(Evansville, IN) Declaring that citizens have been squeezed too much, Vanderburgh County Treasurer and Evansville mayoral candidate Rick Davis today announced his opposition to Vectren’s proposed fee increase. The company last week asked the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission to approve an increase of $1.08 per customer to pay for a $32 million project at its power plant in Posey County.

“Today I am sending a letter to the public utility commission asking them to deny this increase”, Davis said. “In addition to the burden it imposes, the increase fails to factor in the fact that the company’s operating costs will decrease as they use less coal to provide power with the new technology.”

Davis said that Vectren’s rates–the highest in the state–are already too high and criticized their demand for a guaranteed 7.3% return. “It is totally unrealistic of Vectren to demand a 7.3 percent return in this economy,” Davis said. “Families are struggling to make ends meet. Many people simply cannot afford yet another Vectren rate hike.”

Davis also questioned the fairness of the proposed fee hike. “Why should the person living in an apartment or small house be asked to assume the same burden as someone living in a mansion? It is simply not fair,” Davis said. “The person in the mansion benefits more from the use of less coal than the person in an apartment.”

Davis pointed out that Vectren’s high rates are undermining Evansville’s competitiveness as a place to live and do business. “Vectren’s rates have been escalating for the past decade to the level that they are significantly higher than our neighboring cities. It is time to put the breaks on this alarming trend because it is undercutting our ability to attract new business to Evansville.”

Davis said he plans to appear before the Utility Regulatory Commission to testify against the proposed rate increase when it holds hearings. Dates for such hearings have not yet been set. At the request of State Representative Gail Riecken, the Commission has indicated it will hold hearings in Evansville.

Davis also criticized his Republican opponent, Lloyd Winnecke, for failing to join in the fight against Vectren’s rate hike, noting that former Vectren CEO Niel Ellerbrook is a big donor to Winnecke’s campaign. Ellerbrook donated $5,000 to Winnecke’s campaign in the Primary Election and also hosted a fundraiser for Winnecke this summer.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contacts: Krista Lockyear, Co-Chair
812-422-9444
Jeff Mulzer, Co-Chair
812-547-7921

JOBS FOR SOUTHWESTERN INDIANA MAKES FALL CANDIDATE ENDORSEMENTS

EVANSVILLE, Ind. (September 23, 2011) – The Jobs for Southwestern Indiana Political Action Committee (JPAC) announced their endorsements today for the elections of Mayor of Evansville and Evansville City Council.

JPAC is endorsing the following candidates based on their support of The Chamber’s top priorities:

Mayor: Lloyd Winnecke
“Lloyd has experience as a public official and as a business manager; he has proven executive skills and has been a leader in the government consolidation process,” stated JPAC Co-Chair Jeff Mulzer.

City Council, 2nd Ward: Missy Mosby
“We are encouraged by Missy’s passion for public service, her hands-on commitment to her constituents and her accomplishments, especially bringing about extensive sewer upgrades in the 2nd ward,” Mulzer stated.

City Council, 3rd Ward: Alan Leibundguth
“Alan brings a unique skill set with his long and significant record of military service and his business education (MBA),” Mulzer stated.

City Council, 5th Ward: John Friend
“John understands the need to streamline local government, particularly the construction-permitting process to encourage business expansion, and he brings no-nonsense financial skills from his experience as a CPA,” stated JPAC Co-Chair Krista Lockyear.

City Council, 6th Ward: Shaun Short
“Shaun has a strong accounting background. As a newcomer, he has a good understanding of the issues facing the City that the Council will need to address during his term,” Mulzer stated.

City Council, At-Large: Bill Kramer
“Bill is a business owner that is actively involved with non-profits. He will bring his business sense to bear on Council issues,” Mulzer stated.

City Council, At-Large: Michelle Mercer
“Michelle has demonstrated a commitment to quality of life issues that will make Evansville a healthier community, and an ability to work within budgets to accomplish goals, while maintaining fiscal responsibility,” stated Lockyear.

City Council, At-Large: Conor O’Daniel
“Conor has a good grasp of how government operates and where improvements can be made; his extensive experience as an attorney provides him with skills that will serve the Council well,” stated Lockyear.

During this election cycle, The Chamber surveyed candidates for city office. The video-taped interviews can be viewed at www.ccswin.com.

The Chamber of Commerce of Southwest Indiana created JPAC in 1996 as a separate organization to support pro-business candidates for local and state offices. JPAC is an 11-person, bi-partisan board co-chaired by a republican and a democrat who serve on The Chamber’s Board of Directors.

IS IT TRUE that the City County Observer has done something that grabs headlines and attracts politicians like a flame attracts moths?…that we have “CREATED A JOB”?…that every time the act of CREATING A JOB or TWO with the dream of creating a larger number of jobs is announced by any business with a pulse that politicians and their posse flock around the JOB CREATING BUSINESSPERSON like flies at a picnic?…that politicians and their posse will come around with golden shovels, giant pairs of scissors, ribbons, and camera crews for just about any out of town business that creates any kind of job whatsoever?…that this is not just an Evansville thing, it is a nationwide epidemic?

IS IT TRUE that politicians and their posse seem to have a distinct taste for jobs that move here over jobs that are grown here?…that if a local company expands there is seldom any fanfare and the politicians and their posse are not seen or heard of?…that a job attracted with the anticipation of more jobs in the future is often rewarded with tax abatements, training grants, and even with an incentive check?…that when it was announced on WGBF 1280 am yesterday morning that the City County Observer has created one job that host Evansville attorney Les Shively commented that the CCO had created one more job than President Barack Obama?…that we assure everyone that there has been considerably less than $787 Billion spent by the CCO to create that one opportunity?

