Help Richard Mourdock retire Senator Lugar
When: Monday, July 18, 6:00pm
Where: 816 John St. (off the Lloyd)
Anyone who would like to help with Richard Mourdock’s U.S. Senate campaign needs to be there.
We will be gathering names of volunteers and discussing what activities will be happening in the area. Please come and bring your friends. We will need hundreds of people, each doing a wide variety of activities, something for everyone!
Call Cindy LaMar 812- 483- 5263 for questions
Paid for by Hoosiers for Richard Mourdock
• The 39 Steps runs July 15-17.
• Evening performances on Fridays and Saturdays start at 7:30 p.m. and matinees on Saturdays and Sundays begin at 2 p.m. Tickets are $22 for adults, $20 for seniors (60+), and $10 for those 25 and younger.
• New Harmony Theatre is a professional Equity theatre produced by University of Southern Indiana. Plays are performed in the historic Murphy Auditorium located at 419 Tavern Street in New Harmony, Indiana.
• For more information, or to make a purchase, visit www.newharmonytheatre.com or call the box office at 812/682-3115 or 877/NHT-SHOW.
Time 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM Subject SAFETY BOARD Location 301 Recurrence Occurs the second Wednesday of every 1 month effective 7/13/2011 until 7/13/2011 from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM Reminder 15 minutes
TINA OWEN @ 7897 Categories ROOM 301
Time 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM Subject CONSTRUCTION & ROOFING BOARD Location 318 Recurrence Occurs the second Wednesday of every 1 month effective 7/13/2011 until 7/13/2011 from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM Reminder 15 minutes
LINDA PENDLETON @ 7880 Categories ROOM 318
IS IT TRUE that a smiling new leader of the local office of VenuWorks was the speaker at the downtown Rotary Club yesterday?…that our Moles tell us that the presentation was slick and that the speaker is a very good orator?…that he even gets high marks for being a likeable chap?…that the question and answer session produced some fairly pointed questions from the audience that did not exactly get the answer that one would hope for?…that when point blank asked about the certitude that the Shrine Circus would be in the new Evansville Arena at the regular time this year that the speaker seemed to be hedging?…that answers like “that’s the plan†or “no one has told me that it won’t be†are not really as succinct as a simple “yes, they are signed on and the load outs are tested and readyâ€?…that VenuWorks does not yet have a final contract in place?…that under the current temporary consulting agreement that VenuWorks needs the approval of the Evansville Redevelopment Commission to sign any acts into the Arena?…that there is no public record of any approvals for anything at all?…that there therefore cannot contractually be any acts booked, skyboxes sold, premium loge seats sold, concessions contracts in place, sponsorships completed etc.? …that we think our readers get the picture?…that complacency, the cone of incompetence, or both have the people of Evansville behind the 8 ball yet again?
IS IT TRUE that a full walk around the new Arena leaves one wondering just how to get a herd of circus animals into and out of the place during late November?…that Hannibal got some well trained war elephants across the Alps to invade Rome?…that the recently abandoned work site known as the “Pile of Rubble†does not look nearly as inviting to pachyderms, tigers, lions, horses, zebras, or even clowns as the Alps do?…that the rebar sticking up could be a hazard to these circus animals?…that if the problem of the “Pile of Rubble†is not dealt with very soon that some types of entertainment will most certainly be complicated if not impossible due to the load out situation?…that someone needs to contact INDOT today to order some “tiger crossing†and “elephant crossing†signs for downtown Evansville?
IS IT TRUE and WE REPEAT that the construction company that has been removing the debris from the “Pile of Rubble†has pulled off of the job?…that last week when the Evansville Redevelopment Commission terminated the contract with Woodruff Hospitality LLC to develop a Hyatt Place hotel in adjacent to the Arena and the Centre that the responsibility for payment for demolition services was removed from Woodruff Hospitality LLC, who said it was already going to be paid by Kunkel who was not at the meeting?…that the responsibility at this point in the absence of a future deal will fall flat on the shoulders of the taxpayers of Evansville, Indiana?…that now famous modus operandi of READY, FIRE, AIM seems to have really resulted in a bullet through the foot for the Weinzapfel Administration and the Evansville Redevelopment Commission AND a kick in the butt for the people of Evansville?
IS IT TRUE that in all fairness what has turned into a litany of chaos with respect to the hotel project is not a laughing matter?…that this mother of all failures deserves a full process audit and a complete overhaul?…that there is too much power that has been vested in the Evansville Redevelopment Commission?…that the Evansville City Council willfully granted the ERC this power by an 8 – 1 margin along party lines?…that the Mayor of Evansville appoints three of the five members of the ERC which essentially gives the Mayor dictatorial power over all of the funds managed and allocated by the ERC?…that there is no way that a process audit will recommend that this failed situation be left intact?…that any process that leaves an unmitigated “Pile of Rubble” in any downtown that resembles the Hiroshima Monument more than a modern construction site is a process that screams out for change?
