IS IT TRUE that the two responses to BUILD AND OPERATE the downtown Convention Hotel are now in the plastic tubs of Tom Barnett and John Kish?…that the two responses were the tow that were expected, specifically the Kunkel Group and Prime Lodging LLC?…that the real process of decided which if either of these proposals has the resilience to really deliver a hotel and an experienced operator starts today?…that the Evansville Redevelopment Commission will meet this morning to officially accept and read the two proposals into the official record at 8:30 am today on the 3rd floor of the Civic Center?

IS IT TRUE that the Weinzapfel Administration has recently been accused of running in a READY—FIRE—AIM manner?…that the 3+ years spent since that day in 2008 when Browning and the Mayor stood side by side to announce plans for a 4-Star Hotel may have just concluded the READY phase of that process?…that we hope that the City of Evansville is truly finished with the whole READY phase but realize that there is a possibility that we may have to visit READY again if neither of these proposals VET properly?…that Mole #3 tells us that the finger is on the trigger and that FIRE is the most preferred next step of some of the “powers that be”?…that many of the supporting cast for past actions of the “powers that be” have finally realized the errors of their ways?…that there is strong opposition within the ranks of the supporting cast to the URGE TO FIRE?…that cooler and saner heads must prevail this time?…that the following several months are not a time to FIRE?…that with all due disrespect given to the mistakes of the past IT IS TIME TO AIM?…that this may be Evansville’s last shot in the foreseeable future to actually secure a Downtown Convention Hotel?

IS IT TRUE that John Kish, project manager is now on record as saying that the approval process typically takes about three months?…that it is exactly 3 months and 3 weeks or 112 days until Election Day 2011?…that in a short 112 days we will all know whether it will be Lloyd Winnecke or Rick Davis who will become the Mayor that will assume responsibility for executing the decisions that are playing out right now?…that that there are 166 days remaining in the Weinzapfel Administration?…that the two candidates for Mayor of Evansville need to focus like a laser on what is being done in these 166 days that will have lasting effects into their administrations?…that the part of the process that we shall call AIM that includes a thorough VETTING of these two Downtown Convention Hotel proposals shall have a significant impact on the launch of either a Davis Administration or a Winnecke Administration?…that a binge of READY – FIRE – AIM decisions that commit the dwindling number of available dollars well into the future could severely handicap the initial conditions of the next administration?

IS IT TRUE that it may just be a good idea for the two candidates to start getting in front of some of the spending commitments that may be in the READY stage in the waning days of the Weinzapfel era?…that Evansville is just a couple of MISFIRES away from having problems that may not be solvable in any preferable way?…that such MISFIRES must be avoided?…that if a VETTING COMMITTEE is indeed formed that it would be in the interest of the candidates to attend these meetings for preparation purposes of launching the next administration?

IS IT TRUE? July 18, 2011 Special Evening Edition

IS IT TRUE that at this hour two and only two proposals to BUILD AND OPERATE a Downtown Convention Hotel have been submitted and are in the hands of Mr. John Kish, Project Manager?…that it is fully expected that these two proposals would be submitted?…that one of those proposals is from the Kunkel Group and the other is from the newly formed Prime Lodging LLC?…that most of Evansville has some familiarity with the Kunkel Group but that Prime Lodging LLC is a business that we who are interested all should get to know during the forthcoming VETTING PROCESS?

IS IT TRUE that Mole #3 tells us that Evansville City Councilman and Chairman of the Finance Committee John Friend has quietly been working behind the scenes to try to put together a group of 5 professionals made up from the current Evansville City Council, the Vanderburgh County Council, and the Evansville Redevelopment Commission?…that the purpose for this exercise has been to define a VETTING PROCESS and to put the responders to the hotel RFP through a rigorous VETTING PROCESS so that the dreaded third strike of failure does not whiz by the ERC once again?…that there are certainly 5 people between those 3 bodies that have the correct kinds of experience and academic background to do these tasks?

IS IT TRUE that Mole #3 furthermore tells us that the Mayor of Evansville has been cautious about embracing the VETTING PROCESS and that the Mayor has raised objections to some of the highly qualified professionals that could make this VETTING COMMITTEE an apolitical competent committee that could serve not only to VET the hotel responders but other things like the Arena Management Team as well?

