IS IT TRUE that the City County Observer’s First Annual Distinguished Public Servant Awards Luncheon today at noon in the Walnut Room at Casino Aztar is fully subscribed with all tables taken?…that there are 10 awards being granted for particularly outstanding public service that has been rendered to the Evansville community that is consistent with the spirit of the CCO?…that there are two other awards that have not yet been announced including both the Lifetime Achievement Award and the Public Servant of the Year?

IS IT TRUE that the winners of this year’s awards are Dr. Neil Troost, Jeff Kempf, the Evansville Convention and Visitors Board, Wayne Parke, Billy Bolin, John Friend, Steve Melcher, Gail Riecken, and the Winnecke for Mayor Campaign are all winners for their outstanding leadership in critical areas where living outside the box and taking action outside of one’s normal comfort zone were required to make things a little bit better in River City?

IS IT TRUE that in each and every case for our winner’s there was advanced planning, a willingness to take on an entrenched power, and the courage to call a skunk a skunk in a subtle but unmistakable way?…that the CCO is looking forward to more and more of the citizens of Evansville to feel the call of inspiration to get out of the box and do things that improve this place that we call home?…that it all starts with planning but some of our improvements will manifest themselves if more of our citizens will just start to exercise basic common sense?

IS IT TRUE that a comprehensive city plan has not been updated and captured the buy-in of elected officials or regular citizens in over 10 years?…that 2012 is the time to get the ball rolling with a comprehensive plan for the prosperity and livability of the City of Evansville and the Winnecke Administration is the group to spearhead this effort?…that it is clear when one is in a city that is planned as opposed to one that just happened in a haphazard manner that planning is the key to lifestyle, prosperity, and tranquility?…that the CCO hopes to see a kick off of a plan for the third century of Evansville during 2012?…that it will be our future that determines what this city becomes and that some parts of our past are worth repeating but others need to be abandoned?

IS IT TRUE that Mayor Winnecke during his campaign zeroed in very effectively on some of the key actions needed to make Evansville a prosperous and competitive city that outsiders will recognize as desirable?…that the easiest and cheapest improvement is picking up the litter?…that some of the more difficult but necessary none the less are the ability to establish a working and active Angel Investment Network along with a competent entity to further the technology transfer agreement that has been in place for over 3 years now?…that these things can be achieved if the leadership of the community will actually take the well defined steps that are needed to make these things happen?…that economic prospects and solid career paths are the real keys to solving problems like abandoned houses, crime, population shrinkage, and the scourge of meth?…that this is not rocket science, but it is not a quick fix and it will take more people than today’s winners being willing to live outside of the box?

IS IT TRUE that we are sharply reminded of the lawlessness in society by the first EPD Activity Report for the year of 2012?…that yesterday the Evansville Police Department filled a full 14 pages including a story about the New Year’s Day celebrating that including shooting randomly into a crowd in the parking lot of Score’s Gentleman’s Club in the wee hours of the morning?…that this was the second run to “The District” on New Year’s as there was an earlier altercation (sounded like a fight) in the parking lot that required intervention by the EPD?…that with the new year we would like to see less criminal activity in the City of Evansville for our police to have to deal with?…that this is no way to start a rebuilding year and that it is time to stop all of this violent behavior?

IS IT TRUE that the Winnecke Administration is talking about hitting the ground running and getting on about the business of executing some of the agendas that were talked about during the campaign?…that it is pretty cold to be out there picking up litter today but that it is never too cold to not throw anything down so come on Evansville let this be the first no littering work day and pick up three pieces of litter today as you each go about you first day’s business of the new year?…that Mayor Winnecke is a skinny guy, will be setting a healthy living example for us but will not last long if he has to pick all of the garbage up himself so all you folks get busy and clean something up?

IS IT TRUE that meth making never sleeps and that the CCO encourages our new Evansville Police Chief to get a head start on implementing whatever innovative plans that he and his department have to clean the scourge form our streets?…that the CCO encourages the Indiana State Legislature to open the assault on meth by getting busy passing a law that makes pseudoephedrine based medicines prescription based?…that this is one of those laws that we hate yet submit to for the greater good?

IS IT TRUE that one of the first things that the Winnecke Administration, the new ERC (who we are very interested to learn the identity of), and the Evansville City Council need to burn some brainpower developing is a basic framework for a VETTING POLICY?…that it is not asking too much for the taxpayers of Evansville to expect that the stewards of their money?…that it can start out with a simple qualification like a pulse, a minimum credit score for the principal owners, a cursory checking of local trade references, and a relevant D & B report and increase in complexity from there?…that the McCurdy Project is swinging completely in the breeze in need of a cleanup and the downtown Convention Hotel is about to enter the critical planning phase and a basic VETTING CRITERIA is needed desperately?…that we all know that if the former custodians of the taxpayer’s money would have had even a basic VETTING PROCESS in place that neither of these fiascos would have ever become a fiasco?

IS IT TRUE that we are sharply reminded of the lawlessness in society by the last EPD Activity Report for the year of 2011?…that yesterday the Evansville Police Department filled a full 18 pages with their daily report that averages about 13 pages, seldom sees single digits, and every once in a while tops 20 pages?…that with the new year we would like to see less criminal activity in the City of Evansville for our police to have to deal with?

