PENSACOLA, Fla. – The Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron, the Blue Angels, will resume all previously scheduled performances for the 2011 season beginning with Quad City Air Show in Davenport, Iowa, June 18-19.

During the past two weeks, the Blue Angels completed rigorous training and air show demonstration practice to integrate Capt. Greg McWherter, the new commanding officer and flight leader, back into the flight demonstration team. Capt. McWherter last served with the Blue Angels as their commanding officer during the 2010 season.

The Blue Angels look forward to continuing to represent the Navy and Marine
Corps service members around the world.

For more information, call: Lt. Katie Kelly, Public Affairs Officer for the Blue Angels, at: (850) 452-3955.
–
Source: Blue Angels

BOARD OF PARK COMMISSIONERS

REGULAR MEETING
KEVIN WINTERNHEIMER CHAMBERS
ROOM 301, CIVIC CENTER COMPLEX
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 15, 2011
12:00 NOON

REVISED AGENDA

1. CALL TO ORDER

2. MINUTES N/A

3. CONSENT AGENDA
a. Request Re: Permission to Seek Quotes for Various Improvements for Fendrich, Helfrich
and McDonald Golf Courses. – Schall
b. Request Re: Approve and Execute Contract with VPS Architecture for Feasibility Study of
Education Building and Administration Offices at Mesker Park Zoo & Botanic Garden. –
Morris*
c. Request Re: Approve and Execute Advertising Agreement with Comcast/Media Mix for
Mesker Park Zoo & Botanic Garden. – Morris*
d. Request Re: Approve Closing Zoo Entry Gate at 3:00 pm and Grounds at 4:00 pm for
Preparations for June Brew on June 11, 2011. – Morris*
e. Request Re: Permission to Hold Safe Kids Vanderburgh/Warrick County Car Seat Clinic
at Mesker Park Zoo & Botanic Garden on August 20, 2011. – Morris*

*Recommendation from Mesker Park Zoo & Botanic Garden Advisory Board.

4. OLD BUSINESS
a. Request Re: Open Bids for Turf Fertilizers and Chemicals. – Debbie Spalding/Mark Peters
b. Request Re: Approve and Execute LPA/INDOT Agreements for Arts, Glenwood, Hi Rail
Enterprise Corridor; Mid Levee Corridor; and Garvin/Governor/Stringtown Bike Lane
Corridor for the Pigeon Creek Greenway Passage. – Boberg
c. Request Re: Review and Approve Evansville Community Tennis Association Proposal. –
Terry Clements

5. NEW BUSINESS
a. Request Re: EPD – Law Enforcement in City Parks. – Chief Hill
b. Request Re: Approve the Addition of Curb Cuts for ADA Accessibility on South Wabash
Avenue. – Schall
c. Request Re: Approve Budget Transfers and CIP Reprioritizations. – Schall/Morris
d. Request Re: Any Other Business the Board Wishes to Consider and Public Comments.

6. REPORTS
a. Fendrich Golf Course, Dave English
b. Helfrich Golf Course, Dave McAtee
c. McDonald Golf Course & Wesselman Par 3, Mike Wassmer
d. Dan Schall, Executive Director

7. ACCEPTANCE OF PAYROLL AND VENDOR CLAIMS

8. ADJOURN

Pessimism Growing Toward Economy and President Obama’s Policies

Here is a link to the entire poll.

http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2011/images/06/08/june.8.pdf

Did the planning of the Executive Inn and the McCurdy projects look like this?

Take That: June 10, 2011

IN RESPONSE TO: Executive Inn Delays

“It’s obvious that these clowns do not have the ability to pull this project off. Should they miraculously start this project, it is certain they will not be able to complete it adequately or lease it to capacity.” Buzzard

“It would be helpful if the Project Manager for the hotel project is identified. According to John Kish, the Arena Project Manager, it is not him: Kish stated in the May 9, 2011 City Council meeting that the scope of his work (and thus his budget) was for the ‘Design/Build’ of the Arena, and hotel/parking expenditures were not in his scope. Is there a Project Manager for the Hotel ? If there is not a Project Manager for the Hotel, are we left with a 3 Stooges “who’s on first”, “what’s on second”, “I don’t know’s on third” situation?” Beerguy

“The shell game continues with Weinzapfel and his gang of cronies.” RK812

“The City’s handling of the Executive Inn makes Rep. Weiner look really smart by comparison. The way the City has bungled this, we’ll be lucky to have a few surplus FEMA trailers for rent on a dirt lot next to the shiny new Arena.” JoeBiden

“The Emperor has No Clothes, and there is No Joy in Muddville, as the Citizens endure the spectacle created by the Weinzapfel administration, and they mutter,–”When is this bad dream going to end?”. Crash Larue

“kinda reminds me of Berlin after WWII” Henry

IN RESPONSE TO: ALEXA Internet Traffic Reports that CCO dominates two categories locally

“My fear? That the obviously talented contributors to this great media outlet, will be coaxed away by something more, . . .lucrative and promising.” Bubbageek

“The Courier should buy the CCO out before they get their head handed to them worse than they already have. The advertising base and the writing skills at the CCO have more value than the local coverage of the Courier and the TV stations combined.” TheDonald

