Sheriff’s Message 06292011

Starting tomorrow morning the editor of the City County Observer, Joe Wallace will be joining the guest list of prominent Evansville attorney Les Shively on his weekly radio show “Live with Les Shively”. Each week Shively reports on local news including guest call ins from 8 – 9 am on NewsTalk 1280 WGBF interjecting his own well thought out and always sharp opinions.

The City County Observer has risen in three short years to have the most read exclusively online local news content in the Tri-State and furthermore has recently risen to hold the #2 position locally for global internet pageviews closely following the Evansville Courier and Press. The CCO is a privately held online advocate for good public policy, endorses no candidates, and specializes in pushing the envelope for disclosing stories that others may conveniently ignore.

Both Counselor Shively and Mr. Wallace are pleased to make this announcement and are looking forward to engaging the Evansville community with news of local government.

CCO passes WFIE in critical metric of internet traffic

The global internet traffic ranking service Alexa figure have placed the City County Observer into the 2nd local position for the percentage of global pageviews. The local media market rankings as of June 29, 2011 are as follows:

% of Global Pageviews (x100,000)

Courierpress.com: 15

City-CountyObserver.com 6

14Wfie.com: 5

news25.us: 1

tristatehomepage.com: 1 WTVW

IS IT TRUE? June 29, 2011 Tennis Match Round 1 for the CVB Money

IS IT TRUE that the Mesker Park Zoo was the host for a meeting of the Board of Directors of the Evansville Convention and Visitors Bureau this morning?…that among other business the agenda item that attracted an overflow crowd was the presentation by the Evansville Community Tennis Association to soften up the ECVB to consider adding some of the innkeeper’s tax collections to assist with their proposal to build 12 tennis courts on the grounds of Wessleman Park?…that the crowd was overflowing and not only filled the room but filled the outdoor eating area as well?…that it seemed as though every fresh young face in Evansville that plays tennis showed up to support the ECTA’s appeal?…that the presentations both supporting and opposing the ECTA’s solicitation were done very professionally?

IS IT TRUE that the opposition was led by the owner/investor team of Tom Myers and Jack Rodgers from the Tri-State Athletic Club?…that these two gentleman came armed with statistics on the overall number of tennis players in the country and in greater Evansville?…that the statistics that they cited were from the United States Tennis Association, the same source that some of the statistics that the ECTA cited?…that the graphs of numbers of players both nationally and regionally when taken back to pre-recession times show absolutely flat demand for the game of tennis in real numbers?…that the other argument put forth by the Tri-State Athletic Club team against the appeal of the ECTA was that public dollars and public land should not be used to give a competitive advantage to their competitor?…that the Tri-State Athletic Club has the only private indoor tennis club in greater Evansville?…that the demand for indoor tennis according to the data presented is met and stable?

IS IT TRUE that our elected officials and candidates for office have been stating their positions with respect to using public money and public land to compete with private enterprise by funding the request of the ECTA?…that both candidates for Mayor of Evansville have stated that they oppose the request for land and/or money by the ECTA?…that the Republican party is on record as stating that the official position is that this proposal should not be supported?…that Republican City Council candidates Walters, Leibundguth, and Grafton have explicitly stated opposition to this project as have Democratic candidates Adams, Riley, Lindsey. And O’Daniel?…that Vanderburgh County Commissioner Marsha Abell opposes this and any project until the final decision is made with regard to Roberts Stadium and the Executive Inn Dilemma has been resolved?…that absolutely no candidates for office have expressed support for this project?

IS IT TRUE that the exit interviews with the non-competing people in attendance are unanimous that the argument for the ETCA was not compelling but that the Tri-State Athletic Club did indeed make a compelling argument for not proceeding with any public funding or public funding by proxy that competes with private enterprise?

IS IT TRUE that the meeting was respectful and that even the opponents expressed admiration and respect for the way that the ECTA conducts its business?…that no one opposes the right of the ECTA to purchase available land and construct as many tennis courts with private money as they choose?…that it has been reported that the ECTA provides free tennis lessons to the general public and that is to be thanked and admired?…that many people and organizations do good things?…that all of these types of groups deserve praise and admiration but that does not equal being showered with public dollars?…that this was an exercise in good dialog and that a win-win solution can be reached?…that today’s session if it was indeed a tennis match ended with a score of 50 – love in favor of the opposition.

