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 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!

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?