IS IT TRUE? PART 2 August 16, 2011

IS IT TRUE that Mole #77 tells us that the Evansville Redevelopment Commission will indeed be hearing a report regarding the VETTING PROCESS for the hotel proposals?…that we wonder why this needed to be a part of the “other business” as opposed to a defined line item on the agenda?…that even if this is not sneaky and secretive that it certainly looks that way?

IT IS TRUE that on this coming Monday the Vanderburgh County Council will begin their 2012 Budget hearing?…that the County Council has $67.5 worth of budget requests and only $61.5 of revenue projected for 2012?…if the “CCO “MOLE 3” figures are correct, the Vanderburgh County Council “Budget Busters” are facing a $6.0 million dollar revenue shortfall?…that “CCO Mole #3” predicts that the Sheriff Department, Jail and the Information Tech. department budgets are going to get the “Budgetary Evil Eye”? …that the renowned County Council budget cutters -Lloyd, Shelter and Raben are ready to balance the County Budgets based on projected revenue?…that the county road paving budget and raises for county employees could also be on the budget chopping block?

IS IT TRUE that the City of Evansville budget will also raise allot of eyebrows not only by what is proposed for spending but for what may not get budgeted adequately?…that the normal things that municipalities do are all easy to budget for and lend themselves to cut and paste techniques with tweaks from previous years?…that things like the eventual actions regarding Roberts Stadium are pretty much limited to whatever is budgeted?…that democratic candidate for Mayor Rick Davis has talked about some things that he wants to do to improve the dilapidated Evansville Parks?…that if nothing is put into the budget RIGHT NOW that his hands will be tied next year should he become Mayor?…that the same is true for any proposed programs that Lloyd Winnecke proposes?…that the Weinzapfel Administration and the current City Council can easily tie the next Mayor’s hands behind his back by appropriating ZERO DOLLARS to fulfill campaign promises?

IS IT TRUE that an item of interest will be the financial allocation for the audit of the Information Technology department?…that this money should be in the IT budget as opposed to a line item of its own as we have been told that one certain “power that be” requested?

IS IT TRUE that one line item of interest that should be in the 2012 City of Evansville budget is a significant appropriation to do the design for the plan to bring the Combined Sewer Overflow problem into EPA compliance?…that if this vital function is punted again in this budget that the next Mayor will be dealing with default on the program and the reinstatement of fines?…that the Evansville City Council needs to assure that an adequate allocation of funds is budgeted for this task?

IS IT TRUE that the EPA is setting up an educational program to teach the people of Evansville about the dangers of lead poisoning in the Jacobsville Superfund area?…that heavy metal pollution in the soil has been positively correlated to conditions like autism?…that the link below is the official EPA website for the Jacobsville Superfund site?

http://epa.gov/region5/cleanup/jacobsville/

IS IT TRUE that it has been reported to the City County Observer that the locally owned pharmacies are more than willing to sign up for the meth materials data base where purchases of PSE materials are reported to law enforcement?…that we are also being told that some locally owned pharmacies are even considering taking these products off of the shelf altogether as the pain is not worth the gain?…that multiple moles tell us that it is the big national chains that are not enthused to start to report the sales of such materials to law enforcement?…that the big national chains that operate on what seems like every corner in town or in big box retail stores are booking big profits on the sale of PSE materials to people who do not buy them for a cold?…that it has been reported that on any Friday night in Evansville that the meth heads among us recognized by their gaunt physiques, oversized clothing, bad teeth, and pick marks on their faces can be seen lining up in these stores to buy the biggest box that they can without being reported?…that stopping this supply chain by whatever means is necessary will go a long way toward minimizing the meth problem?…that once again MONKEY SEE MONKEY DO tactics will work?…that the Evansville Monkeys need to look to Oregon for a very effective solution?… that then the Evansville Monkeys will need to DO?

IS IT TRUE that the statewide smoking ban is gathering headlines again?…that Governor Daniels thinks that there if a chance for this to pass in the 2012 legislative session?…that there is always a chance but it has been very low so far but that the Governor and state representative Charlie Brown will push things a little further again?…that last year that the Indiana legislator added exemptions for nearly everything in the state except Kindergarten classes and weakened the bill to the point that even the American Cancer Society rejected the piece of garbage that was concocted?…that by almost any measure the City of Evansville will be dramatically strengthening the smoking ban in 2012?…that going ward by ward and with nearly any combination of at large results the 5+ votes needed to pass a smoking ban will be there?…that the 5th Ward contest may be instrumental in whether the ban will include Casino Aztar or not?

IS IT TRUE that we are sorry to learn of the decisions by the owner/managers to close two well know and locally owned retail businesses last week?…that nearly everyone in Evansville has shopped at Baumberger’s Furniture on Morgan Avenue?…that for a number of reasons including the growth of the Green River and Burkhardt retail centers the Baumberger family has decided to close the store and concentrate on their mattress outlet?…that there are probably a few more guaranteed lowest price opportunities to be had during the Baumberger’s close out sale?…that Henderson also is losing a long time business to the economy or maybe just to retirement time?…that Henderson Paint and Glass is ceasing business after 64 years of serving the community?…that the new business model of large orders and trying to compete against big box retailers has taken its toll on Main Street America and the personal way of life that many of us over 40 still appreciate and are willing to pay a little extra for?…that we will miss these two businesses and wish the owners well in their future lives?

