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

Now there is a face to associate with our word Snegal meaning “Sneaky but Legal”

In the Lord of the Rings trilogy there was a creature that went by two names. One name was “gollum” and the other name was “Smegal” which rhymes with Snegal the word that we created to define the practice of being “sneaky but legal”. Smegal as Tolkien fans will recall existed for one singular purpose. That purpose was to get back the ring of power that he affectionately called HIS PRECIOUS. Smegal would have had no qualms at all about doing all things Snegal to get back HIS PRECIOUS. Today we introduce Smegal in a suit and christen him to be SNEGAL our sneaky but legal mascot. He will make random appearances in the City County Observer at appropriate times when we have uncovered more sneaky but legal activities in local government.

SNEGAL made his debut today in our IS IT TRUE Part 2 where we are asking just how all of the Skyboxes and Loge seats in the Arena could have been sold without any public record of ERC approval of pricing and/or contracts. We do need a home for SNEGAL as we think he is squatting in the bushes in and around the Civic Center hoping that Mole #3 will toss him a sandwich. Suggestions are appreciated.

**UPDATE**
For those of you who see something SNEGAL that you would like to talk about – visit us on Twitter, where we are starting to promote the new hashtag #snegal. Share your thoughts about things that are #snegal and we will post our favorites at the end of the week.

Example:
I made a #snegal turn through a gas station this morning to avoid that red light
America continues a #snegal engagement in Libya
Blagojevich – not so #snegal any more

First Published: June 28, 2011 AM

“I do not support the proposed indoor tennis facility at Wesselman Park. I would, however, support a collaboration between owners of the Tri-State Athletic Club and the Evansville Community Tennis Association that would allow for additional courts to be constructed at Tri-State Athletic Club WITHOUT the use of public funding. I understand that such a proposal was outlined, but rejected by the ECTA.”

Lloyd Winnecke, Republican Candidate for Mayor of Evansville

IS IT TRUE that the last page of the Contract for Pre-Opening Consulting Services between the Evansville Redevelopment Commission and VenuWorks is very specific about the hierarchy regarding who does what during the period that the temporary consulting contract is in effect?…that today it has been 126 days of operating under a temporary agreement that was supposed to have been superseded by a permanent contract within 30 days?…that the temporary contract is quite clear in Section B2 that all booking and rental rate policies shall be PROPOSED by VenuWorks and APPROVED by the Evansville Redevelopment Commission?…that in Section B3 it is made very clear that all tenant/user agreements that are for a term of over one year require JOINT APPROVAL by VenuWorks and the ERC?…that in Section B4 that it is clear that all vendor agreements also require JOINT APPROVAL by VenuWorks and the ERC?…that Section B4 goes a step further in subsection (iii) to designate that if such agreement involves a major revenue stream that can impact the profitability of the Arena, including ticketing and sponsorships, then VenuWorks and the ERC shall JOINTLY APPROVE such agreement?

IS IT TRUE that it has been widely reported that ALL of the Skyboxes in the new Arena have been leased?…that it has also been reported that those leases are for more than one year?…that there are 5 sets of minutes of meetings of the Evansville Redevelopment Commission that have convened since the February 24, 2011 signing of the temporary consulting agreement between VenuWorks and ERC?…that there are no references whatsoever to any presentation or approval of any of the pre-opening operational tasks that VenuWorks was assigned to work on in the contract?…that without ERC approval things like contracts with sports teams cannot be signed?…that SKYBOX pricing and LOGE SEAT pricing have no available public record of approval?…that without approval by the ERC that the widely reported sales of all of the SKYBOXES and substantially all of the LOGE SEATING cannot have been sold as per the Contract for Pre-Opening Consulting Services between VenuWorks and the ERC?…that IF these approvals have indeed been granted that it must have been done in yet another “SPECIAL MEETING” of which there is no readily available public record?…that if the total of all of the LUXURY SEATING is indeed sold out that the selection process for finding buyers was so exclusive that the citizens of Evansville and even the non-preferred businesses of Evansville DID NOT EVEN HAVE THE COURTESY OF SEEING A PRICE LIST AND AN AVAILABILITY SHEET?

IS IT TRUE that under the terms of the Contract for Pre-Opening Consulting Services between VenuWorks and the ERC that EITHER some snegal (sneaky but legal) backroom deals were made to sell the seating contracts OR that the sales have not happened as they have been reported?…that we are most curious to find out what the status of the LUXURY SEATING in the Arena is?…that we would like to see who bought what, how much was paid for it, and all of the other terms of any agreements made without exposing any purchase opportunities to unwashed masses?…that the people of Evansville are financing this Arena and that the people of Evansville deserve every opportunity to be exposed to any seating that is for sale in it?