IS IT TRUE that as far as the Downtown Convention Hotel is concerned, it may be too late in the game and too much of a political hot potato to put together a competent local VETTING COMMITTEE?…that if between the Evansville City Council, the Vanderburgh County Council, and the ERC if the “powers that be” cannot come to agreement on an objective and apolitical VETTING COMMITTEE that it may just be time to REACH INTO THE POCKETS OF THE TAXPAYERS OF EVANSVILLE and PAY FOR AN OUTSIDE PROFESSIONAL FIRM TO VET THE PROPOSALS?

IS IT TRUE that if there would have been a third party VETTING VENDOR two years ago that the City of Evansville and the Evansville Redevelopment Commission would not be sitting with egg on their faces looking like Curly, Larry, and Moe right now?…that some lessons are quite expensive to learn the hard way?…that the ERC should authorize whomever does the VETTING to teach a seminar in VETTING and that it should be required for elected and appointed officials to attend?…that NO PASS NO SERVE should be the mantra of Evansville going forward?

Today, Lloyd Winnecke, the Republican Candidate for Mayor of Evansville Released a plan that addresses specific shortcomings in the transportation infrastructure of the City of Evansville. In the plan called “Moving Evansville Forward”, Mr. Winnecke addresses the following 5 specific areas for improvement.

1. IMPROVING OUR CITY ROADS AND HIGHWAYS

2. INVESTING IN PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION

3. FINISHING INTERSTATE 69

4. STRENGTHEN OUR AIRPORT

5. UTILIZE RAILWAYS

The full text of the plan is on the following link.
Moving_Evansville_Forward_Winnecke

Margaret McMullan, a University of Evansville professor of creative writing and the author of six novels, has won the top prize in the 2011 Eugene and Marilyn Glick Indiana Authors Award program. This annual award recognizes the contributions of Hoosier authors to the literary landscape in Indiana and across the nation.

McMullan won the National Author category, which recognizes a writer who has Indiana ties but whose work is known and read throughout the country. The award includes a $10,000 prize.

“I am so honored to be named this year’s national recipient of the Eugene and Marilyn Glick Indiana Authors Award,” McMullan said. “I moved to Indiana about 21 years ago to teach at the University of Evansville, and I’ve grown to love this state, its people, and its strong literary heritage. I feel privileged and humbled to be a part of it.”

This spring, nominations for the Indiana Authors Award were submitted in the categories of National Author, Regional Author, and Emerging Author. From the pool of nominees, McMullan was selected as the National Author award winner by a 10-member, statewide award panel.

McMullan will be honored at the Indiana Authors Award dinner on October 29 in Indianapolis. She also will serve as the keynote speaker.

The Eugene and Marilyn Glick Indiana Authors Award is a program of the Indianapolis Public Library Foundation and is funded through the Glick Fund, a fund of the Central Indiana Community Foundation.

To learn more about the Indiana Authors Award, please visit www.indianaauthorsaward.org.

Source: evansville.edu

Tuition and fees for the next two academic years were set today by the University of Southern Indiana Board of Trustees at its regular meeting. Indiana undergraduate residents will pay just over $252 more in fees for the 2011-2012 academic year and $293 more in 2012-2013.

The credit hour fee was approved at $193.07 for Indiana resident undergraduate students for 2011-2012. It will change to $202.83 for Indiana resident undergraduate students in the next year.

Required by state law, a public hearing about the planned increase in tuition and fees for USI students was held on May 23, 2011. “The USI Board of Trustees is committed to providing affordable, quality higher education and has a history of maintaining an affordable fee structure,” said President Linda L. M. Bennett at the hearing. “USI is the most affordable baccalaureate-degree granting institution in Indiana.” There was no public response to the increases at that time.

The trustees also approved the 2011-2012 operating budget of $93.7 million. More than 54 percent of the budget is from state appropriations and 42 percent is from student fees, with three percent from other income. The budget will fund instruction and instruction-related costs, student services, and general administration and maintenance.

At the trustees? annual meeting, Ted C. Ziemer Jr. of Evansville was elected board chairman. Appointed to the board in July 2007, Ziemer has served as a member of the Long-Range Planning Committee and as a member and chair of the Finance/Audit Committee. He has represented the trustees on the USI/New Harmony Board of Directors (now the Advisory Board) since 2008.

