IS IT TRUE? November 16, 2011 “Will Evansville Really be a Smokefree City in 2012”

IS IT TRUE that one of the real bits of heartburn that many people had with the outgoing Mayor and the outgoing City Council was how they missed opportunity after opportunity to enact a stricter smoking ordinance in the City of Evansville?…that Mayor Weinzapfel always took the “this is the Council’s job but I will sign what they pass” approach never really embracing either side of the issue?…that the outgoing City Council had just enough of a combination of people who were fundamentally opposed to strengthening the smoking ordinance and those with an all or nothing attitude to keep a 5 – 4 majority in favor of KEEPING THINGS AS THEY ARE in perpetuity?…that with the changing of the guard and a new Mayor it merits a review of just where the issue of a smoking ban stands for 2012?

IS IT TRUE that Mayor Elect Lloyd Winnecke was the ringleader to institute a comprehensive smoking ban in Vanderburgh County as a Commissioner and has vocally stated that this is an issue that he won’t just pledge to sign if the City Council musters the nerve to pass it but that he will rigorously lobby for it?…that this piece of leadership and a willingness to take a stand will come up early next year and may just set the tone to make some progressive moves in the Winnecke Administration?

IS IT TRUE that 1st Ward City Councilman Dan McGinn has expressed support for a comprehensive smoking ban?

IS IT TRUE that 2nd Ward City Councilwoman Missy Mosby collected signatures on a petition not to strengthen the smoking ordinance in 2010 and is expected to maintain her position?

IS IT TRUE that 3rd Ward Councilwoman Elect Stephanie Brinkerhoff-Riley has enthusiastically expressed support for a comprehensive smoking ban?

IS IT TRUE that 4th Ward City Councilwoman Connie Robinson who has silently garnered enough support to be the next President of the Evansville City Council made one of the most inspiring speeches in casting her YES vote to strengthen the smoking ordinance in 2010 proclaiming “I AM MY BROTHER’S KEEPER”?…that after giving a speech with such conviction that Councilwoman Robinson will have some serious explaining to do if she changes her voter to NAY when the resolution is comprehensive?…that if Councilwoman Robinson is really “HER BROTHER’S KEEPER” that the businesses that were exempted from the last ordinance have many of her brothers working at them too?…that a YES vote is expected from Councilwoman Robinson for a comprehensive smoking ban?

IS IT TRUE that Councilman John Friend voted NO in 2010 on the basis that it was not comprehensive?…that he has consistently stated that he WILL support a comprehensive smoking ban?

IS IT TRUE that 6th Ward City Councilman Elect Al Lindsey in an unexpected move stated during his campaign that he supports a comprehensive smoking ban based on the fact that the rest of the world has already gone there so it is inevitable that Evansville should too?

IS IT TRUE that at-large City Councilman Dr. H. Dan Adams has been the heart and soul of the effort to institute the strongest smoking restrictions possible in Evansville for many years?…that Dr. Adams should be among the YES voters for a comprehensive smoking ban as that is the strongest restriction possible?

IS IT TRUE that at-large City Councilman Elect Conor O’Daniel while preferring baby steps to an eventual comprehensive smoking ban has expressed support to get there eventually and may jump on the bandwagon to be among the YES voters?

IS IT TRUE that at-large City Councilman Elect Jonathan Weaver had not expressed a decision to support a comprehensive smoking ban nor has he stated that he will not support it?

IS IT TRUE that the final tally for a comprehensive smoking ban appears to be minimally 6 votes AYE and 3 votes NAY, with the possibility of an 8 – 1 affirmative vote with Councilwoman Mosby as the only hold out?

IS IT TRUE that this assumes of course that these POLITICIANS DO NOT LIE?

