Take That: July 29, 2011

IN RESPONSE TO: CVB Unanimously Rejects ECTA Funding Request for Tennis Courts

“Congratulations,” to all who have advocated for the protection of Wesselman Park Nature Center.“Thank You,” to those ECVB members who have heard the voice of the people.” Bubbageek

“People in this community tend to be so uninformed and maybe thats why everything we do is done in such a shoddy manner. Look at the downtown hotel debaucle.” TSTS

“We have a vast population of progressive, yes men, but I wouldn’t call them “informed”.
You can get funding from the parks board to build indoor tennis facilities, if you can.
We’ll remember that Weinzapfel shut down the park rangers.
We’ll remember the hypodermic needle incident.
We’ll remember the nun-chucks and condoms story.
We’ll remember the Davis proposal to have kids work the parks for min. wage.
We’ll remember the Republicans that called it wastefull.
If you ECTA members want to complain about shoddy. Why don’t you make it a policy that every person that spends 15 minutes playing free tennis on the taxpayers dime… Owes the park system an hour of mowing? (After all, isn’t your largesse to some degree, at others expense?)” Eville Taxpayer

“This is great news. We don’t need anymore pole barns.” Railoverauto

“Makes sense to me. The CVB took the “pie in the sky” numbers that ECTA GAVE THEM and ran the ROI. The numbers did not add up.” Does it make sense

“Public funds…private use. That is what we do not need. We are in an age of me too! I want my subsidy, a handout, a bailout. It was correct for the CVB to say no to this.” Rwtrax

IN RESPONSE TO: Please knock off the Xenophobic Bull and Vet the Proposals on their Merit

“I can’t believe this is even an issue.” Bowhunter72

“it’s a sad state of affairs that has brought us to this point where we have to have a hotel, it’s going to cost the tax base a huge some of money and we are not going to get the best value for our tax dollars, it will never be worth what it costs to build, the hotel will never be able to charge the amount needed to turn a profit and give the investors a reasonable ROI, but yet we have a smiling mayor that laughs and giggles at every photo op and would give the impression that he either doesn’t care, has no shame, or really does think he is smarter then everyone around him….is he really that stupid?” blanger

“The continuing Saga that is Evansville is such an unpleasent tale to tell,–or Sell. A life-long resident, my goal is to shake the dust of this city off my shoes in the near future, and only return to be buried along side family.” Crashlarue

“I forgot to comment on the color blindness of investment dollars. If someone has an interest in your project and is willing to put their money where their mouth is, how could a businessman possibly discriminate ? That sort of thinking is “foreign” to me ! Honestly, the notion that Kish’s comments were trying to portray foreign investment as bad did not occur to me . . . certainly glad that Kish is a Native American.” Beerguy

Hyatt Key Money Commitment of $478,000 in Term Sheet

In a letter dated July 25, 2011 to Chris Verville of Prime Lodging LLC, Hyatt Place Franchising has committed to make a “key money” payment to Prime Lodging in the amount of $478,000 upon the opening of the hotel.

The letter of intent is offered through January 31, 2012 and is executable at any time after an agreement is in place between Prime Lodging and the ERC. The hotel must be opened for business by December 31, 2013 for Prime Lodging to be eligible for the key money contribution.

Kunkel Hospitality in their proposal has stated that the Hyatt “key money” will be a total of $1,000,000 and will be used as equity.

Letter_from_Hyatt_regarding_Key_Money_072511

Addendum Pushes Construction Start Date to April 2012 but retains Summer 2013 Grand Opening

In an addendum to the proposal to develop a downtown Convention Hotel, Prime Lodging LLC has supplied additional details regarding the start and finish date of their proposal. Chris Verville, the Managing Membr of Prime Lodging has proposed a contract signing date of October 2011, with construction to commence during April of 2012. “The time in delaying the start of actual construction will be used to refine the construction plan so that the completion of the project and the grand opening will not be impacted”, said Mr. Verville in an exclusive interview with the City County Observer.

Mr. Verville went on to state that the grand opening date of the Summer of 2013 will be in time for the City of Evansville to compete on a level playing field with other cities for 2014 conventions and that the added planning time will expedite construction and keep the City of Evansville’s investment from the risks associated with commencing construction prior to full funding of the project.

Prime Lodging Addendum in full:

Prime_Lodging_Addendum_#1_072511_(2) (1)

Unanimous 5 – 0 Vote Seals the Vetting Deal to a TDB Outside Firm

In a special meeting of the Evansville Redevelopment Commission the decision to go with an outside firm to handle the vetting of the two proposals submitted to develop a downtown Convention Hotel to serve the Arena and the Centre was finally approved. In a meeting that was attended by all 5 members of the ERC the decision that could have saved the project 3 years of delays if it would have been made in 2008 when Mayor Weinzapfel announced the intentions of Browning of Indianapolis to build a 4-Star Hotel in downtown Evansville was finally adopted.