IS IT TRUE that we are wondering where the two candidates for Mayor of Evansville stand on this sort of issue?…that in the shorter term we are particularly interested in hearing from Rick Davis and Lloyd Winnecke about their positions with respect to the looming decision to give away public land in Wesselman Park and to contemplate the use of public dollars from the CVB to fund part of the POLE BARN INDOOR TENNIS CENTER?…that the proponents of the POLE BARN INDOOR TENNIS CENTER are planning to pack the gallery again tomorrow and that this foregone conclusion has the potential to be another BALLFIELD EXPERIENCE?…that the two candidates need to put a position statement together today regarding their opinions of just what role that local government should play in funding or funding by proxy of a POLE BARN INDOOR TENNIS CENTER?

IS IT TRUE that the Evansville City Council has its drawers in a bundle about the vetting process that the City of Evansville has been applying to the downtown Convention Hotel project?…that for the first time in the four years that this fiasco has been playing out that some members of the Evansville City Council are flexing the muscles that they were elected to flex to ask the most fundamental of questions regarding the viability of downtown hotel developers?…that the most long awaited quote of “we will not take anyone’s word for it, we need to see some proof” finally came out of the mouths of at least a couple of the elected members of the Evansville City Council?…that the Evansville City Council brought this conundrum upon themselves several years ago when they relinquished the budgetary responsibility for the MLK entertainment complex to the Evansville Redevelopment Commission?…that this was done by resolution in August of 2009?

Link to TV Report of aggravated City Council members:

http://www.news25.us/category/164155/video-landing-page-code?clipId=&topVideoCatNo=160919&topVideoCatNoB=164126&topVideoCatNoC=124443&topVideoCatNoD=189146&topVideoCatNoE=143820&clipId=5002147&topVideoCatNo=160919&autoStart=true&clipId=5998272&topVideoCatNo=160919&autoStart=true

IS IT TRUE that the City County Observer opposed the budgetary responsibility being placed in the hands of appointed officials as opposed to elected officials?…that if one were to search the archives of any of Evansville’s mainstream media that one will find that this is true?…that if the Evansville City Council would have retained the responsibility that they are elected to provide that the ruckus that is being raised by several Council members right now over the failed vetting process could have been avoided?…that the Weinzapfel Administration used the resounding political victory over a non-candidate in 2007 to create the illusion of a mandate?…that this illusion of a mandate sent a wave of fear through the members of the Evansville City Council that prevented them from mustering the courage to question practices that should have been under scrutiny all along?…that the bag that the citizens of Evansville may be left holding is the end result of this illusion of mandate that was used to create voting block on the Evansville City Council that could not be overcome by independent thinking members?

IS IT TRUE that we wonder if a financial rabbit will be pulled from the hat of anyone before the expiration date of the contract between Woodruff Hospitality LLC and the Evansville Redevelopment Commission?…that if there is a rabbit in the hat that any of the next three days would be the time to ruffle up the sleeve and pull the rabbit out?…that we wonder if there will be a news conference with all of the confidence, vim, an vigor of the announcements of Browning, etc. that we have been treated to on Thursday June 30, 2011 to announce that the vetting process and the RFP have failed (if it indeed does fail)?…that opening a new RFP if that is indeed necessary is something that should not give the appearance of selective authorship?…that if this is the course of action that must be taken that it should be a respectable period to draw other parties into the process?…that the citizens of Evansville have waited this long for a developer to be chosen by an effective process and that we can wait another month or so until an effective process is designed?…that in 2050 no one will remember the bumbling of 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011?… that it is time to reset the clock on the downtown Convention Hotel?

IS IT TRUE that in late July and early August there is a very high probability that we will be having the exact same discussion about the McCurdy Hotel project?…that even the members of the City Council that have been in the solid voting block for anything and everything that the Weinzapfel Administration has demanded seem to understand that things should have and could have been done better?

IS IT TRUE that we also have lost count of the number of members of the Evansville Redevelopment Commission that have been cycled through during the last 7 years?…that we think that number is now up around 15?…that it would be interesting to investigate exactly what the departed members of the ERC think about their departure and about their service on this commission that controls such a large amount of the budget of the City of Evansville?…that other media outlets should be asking these questions too?