IS IT TRUE that one of the uncertainties from the Vectren presentation to the Evansville City Council has been settled by a direct contact made by the City County Observer with Howard Bush, the Manager of Tariffs & Special Contracts for Kentucky Utilities office in Lexington, Kentucky?…that there was some uncertainty with respect to the current rate and the future rates that KU customers will be paying in 2016 after EPA attainment has been achieved?…that the current price paid by a KU customer for 1,000 kWh of electricity is exactly $86.70?…that today that same 1,000 kWh costs a Vectren customer $157.60?…that KU projects that in 2016 after a 20% increase for implementing EPA required improvements and general inflation that the cost of 1,000 kWh will be $105.00?…that if this is correct and if Vectren has no rate increases at all for any reason over the next 5 years that in 2016 the electric bills in SW Indiana will only be 50% higher than KU services areas?

IS IT TRUE that the Evansville Redevelopment Commission has scheduled an Executive Session for Thursday afternoon to discuss the prospects and maybe even a few details with respect to the downtown Convention Hotel project?…that of course this is a closed door meeting as we are becoming accustomed to after 50 years of this sort of business?…that any decision will have to go to the City Council for funding and that if it is not transparent and open that the members of this council or the next one will be coming under much public scrutiny over the commitment of public dollars to a private project?

IS IT TRUE that Fort Wayne made the Wall Street Journal this morning for missing out on the downtown Renaissance that many cities have enjoyed during the boom years?…that Fort Wayne was cited as being deficient on downtown residence development for only having 1,050 living units in the downtown?…that they did put out a press release yesterday stating that all will be better soon because some local developer will be converting an old empty office building into 40 condominiums?…that if only having 1,050 units constitutes being “left behind” that we really wonder how the Wall Street Journal would describe what Evansville has done?

IS IT TRUE that Mayor Weinzapfel was making another announcement yesterday and that this time it was regarding a $50+ Million deal to read water meters better and make free public wifi available throughout Evansville?…that for a city that ranked 368 out of 370 in internet connections to do any improvement in that area is a welcome thing?…that it was also stated by the Mayor that the free wifi is not expected to compete with our two existing providers, but will raise our ranking to the top quartile (top 92) cities for internet connectivity?…that from a technological perspective that this just seems to be impossible since the #368 ranking was for the Evansville region and not just the City of Evansville?…that this claim seems to be about as credible as creating 400 jobs by moving the jobs from Boeke Rd. to Walnut Street?…that what may indeed be a great deal seems to have gotten lost exaggerated claims that are made for political purposes?…that the opportunity to get $50 Million for nothing and change the techno game for the entire town sounds worthy of a cash flow diagram too?…that we shall cross our fingers that all of the Mayor’s claims are true?

IS IT TRUE that there have finally been a couple of complaints regarding the Ford Center that may have some merit?…that an Indianapolis based TV reporter stated that the TV friendliness of the Ford Center is basically abysmal?…that ESPN will be there tonight for the IU vs. UE game and that maybe we can get a second opinion?…that if ESPN agrees that the CCO expects this is an oversight that can be corrected?…that there are not exactly a rush of games played in Evansville that are televised but it would have been nice to be TV friendly?…that the other complaint is not about the Ford Center itself but with the convenience of picking up handicapped people who have been dropped off before the game?…that this is an exit protocol problem that we trust will be solved very soon?…that one is a growing pain?

IS IT TRUE? November 15, 2011 Special Evening Edition

IS IT TRUE that Mole #44 tells us that a special executive meeting of the Evansville Redevelopment Commission will be called as soon as this Thursday to hear the status of the Hunden Strategic Partners work that has been done to VET the two bidders to accept the terms offered to build a downtown Convention Hotel?…that word all around town is that Mayor Weinzapfel has a sense of urgency to see a contract signed to move forward with the hotel project before his last day in office which is now only 46 days away?…that this is indeed unfinished business but the CCO believes that rushing this through at the last minute when it is a decision that will have to be managed and lived with by the Winnecke Administration is simply irresponsible?…that no matter if the winning bid is from Prime Lodging or Kunkel that shoving this through in the last days of the Weinzapfel Administration will taint the winner with the scent of CRONEY CAPITALISM and bring undue scrutiny upon the project?

