IS IT TRUE? September 13, 2011

IS IT TRUE that it has been widely reported that the economic development announcement that is bringing Governor Daniels out of Indianapolis has raised the hopes of laid-off people who build things all around Evansville?…that the farewell concert at Roberts Stadium attended by Mole #6 gave us all a hint as to just what this project may involve?…that Mole #6 would like everyone to get up and listen to Bob Dylan’s “Blowing in the Wind” and to hold that thought until the announcement is made one hour from now?

IS IT TRUE that the Evansville City Council was treated to another 10 minute speech on the much needed legislation regarding the details of just how one gets grandfathered in to “coop” athletic racing pigeons in the city limits?…that this time it was not a gang of pigeon heads that dominated a large portion of time in the Council meeting?… that this time it was two City of Evansville employees who smiled and rambled ad nauseum about where, how far, how often to clean the cage, and other details that are meaningless to all but a handful of people who live here?…that some things do not merit a pair of speeches before the City Council and that these racing pigeons are a perfect example of something that should be delegated to a committee?…that when the human cooing started the old movie line “they’re back” came to mind?

IS IT TRUE that the highlight of the meeting was as he always is another inquisition of Ford Center project manager John Kish by City Councilman and Chairman of the Finance Committee John Friend?…that some people have gotten so used to the “Battle of the Alpha Johns” that they are recording the interlude for later viewing?…that the biggest surprise of the inquisition last night was not a pleasant surprise at all?…that the biggest surprise came when Mr. Kish revealed that the demolition work done on the Executive Inn parking tower is contractually the obligation of Woodruff Hospitality LLC whose contract with the ERC to build a hotel was rescinded for non-performance?…that situation brought out questions regarding Klenck Construction, a locally owned business was going to be paid?…that Mr. Kish was adamant that the invoice for the work done by Klenck that was authorized by Woodruff Hospitality LLC would remain the responsibility of the shareholders of Woodruff Hospitality LLC even though the work was done on land now owned by the City of Evansville?

IS IT TRUE that Mr. Kish intimated that this may become a legal issue that needs to be negotiated by those two parties?…that Mr. Kish went on to state that Klenck Construction cannot legally place a mechanics lien on the property because it is owned by a municipality and that the legal precedent for his position is a 30 year old case involving one Mr. Bob Green and the very parking garage that was just torn down?…that all of this may indeed be the truth and that it may indeed be legal but in a situation where the City of Evansville clearly benefitted from the word that was done on its property under an agreement between the City of Evansville and the contractor Woodruff Hospitality LLC, it seems usury and disingenuous for the City of Evansville and the Evansville Redevelopment Commission to take advantage of what was a good faith arrangement that went bad?…that the little smirk on Mr. Kish’s face when telling this story was not appreciated by some of the viewers of the meeting of the Evansville City Council?

IS IT TRUE that we shall address more on the “Battle of the Alpha Johns” in IIT Part 2?…that we never want to see a competent local provider get caught in the middle of politics and hosed for payment on a big public project like the Ford Center?…that many friends, family, and sympathizers with locally owned businesses may just remember this SNEGAL hosing and hold it against the Ford Center?…that we hear that the amount is substantially less than 1% of the cost to build the Ford Center and even less than the legal bills paid to Indianapolis firms that all contributed to the Weinzapfel for Mayor Campaign?

IS IT TRUE? September 12, 2011 Special Evening Edition

IS IT TRUE that the new and beautiful entrance to the Evansville Zoo has a made by the government albatross hanging around its neck in the beauty department?…that Republican candidate for Mayor of Evansville recently cited the Evansville Zoo as his preferred attraction to bring tourists to Evansville?…that just around the corner from the Zoo that the first thing you see is grass that is 5 feet tall, a highway size barricade, and rusty heavy equipment?…that with all of the improvements that have been made at the Zoo recently that one would think that the next step would be taken to get rid of ugliness and eyesores that give a bad impression of the entrance?…that given the state of our parks under this administration that we are not the least bit surprised?

IS IT TRUE that we are hearing that VenuWorks says that the online resellers do not have the tickets that they are openly offering to sell online?…that we suspect that VenuWorks is technically truthful and that the paper tickets will be distributed after the general sales begin?…that people who have commitments to get tickets have most likely listed these tickets and will sell them at a profit?…that it has been said that “artists use lies to tell the truth, but politicians use the truth to tell lies”?

