IS IT TRUE July 6, 2012

IS IT TRUE the people of Evansville have been officially put on notice that the conditions with local water due to the drought conditions are severe enough to merit that they are asked to conserve water?…this happens from time to time and that voluntary compliance to conserve in times that mother nature’s wrath creates unfavorable conditions is a time when people can pull together and build the character that comes from joint sacrifice?…that in such time we look to our elected leaders to set the example for the rest of us?…that this morning, the sprinklers at the Civic Center and in the public areas of downtown Evansville were all spraying water on grass, sidewalks, and streets as though we were living in Canada and water were not experiencing drought conditions?…if this is the kind of example and leadership that is coming from the City of Evansville that owns the water department then we are is one sorry situation?…the aristocratic model of you save some bread so I can have a feast has no place in a water shortage?…the City of Evansville and the Water Department employees who allowed these sprinklers to come on when everyone else is being asked to conserve ought to have some consequence?…that we suspect whomever is in charge simply did not have the presence of mind to even think to turn the sprinklers off?…that you get what you vote for?

IS IT TRUE that we have been asked whether or not the artifacts of Roberts Stadium that are being auctioned off by Wilson Auction were subject to an RFP process when the auction company was chosen?…we understand that one of the owners of Wilson Auction and Mayor Winnecke’s Chief of Staff Steve Schaeffer are great friends?…it would have been prudent if the auction company choice had been made as a result of competitive bidding?…it seems as though this may have happened as a result of someone having no presence of mind too?

IS IT TRUE that the “official” unemployment rate held steady at 8.2% for the month of June with the economy only adding 80,000 jobs?…the “official” underemployment rate is still hovering around 18%?…the problem with both of those numbers as pointed out in today’s Washington Post is that people who have used all of their unemployment benefits, are discouraged from searching for a job, or who have essentially gone underground and are working for cash are not counted?…the unofficial but more accurate unemployment and underemployment rate is thought by people in the know to be closer to 25% than any of the official reports dare to admit?…that a large number of people who used up the last of their benefits contributed to the flat “official” report of 8.2%?

IS IT TRUE that the Vanderburgh County Council is on a shopping spree?…they are considering purchasing the old EVSC headquarters building behind the green grass Civic Center and have approved the purchase of two new cars for the County Assessor’s office?…our County Council also approved two 10-year tax abatements for a new food-production business that MIGHT CHOOSE to come to Vanderburgh County?…we may just know soon whether or not our elected officials and their surrogates can actually buy a few jobs?

IS IT TRUE July 5, 2012

IS IT TRUE this week seems to be the week of the Request for Proposal (RFP) once again in the City of Evansville?…there are proposal request being issued to demolish Roberts Stadium and to build and operate a downtown Convention Hotel?…the RFP requests for these two activities are beginning to feel like the movie “Groundhog Day” where Bill Murray was caught in a time warp where he lived the same day over and over and over?…it was expected that a new RFP would be going out for a downtown Convention Hotel but the RFP to demolish Roberts Stadium was a big surprise?…we were under the impression based on the news releases from the Weinzapfel Administration that the Roberts Stadium demolition was only going to cost $200,000 and that Klenck Construction was doing it for that much money because the materials in the building were valuable enough for them to earn what they needed through recycling?…we also wonder if Klenck has been paid for the demolition of the Executive Inn so the new Ford Center would not have a big Rock Pile right behind it?…that it seems like the circus is here to stay and the news regarding Roberts Stadium and the downtown Convention Hotel is a rerun from 2010, and 2009, and 2008?

IS IT TRUE that the Hunden Study that the City of Evansville spent just over $100,000 to acquire is available and the City County Observer has a copy?…the same goes for the RFP for the downtown Convention Hotel?…both documents exceed the upload capacity that we have access to so we can’t post them?…Hunden has them available for public download on their website?…with respect to the hotel study the financial details of the Hunden Study nearly mirror an article published in the CCO over 2 years ago?…that article took roughly 4 hours to research and write but that all in all the Hunden Study is competently written and is accurate?…the Hunden Study separates the hotel from infrastructure requirements like parking, bridges, and sidewalks?…that when the numbers are all added up depending on the size of downtown Convention Hotel chosen the public investment has been recommended to be between $16 Million and $22 Million to make this a decent investment for a private developer?…that is no guarantee that Evansville will really attract a quality developer for that amount, it simply means that real data indicates that this investment has a decent probability of making a profit if all the stars align?

IS IT TRUE one of the sections in the Hunden Study that is quite interesting to read is the section that covers conventions in Evansville and the prospects of attracting conventions to Evansville?…the number of conventions in Evansville has declined by over 50% during the last several years?…The Centre has most certainly suffered financially as a result of this loss of business?…the random delusional management of this project by the Weinzapfel Administration may have dealt a death blow to the convention business in the City of Evansville?…even in the best case downtown Evansville will have gone without a Convention Hotel to support The Centre for a period of about 7 years when a new one opens?…it is possible that no respondent will come forth and that Evansville may never have a hotel at The Centre?…the READY, FIRE, AIM politics and planning of the Weinzapfel Administration can be thanked for this big empty lot and for the loss of 50% of convention revenue for a period of at least 7 years?

IS IT TRUE that the same VETTING talent and READY, FIRE, AIM mentality that resulted in that empty lot and a bunch of empty pockets did the VETTING on the Johnson Controls contract?…that is something to think very seriously about as that particular deal is being VETTED?…the CCO would like to commend the Winnecke Administration for making sure that the Hunden Study and the RFP are available to the general public?…that is the kind of transparency we were promised and we thank them for doing what they said on this matter?