IS IT TRUE June 27, 2012

IS IT TRUE the City County Observer has been in contact with Evansville City Councilwoman Stephanie Brinkerhoff-Riley?…that we anticipate that we will have a statement from her today regarding the unusual events of Monday night?…that Councilwoman Riley has made a few things very clear and the first is that she stands behind the legal research that she spent 100 hours doing which uncovered public records that were not particularly flattering to the management team of Earthcare Energy?…these records while extensive were easy to read and understand?…that denial of public records is a pretty silly thing for anyone to do as these records are nearly impossible to hide from?…that when one is under review for a secret clearance that the first thing that the people checking one out looks into is the public record?…that some non-public records can have some inaccurate information that can be explained away but that facts in public records cannot?…if a public record has your signature on a dated document and sworn before a judge that you filed for bankruptcy that it is a very safe bet that this is exactly the truth?

IS IT TRUE that Mayor Winnecke has affirmed his commitment to not go forward with the Earthcare deal?…this is encouraging as there was much speculation yesterday that the actions of “THE FIVE” were a prelude to a flip flop by Mayor Winnecke?…that is part of the reason that he is the Mayor and they are “THE FIVE”?…that we hope to see a thorough VETTING of the Johnson Controls deal before it is allowed to go forward?…that one of the main proponents of the Johnson Controls deal in the Weinzapfel Administration, City-County Chief Information Officer Matt Arvay abruptly resigned his position without notice?…this resignation came less than 24 hours after the Evansville City Council authorized that $20,000 would be spent to hire someone to privately VET the Johnson Controls deal?…this deal was rushed through by Mayor Weinzapfel and has had about the same level of VETTING as the three convention hotel deals, the McCurdy, and Earthcare did before the camera crews were called over for smiling Mayors to make announcements?…that we are beginning to feel encouraged that Mayor Winnecke may have finally learned the lesson to VET BEFORE BOASTING?…that would be a colossal step forward from the last 8 years of Evansville politics?

IS IT TRUE the Vanderburgh County Republican Party had a caucus last night and have made three choices to fill four ballot vacancies?… the choices are Surveyor–Jeff Mueller, Recorder– Cliff Holm, and County Council– Julia (Judy) May?…the caucus also granted the authority to Chairman Parke to appoint a qualified Candidate to fill the fourth vacant position on the ballot without calling a formal caucus?…this action gives Chairman Parke the power to appoint a Candidate to fill the only remaining Republican ballot vacancy— the 3rd District County Commissioner?

IS IT TRUE that we are certain that by the end of today that the actions that occurred at Monday night’s meeting of the Evansville City Council will have been explained?…that while it will all make sense there is one thing that still makes us look like DOGPATCH?…that action is the fact that a vote was held on the word of City Council President Connie Robinson who has been a vocal proponent for the Earthcare Energy deal from day one?…taking a vote on the word of an opponent makes about the same amount of sense as President Obama making a statement on behalf of Supreme Court Justice Kennedy and having the other 8 members of the Supreme Court believe him and proceed to uphold ObamaCare by a 5 – 4 vote?…that Evansville really needs to stop doing things to make us all look like we just fell off of the turnip truck?

IS IT TRUE that something most unusual happened at last night’s meeting of the Evansville City Council?…this one was so unexpected and unorthodox that it sort of left the members of the council and the gallery speechless?…that City Councilwoman Stephanie Riley who put in over 100 hours of personal time doing the research that eventually helped Mayor Lloyd Winnecke face the reality that the Earthcare deal needed to be ended did not show up to cast a vote on her own resolution to effectively de-fund the loan that was previously passed by a razor thin one vote margin?…that not only did Councilwoman Riley not make it to the meeting to cast a vote which sometimes happens to all members of the Council, but this time City Council President Connie Robinson played the role of emissary for Councilwoman Riley?…that on the WORD (not a letter or official notice of withdrawal) of President Robinson that Councilwoman Riley wanted to withdraw the resolution that she worked so hard on Riley’s resolution was withdrawn on a 5 – 3 vote along the same lines that the loan approval was passed?…that rescinding a resolution on the WORD of a Councilwoman as opposed to on the WORD of the person who sponsored the resolution or any written document of any kind is a new “BUBBAVILLE” low for this elected body?…that if we as a people are going to allow one member of the council to speak for another and then proceed to vote on a resolution based on hearsay alone then we have sunk to a low that the Soviet Politburo never even sunk to?

IS IT TRUE that in spite of the racist rants of a member of the audience designed to denigrate Councilwoman Riley’s work to expose what a real vetting process would have exposed in the first place that City Councilman Dan McGinn stood up in support of Councilwoman Riley’s work?…that he was joined by Councilman Al Lindsey who still is not convinced that the Evansville City Council should be playing banker and by Councilman John Friend, CPA who has consistently opposed the Earthcare deal on its failure to make a coherent and consistent case for the business as an investment?

IS IT TRUE that the antics of “The Five” of the City Council who have once again pulled a Neville Chamberlain imitation of APPEASEMENT OVER THOUGHT when it comes to allocating the money of the people of Evansville?…that in the long run since Mayor Winnecke has seen the light and has committed to not go forward with the Earthcare deal that last night’s DANCE OF THE DUMMIES will have little impact on the overall outcome?…that is unless President Robinson shows up and SAYS that Mayor Winnecke wants to go forward after all and she can get the right people to believe her?

IS IT TRUE that the Earthcare deal is still on life support and is not contractually dead yet because no releases or rescissions have been signed by Mayor Winnecke and the management of Earthcare?…Earthcare is still holding onto $184,000 of the $200,000 that the City of Evansville advanced them before VETTING the deal?…this FUBAR will be over when it is over on paper and not one hour before as there are plenty of loopholes in the contract signed by both parties to merit some settlement?…that 2012 looks to be shaping up to be christened as “WORD OF MOUTH YEAR” in the City of Evansville to commemorate the sloppiness in deal making and voting by our elected city government?

IS IT TRUE that the things that elected officials are allowed to get by with in Evansville, Indiana without any accountability is simply mind boggling?