of the main webpage of the City of Evansville?…that the minutes of the City Council were available with no password restriction the entire time?…that the password episode happened on the same day that the hotel proposals were being taken?…that this was done with a series of keystrokes and that somewhere in the backup of the Civic Center computer system there is an archive of the entries made complete with the IP addresses of the computer that the enabling was done from?

IS IT TRUE that for those who would like to blame the enablement of a password restriction on a random computer glitch, we say PROVE IT?…that the City of Evansville did the right thing this morning by eliminating the password restriction?…that the wrong thing happened yesterday that made doing the right thing today necessary?…that technical probability that the password restriction was caused by a random glitch is about as high as the probability that Mole #3 will be taking Peyton Manning’s job as the quarterback of the Colts?

No Line Item on Agenda Regarding Notification of SMG to Vacate Roberts

BOARD OF PARK COMMISSIONERS

REGULAR MEETING
KEVIN WINTERNHEIMER CHAMBERS
ROOM 301, CIVIC CENTER COMPLEX
WEDNESDAY, JULY 20, 2011
12:00 NOON

AGENDA

1. CALL TO ORDER

2. MINUTES July 6, 2011

3. CONSENT AGENDA
a. Request Re: Approve and Execute Sports Banner Advertising Agreement with Gattitown
for Goebel Soccer Complex. – Keck
b. Request Re: Approve and Execute Sports Banner Advertising Agreement with Pro Rehab
for Goebel Soccer Complex. – Keck

4. OLD BUSINESS
a. Request Re: Award Quote for Angel Mounds Boat Ramp Renovations. – Schall
b. Request Re: Review Quotes for Drainage Renovations at Helfrich Golf Course. – Boberg
c. Request Re: Award Quote for Tree Removal at Helfrich Golf Course. – Roby
d. Request Re: Roberts Stadium Management Contract. – Schall

5. NEW BUSINESS
a. Request Re: Approve Budget Transfers and CIP Reprioritizations. – Schall
b. Request Re: Any Other Business the Board Wishes to Consider and Public Comments.

6. REPORTS
a. Dan Schall, Executive Director

7. ACCEPTANCE OF PAYROLL AND VENDOR CLAIMS

8. ADJOURN