IS IT TRUE that Google has just completed a $273 Million data center that could have been just about anywhere in the world in a remote village in Finland?…that the two driving forces in the decision to choose Finland were the cold climate and the low cost of electricity?…that the only reason that the cold climate is viewed favorably is because the coldness minimizes the need to run the air conditioning to cool down the servers that are big consumers of electricity?…that the cost for electricity in Finland is 6.95 cents per kWh or roughly half of what it is right here in Evansville, IN?…that Henderson is still cheaper than Finland but as we have all been told when they implement EPA regulations their price could increase dramatically?…that it is widely rumored that Facebook is planning to install a similar facility in Finland to the tune of over $500 Million?

IS IT TRUE that data centers like these are the basic units required to compete in the growing field of Cloud Computing?…that for Evansville and the United States of America to be on a collision course with being uncompetitive in this new and leading edge technology is a very poor situation?…that to the extent that the drivers of being uncompetitive in a growing vital technology is sourced within government that this is poor public policy?…that as much as the ability to make weapons, vital products, and food is in our national interests, it is also in our national interest to be able to store and process our own data and the programs that process it?…that we wonder what good the internet is if we cannot afford to access it because of government policies?…that this whole mess reminds us of the Dr. Suess poem about the Hotch Hotchers and the Bee?…that in the entire community the only work was done by the Bee and that many layers of bureaucracy were employed to watch the Bee work?…that the house of cards fell and real life examples of such lunacy seem to be falling apart too?

IS IT TRUE that Evansville has been treated to another meth related fire followed by multiple arrests yesterday?…that 1672 South Kerth Avenue went boom last night due to a reaction gone bad?…that we are certain that the pseudoephedrine that was used in the reaction was acquired legally at some local drug store with over the counter availability?…that we wonder if the gun that was found at the scene was also gotten by legal means?

IS IT TRUE that the City County Observer’s call for attention to be paid to the rubble pile in the 600 block of East Franklin Street has borne some fruit?…that we have learned that 2nd Ward City Councilwoman Missy Mosby has taken the initiative to report this dangerous mess to the proper authorities?…that for Councilwoman Mosby to go outside of her ward to report a problem indicates clearly the goodwill that she feels for the entire City of Evansville?…that we encourage 3rd Ward City Council candidates Stephanie Brinkerhoff Riley and Alan Leibundguth to get on the bandwagon to force the City of Evansville to get this mess cleaned up?…that we expect that outgoing City Councilwoman Wendy Bredhold should take an interest in forcing this issue?…that the current at-large members of the Evansville City Council Curt John, Don Walker, and Dr. H. Dan Adams have an obligation to carry this torch and that the six people seeking this at-large seats are not worthy of consideration if they do not show some interest in cleaning this unfenced and dangerous corner that is frequented by children?

IS IT TRUE that we are still somewhat dumbfounded by the fact that hundreds of tickets to the Bob Seger concert are available through online ticket outlets a full week before they have been offered to the public?…that the seats offered are good seats but are offered at high premiums to the $70 that the public’s seats are reported to be priced at?…that we would like to say that we are shocked and amazed that inside deals have happened for the first act in the Ford Center but we cannot tell a lie?…that inside deals and behind closed door arrangements have been a way of life in Evansville lately and that the premature allocation of some of the best seats in the Ford Center’s first event just serves as one of the final insults to the people of Evansville?

IS IT TRUE that there has been much discussion about how signing Project Labor Agreements (PLA’s) help a large construction project?…that there are indeed some advantages that PLA’s offer such as no-strike clauses, access to adequate skilled labor, cost certainty, and protection against having illegal workers on the job?…that these advantages in large cities where published prevailing wages are really the going rates essentially come at no or little additional cost?…that Evansville is not New York City or San Francisco and that to get these advantages we do indeed pay a premium?…that if Evansville is more like Denver, New Orleans, or Orlando than it is like New York City then having a PLA in place for a major project can be expected to add about 7% to the cost of the project?…that being the case the new Ford Center most likely cost about $9 Million more than it would have without a PLA?…that the pending new downtown Convention Hotel which has a PLA condition in the RFP will cost about $2.5 Million due to that contractual requirement?…that the best way to manage any project on budget and on time is to quote it HIGH AND LONG?

IS IT TRUE that we are eagerly anticipating some word (any word) to be released to the public about the findings and leanings of the vetting of the proposals that were submitted to build and operate a new downtown Convention Hotel?

IS IT TRUE that a novel idea came to the CCO today?…that this novel idea is “IS IT TRUE – The Book”?…that we are all ears and if there is an indication of demand that we a pretty well positioned to have a late 2011 publication date?…that we would like to hear from you?…that the pricing that we have been advised to consider are $12.50 for a pdf style downloadable e-book or $25.00 for a hardback?…that if we can reach a critical mass of early commitments this will happen?