Several Democrats who participated in this mornings meeting at the Vanderburgh Democratic Headquarters have disputed our earlier report that any discussions were held regarding secession from the Indiana Democratic Party or endorsement of Republican Lloyd Winnecke for Mayor of Evansville.
The City County Observer has multiple statements from direct participants on both sides of these issues. As one of the reasons for calling the meeting was to offer Democrats an opportunity to express confidence in 4th Ward City Councilwoman Connie Robinson with regard to her recent endorsement of Mr. Winnecke we are quite confident that an endorsement discussion did take place.
With respect to succession from the Indiana Democratic Party, as strange as this may seem we can still report that people are supporting both that it was discussed and that it was not. No official agenda of the meeting has been released to the press nor have the meetings minutes been released.
A comment was posted today on the City County Observer regarding the possibility that Sunshine Laws may have been violated by the meeting this morning at the Vanderburgh County Democratic Headquarters. The premise behind the comment was that six Evansville City Council members were meeting in an unannounced meeting that was not advertised to the public.
Upon seeing the follow on comments the CCO sought legal opinion on the Sunshine Laws as the pertain to party meetings. The laws as were explained to us exempt party caucuses from Sunshine Laws. We have confirmed with Democratic officials that this was indeed a party caucus and that no official City of Evansville business was discussed. That being the case we conclude and have been advised that Indiana Sunshine Laws were not violated.
The comment section of this and other publications is a reader’s forum. We do from time to time remove posts that have fowl language or make threats. We along with other publications can not control what someone posts. We can only respond with corrections as we have in this case or with deleting information that is blatantly offensive. For a comment poster to ask that particular question was not deemed to merit removal. We are please to be able to clarify the answer.
IS IT TRUE that the only chance that any of us will have to see a televised debate of the candidates for Evansville City Council will be tonight?…that WNIN will be televising these debates tonight from 7 PM until 9:30 PM?
IS IT TRUE that the fight card tonight should include a first bout between Republican Lon Walters and Democrat Missy Mosby?…that the principle differences that these two should be debating are the positions that Walters has taken with respect to Vectren’s highest rates in the state and his support of strengthened smoking ordinance?…that Ms. Mosby has been silent on the Vectren rates and actually collected signatures for a petition to keep the smoking laws as they are and carried her petition to a meeting of the Evansville City Council in 2010?…that Walters has a petition too but his is to question all future rate increases requested by Vectren?…that he has over 1,700 signatures and actually met personally with the IURC yesterday?
IS IT TRUE that the next bout will be Democrat Stephanie Brinkerhoff Riley vs. Republican Alan Leibundguth for the 3rd Ward?…that this bout should make it pretty clear that Riley is a classic national Democrat and that Leibundguth is quite Republican in his views?…that this is probably the most well defined difference in ideologies in this year’s election?…that the people of the 3rd Ward who are liberal will most likely side with Riley and those who are conservative will find Leibundguth to their liking?…that the 3rd Ward is overwhelmingly Democratic in registration but seems quite conservative in their ideology?…that this will be an interesting debate and election and that there may be many people crossing party lines for the vote?
IS IT TRUE that the 5th Ward that is politically balanced and always seems to be decided by less than 100 votes?…that this bout will pit Republican Brent Grafton against Democrat John Friend?…that these two gentlemen have a very different style with Grafton being cerebral and deliberative while Friend likes the spotlight?…that these two in spite of style differences share much ideology and that both are entrepreneurs with some local government experience to bolster them?…that one clear difference has been their difference on the smoking ordinance with Friend taking an “all or nothing†stance while Grafton is open to some exemptions if that is the only way to strengthen the ordinance?…that they even seem to agree on the accountability of Vectren with Friend pushing the position with a petition and Grafton with a position paper on accountability?
IS IT TRUE that the bout for the 6th Ward pits Democrat Al Lindsey who has spent more time and money fighting lawsuit after lawsuit filed by other Democrats about his place of residence than he has spent campaigning against a young Republican named Shawn Short?…that both of these gentlemen seem poised to do a good job if elected but that tonight is the opportunity to see what their differences are as both have been poorly funded and doing their campaigning by wearing out shoes?
IS IT TRUE that the at-large debate promises to be a replica of the recent Republican Presidential debates with 6 candidates fighting it out for 3 spots?…that the candidate range from young and aggressive to retired and cerebral?…that this may provide the most illuminating of all of the debates as the only candidate with a well known ideology and demeanor is Democrat Dr. H. Dan Adams?…that Dr. Adams in spite of party affiliation has been a very independent thinker during his first term on the Evansville City Council?
IS IT TRUE that we hope that tonight’s debates exposed differences that the people of Evansville can use to make informed decisions with respect to the kind of City Council that the prefer?…that editorially speaking the current 8 – 1 City Council with the GROUPTHINK mentality that has been shown has not served Evansville well?…that if the people of Evansville like Secret Meetings, Sweetheart Deals, Excessive Spending, Rotting Parks, and Selective Enforcement then what they should do is elect another 8 – 1 block of GROUPTHINK types?…that if the people of Evansville are tired of the same old bull then they should seriously consider voting for the most independent and thinking people seeking to serve on the Evansville City Council?