Take That: June 29, 2011 SPECIAL WEDNESDAY EDITION

IN RESPONSE TO: the TENNIS COURTS PROPOSAL

“This tennis courts proposal is a thinly disguised movement to gain momentum for the Wesselman Sports Complex (ball-fields and all).… Yes, “handing off” the Roberts Stadium/Wesselman Park/ball fields, debacle was shrewd, but those who continue to ignore the VCTP’s/VOTERS will likely join Mr Weinzapfel, Mr Tornatta and Mr Watts at the employment office.” Bubbageek

“Its also time to call for a moratorium on new debt creation and wild spending that makes our local officials and their appointees to all these boards and commissions look like heroin addicts. Stop the insanity — no more ball fields, no more tennis courts, we need to do more with less and deal with what we have.” Beppo 69

“Nobody in their right mind thinks we need to build an indoor tennis club for the Evansville elite. We are gonna be so broke after building the John and the attending luxury hotel that we are gonna have a hard time building the sewer projects required by the EPA and what about the McCurdy home for retired pigeons, bats and goats?” Henry

“The courts are occuppied because ECTA chooses to allow private individuals to charge for private lessons on public property. In the evenings, ECTA reserves all the courts for their members and leauges only. Once again, why can they be public courts yet they can be blocked/reserved for months in advance for ECTA PAYING members. Tennis professionals from the defunct club downtown are allowed by their friends on the ECTA board to monopolize prime court time. (3-8pm) If the indoor club is built with the public funds, these same individuals would continue to be able to work at a high rate of pay while monopolizing publicly funded INDOOR facilities.” Does_this_make_sense

“The citizens that are protesting have no knowledge of what potential a facility like the one proposed could do for tourism in this city because they have no first hand knowledge of competitive tennis.” Sandra Simpkins

“The largest USTA jr. Event that ECTA holds is the Stevenson Memorial. in 2005 it drew over 90 entrants, this year only 55. From looking at the USTA site, only 5 families from over 60 miles away participated. SO, as I see it, the proposed monies spent by the EVCB will go to fund a club facility for a small group of vocal residents who will contract out to the management of a now defunct local club. Since ECTA took over the site, the actual numbers have at best remained flat with the adults, and have shrunk in terms of professional involvment and jr. tournaments. Seems to me like some tennis professionals are getting a free site to conduct a very lucrative business on the public dime…” doesthismakesense

“This seems pretty tongue in cheek but who knows. Any group that would be stupid enough to support $20 Million for 8 ballfields and would donate tax money to support indoor tennis may fall for such a scheme. Is Evansville really run by such fools?” TheDonald

IS IT TRUE that in 36 hours we will all know whether or not the new Downtown Convention Hotel project will be funded according to the terms of the existing agreement between Woodruff Hospitality LLC and the Evansville Redevelopment Commission or NOT?…that according to the last meeting of the ERC that there will be a new RFP issued in the near future for a downtown Convention Hotel if there is no satisfactory financial resolution presented by the end of June?…that the response date for this RFP is planned to be July 19, 2011?…that for all practical purposes that only provided enough time for parties that are already prepared to make a presentation and have knowledge of the project to put together a proposal?…that this really does exclude any possibility for a WHITE KNIGHT to come to the picnic and save the day?…that issuance of a new RFP under the same terms of the old RFP is a de-facto way to extend the date that already involved parties can search for funding?

IS IT TRUE that this whole issue of the City Council finally standing in solidarity in support of acknowledging that the RFP and VETTING system that has been used by the Evansville Redevelopment Commission is ineffective has been a long time coming?…that it may be true that some of the members of the City Council had reservations all along but sat in tortured silence?…that it may be true that some of these City Council members have enough financial savvy to have predicted VETTING problems as much as a couple of years ago?…that the ILLUSION OF MANDATE kept many an informed tongue silent at a time when the people of Evansville needed at least FIVE INFORMED VOICES with the courage to oppose on the City Council?…that refreshingly after years of silence that some wisdom seems to be stepping forward?

IS IT TRUE that the seeds for the destruction that can only come from a system without adequate CHECKS AND BALANCES were planted back in August of 2009?…that the City County Observer published a scathing editorial warning of the consequences of what can happen when the FISCAL BODY OF THE COMMUNITY delegates is FISCAL POWERS and OBLIGATIONS to an entity of appointed officials and the person who appoints them?…that on August 13, 2009 that the CCO warned against and urged the Evansville City Council to vote against Resolution #C-2009-20 that granted such FISCAL POWER that should forever be vested in the elected CITY COUNCIL to the Mayor, the City Controller, and the Evansville Redevelopment Commission?…that Resolution #C-2009-20 was a 3 page resolution?…that the ERC passed a sister Resolution 09-ERC-40 that is 23 pages long that contained all of the meat and potatoes about just how the FISCAL POWER would be wielded?

IS IT TRUE that if the Evansville City Council would have followed the admonition of the City County Observer in August of 2009 and rejected the ILLUSION OF MANDATE that was pushing for this transfer of FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY that the whole indignant theatre of having information withheld would have and could have been avoided?…that a Resolution passed can be rescinded?…that if the Evansville City Council wishes to eliminate the possibility for a future City Council to be treated as an irrelevant assembly of rubber stamps that the Resolution #C-2009-20 should be rescinded immediately and a new resolution forbidding the abdication of FISCAL RESPONSBILITY to any non-elected entity should be adopted?