IS IT TRUE that we really hope that there are no shenanigans pulled at the ERC meeting this morning under the guise of “other business”?…that big items like the Arena, the hotel, and the McCurdy need to be announced and published so that the public is well informed about actions that are taken regarding forwarding these projects?

IS IT TRUE? August 15, 2011 Special Evening Edition

IS IT TRUE that the author of Gulliver’s Travels, Jonathan Swift has a very famous quote attributed to him regarding the recognition of people who are considered to be geniuses?…that this quote follows and is particularly relevant in this modern day when our political leaders ignore the will of the people and seek to oppress those who speak out against them?

“When a true genius appears in the world, you may know him by this sign: that the dunces are all in confederacy against him.”
— Jonathan Swift

IS IT TRUE that it has been suggested to the City County Observer that the City of Evansville has been playing the role of a battered spouse for many years?…that the battered spouse is one who tolerates abuse, eventually accepts some responsibility for having been abused, and eventually either lashes out at the batterer and is liberated or resigns to accept victimization for the remainder of life?…that maybe Evansville is at the fork in the road and needs to make that decisions?…that when we asked who the battering spouse of the City of Evansville is that the response was a long succession of dictatorial Mayors?…that this is good seed for thought as all of our last 50 years of Mayors have not been remembered as dictatorial strongmen?…that many have?

IS IT TRUE that in staying true to the theme of a company that could tabulate tangible financial benefits by purchasing the naming rights to the new Arena the name Ameriqual was suggested?…that having a captive audience to sell MRE’s to at full retail price plus an Arena premium could really put some bucks in the coffers of Ameriqual?…that a whole new retail food source would be made available to the population of Evansville with the MRE Bistro as the concessions operator for the Arena?…that we do not believe that there is any other headquarters in town that makes its living providing food?…that if the Yum Center is any indicator that soon we may have an announcement regarding the Ameriqual Arena?

IS IT TRUE that the meeting of the Evansville Redevelopment Commission scheduled for tomorrow morning published an agenda today?…that there is no line item published in the agenda that mentions or alludes to the downtown Convention Hotel, any premium seating in the Arena, Arena naming or sponsorship rights, or the McCurdy Hotel?…that it really is still too early for the hotel vetting to be complete?…that the rest of these issues should be on and ERC Agenda soon?

IS IT TRUE that the ideal weather of the past weekend was a great opportunity to get out of the house and do something?…that the crowd at Ellis Park was capacity as times of old?…that Evansville and Henderson are very fortunate to still have live horse racing in late summer to enjoy?…that it seems like in 2011 that July had August weather and that August is having July weather?…that we would love to see four more weeks of weather like last week?

IS IT TRUE? Part 2 August 15, 2011

IS IT TRUE that the City County Observer and its quest for good public policy will be at the lectern at the Northside Kiwanis Club tomorrow?…that civic organizations area also taking note of the style and substance that the CCO introduces into the local discussion?…that in a load speed test that the CCO website was measured to load in 2.03 seconds, a full 30% faster than the website of the Courier and Press?…that lots of candidates for office and their advocates are contacting the CCO about what needs to be done in Evansville to make it a better place?…that we expect to see the demand for more information to start focusing on the two candidates for Mayor of Evansville within days?

IS IT TRUE that the City County Observer has been supplied with a supplement to the FOIA request that we had made regarding the $100,000 fee that Old National Insurance received for serving as the insurance advisor to the Evansville Redevelopment Commission for the Arena project?…that in the 10 page insurance consultancy contract between the ERC and ONI there is a provision in Exhibit A under Compensation section B that commits that ONI will not receive a commission for the policies brokered for the ERC?…that should put to rest the theory of being paid to tell the ERC what to buy and then getting a commission for selling it to them?…that the sum total of the compensation for ONI as per contract is $100,000?…that a very pertinent question would be “if ONI had worked for a commission only instead of a consulting fee, would the ERC have paid more or less money than the $100,000 that was paid”?…that the total premiums for the coverage recommended by ONI appears to be $321,050?…that ONI’s fee of $100,000 amounts to 31% of the insurance premiums?…that this seems like it is a bit higher than most commission structures that our insurance industry friends receive?

IS IT TRUE that we will investigate this further and publish whether the ERC saved money or spent more than it would have on commissions by doing the fixed fee insurance contract with ONI?

IS IT TRUE that Democratic candidate for Mayor of Evansville was sighted in front of the old abandoned fire house on Columbia Street near Hose House #10 that Mayor Weinzapfel wanted to close this morning with a camera crew in tow?…that we are interested to learn whether a commercial was being shot for the Davis campaign or whether yet another position statement was being made?

IS IT TRUE that in 2003 that the State of Oregon was busting 39 meth labs each month?…that the State of Oregon took the bold step of becoming the first state to pass a law requiring prescriptions for PSE products such as Sudafed and Claritin-D?…that in the following 3 years after making the meth making ingredients “by prescription only” that the State of Oregon only had 46 meth lab incidents?…that this is an annualized decrease in meth lab incidents of 96.7%?…that if that is not evidence of success that should be emulated then we wonder what will it take to get other states on board to do this?…that we stand beside our fundamental belief that this meth problem needs active legislative changes to make headway?…that if educating people was going to work it would have worked already?