IS IT TRUE that the construction company that has been removing the debris from the pile of rubble at the former Executive Inn site has pulled off of the job?…that last week when the Evansville Redevelopment Commission terminated the contract with Woodruff Hospitality LLC to develop a Hyatt Place hotel in adjacent to the Arena and the Centre that the responsibility for payment for demolition services was removed from Woodruff Hospitality LLC, who said it was already going to be paid by Kunkel who was not at the meeting?…that the responsibility at this point in the absence of a future deal will fall flat on the shoulders of the taxpayers of Evansville, Indiana?…that now famous modus operandi of READY, FIRE, AIM seems to have really resulted in a bullet through the foot for the Weinzapfel Administration and the Evansville Redevelopment Commission AND a kick in the butt for the people of Evansville?
IS IT TRUE that there are exactly 20 days remaining until we know whether the McCurdy Hotel will follow the Executive Inn down the primrose path of failure?…that unless this can gets kicked down the road with yet another extension on the already 4 year saga to start doing something that we will have another project that has fallen on the sword of NO VETTING and NO DUE DILIGENCE WHATSOEVER?…that if this was not a costly debacle that the people of Evansville will have to BAIL OUT that this would be a comedy of errors deserving of a top award for fiction in the comedy category?
IS IT TRUE that just today that the Wall Street Journal profiled the government of Hamilton County, Ohio and the City of Cincinnati as having made the worst deal ever that resulted in building two riverfront temples to sport?…that the Cincinnati Bengals home Paul Brown Stadium is already in need of over $40 Million dollars of deferred maintenance?…that the people of Hamilton County will also have their property taxes raised to cover the shortfall created because the stadium funding sources have not performed up to projections?
IS IT TRUE that much scrutiny is about to be focused on the remainder of the projects at the MLK Entertainment Complex?…that maybe, just maybe some of the members of the Evansville City Council will show up for next week’s meeting of the ERC and demand some real accountability for the expensive ‘Fling at Walnut and Kingâ€?
Apparently no shuttered factory, half-built real estate development or bankrupt sports arena can convince starry-eyed local government officials that taxpayer subsidies almost always fail to start the engines of economic growth.
The latest evidence of this: the welcome some McHenry County Board members and Lakewood village officials have given a proposed $40 million sports complex at Routes 47 and 176.
The County Board’s finance committee has endorsed backing for $18 million of federal economic stimulus bonds, and Lakewood officials are mulling $5 million in additional largesse, including helping secure grants for more financial handouts; waiving annexation, platting, and permit fees; and giving $1 million of village taxpayers’ cash.
It apparently does not matter that taxpayer-subsidized developments have an astonishing record of failure.
Here are just a few examples, with which local officials surely must be familiar:
• The Motorola plant in Harvard. More than 1 million square feet of factory space has been standing empty since 2003. That’s as many years closed as the plant was open.
• The Woodstock Die Cast property development. Bankrupt and foreclosed.
• The McHenry Riverwalk Center project at Boone Creek and Green Street. Would be bankrupt if not for millions of dollars in giveaways by the McHenry City Council, including a recent decision to let the developer virtually abandon plans for public parking. Could yet end up bankrupt.
• The $25 million Libertyville Sports Complex. Has nearly drained the village’s $10 million “rainy day†fund to repay construction bonds. Village board recently raised three taxes to keep paying the bonds. Developer was Mark Houser: the same Mark Houser who hoped to build a minor league baseball stadium at McHenry County College and now wants to build one – using subsidized stimulus bonds, of course – nearer to Woodstock.
• The $55 million Sears Centre in Hoffman Estates. Bankrupt and taken over by the village just a few weeks ago. The 11,000-seat arena opened barely three years ago.
Nationally, similar examples abound. I could fill this newspaper with them.
Research shows even “successful†subsidized projects cost taxpayers. They divert government resources, skew private spending and investment decisions, shift tax burdens, and prompt local officials to favor subsidy recipients to keep the government “investments†looking good.
Those who back government handouts for projects such as this sports complex are enemies of business competition and fairness.
They have no qualms about backroom deals for political favors that no one else can hope to receive.
Failing or failed subsidized projects litter this and neighboring counties. Yet these cautionary examples apparently have no impact on some local leaders.
