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.

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.”

Cincinnati.com article

http://news.cincinnati.com/article/AB/20110130/NEWS0108/101300319/Bengals-seek-43M-stadium-fixes

Wall Street Journal Article

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704461304576216330349497852.html

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

Greetings from Hunny, a 1 ½-year-old spayed Beagle. Hunny is a super sweet girl that loves to run and play. She loves children and after an afternoon of running around in the backyard, Hunny will be right there beside them to take a nap. Hunny is looking for a family that will be consistent with her training and that will give her lots of love. She enjoys the company of other dogs but would very much like to meet any potential K9 roommates before going home. For more information on how to make Hunny a part of your family, call (812) 426-2563 or visit www.vhslifesaver.org.

IS IT TRUE? July 12, 2011

IS IT TRUE that for the 10th day in a row the trailing calculation for time online using the 3rd party measurements of Alexa.com and trafficestimate.com has the City County Observer slightly ahead of the Courier & Press?…that the lead has actually expanded from 1% when we passed the CP last week to 9% as of this morning’s traffic reports?…that the newest underdog that we are identifying with is the US Women’s Soccer Team that really pulled that win over Brazil out of their guts a couple of days ago?…that we congratulate Team USA’s women but still have to smile and pinch ourselves regarding out trafficking the Courier & Press in online minutes?

IS IT TRUE that the new superintendant of the EVSC now has a contract?…that this contract looks very much like the contract signed by his predecessor Dr. Vince Bertrum’s last contract?…that the deal for the new superintendant that the extensive countywide search unearthed pays him a base salary of $160,000 with bonus and auto allowances that will bring him up just shy of the $200,000 mark?…that Scrounger Dogs of Evansville are howling loudly about how excessive this pay package is and that “this guy don’t need dat much money”?…that if Evansville would have been paying competitive wages for school officials and teachers when they were pups that the Scrounger Dogs of Evansville may not use words and phrases like “don’t need dat”, “ain’t got no”, “I seen it”, “baby its code outside”, and “I toad you dat I sowd dem taters to dat preacher man from Kentucky”?…

IS IT TRUE that as much as the “Scrounger Dogs of Evansville” may envy the new superintendants compensation package and really believe that it is excessive, that in reality it is at the lower end of acceptability for this position?…that it still pays less than the superintendant’s job across the money saving bridge in Henderson that is about 25% the size that EVSC is?…that it is substantially below the average for comparable sized cities?…that it is only slightly higher than the overall national average that includes every rural county and micro school district in the country?…that it is better than the Otters pay in the big scheme of things but that it is not even close to the big leagues?…that if the new guy does a great job, which we certainly hope he will, has ambition, and is willing to relocate that we can expect to be looking for his replacement in 3 – 4 years when he “Brain Drains” to a locale that is willing to pay for talent on a national level?…that if history is our guide that another school board will start yet another extensive countywide search in 2015?

IS IT TRUE that Mole #3 still tells us that there are a couple of sitting members of the Evansville City Council who are being stonewalled or even flat out refused to see the insurance report regarding the insurance advice that the City of Evansville spent $100,000 for?…that for sitting members of the governing body of the City of Evansville that approves the budget to be refused any financial information is simply not acceptable?…that the City County Observer has offered to do their bidding for them by writing a FOIA request for them but that they have not taken us up on our offer?…that we are beginning to think that it is more fun to complain about that which they are refused than it would be to actually use legal means to beat it out of those who refuse to supply the information?…that any member of the City Council that is reluctant to use applicable state and federal laws to get documents that they have requested and been denied needs to think about why they asked in the first place?…that writing a FOIA letter is a five minute job that anyone who is capable of serving as a competent member of any City Council should be able to master for the first time in 15 minutes?…that we will do it for them in 5 minutes for FREE?

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 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

Jean Beckman, professor of chemistry, has been named interim dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Evansville.

Beckman will temporarily fill the position held by Susan Calovini, who had served as dean of the College of Arts and Sciences since 2007. Calovini recently became vice president for academic and student affairs and dean of Salem College in North Carolina.

UE Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs John Mosbo will immediately begin a search for the next dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, which comprises nearly 110 full-time faculty members and 15 departments in the fine arts, humanities, sciences, and social sciences.

“We’re thrilled to have someone of Professor Beckman’s skill, experience, and judgment as interim dean,” said UE President Thomas A. Kazee.

Beckman received her undergraduate education from Colby College in Maine, then earned a PhD in organic chemistry from Indiana University in 1977. She joined UE’s Department of Chemistry the following year and was promoted to full professor in 1996. She received the Dean’s Teaching Award in 1997.