As chairman, he replaces John Dunn of Evansville who has served on the Board of Trustees since 2006. Dunn was appointed chair in 2007. Under his chairmanship, the University appointed Linda L. M. Bennett as president upon the retirement of H. Ray Hoops. The trustees approved a resolution of appreciation to Dunn and applauded him for his dedicated service to the board and to the University.

Ziemer also has a strong record of service to the USI Foundation. Since 1976 he has been on the Board of Directors for the USI Foundation, which he chaired for six years.

New student trustee Susan Ellsperman attended the meeting. Recently appointed to the board by Governor Mitch Daniels, Ellsperman is a biology major with an emphasis in pre-medicine. She is from Newburgh, Indiana, and will graduate in May 2013. She is captain of the women?s soccer team and attends USI on the Harold W. Ashley Endowed Presidential Scholarship. With a 4.0 GPA, she was named to the 2010 soccer 1st team All-Great Lakes Valley Conference, 1st team All-Region, and 1st team Academic All-Region. She is the daughter of Michael and Melody Ellsperman of Newburgh.

Vice chairs for the year are W. Harold Calloway and Jeffrey L. Knight, both of Evansville.

Source: USI.edu

Time 9:30 AM – 10:30 AM
Subject COMMERCIAL REVIEW COMMITTEE
Location 318
Recurrence Occurs every Monday effective 7/4/2011 until 7/25/2011 from 9:30 AM to 10:30 AM
Reminder 15 minutes
KATHIE HOLLEY @ 5228
Categories ROOM 318

Time 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM
Subject PORT AUTHORITY
Location 307
Recurrence Occurs the third Monday of every 1 month effective 7/18/2011 until 7/18/2011 from 3:30 PM to 4:30 PM
Reminder 15 minutes
ROBIN HAYES
Categories ROOM 307

Time 5:30 PM – 7:00 PM
Subject CITY COUNCIL
Location 301
Recurrence Occurs every Monday effective 7/4/2011 until 7/25/2011 from 5:30 PM to 7:00 PM
Reminder 15 minutes
LYNN BUHR @ 4993
Categories ROOM 301

IS IT TRUE that before truly beginning to evaluate the two, three, or more bids that may show up today in response to the RFP for a new Downtown Convention Hotel that there needs to be some serious exercise in getting the evaluators act together?…that thus far Mayor Weinzapfel and the Evansville Redevelopment Commission which seem to be flying solo while blindfolded have wandered in a financial wilderness for a full year ending up right back where they started?…that prior to this year of chasing their tail there was a two year tail chasing episode with the Mayor alone at the helm in the rudderless ship?

IS IT TRUE that it is time for the Evansville City Council and the Evansville Redevelopment Commission to stop performing like an insane clown posse and to put together an objective financial criteria that will actually result in securing a developer that has both sufficient financing and the right experience base to get a nationally branded 3-Star or above hotel where the ROCK PILE currently sits?…that the days for gut feelings, rules of thumb, old boy networks, and cronyism are over?…that it is time for the City Council and the ERC to agree on an antiseptic vetting process that is based on merit and capability?…that the stewards of this process should be a committee that includes competent elected officials from both parties, independent thinkers who understand things like cash flows and good business practice, and most importantly are not puppets for anyone?

IS IT TRUE that if a 3rd, 4th, or 5th party comes to the table with a proposal after today’s deadline that there is no logical reason that their proposal should not be considered as a backup in the event that today’s bidders do not vet well?…that any business that would not consider back up offers for a process that has been as challenged as attracting and vetting a hotel developer has been would not even be considered to be competent?…that the “winner” does not need to be a rush to judgment?…that getting a hotel has always been more important than getting a headline?…that there have been more pictures of downtown Convention Hotel renderings in headlines in Evansville in the last several years than there are hotels in Evansville?…that the lack of a process has basically only resulted in articles and renderings and no hotel?…that the ink will get pretty acidic if this process fails yet again?

IS IT TRUE that any attempt by anyone to force a fast decision without a thorough VETTING PROCESS have been conducted should be removed from the decision team?…that assumes that there will be a decision team formed?…that early stage VETTING for the purpose of eliminating financially tenuous respondents really can be fairly simple?…that a competent and diligent VETTING COMMITTEE should do simple things like credit checks and supplier references in very short order?…that the real purpose of VETTING is to eliminate respondents that have such high risks that the probability for another debacle is high?