IS IT TRUE that without calling names that it is highly inappropriate and looks absolutely horrible for members of the Evansville City Council to be spotted in any luxury suite with either Kunkel or Prime Lodging?…that such things will not only serve to promote the appearance of corruption but will even further open the bidding process up to allegations of insider deals?…that members of the current and incoming Evansville City Council should have the good sense to exercise discretion and good judgment when it comes to openly partying with either bidder?

IS IT TRUE that at this late stage of the downtown Convention Hotel saga, the best course of action is to seal the results of the forthcoming report by the Hunden Strategic Partners and to leave this decision to the Winnecke Administration and whomever is appointed to the 2012 incarnation of the Evansville Redevelopment Commission?…that at this late stage that if a decision is made it should be after the Hunden Report has been released to the press for a period of at least 30 days?…that making a decision without releasing the Hunden Report and the rationale for a decision that is backed up by the Hunden Report will give us all a sense of déjà vu back to the announcement of the deal handed to City Centre Properties to convert the McCurdy into 90 luxury apartments?…that the Winnecke Administration does not need a pre-emptive albatross hung around its neck in the name of CRONEY CAPITALISM?

IS IT TRUE that the United States Supreme Court has agreed to hear the case regarding whether or not the mandatory purchase of health insurance is constitutional?…that the expected date of this proceeding is June of 2012?…that this is right in the beginning of the big push for the nominations for the next President of the United States?…that we believe that this may be the first time ever that a central platform of a sitting President will be up for constitutional review during an election year?…that the elections of 2012 are already shaping up to be very interesting?

IS IT TRUE? November 15, 2011 Part 2

IS IT TRUE that according to the Vanderburgh County Assessor’s website that the deadline has passed for each and every property owner including City Centre Properties LLC of Carmel, IN that owns tract #82-06-30-020-005.002-029, aka the McCurdy Hotel to pay their taxes?…that the tax bill on that property that was due last week is $10,268.66 and that the Vanderburgh County Assessors website indicates that the payment is still due?…that means a penalty of 5% is now added to the total?…that at day 31 that penalty is increased to 10%?…that the choice to pay or not to pay this tax bill serves as an early indicator as to whether City Center Properties LLC has the means or intention to move forward with this project?…that many properties appear to have paid so this is probably not the slow moving of the website?…that the Evansville Redevelopment Commission is now proven powerless to do anything about this non-payment?…that we will patiently await the next action but are not necessarily expecting any good news regarding this issue?

IS IT TRUE that today is the last day that Stratman’s Pharmacy will be open?…that the closing of Stratman’s will leave another large space available in downtown Evansville?…that this makes three new vacancies in the last couple of weeks?…that the restaurant that was in the basement of the Marlocon Building also closed its doors after a very short time in business?…that this restaurant location has now seen two businesses come and go during the last three years?…that the other emptied out storefront is also in the Marlocon where the Rug Merchant was in and out and then VenuWorks went in but was always destined for the Ford Center so that on was a planned move?…that on the positive side there is a request for a special liquor by the drink permit to be granted for an unnamed establishment that may be going in at 524 Main Street right next to the Maingate?…that the Maingate got a special deal a couple of years ago and that whatever special deal was made for the Maingate should also be extended to any business that wishes to sell drinks on Main Street?

IS IT TRUE that the Ford Center is now being praised for creating 400 part time and 25 full time jobs?…that whomever puts out statements like this must think that downtown Evansville is a different city than the corner of Boeke and the Lloyd Expressway?…that moving a number of jobs from one part of town to another part of the same town never has and never will constitute job creation?…that sometimes government officials just seem to be idiotic when it comes to making announcements with respect to job creation?…that the only jobs created by moving the entertainment from Roberts Stadium to the Ford Center would be net new jobs in excess of what was at Roberts to begin with?…that we are pretty sure that the 25 full time jobs announced are equivalent to what was at Roberts already?…that we are not so sure about the part time jobs but that creating a part time job is not really the same as a full time job is anyway?…that this is all sleight of hand and smoke and mirrors?…that it does not do the Ford Center justice to attribute things that simply are not true to its presence?…that the Ford Center may very well incent some job creation but moving already existing jobs down there does not constitute job creation?