Beckman served as dean of the College of Arts and Sciences from 2003-07 and interim dean for two years prior. She also has participated in two presidential search committees, as well as University committees including academic strategic planning, a campus capital campaign, general education assessment, and the honors program.

Off campus, Beckman is an active member of First Presbyterian Church and has served on the board of directors for Patchwork Central and the Evansville Philharmonic Orchestra.

The University of Southern Indiana Habitat for Humanity Campus Chapter was selected as the Collegiate Challenge Student Group “Most Valuable Player” for 2011. The USI chapter was nominated by Habitat for Humanity of Martin County, Florida.

“This group is an absolute joy to work with from initial contact in organizing to the day of their arrival,” the nominators said. “They always show great respect and leadership and definitely give me hope in our country for the future.”

The Collegiate Challenge is a national spring break alternative work program offered through Habitat for Humanity. The USI chapter has volunteered in several communities including El Paso, Texas Alexandria, Louisiana Bunnell, Florida Hershey, Pennsylvania and Martin County, Florida in addition to volunteering after Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans. This was the third year the team returned to Martin County where they worked on roofing and hanging dry wall for three Habitat homes.

The Collegiate Challenge committee was impressed that the USI chapter has returned to the same affiliate three years running and that the students have gone above and beyond in service to the Martin County community by volunteering with the Boys and Girls Club.

“We would begin each morning on the work site at 8 a.m. and work until 1 p.m. On three of the afternoons we volunteered at the local Boys and Girls Club with students in their after school program,” said Chris Hoehn, USI Habitat for Humanity advisor. “The USI students engage with folks in the community and are genuinely interested in learning about the need for affordable housing and the opportunities that are available in volunteer work and service. People in Martin County speak very highly of our students’ drive, enthusiasm, and willingness to do what it takes to get the job done. The work ethic of our students and our leaders helps to provide a good experience for volunteers.”

In addition to participating in the Collegiate Challenge, the USI Habitat chapter volunteers with Habitat for Humanity of Evansville, building Saturdays throughout the semester and fundraises during the school year with rummage sales, car washes, and the Home Run 5K held at USI.

To learn more about USI’s Habitat for Humanity Campus Chapter, contact Katie Smitley, USI Habitat for Humanity Campus Chapter president, at klsmitley@mail.usi.edu.

Saturday, August 27th at 8:00pm
Victory Theatre ~ Evansville, IN
On Sale Monday, July 11 at 10AM

Evansville, IN ~ After more than a decade in the NBA as a player and coaching, Walter McCarty is known for drilling 3-pointers from the corner; but Walter has emerged as a talented R&B artist in his own right. Music has always been his first love, and since releasing his debut album seven years ago, Walter is eager to return with his new self-produced album “Emotionally”. “I’m so fortunate to have this platform to express all the things that I’ve experienced and put them into song. All I’ve ever wanted to do is perform and be heard musically”.

Though new to some in the music world, Walter has worked with numerous industry insiders, including the hit-making production team The Underdogs; R&B singer/songwriter Tank; co-writing on such songs as “Come Back To Me Shawty” performed by Tyrese. After honing his writing abilities on the Los Angeles music scene, Walter returned to his own projects with renewed focus.

Now in support of his second studio album, Walter performs the melodic vocals from the album live on stage. “I truly believe this music is pleasing to everyone who listens, no matter what genre music you might like. “Emotionally” is a feel good record that’s appealing, all-together mature and sexy”.
Tickets are On Sale Monday July 11th at 10AM and are priced from $22.00 to $42.00 (additional charges may apply). Tickets are available at The Centre Box Office, all Ticketmaster Outlets, online at www.ticketmaster.com, or charge by phone at 800-745-3000.

The Vicious Circle of the Executive Inn Keeps on Spinning

By: Don Counts,editor and Ralph Edwards, contributor

Note: This article was published nearly a full year ago when the first RFP to attract a hotel developer was posted. A few of the names in elected offices have changed but the realities of the Executive Inn Dilemma have not. We encourage each and every reader to reflect on the conditions that have enabled this fiasco to continue and to work to assure that things like this are never allowed to happen again.

The City of Evansville has posted its RFP (Request for Proposal) and all of those involved along with the interested observers are riveted in suspense to see just what developer will step forward to rescue the City of Evansville from the political no-win situation that its lackadaisical project management on the Arena/Hotel has created. Much like a dependent that dallies with college and wrecks the family budget by needing 5 or more years to graduate, the Weinzapfel administration ignored the obvious structural issues and value analysis in leading the people of this city into an unwanted and unnecessary quandary. The question is not just who the developer will be, it has become how much will the City of Evansville and Vanderburgh County have to subsidize a Convention Hotel to get one built at all.