Candidate for Second Ward City Council E. L. “Lon†Walters Attends IURC Vectren Hearing in Indianapolis.
Evansville — October 25, 2011 — Not knowing there was a motion made to postpone the IURC pre-hearing on the Vectren rate increase Monday afternoon, E. L. Lon Walters went to Indianapolis to presents over 1,500 signatures he personally obtained against the Vectren rate increase to the IURC. Instead, Lon met with Aaron Schmoll, Administrative Law Judge for the Indiana Regulatory Commission and presented him with the following information:
Vectren already has the highest rates in the state of Indiana and their demand for a guaranteed 7.3% return is unrealistic in today’s economy. I am a small business owner and in this economy, I cannot raise my rates without losing business. Yet we have a company with a monopoly like Vectren that can! Most families are struggling to make ends meet and many people simply cannot afford yet another rate hike. Vectren’s rates are 50% higher than any other Indiana utility.
Vectren’s high rates are undermining Evansville’s competitiveness as a place to live and do business. Just this past Saturday I talked to a mother who is planning to move to Henderson, Kentucky because of our high utility rates. She has reduced to the point that she has space heaters in each room and they only heat the rooms that are occupied. Vectren’s rates have been escalating for the past decade to the level that they are significantly higher than our neighboring cities. Across the river in Henderson County, Kentucky, the difference is in electric rates much greater than 50%. Lon Walters is asking the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission to do the right thing, and put the brakes on this alarming trend because it is undercutting our ability to attract new business to Evansville.
3 Stooges: Evansville Style IS IT TRUE? October 26, 2011
IS IT TRUE that the trouble with tribes, clubs, teams, fraternities, lodges, and political parties is that they are so steeped in the tradition of GROUPTHINK that there is no place for a dissenting voice even when that dissenting voice is the only voice of reason in a mindless mass of bricks in the wall?…that some such groups even resort to blood oaths, vows of allegiance, and arcane ritual to keep the membership in GROUPTHINK mode?…that the most recent local entity to have a “coming to Jesus†year for a half century of GROUPTHINK is the Vanderburgh County Democratic Party?…that the latest dust up in the increasingly comical fiasco is the endorsement of Republican candidate for Mayor Lloyd Winnecke by Democratic City Councilwoman and Vice Chair of the Vanderburgh County Democratic Party Connie Robinson?…that this endorsement has lead to a complaint being filed by a yet to be named Democratic precinct committeeperson asking that Councilwoman Robinson be removed as Vice Chair?…that the BLUE CLUB called the Indiana Democratic Party has a BLUE CLUB is on the following link?
IS IT TRUE that on Page 27 of the BLUE RULE BOOK is a section that deals with the Removal of Party Officers?…that the Grounds for Removal are well defined only as (1) Neglect of duty; (2) Willful violation of these Rules; (3) Conviction of a felony; (4) Disloyalty to the Democratic Party; or (5) Any course of conduct that does not promote the best interest of the Party or creates dissension within the Party?…that conveniently the tribunal to administer justice in this matter will not be able to meet until after the election?…that we encourage the curious to read this to your heart’s desire?
IS IT TRUE that all of this really started a little over a year ago when Rick Davis decided to break local party protocol and announce his candidacy for the Democratic nomination for Mayor of Evansville without seeking the permission of the local Party Bosses including Mayor Weinzapfel, Mark Owen, and even Vice Chair & City Councilwoman Robinson?…that we do not recall any instance of any allegation of breaking the BLUE TEAM RULES at the time?…that Mr. Davis’s only crime was offending the Tribunal of GROUPTHINK by not kissing the ring?…that the people of Evansville and especially the rank and file members of the Democratic Party have now endured a full year of barnyard and playground antics that would actually make a decent movie if any producer is out there listening?…that at the very least this should be the topic of a future community play put on at the Reitz Home?
IS IT TRUE that is has only been FOUR YEARS since the Vanderburgh Republican Party had egg on its face because a primary that put David Nixon on the ballot as the Republican nominee for Mayor of Evansville?…that we do not recall any Republican Party leaders endorsing any of the Democratic slate of candidates in 2007 but we are quite sure that Mr. Nixon did not garner 100% of the votes of Republican Party officers?…that Mayor Weinzapfel’s 85% – 15 % margin of victory guarantees that many rank and file Republicans crossed party lines to vote Democratic?…that the current mess is not about the rank and file whom we encourage to read, think, and vote for the person instead of mindlessly voting a straight ticket (pulling the rooster)?
IS IT TRUE that this mess is about whether it is appropriate to hold office in the BLUE CLUB and endorse a member of the RED CLUB at the same time?…that if the Coach of the Packers was seen rooting for the Bears while the Packers were playing the Bears the this would be one fired Coach?…that if Republican Party Chairman Wayne Parke makes a public endorsement of Rick Davis or any other Democrat in this year’s election that Mr. Parke should be shown the door?…that if the CEO of General Motors is seen driving any other brand of car that he has no business serving as the CEO of General Motors?…that so it goes for Councilwoman Robinson?…that this is one place where playing both sides against the middle should not be tolerated?