So maybe we should try this approach. If a developer admits a project cannot stand on its own, would you invest your money? Of course not. Yet that is what a developer admits when he says he needs taxpayer subsidies.
“Investing†tax dollars in a dubious project is as stupid as investing our personal dollars in one. And if a developer asks for subsidies just because he wants taxpayers to lower costs to boost profits, then the project does not need subsidies.
Either way, there is never a good reason to subsidize private projects such as this sports complex.
The Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation approved a three-year contract for new superintendent David Smith during its meeting this evening. The contract, which is nearly identical to the first year contract of previous superintendent Vince Bertram, is for $160,000, and includes provisions for one-year contract extensions after a successful first and second year completion.
Also during the meeting, several administrative positions were approved. They included:
Daniel J. Ulrich, chief academic officer, filling the position which will be left vacant by the departure of David Dimmett. Dimmett will leave the EVSC on July 15 to join Project Lead the Way.
Ulrich has served the EVSC since 1978 in a variety of leadership and teaching roles, but has been the director of career/technical and adult education since 2005 at the Southern Indiana Career and Technical Center. He holds BS and MS degrees from Indiana State University and a Master’s plus additional hours from the University of Southern Indiana.
Susan K. McDowell Riley, deputy superintendent for academic affairs and accountability.
This position will oversee the work of the Office of Academic Affairs and the Office of Performance, Assessment and Research. This work is closely intertwined and the position will place McDowell Riley in good position to direct the impact of data on instruction. She has been with the EVSC since her start as a special education teacher in 1974 and has also been a school psychologist, led the work of the Office of Psychological Services and Testing and has been assistant superintendent for Performance, Assessment and Research since 2008. McDowell Riley holds a BS degree from Indiana University, an MS from the University of Evansville; and her PhD from Ball State University.
Pat Tuley, chief financial officer and chief human resources officer, replacing the position left open by the advancement of David Smith to superintendent.
Tuley has served the EVSC since 1996 when he started as manager of the Book Fund and Supportive Services. He moved on to the positions of manager of purchasing, director of support services, director of school facilities and finally to his current position as chief operating officer. He has a BS degree from the University of Southern Indiana and is currently studying for his Master of Business Operational Excellence from The Ohio State University.
Stacy Mauser, chief technology officer, replacing Mike Russ, who retired June 30.
Mauser holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Indiana State University and is currently studying for the Master of Business Operational Excellence from The Ohio State University. Most recently she has been the manager of information technology since 2005. Prior to that she was the supervisor of network/PC support and the PC networking specialist.
Erin Ramsey, director of Early Childhood Education, replacing Valerie Bostick who is now principal of a private school in Florida.
Ramsey is currently the director of public relations for the Indiana Association for Childcare Resource and Referral. She previously held the position of Executive Director of 4-C of Southern Indiana. Ramsey will work as the Director of Early Childhood Education at the Center for Family, School, and Community Partnerships. Ramsey has a BA degree from California State, and a Master of Public Service Administration from the University of Evansville.
Jay Hille, principal for Washington Middle School, replacing Rance Ossenberg, who retired.
Hille has served as the Assistant Principal at Washington Middle School for the last four years. He was previously principal at Christa McAuliffe. Hille holds a bachelor’s degree from Murray State and a master’s degree from Oakland City University.
Cincinnati's Paul Brown Stadium Wall Street Journal and Cincinnati.com Cite Faulty Financial Projections and a Failed Maintenance Plan as the Reasons
Cincinnati.com reports that the Bengals are have requested a $43 Million infusion for repairs and improvements to Paul Brown Stadium that was only opened 10 years ago. This figure is reported to be four times the amount budgeted by Hamilton County and the City of Cincinnati when the two stadium complex for the Reds and Bengals was built 10 years ago. The amount does not include an $8 Million scoreboard that the Bengals also say is necessary to remain competitive in offering a good NFL experience.
The total upkeep on the two stadiums over the ten year period has only amounted to $12.4 Million or $1.24 Million per year. Mark Rosentraub, a professor of sports management at the University of Michigan, said stadium maintenance is no different than making home repairs – just on a larger scale. Rosentraub estimates that the annual maintenance for the Cincinnati stadiums could be as high as $4 Million per year and that ignoring a maintenance program will just lead to deterioration and big ticket items in the future.
At the same time the Wall Street Journal is reporting that the sales tax revenues in Hamilton County, where one in seven people lives beneath the poverty line and budget cuts have left gaps in the schools and sheriffs department, has residents bracing for more belt-tightening. The county is being forced to consider a rollback of a property-tax break promised as part of a 1996 plan to entice voters to pay for two new stadiums.