IS IT TRUE that tomorrow that the Evansville Redevelopment Commission will once again sit in judgment of the responses of any businesses that have chosen to put in a bid to BUILD AND OPERATE a downtown Convention Hotel that is slated to sit upon the land south of the new Arena and west of the Centre?…that one very real question regarding this bidding process is just why the ERC is the governing body that is sitting in such judgment?…that it may just be worth examining on what authority that the ERC is doing this and how and when that authority was granted?

IS IT TRUE that without regard for what authority has or has not been granted, it is time to put a rational objective process in place and let the process drive the decision?…the lack of objectivity and the failure to establish VETTING PROCEDURES has this car in the ditch?…that it is time to go back to driving school and change drivers?

IS IT TRUE that this dog should not be anyone’s role model?

IS IT TRUE? July 17, 2011

IS IT TRUE that in 48 hours that the Evansville Redevelopment Commission will once again sit in judgment of the responses of any businesses that have chosen to put in a bid to BUILD AND OPERATE a downtown Convention Hotel that is slated to sit upon the land south of the new Arena and west of the Centre?…that one very real question regarding this bidding process is just why the ERC is the governing body that is sitting in such judgment?…that it may just be worth examining on what authority that the ERC is doing this and how and when that authority was granted?

IS IT TRUE that presumptively this authority is was granted by the Evansville City Council to the ERC in 2009 with the passage of Resolution C-2009-20 and further detailed by the ERC that same month with 09-ERC-40?…that among other things the authorities granted included “supporting activities consistent with and in furtherance of the recommendations set out in the “Market, Financial, Funding, & Site Analysis – Multi Purpose Arena Venue in Evansville, Indiana” including undertaking feasibility studies, planning and design work, site acquisition, site preparation, infrastructure serving sites, site improvements either directly by the activities of the ERC or indirectly in combination with activities of private enterprises”?…that we wonder just which of those things that providing tax abatement and direct financial assistance to a private hotel developer that falls under?

IS IT TRUE that the Resolution C-2009-20 plainly states that “no property tax money will be used” in doing any of the things that the ERC was granted authority over?…that granting a tax abatement or phase-in as some prefer to call it does indeed use property tax money?…that the way it does this is by deferring property taxes for a developer?…that those dollars of property taxes are then distributed into the tax bills of the taxpayers of Evansville to the extent that any overall rate is increased for any of the years of the abatement?…that the only way to escape this Snegal little tactic is to have your property taxes maxed out against the 1% limit before the abatement takes place?…that the ERC does not appear to have the authority to make deals with tax abatements and that the permission granted for the tax abatement agreement that Woodruff Hospitality LLC was granted died when the agreement was rescinded?…that the structure of the deal for whomever rises to the top of the heap of bidders will have to once again go before the Evansville City Council for approval of any and all public assistance included in the package?

IS IT TRUE that it is tradition for political campaigns to seek donations from construction companies and trade unions?…that quite often these companies are the winning bidders in public works projects?…that many of these companies and the unions that they hire do indeed make donations to political campaigns?…that this is another SNEGAL artifact of our accepted way of paying for public projects?…that for a City to pay money to a company for doing a legitimate job and for that company to then donate to the campaign of any of the people who were in office at the time the bid was submitted is a two degrees of separation way to transfer public tax money into the campaign coffers of politicians?…that when such companies are granted tax abatements that any politician that receives a political contribution is basically getting that money from the taxpaying citizens?…that every construction company, subcontractor, union, or other benefactor of public works that later transfers money to a politician in the form of a contribution is part of a practice that runs the price of public projects higher?…that a better system would not allow such things to happen?…that direct payments for jobs are standard operating procedure in banana republics?…that is part of why we call them banana republics?…that this and other RFP’s should ask for a list of politicians that each responder has made in the last 3 years and FORBID any contributions to the campaigns of people who approved any tax abatements for the entire period of the abatement?

IS IT TRUE that we really wonder how a hotel became a public works project and exactly which budget this will be allocated to if and when public money is committed to private project?

IS IT TRUE that we wonder who is GLOBAL SPECTRUM and just why they were not a bidder to manage the new Arena?

Johnny Cash’s Tribute to Downtown Evansville: from one Johnny to Another