IS IT TRUE that that old curmudgeon Morton Marcus who watches economic performance statistics for the State of Indiana and publishes a weekly column published a doozy today regarding the personal income of Hoosiers?…that Marcus points out to us that we Hoosiers are falling behind the rest of the country in personal income a little bit more every year and have been doing so for the last year, during the recession, and even in the pre-recession period at a trickling rate in the tenths of a percent per year?…that nevertheless this half a century phenomena of settling for a little less every year has taken Indiana from a state that had personal incomes that exceeded the national averages by over 15% in the 1950’s to an economy that lags national averages by more than 15% today?…that in the long run the State of Indiana despite its efforts is not keeping up?…that perhaps this is an artifact of an ultra conservative way of living and a reluctance to even the simplest changes?…that 2012 is a new year and that hopefully some of the things that have stifled us in the past will be set aside in favor of more modern policies so that we can finally stop the trickle-down effect?…that Marcus attributes it to have insufficient management talent in the private sector?…that as long as Indiana pays low wages it will attract low quality talent in both the public and private sectors and see its best talent continue to leave?

IS IT TRUE that we can finally say and print the words Mayor Winnecke as the inauguration happens at noon today?…that it will remain to be seen just how different the new boss will be when compared to the old boss who left spending, cussing, and screaming?…that many challenges await Mayor Winnecke courtesy of the old boss and the mythical “machine” that drives the bus called Evansville?…that the CCO encourages and supports independent new thought and action from the Winnecke Administration and will do our best to help him form and sustain effective local governance without “old boy” politics having undue and unhealthy influence over his decisions?

IS IT TRUE that as we the people of the City of Evansville enter this new year we have NO AGREEMENT IN PLACE FOR THE MCCURDY PROJECT?…that we had NO BINDING LEGAL AGREEMENT IN PLACE FOR A DOWNTOWN CONVENTION HOTEL?…that we have NO FUNDING IN PLACE FOR THE MUCH BALLYHOOD 25 FRONT DOOR PRIDE HOMES, OLD SAFE HOUSE RECLAMATION, A BUS STATION PARK, and a host of other last minute spending issued crammed through by the old boss that need to be re-examined before going forward?…that even the trumpeted FREE $51 Million Johnson Controls contract that is just being analyzed should be on the table for the Winnecke Administration to consider cancelling as it was signed by a guy who is gone, for a guy who is gone, and does not appear to serve the best interests of the people of Evansville as it most surely should do?

IS IT TRUE that we wish all of our readers an enjoyable New Year’s Day and hope to keep the pedal to the metal with your help to start turning the corner toward a prosperous future in 2012?

IS IT TRUE that on first examination that the Johnson Controls deal that is adding $51.3 Million to the debt of the City of Evansville but has been advertised to be FREE since it is paying for itself with so called “savings” does not appear to be doing that at all?…that much of the “savings” is actually projected to be increased water and sewer bills to the people of Evansville because our old meters are alleged to be measuring incorrectly to the low side meaning that we have all be using more water than we are being charged for?…that just over $30 Million of the $51 Million that will be borrowed and spent will be for new and better meters that will enable the City of Evansville to measure our water use at higher levels than it has been so we pay more for water?…that maybe this is legitimate and maybe it is not?…that the City of Evansville should publish the test results that were used to determine that the meters that we have now are under reporting water use and let the people of Evansville make this decision?…that if we have indeed used more than we have been paying for that it should be reflected in higher rates?…that maybe a downward rate adjustment is in order if we have been paying for the wrong volume of water?…that we encourage the Winnecke Administration to investigate this thoroughly before going ahead with this contract which is by no means fully understood by the people that signed it and has a checkered performance record in other localities?

IS IT TRUE that the CCO staff and members of the “MOLE NATION” would like to announce that the “CCO AWARDS LUNCHEON” to be held at the Casino Aztar Walnut room on this coming Tuesday at noon has been totally sold out? …we are sorry that we couldn’t accept any additional reservations from interested citizens to attend this worthy event?…that next year we will expand this event to accommodate even a larger crowd?

IS IT TRUE that the City County Observer will be coming out with a list of the 10 things to get right in 2012 during the next few days?…that we are fully aware that things like consolidation, the state elections, the national elections, the transition to the Winnecke Administration, jobs, etc. are all worthy of being included?…that we would like to hear from our readers on what other items are worthy of being on the top 10 to get right in 2012 as we form our final list?…that we encourage you all to submit your entries to the comment line on this IS IT TRUE for the things that you think Evansville most needs to get right in 2012?

IS IT TRUE that there are four people that have thrown their hat into the ring to be selected to fill the vacancies on the Vanderburgh County Council?…that three of them are familiar as they are three Republican candidates for Evansville City Council during 2011?… that Alan Leibundguth, Michelle, Mercer, and Pete Swaim will be joined by newcomer Aaron Kendall in seeking to fill the openings?…that we wish them all wisdom and good luck in their quest to serve the public?

IS IT TRUE that the CCO wishes each and every one of our readers a Happy and Healthy New Year as we all continue to try to make Evansville a better place to live?…that in a short 24 hours the reign of Jonathan Weinzapfel will be over and that this publication shall never publish that name again?