The tax hit is just the latest in a string of unforeseen consequences from what has turned into one of the worst professional sports deals ever struck by a local government—soaking up unprecedented tax dollars and county resources while returning little economic benefit the Journal went on to report.
Excerpts from the WSJ Article.
“A preliminary PricewaterhouseCoopers audit of construction costs, reviewed by the Journal, found that there were insufficient financial controls on the part of various project managers and contractors hired by the county.”
“The auditors, citing “blurred accountability,” said they hadn’t been given enough information for a full accounting. “Each party suggested that we speak to other parties about specific details of the changes,” they said in the report.”
“It’s the monster that ate the public sector,” says Mark Reed, Hamilton County’s juvenile court administrator.”
“County Auditor Dusty Rhodes initially supported the stadium deal—partly as a matter of civic pride. But now he feels differently about the costly legacy that has grown in the arenas’ shadow—and believes there’s plenty of blame to go around. The county, he underscores, has used some of the tax dollars earmarked for the stadium on things like a road project and a new waterfront development. “They just went nuts spending this money for stuff that was not envisioned,” he says.”
“Some local officials had cautioned that the stadium expense was too great. They warned that the projected $300 million in economic benefits, outlined in a report commissioned by the county, were exaggerated. Tom Luken, a former Cincinnati mayor and councilman, actively campaigned against the deal. “Anybody with half a brain can figure that this is a bad deal,” he says. “As it turned out, it was even worse than they painted it.””
” Late last year, officials announced they would have to break their promise about reducing property taxes for 2011.”
“Recently, as local officials mulled new ways to stretch the budget, one commissioner suggested making up for the tax hike by cutting another property-tax levy: one that funds health services for the poor.”
“Harold Flaherty, a former schoolteacher, says he is livid about the sports pact. “It staggers my imagination that we should pay for this,” he says. “I think it’s the dumbest thing we ever did.” Mr. Flaherty, 77, will pay about $240 more in property taxes this year due to the rollback.”
In the spirit of exposing surprises before they grow into unmanageable quandaries like the downtown hotel, the McCurdy, and the Evansville Parks have from failed maintenance programs and absence of planning, we encourage our readership to familiarize themselves with the shortcomings of other cities that have chosen to bet their economic futures on investing public dollars into temples of sport. Now it is possible that the due diligence, proper vetting, and exemplary management has gone on in Evansville that was not in Cincinnati. We certainly hope so but as Mrs. Doubtfire once said “Effie, brace yourself.”
Time 8:30 AM – 9:30 AM Subject DESIGN REVIEW Location 318 Recurrence Occurs the second Tuesday of every 1 month effective 7/12/2011 until 7/12/2011 from 8:30 AM to 9:30 AM Reminder 15 minutes
SARAH @ 7825 Categories ROOM 318
Time 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM Subject PTABOA Location 301 Recurrence Occurs the second Tuesday of every 1 month effective 7/12/2011 until 7/12/2011 from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM Reminder 15 minutes
TIFFANY COLLINS @ 5269 Categories ROOM 301
Time 9:30 AM – 10:30 AM Subject SUBDIVISION REVIEW Location 318 Recurrence Occurs the second Tuesday of every 1 month effective 7/12/2011 until 7/12/2011 from 9:30 AM to 10:30 AM Reminder 15 minutes
KATHIE @ 5228 Categories ROOM 318
Time 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM Subject ENFORCEMENT/TREATMENT SUBCOMMITTEE Location 318 Recurrence Occurs the second Tuesday of every 1 month effective 7/12/2011 until 7/12/2011 from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM Reminder 15 minutes
CYNTHIA OWEN Categories ROOM 318
Time 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM Subject VANDERBURGH ALCOHOL BOARD Location 301 Recurrence Occurs the second Tuesday of every 1 month effective 7/12/2011 until 7/12/2011 from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM Reminder 15 minutes
Scott Bedwell 812-882-1292 Categories ROOM 301
Time 3:30 PM – 5:00 PM Subject ELECTRICAL BOARD Location 318 Recurrence Occurs the second Tuesday of every 1 month effective 7/12/2011 until 7/12/2011 from 3:30 PM to 5:00 PM Reminder 15 minutes
LINDA PENDELETON @ 7880 Categories ROOM 318
Time 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM Subject COUNTY COMMISSIONERS Location 301 Recurrence Occurs every Tuesday effective 7/5/2011 until 7/26/2011 from 5:00 PM to 6:00 PM Reminder 15 minutes
KRISTIN @ 5241 Categories ROOM 301
