Both Proposals are Available Online to the Public

Link to proposals:

http://evansvillegov.org/Index.aspx?page=277

The City of Evansville Department of Metropolitan Development today released the entire contents of the proposals submitted by both the Kunkel Group and Prime Lodging LLC. As the summer of 2011 is becoming the summer of vetting in Evansville we would like to enlist the assistance of our Moles and Friends to do some preliminary vetting of these proposals.

What we would like to accomplish is to end up with an accurate list of the differences between the two proposals. Stick to the facts that you dig out of the proposals. What we are looking for in particular are areas of difference on which one company may be deemed to have an advantage by a third party reviewer.

For example, the hotels both have proposed 220 rooms so that does not constitute a difference.

The parking solutions however are quite different. The Kunkel proposal includes a 500 space parking tower behind the hotel but also stipulates that a number of the spaces must be leased back from them by the City of Evansville. The Prime proposal addresses parking with an underground parking area with 330 spaces similar to the Central Library with surface parking at street level with no lease back requirement from the City.

These differences are ripe with arguments to be made either way and backed up with definitive numbers. At this point we have not done this analysis and are not ready to anoint either parking solution as best. We do want to hear from our readers with opinions but mostly with financial analysis.

Both documents contain pro-forma documents with occupancy assumptions, room rate assumptions, expense projections, etc., etc., etc. Dig in and identify the differences and make a case one way or the other. We also welcome objective input from the bidders but respectfully request that you identify yourselves.

Let the Vetting Begin. This will be an enjoyable exercise and we will all learn from it.

Ultimately the real vetting committee will have to do a stress test on the finances of these proposals and decide which one has the highest probability of success given the history, the partnerships, and the resources at hand. Then there is the question of the $22 Million or so that each developer will need to really make this happen.

Parks Board Gives SMG 60 days Notice to Vacate the Stadium

Sources within SMG have advised the City County Observer that they have been given notice to vacate the building by September 17, 2011. The 60 day notice was served upon SMG officials as is consistent with their operating agreement.

Earlier this week we also learned that key pieces of the infrastructure of Roberts Stadium were being removed just after the upcoming Kenney Chesney concert making Roberts incapable of hosting any events.

The September 17th date to vacate will leave the City of Evansville without a functional stadium for approximately 6 weeks while the new Arena is going through the final construction phases. No plans have been released by John Kish with regard to where events that are presumed to be in the new Arena will be in case of any construction delays that may push the new Arena’s opening date beyond the current schedule.

Meanwhile no contractual arrangement with VenuWorks has been announced and no opening act has been booked for the new Arena.

Republican Chairman Condemns the System that Allows for 10 Week Lags to post Public Information

The Evansville Redevelopment Commission failure to post up to date meeting notes and requiring a password to gain access to this public information is inexcusable. This situation warrants a full investigation by the Evansville City Council to determine who is responsible for this mess and take immediate appropriate action to prevent this type of situation from ever occurring again. This situation and the embarrassing and very costly failure to not have a Arena/Centre Hotel under construction is another indication the Evansville Redevelopment Commission has failed to do what is reasonably expected of them.

Along with the Mayor, I believe it is the Evansville City Council has the responsibility to to ensure the Evansville Redevelopment Commission does the job it was appointed to do in a responsible professional manner including being transparent with it actions. This situation is a clear sign the 35 years of a Democrat majority control of the Evansville City Council needs to change on election day, November 8, 2011.

Wayne Parke
Chairman Vanderburgh County Republican Party.

Carmello is a 1-year-old spayed Lab Mix. This gorgeous girl is full of energy and love. She is looking for just the right family to welcome her into their home and lives. Carmello has a lot of energy at this stage of the game so she would most definitely benefit from having a home with a yard she can run and play in. She very much likes to cuddle up next to her favorite person so after she romps in the yard, she’d love to have a spot on the couch to call her very own. Carmello gets along with other dogs but would like to meet any potential K9 roommates before going home. She will do just find in a home with children especially energetic kids. For more information on how to make Carmello a member of your family, visit www.vhslifesaver.org or call (812) 426-2563.

For the 18th consecutive year, regional artists participated in a juried exhibition entitled WORKING TOGETHER. Presented in memory of VIRGINIA B. LOWENTHAL, the July 30 – September 18 exhibition in the Museum’s Old Gallery is presented in cooperation with the Arts Council of Southwestern Indiana and the Evansville Museum of Arts, History, and Science. Juror for this year’s competition was Becky Allen, the Exhibitions and Programs Director at the Lexington Art League in Lexington, Kentucky.

The opening reception will be Saturday, July 30 from 6-8p.m.(CST), with the 10 awards being presented at 7 p.m. at the Evansville Museum. For complimentary reservations, please telephone 812-425-2406 no later than July 27, 2011.

This exhibition showcases 68 pieces of original artwork from artists in the Tri-State area. Visitors can view the art during Museum hours – Tuesday through Saturday 10am – 5pm, Sunday noon – 5pm. The exhibition will be on display through September 18, 2011.

CCO Exposed Cloak of Secrecy: Corrections Made Wednesday Morning

The City of Evansville and the Evansville Redevelopment Commission have removed the password restrictions that were recently placed on the agendas and minutes of their meetings. The City County Observer had previously reported on the fact that access had been denied to the public, to elected officials, and the media.