In all honesty, the Vanderburgh County Commissioners during this period, Troy Tornatta, Lloyd Winnecke, and Stephen Melcher collectively sat on the sidelines as enablers to the Mayor and his Indianapolis based team of advisors, failing to even attempt to perform their duties to manage our tax dollars as “Stewards of the Centre”. As “Stewards of the Centre” the Vanderburgh County Commissioners have taken oaths to provide for competent management of the Centre by assuring its revenue stream is free from avoidable disruption. The co-dependent relationship between the Centre and a Convention Hotel’s disruption was avoidable. Marsha Abell, Candidate for County Commissioner correctly introduced a solution that would have avoided this disruption in a spirited debate with her opponent Commissioner and Candidate for re-election Troy Tornatta last week. The fact that there is no Convention Hotel in operation now and that it is tenuous at best in the future is not due to the earthquake in Haiti. This is the failure of local governance of the City of Evansville Common Council, the Mayor, and the Vanderburgh County Commissioners. One might even call this deliberate indifference (deliberate indifference is the act of knowing what needs to be done and deliberately choosing not to do it). Like Nero fiddling away while Rome was burning, our elected City and County officials just let the Executive Inn dilemma slide into chaos and panic until it was an uncontrollable quandary.

The Evansville Courier and Press opined in an editorial this week that they are willing to wait until the private sector sees a Convention Hotel in Downtown Evansville as a worthwhile investment. The implication of course is that the City of Evansville should not offer incentives to a developer to fill what has been characterized as a desperate need for a Convention Hotel.
The City County Observer agrees with the Courier that private investment is the best way for the City of Evansville to grow. We also believe that any plan to go forward must be grounded in financial reality. As was published by CCO freelance contributor Joe Wallace in his article called “The Executive Inn Dilemma”, the gap between the value of a Downtown Convention Hotel as desired and the cost to build this hotel has to be filled and private investment is not likely to fill that gap. As a reminder the size of that gap is approximately $20 Million.

In the absence of a “Knight on a White Horse” with a crock of gold and a quixotic quest to bail out the City of Evansville’s need to replace the Executive Inn, there are two short term realities. The first reality is to do without a Convention Hotel and the second is to offer an incentive package that is sufficient to induce a first class developer to take on this formidable financial task. By any analysis method chosen, starting from the dilapidated shell that we see today, it is our opinion that this incentive package will have to be quite substantial.

The City County Observer respectfully differs with the Courier’s position of waiting until private money recognizes Downtown as worthy of a $30 – $40 Million investment in a 3-Star or above Convention Hotel. Frankly, in the real estate market of today and the foreseeable future, it could be many years or more before a prudent investor would realize sufficient value to embark upon this project. Evansville does not have years to wait; we have an Arena to fill and a Centre to maintain now. We need a Convention Hotel right now to help pay for the operation of those facilities and to contribute to repaying the bonds issued to build them.

We as a community, willingly or unwillingly have already committed or invested $200 Million in the Arena/Centre/Executive Inn complex. Even if the incentive package has to be $20 Million or more that is only 10% of what is already on the table. In poker terms the expected value exceeds the price to play. The only logical decision at this point is to call the bet and raise the incentive package. When Junior doesn’t finish college in four years, the parent’s best choice is to chastise Junior but to make sure that Junior has the resources to complete his education.

It is time to set the politics of the elections of 2010 and 2011 aside and do what it takes right now to make an investment in a Downtown Convention Hotel attractive and to sign a deal with a capable developer complete with a prudent financing package. Posting the RFP that is not really as much of an RFP as it is a solicitation for interested parties was the right thing to do. Make haste, time’s a wasting; it is still remotely possible to have a simultaneous opening of the Arena and the Convention Hotel. This may be a short term political Catch 22, but the only long term winning solution for the City of Evansville and Vanderburgh County is to protect the $200 Million that is already committed or invested.

It is time for the investment attracting capacity of the Arena to prove itself even if it is just some more public money that gets invested to enhance the quality of life and inspire economic development. It is time for Mayor Weinzapfel, the Evansville Redevelopment Commission, the Evansville City Council, and the Vanderburgh County Commissioners to prepare for the future and do what they all know has to be done. The time for smiling for the cameras is over. The time to finish the job is at hand. The voting public of Evansville and Vanderburgh County deserves stewardship and oversight. It is our prediction that the elections of 2010 and 2011 will be the days of reckoning for all of those who were derelict in their duties.

Note: The City County Observer is a publication that buys in to being fiscally conservative. That constitutes sound financial management from day one. That is clearly not what has happened with the stewards of this project. The oversights, rushes to judgment, and lack of planning have put Evansville into a position to make decisions that should have been disclosed two years ago. Simply because we advocate fixing the Porsche that Junior wrecked does not mean that we would have ever supported getting Junior the Porsche in the first place.