IS IT TRUE that the City County Observer admires and defends Councilwoman Robinson’s independent spirit and freedom of choice?…that if Councilwoman Robinson is supportive of Lloyd Winnecke that she should be free to use her influence to help his campaign?…that she should not however use her position as an OFFICER of the DEMOCRATIC PARTY to do so?…that the right thing for Councilwoman Robinson to do right now is to resign her position as Vice Chair and then follow her heart and mind on how to vote and how to use her personal influence?…that holding a vote of confidence among the BLUEBOTS that oppose Davis yet control the local party is a meaningless exercise in a reverse kangaroo court?…that of course the “machine†will find confidence in her?…that such an idiotic ritual will not serve to heal the Vanderburgh County Democratic Party?…that it will just make the divide wider?
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Seven EVSC educators recently delivered presentations at the Indiana Computer Educators “Focus on the Future†conference in Indianapolis. They included: Innovation, Curriculum and Technology Specialists (iCATS) Tim Wilhelmus and Jerrad Gleim; eLearning Coaches Brett Clark and Dianne Matheis; as well as Evans Elementary Professional Development Specialist Helene Blum, and Harrison High School teacher Brian Bennett.
Those individuals and 12 other members of the EVSC’s iTeam, comprised of all of the iCATS, and eLearning Coaches also attended the two-day conference.
Presentations included:
Tim Wilhelmus & Jerrad Gleim
“Beyond the Classroom and After the Bell: Using Podcasting and Blogging to Extend the Classroomâ€
Tim Wilhelmus & Brett Clark
“Building Your Network – Using Social Media to Enhance Professional Developmentâ€
Dianne Matheis
“Everything You Wanted to Know About Project Based Learning, But Were Afraid to Askâ€
Helene Blum
“iPods in the Classroom: Tool or Toy?â€
Brian Bennett & Brett Clark
“Defining the Flipped Classroomâ€
Tim Wilhelmus
“Building Playgroundsâ€
Members of the iTeam also made mini presentations during an evening “Smack Down†where individuals were asked to share Web 2.0 tips.
The Indiana Computer Educators conference is Indiana’s premier educational technology conference for K-12 teachers, administrators, and school technology leaders.
Ten Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation administrators have earned their Black Belt certification in Lean Six Sigma.
Those individuals are:
Stacy Mauser, chief technology officer
Mike Raisor, executive director for operational excellence
Mark Thompson, operations analyst
Heather Wilson, assistant to the superintendent/professional development coordinator
Mike Mentzel, director of transportation
Carl Underwood, principal, Vogel Elementary
Jason Woebkenberg, principal, Hebron Elementary
Rick Cameron, chief operating officer
David Smith, superintendent
Pat Tuley, chief financial officer and chief human resources officer
These individuals earned the certification as part of their pursuit to attain the Master’s of Business Operational Excellence degree from The Fisher College of Business at The Ohio State University. They began the program last January and expect to have completed it by December 2011.
Operational excellence is a philosophy of leadership, teamwork and problem solving resulting in continuous improvement throughout the organization by focusing on the needs of the customer, empowering employees, and optimizing existing activities in the process.
Time 8:30 AM – 10:30 AM Subject PERSONNELL & FINANCE Location 301 Recurrence Occurs the last Wednesday of every 1 month effective 10/26/2011 until 10/26/2011 from 8:30 AM to 10:30 AM Reminder 15 minutes
SANDIE @ 5791 Categories ROOM 301
Time 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM Subject HOUSING ROUNDTABLE MTG Location 318 Recurrence Occurs the fourth Wednesday of every 1 month effective 10/26/2011 until 10/26/2011 from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM Reminder 15 minutes Categories ROOM 318
Time 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM Subject HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION Location 307 Recurrence Occurs the fourth Wednesday of every 1 month effective 10/26/2011 until 10/26/2011 from 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM Reminder 15 minutes
BONNIE @ 4927 Categories ROOM 307
Time 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM Subject SAFETY BOARD Location 301 Recurrence Occurs the fourth Wednesday of every 1 month effective 10/26/2011 until 10/26/2011 from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM Reminder 15 minutes
TINA OWEN @ 7897 Categories Anniversary, ROOM 301
Time 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM Subject EPD DIVERSITY COUNCIL Location 307 Recurrence Occurs the last Wednesday of every 1 month effective 10/26/2011 until 10/26/2011 from 1:00 PM to 2:30 PM Reminder 15 minutes
Roberta Lenfers Categories ROOM 307
Time 2:30 PM – 3:30 PM Subject ERA Location 307 Recurrence Occurs the fourth Wednesday of every 1 month effective 10/26/2011 until 10/26/2011 from 2:30 PM to 3:30 PM Reminder 15 minutes
Lana Categories ROOM 307
Time 2:30 PM – 4:00 PM Subject ITAC Location 318 Recurrence Occurs the last Wednesday of every 1 month effective 10/26/2011 until 10/26/2011 from 2:30 PM to 4:00 PM Reminder 15 minutes
TIM VANCLEAVE @ 5848 Categories ROOM 318