In an article reported first by the City County Observer, Mr. John Kish the project manager through an Indianapolis attorney from the firm of Bingham McHale recommended outside vetting and followed that with a long list of consultants that are interested in providing that service. One of the firms charges $350 per hour to provide such services.

It was also asserted that the response by Prime Lodging does not technically conform to the RFP because there is a discrepancy in the forgivable amount of the city’s loan package. It was also acknowledged that the bid by the Kunkel Hotel Group has not yet been confirmed to conform to the RFP.

Bob Goldman, the president of the ERC confirmed with Mr. Kish and legal counsel that it is not necessary to choose either of these proposals if neither vets properly. It was also pointed out by counsel that 30 days after the responses have been opened that it is legal and within the authority of the ERC to enter into negotiations with either firm and to deviate from the terms of the original RFP. The date to begin such negotiations if that it indeed the necessity will be August 19, 2011.

In a meeting that proceeding as rapidly and as scripted as a one act play public input was not solicited and in many ways blunted. City Councilman John Friend was the only person other than the actors in the theater to get to the lectern advance the candidacy of Evansville native Vince Lopez who has served as a senior vice president for his entire career as a good choice to conduct the vetting. The candidates for vetting seemed to be very Indianapolis centric while Mr. Lopez makes his offices in Florida.

The Kunkel Hotel Group had notified Mr. Kish via amendment that they had completed their financial underwriting process but the documents stating as such were not made available to the media.

In many editorials the City County Observer has advocated for outside vetting to assure that the job was done professionally and without any local bias. Today that editorial advice was finally adhered to by the City of Evansville, the Redevelopment Commission, and the Department of Metropolitan Development.

Time 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Subject SHERIFF SALE
Location 301
Recurrence Occurs the fourth Thursday of every 1 month effective 7/28/2011 until 7/28/2011 from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM
The meeting actually starts at 10:00.
Categories ROOM 301

Time 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Subject CODE ENFORCEMENT HRGS
Location 307
Reminder 15 minutes
KIM JOSEY @ 7889
Categories ROOM 307

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 3:30 PM – 5:00 PM
Subject LICENSE & DISCIPLINARY BOARD
Location 318
Recurrence Occurs the fourth Thursday of every 1 month effective 7/28/2011 until 7/28/2011 from 3:30 PM to 5:00 PM
Reminder 15 minutes
LINDA PENDELTON@ 7880
Categories ROOM 318

Time 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Subject SS OF AFRICAN AMERICAN MALES
Location 301
Recurrence Occurs the fourth Thursday of every 1 month effective 7/28/2011 until 7/28/2011 from 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Reminder 15 minutes
BONNIE @ 4927
Categories ROOM 301

Click Here to download the Safety Board Minutes from July 25, 2011

The Evansville Environmental Protection Agency and the Vanderburgh County Health Department have issued an OZONE ALERT for July 28, 2011 because ambient concentrations of Ozone may reach the Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups level of the National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS).

The current ozone NAAQS was set by the U.S. EPA in 2008 at an eight-hour average of 76 parts per billion (ppb). Eight-hour ozone levels between 76 to 95 ppb are considered to be Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups such as children and active adults, and people with respiratory diseases like asthma on the Air Quality Index (AQI) scale.

Air Quality Index Ozone 8-hr average
Good 0-59 ppb
Moderate 60-75 ppb
>>>>>Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 76-95 ppb
Unhealthy 96-115 ppb
Very Unhealthy 116-374 ppb

Within a few hours or days, exposure to higher levels of ozone can cause lung and throat irritation, shortness of breath, increase the frequency of asthma attacks and aggravate respiratory diseases such as asthma, emphysema and bronchitis. Children, active adults, and people with respiratory diseases should limit prolonged outdoor exertion especially between 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. when ozone levels are highest.

NO OPEN BURNING is allowed during Ozone Alerts. The use of gas and charcoal grills is permitted, but we encourage postponing grilling until air quality improves.

To do your share to protect air quality and reduce pollution levels:
• USE PUBLIC TRANSIT – RIDE METS FREE ON OZONE ALERT DAYS!
• CONSERVE ENERGY of all kinds – turn off lights, reduce air conditioner use, etc.
• Limit your driving. Avoid unnecessary vehicle idling.
• Park and go inside instead of using drive-through windows, especially if there are long lines.
• Postpone fueling your vehicle until after 6:00 p.m. Don’t ‘top-off’ your tank when filling up.
• Consider using electric or manually operated lawn equipment. If you use gasoline-powered lawn and garden equipment, stop working at 10:00 a.m. and / or postpone work until after 6:00 p.m.
• Limit the use of solvents, parts cleaning fluids, paint thinners and chemicals. Replace lids when finished.
• Postpone painting or use water-based paints instead of oil-based paints.