IN RESPONSE TO: Quality Control Plan for the Parks

“I’m currently in New York City. I’ve visited several parks in Manhattan and the Bronx and driven/riden by many more in the other boroughs. Every park that I’ve been to or seen has been heavily used by the public. Day and night there are people walking, jogging, excercising their pets, sitting on benches and blankets with loved ones enjoying the scenery. All of the parks that I’ve been to has been cared for many times better than the parks in Evansville.” Big Pappa

“Save your breath! They know! The problem is the budget cuts that have been made to redirect funds to other worthless projects (Like the arena).” Corpus Dilecti

IS IT TRUE that the “Last Tango in Evansville” for the Vanderburgh County Commissioners and the Evansville City Council to put a spit shine on the document known as the consolidation proposal concluded last night with little possibility that any tangible financial benefit will be a part of whatever box full of words that they agree on?…that now there will be one last opportunity for the citizens to stand at the lectern and have their say but that with the sacred cows that have been sequestered away from the hand of economic improvement sitting idly by there is not really much that any citizen could say that will be capable of getting this consolidation proposal into shape to show everyone a real identified benefit?…that it will all come down to how well the forthcoming spin machine called marketing the theory of consolidation will work?…that if the people of Evansville and Vanderburgh County are receptive to having the wool pulled over their eyes in 2012 the forthcoming proposal may pass by a narrow margin?…that if the people of Evansville and Vanderburgh County have their Tom Terrific thinking caps on that this will fail by a wide margin?…that the theory of consolidation is sound but that the forthcoming rendition is will not be?

IS IT TRUE that at least there will be a referendum to make this choice?…that the referendum will be flawed and that if it happens to pass in either the City of Evansville or Vanderburgh County and fail in the other yet pass overall that there will be legal challenges and open revolt?…that having a consolidated vote was the first malignant mistake that this whole process made?…that not allowing the consent of the governed poisoned the waters for acceptance from the first day that choice was made?

IS IT TRUE that this whole effort should be aborted right now and a new pre-consolidation committee should be formed to merge the city and county budgets and then to compare our spending patterns service by service to identify tangible value that can come from consolidation?…that we are certain that if our spending is limited to even 110% of some of the best managed peer cities in America that there will be at least $100 Million that can be saved?…that Rule #1 is that there are no sacred cows?

IS IT TRUE that Councilwoman Missy Mosby went on record last night as accepting the theory that the voters can decide term limits whenever they like in general elections?…that theory is well understood but that there are two major flaws with believing this will actually work?…that those two major flaws are the Democratic Central Committee and the Republican Central Committee?…that so often in a small market like Evansville that the candidates are chosen by caucus or that the only candidate in the primary is the handpicked choice of the party central committee?…that it is the limited choices that are often available to the people that begs for codified term limits?…that fresh ideas and people who have not gotten the puppet strings attached to them are needed in local governance?…that the only way to assure enough turnover to keep fresh and puppets from running the town is to have term limits?…that unfortunately some good officials will need to be cycled out to keep complacency from becoming a way of life?…that many of Evansville’s problems can be at least partially attributed to having career politicians in control for too long?

IS IT TRUE that the Mayor’s office in particular is as guilty of recycling old ideas as a West Virginia joke?…that “13 administrations, 52 years, and only 4 last names” is an accurate description of the office of the Mayor of Evansville during most of our lifetimes?…that Evansville could almost be confused for the town of Rock Ridge in the movie Blazing Saddles where everyone who owned a business had the last name of Johnson?…that we wonder where Mongo is when he is needed to shake things up?

IS IT TRUE tonight shall be the “Last Tango in Evansville” for the Vanderburgh County Commissioners and the Evansville City Council to put a spit shine on the document known as the consolidation proposal?…that unless there have been some serious secret meetings where the entire budgets of both the County and the City have been merged, compared to other more efficient cities like Henderson and Fort Wayne, and significant financial savings have been identified that the City County Observer expects that this version of consolidation is DEAD ON ARRIVAL with the local voters?…that significant financial savings in the case of the $1,830 per person per year budget of the City of Evansville means finding savings of at least $50 Million and hopefully closer to $100 Million?…that only after a) getting our government accountable and efficient and b) showing tangible value to consolidation will any consolidation have a high probability to pass?…that we have either of those conditions yet?

IS IT TRUE that given the financial state of the City of Evansville that a good faith effort to do a bit of internal improvement needs to be shown before Vanderburgh County will accept a merger without a formidable resistance?…that for Vanderburgh County to merge with the City of Evansville makes about as much sense as using the bone marrow of a cancer patient to do a transplant on a healthy person?…that if Evansville does some self healing and some future committee shows a tangible reason to merge that we expect that consolidation will pass both the City and the County in separate votes by wide margins?