We thank and applaud the Weinzapfel Administration for its rapid response to this situation. We however wonder just what thought process ever concluded that restricting the public’s access to information that is owned by the public was the right thing to do.

We trust that this will not become an issue again.

Air quality forecasts are provided as a public service. They are best estimates of predicted pollution levels that can be used as a guide so people can modify their activities and reduce their exposure to air quality conditions that may affect their health. The forecasts are routinely made available at least a day in advance, and are posted by 10:30 AM Evansville time on Monday (for Tuesday through Thursday) and Thursday (for Friday through Monday). When atmospheric conditions are uncertain or favor pollution levels above the National Ambient Air Quality Standards, forecasts are made on a daily basis.

Ozone forecasts are available from mid-April through September 30th. Fine particulate (PM2.5) forecasts are available year round.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 20TH
Fine Particulate: Moderate
Ozone: Moderate
Ozone (peak 8-hr avg): 66-75ppb

Time 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM
Subject GIS TECHNICAL COMMITTEE
Location 318
Recurrence Occurs the third Wednesday of every 1 month effective 7/20/2011 until 7/20/2011 from 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM
Reminder 15 minutes
Laura Howell @ 5071
Categories ROOM 318

Time 9:00 AM – 10:30 AM
Subject BLOOD PRESSURE SCREENING/FREE
Location MAIN HALL 1ST FLOOR
Recurrence Occurs the third Wednesday of every 1 month effective 7/20/2011 until 7/20/2011 from 9:00 AM to 10:30 AM
Reminder 15 minutes
435-5015 HEALTH DEPT
Categories EVENTS

Time 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM
Subject CRIMINAL JUSTICE PLANNING
Location 318
Recurrence Occurs the third Wednesday of every 3 months effective 7/20/2011 until 7/20/2011 from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM
Reminder 15 minutes
SHERYL @ 421-6296
Categories ROOM 318

Time 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM
Subject PARKS BOARD
Location 301
Recurrence Occurs the third Wednesday of every 1 month effective 7/20/2011 until 7/20/2011 from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM
Reminder 15 minutes
GLENN BOBERG @ 6141
Categories ROOM 301

Time 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Subject DEFERRED COMP
Location 318
Reminder 15 minutes
DIANNA WEBB
WEBBD@NATIONWIDE.COM
Categories ROOM 318

UPDATE: PASSWORD RESTRICTIONS REMOVED WEDNESDAY MORNING

http://city-countyobserver.com/2011/07/20/erc-removes-password-restriction-on-public-information/

Password Now Required to View Minutes of Public Meetings: City Councilman Denied Access

ORIGINAL ARTICLE

In an unexpected and astonishing move the agendas and minutes of the Evansville Redevelopment Commission have be password protected. This action had to have taken place between Sunday July 17, 2011 and Tuesday July 19, 2011. This fact was made known to the City County Observer by through a comment placed under our article regarding the Executive Inn Dilemma. Upon notification, we tried to access the minutes of the May 4, 2011 meeting as we always do and were denied access because we do not have a password.

We contacted Evansville City Councilman John Friend by telephone regarding the password protection option that has been enabled. Councilman Friend then attempted to access the same information and was also denied access. Councilman Friend was somewhat astonished that such an action had been taken and committed to contact both Matt Arvay, the Chief Information Officer for the City of Evansville and Mayor Weinzapfel about the situation.

We have also confirmed the password protection as being applied to over a dozen of our Moles, friends, and candidates for office that no one is being granted access. No one has expressed any reaction other than outrage and amazement that such a move was taken.

Minutes taken at public meetings are public property. If redactions are necessary to protect any personal information then there is a period of time after the minutes are approved and before they are posted to the web or otherwise made available to the public for redactions to be completed.

As the Federal Reserve Board reported to Congress in the context of financial information: “[I]t is the freedom to speak, supported by the availability of information and the free-flow of data, that is the cornerstone of a democratic society and market economy.”

Indiana University Professor of Law Fred Cate and Richard J. Varn, the Chief Information Officer of the State of Iowa wrote in a paper titled The Public Record: Information Privacy and Access,

“The law has traditionally balanced access and data privacy by providing for disclosure of all information held by the government, except where such disclosure would offend a specific, enumerated privacy interest.”

The most recent minutes of the Evansville Redevelopment Commission that are posted are for the May 4, 2011 meeting. That is a full 10 weeks ago. This is too long for the posted minutes to languish while waiting for someone to spend 3 minutes and post them. Deliberate restriction of public information from the public is oppression of information and undermines the spirit of the Constitution of the United States. There is no place for oppressive policy in local government. This is bad public policy and quite possibly unconstitutional.

The City County Observer in the name of transparency and constitutionality demands that the City of Evansville and the Evansville Redevelopment Commission remove the password protection from a requirement to view published public records. We furthermore invite the other members of the media to join with us in this demand.

The dark days of elected members of the Evansville City Council having to file Freedom of Information Act requests to be given financial documents and the people of Evansville having to be granted passwords to access information that they paid for must come to an end. This is not acceptable.

Here is a link to the access page, click on any date and you can see for yourself that the password restriction is still in place. If you find this offensive please contact the Mayor, your City Council member, and the Redevelopment Commission.

http://www.evansvillegov.org/Index.aspx?page=277

Link to Professor Fred Cate and Richard Varn’s paper:

Public_Record