IS IT TRUE that in the spirit of the late great Johnny Cochran and our friend the Reverend Adrian Brooks that the mantra of taking back FISCAL RESPOSIBILITY should be and could be:

“Start a Revolution, Rescind the Resolution”

“Dan McGinn and I sponsored a resolution, which passed at City Council some weeks ago. It stated that we felt strongly that no frivolous spending of money should be considered until the downtown Arena was up and fully functional, that the problem of the downtown bridging hotel between the Centre and the Arena was solved and done, and that first Roberts Stadium had to have a new identity. I continue to stand by these ideas. Additionally, I believe that the concept of Public Value must be discussed completely; i.e., how many Evansville people will benefit from the spending of a public dollar and what will be the resultant increase of overall health for the entire City….not a benefit for a selective, tiny minority.”

H. Dan Adams, MD MBA, Evansville City Councilman At-Large

Alan Leibundguth to Challenge Stephanie Brinkerhoff-Riley in as 3rd Ward

Tuesday night at the Ward 3 Republican Precinct Committeemen/Committeewomen Caucus, Alan Leibundguth was unanimously voted in as the 3rd Ward City Council Candidate.

Hurshel Cobb, Precinct Committeemen in Ward 3-9 said, “Alan, I’m so glad you stepped to the plate. It is time we won the Third Ward back!” Followed by applause which indicated the general consensus in the room echoed Mr. Cobb’s statement.

Chairman Wayne Parke said,” Alan’s experience, leadership and listening skills make him a great candidate to represent the residents of the 3rd Ward.”

Biography:

Alan Leibundguth was raised in Evansville, with a classic Hoosier upbringing. He graduated from Harrison High School in 1966. As a young boy, Alan successfully competed in the local soap box derbies, was active in Boy Scouts, and helped organize a local band which preformed at weekly youth dances on the East Side. Alan is the son of a prominent local physician.

Alan’s adult years are highlighted by his military service achievements, notably in the United States Air Force as a “Top Gun” pilot, Instructor Pilot, and Air Traffic Controller. While on active duty, he obtained his Masters Degree in Business Administration. Upon leaving the military, Alan invested his time in Ministerial training, outreach activities and used his proven leadership abilities in Christian Church administration & education. He is currently continuing his volunteer efforts in areas emphasizing on community outreach.

Alan and his wife of 41 years, Sandra, graduated from the University of Evansville in 1971. They are parents of a daughter and two sons; daughter Allison is an attorney in Evansville, son Brian is a Major in the U.S. Air Force who is currently stationed in Germany but will soon be transferring to California, and son Chad who lives in Louisville, Kentucky and works as a branch business manager.

Alan’s activities for the past twelve years in Evansville include: substitute teaching in Evansville Vanderburgh School Cooperation schools along with other area schools, giving GED instructional classes at the Potter’s Wheel inner-city Ministry, being a Adjunct Professor at Ivy Tech Community College, and doing blue collar work in the labor force.

Currently, Alan is serving the community through volunteer leadership in Pastoral Care Ministry at Crossroads Christian Church. He has worked four years as a Poll Worker, and recently became a Ward 3 Precinct Committeeman. With his military, educational, Ministerial and blue collar work experience, Alan aspires to work for the Ward 3 residents as their City Council representative by looking out for the best interest of his constituents. Alan is committed to helping lead Evansville in the right direction and determined to make our city the best it can be.

Democratic Party mayoral nominee Rick Davis and several of his fellow Democrats announced Tuesday they are against the proposed Wesselman Park tennis court expansion, which would include building a 43,000 square foot indoor tennis facility adjacent to the Wesselman Woods Nature Preserve.

Davis was joined by several other Democrats who are running for City Council seats in the upcoming city election in declaring they are against the current proposal, which would involve the construction of six indoor tennis courts and six outdoor tennis courts on publicly-owned land, paid for by tax dollars. Once completed, the facility would then be operated by a non-profit organization, the Evansville Community Tennis Association.

Davis was joined by City Council At-Large incumbent Dr. H. Dan Adams; At-Large Candidate Conor O’Daniel; Sixth Ward City Council Candidate Al Lindsey; and Stephanie Brinkerhoff-Riley, the Third Ward City Council candidate who would represent the area where the proposed tennis courts would be located, in objecting to the current proposal.

Davis and his fellow Democrats stated they objected to the 43,000 square foot facility being located next to the Wesselman Woods Nature Preserve, which is a National Natural Landmark and a State Nature Preserve consisting of 240 acres located inside the City Limits.

No other city in the United States with a population exceeding 100,000 has within its corporate limits a timber stand of its size and qualities, according to the Wesselman Nature Preserve’s web site.
Davis commended the tennis association for past projects it has completed in order to make the Wesselman tennis courts a community asset, but said the current plan is overreaching, particularly when its location is concerned.

“The ECTA has done wonderful things for the community, including building and resurfacing courts, installing lighting, building a club house, and installing a paved parking lot, among other improvements,” said Davis. “And let’s not forget they have hosted a USTA 10K Women’s Professional Tournament at the Wesselman Tennis Center since 2005.

“But we owe it to past and future generations to protect the nature preserve, which is a jewel that deserves to be protected,” said Davis, who said he also has concerns regarding how the facility will be managed once it is completed.

Agenda for tomorrows meeting of the Evansville Convention and Visitors Bureau is on this link. The Tennis Association will be making a 15 minute pitch for support.

CVB Agenda_-_June_2011