IS IT TRUE that the “Nightmare on Walnut Street” continues to drag on as we expect to see the water show continue and very few swings of the wrecking ball today down at the Executive Inn demolition site?…that the clock keeps ticking on the activities down there?…that whether there is a financing deal on the table to build a hotel or not that the lots under the old Executive Inn and its parking garage are eyesores and need to be prepared for an eventual convention hotel?…that we encourage the City of Evansville to get on with the business of getting these lots into presentable condition on their own dime and to spend the next 21 days preparing an RFP just in case it is needed?…that the motto of the Boy Scouts of America is “BE PREPARED”?…that it is obvious that the Weinzapfel Administration either is not made up of former Boy Scouts or that they missed the first lesson and never earned their Tenderfoot badge?…that many veterans of the US and British military will recognize the 7 Ps adage?…that the 7 Ps adage could be the defining statement for the Executive Inn Dilemma and the McCurdy debacle?…that the 7 Ps adage goes as follows:

Proper Planning and Preparation Prevents Piss Poor Performance

IS IT TRUE that the Shriners Fest starts today and will run on the Evansville waterfront through Sunday?…that many people have worked long and hard to put this together and that the City County Observer would like to encourage all of our readers to head on down to the river and give this festival a fighting chance at success?…that the community whined and complained about button prices and that the Shriners have listened?…that mingling with your friends on the waterfront is completely FREE and that there are plenty of activities to entertain you?…that we hope that the vendors who stuck their neck out to make this happen will all have a successful festival?…that we also encourage all to spend a little money at our now FREE festival?

CCO Overwhelming in Unique Pages/Visit and Time/Visit Categories

Alexa, a web based information provider that logs data about critical use metrics for websites worldwide contains data to support that the City County Observer is now the leader in local media based websites in two categories. These categories are unique pages per visit and the number of minutes that each visitor spends on the site.

The Rankings for Unique Pages per Visit for Evansville based media sites are ranked as follows:

1. City-CountyObserver.com 20.0 pages
2. CourierPress.com 4.4 pages
3. News25.us 2.6 pages
4. 14WFIE.com 2.4 pages
5. Tristatehomepage.com 1.9 pages

The Rankings for Time per Visit are as ranked as follows:

1. City-CountyObserver.com 63.9 minutes
2. CourierPress.com 6.3 minutes
3. News25.us 2.8 minutes
4. 14WFIE.com 2.4 minutes
5. Tristatehomepage.com 2.0 minutes

The staff and owners of the City County Observer would like to thank our readers for what has become a year that even we never dreamed to be imaginable.

Source: www.alexa.com

IS IT TRUE that the demolition contractor for the Executive Inn has not been paid one red cent since this project began?…that according to three different well placed Moles that the management of the demolition company has no idea when or who will be paying the mounting bill?…that the latest words from Arena project manager John Kish are that the demolition project will cost about $1.5 Million?…that the demolition company has set a great example locally by recycling everything that can be recycled?…that for a local construction company that provides good local jobs to get stiffed because of a vetting process that was lacking is not an acceptable situation for the City of Evansville and the Evansville Redevelopment Commission to be associated with?

IS IT TRUE that we reported earlier that the Executive Inn demolition seems to be a standstill?…that now we understand why?…that demolition is a play for pay business?…that the only thing that seems to be in high gear down at the site this week are the dust suppressing water sprays that make the site look like a water park in a falling down hotel?…that Holiday World gives out free soda and free sunscreen at their water park but that the big shower on Walnut does not have a free soda stand running?…that we do wonder exactly who will be paying the water bill for keeping the spray going full speed all day long?…that a water rate increase may be needed if this demolition is not completed soon because of the large amount of water that is being poured onto the piles of debris next to the two-thirds demolished hotel?

IS IT TRUE that a thinking business person could develop a deliberate strategy of leaving just enough hotel to look as decrepit as possible standing as a way to motivate the owners of the new and beautiful Arena next door to pay them for their demolition work?…that would be just one more monument to the colossal oversight that has become the trademark of this whole hotel project?…that a third of a hotel may even become art after many years of standing there longing for the return of the wrecking ball?…that we could even sell naming rights to the last pieces of the Executive Inn that may just be there for awhile if arrangements are not made to pay for the demolition?

IS IT TRUE that in all seriousness this hotel project needs a good round of thinking outside of the box followed by some rational action?…that if there are problems with the finances before the old building is demolished that this does not bode well for getting a new one built?…that if you do not have a system in place that can get a building torn down that you surely do not have a high probability of getting a new one built?…that some amount of vetting, bonding, and verification needs to be done before any building is started?…that if one thinks that a half demolished building on that site looks foolish, one needs to imagine a half completed hotel on the very same site?

IS IT TRUE that the City County Observer is eagerly awaiting the 16th of June when we are supposed to be supplied with the contracts for the hotel and Arena management?…that multiple Moles tell us that the hotel contract has already been defaulted on and has received a 30 day extension?…that the same well placed Moles tell us that there is not yet a contract in place with VenuWorks to manage the Arena?…that our opening act opportunities are dwindling by the day as the fall entertainment tours are being booked right now?…that we still wonder what committee or person to talk with to discuss naming rights for the smaller opportunities that most surely should exist in the Arena?…that even tiny cities with unpaid governments figure out how to sell memorial bricks and seat dedications?…that as NASA used to say before the shuttles were grounded, T minus 4 months and counting?

EPD Activity Report June 7 2011