IS IT TRUE that after 4 years the CCO now has 4 people who are earning a part of their living from the publication?…that the number of public dollars and tax abatements offered to the City County Observer has been exactly ZERO?…that this is how it should be?…that what Evansville needs to really stabilize its economy and to dramatically reduce unemployment is 1,000 or so businesses to do what the City County Observer has done?…that it does not matter what those businesses do if each of them grows to between 4 and 10 people that will mean between 4,000 and 10,000 jobs for this region plus the accumulation of wealth that results from business ownership?

IS IT TRUE that given the nature of our writing and our mission to use publishing to further good public policy in Evansville that we do not expect that there will be golden shovels, red ribbons, giant scissors, or smiling politicians at a news conference in the CCO’s immediate future?…that if we started publishing in some other city and CREATED A JOB with the anticipation of creating 10 or 20 more that yes the politicians and their posse would be flocking around us?…that when Google, Apple, Groupon, LinkedIn, and a host of other businesses hired their first employees that no politicians with their posse came around either?

IS IT TRUE that there were plenty of politicians, their donors, their posse, and their sycophants hanging around Solyndra?…that while solar may be one of the energy options of the future that committing over $500 Million in federal money and arranging for photo ops to build a factory with no customers is just plain dumb?…that our elected leaders seem to have misplaced priorities and limited vision when it comes to really CREATING JOBS?

USI’s Center for Human Resource Development in the Division of Outreach and Engagement will offer a series of noncredit social media courses covering Facebook, Google +, LinkedIn, Prezi, and Twitter. A workshop on social media business policies and implementation will also be offered.

Dana Nelson, social strategist at OutCloud, will instruct each course. Nelson is the co-chair and founding member of the Evansville Social Media Club and serves on the board of advisors for the Social Media Club Education Connection.

According to Nelson, Facebook tops Google in weekly traffic in the United States and more than 80,000 web sites have implemented Facebook since 2008. LinkedIn has more than 50 million members worldwide and approximately 1.3 million tweets are posted per hour on Twitter.

“It doesn’t matter what you think of social media,” said Nelson. “What matters is that’s how your clients are communicating, so you need to care.”

Courses will meet at USI or Innovation Pointe located at 318 Main Street in downtown Evansville.

The series includes:

Thursday, September 29
Making Business Connections with LinkedIn
Course number BUS576
Get hands on training and discover how to get more sales and leads by using LinkedIn. Participants will learn how to get the most out of their efforts with this increasingly popular tool.
The course will meet from 6 to 9 p.m. at Innovation Pointe and registration is $51.

Two Wednesdays, October 4 and 11
Social Media 101 For Businesses
Course number BUS575
This intense workshop will explain the “why’s” and “how to’s” of Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter. Participants will gain an understanding of where they want to go with social media. Time management will also be covered. Workshop meetings will take place from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. at Innovation Pointe and registration is $129.

Thursday, October 13
Wow them with a Prezi Presentation
Course number BUS577
Bring life to any type of presentation using the free Internet downloadable program Prezi. Steps above the typical slide show presentation, Prezi keeps any audience’s attention with the use of zooming and rotating animations. Participants will learn how to use this innovative and intriguing software to add a modern and energetic feel to any presentation. The course will meet from 6 to 9 p.m. at Innovation Pointe and registration is $51.

Wednesday, October 19
Social Media Business Policies and Implementation Workshop
Course number BUS580
A company that decides not to address social media has already chosen a policy, the policy of not having a voice in new media. This workshop will help participants understand what they need to create an online policy, or amend their current one, and give ideas and suggestions on how to present the policy to employees. The workshop will take place from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. at USI in University Center East and registration is $129.

Thursday, October 25
The Ins and Outs of Google +
Course number BUS578
Google + is a perfect mix of all the great features that are offered through Facebook and Twitter. The main objective of this new social platform is to make social networking the same as interpersonal communication that occurs in day-to-day life. The course will meet from 6 to 9 p.m. at Innovation Pointe and registration is $51.

For more information, or to register, contact the Division of Outreach and Engagement at 812/464-1989 or 800/467-8600. Registrations can also be completed online at https://www.usi.edu/extserv/ssl/regform.asp.

Source: USI.edu

2.03 Good News (Vice President Duckworth)
2.04 Public Comment Cards

3. Consent Items (Dr. David Smith)
3.01 Consideration of Minutes of the September 12, 2011 Board meeting
3.02 Consideration of Allowance of Payments
3.03 Consideration to purchase items from Extracurricular Accounts
3.04 Consideration to submit five grants
3.05 Consideration to approve the agreement between EVSC and Prorehab, PC
3.06 Consideration to approve the agreement between EVSC and AmeriCorps
3.07 Consideration to approve the agreement between EVSC and Patrick Shoulders
3.08 Consideration to adopt preliminary bond resolution
3.09 Consideration to approve the resolutions to name facilities and/or areas of EVSC
3.10 Consideration to approve the agreement between EVSC and Education Program for Gifted Youth
3.11 Consideration to approve the change orders regarding the new North campus

4. Consideration of Personnel Recommendations (Pat Tuley)
4.01 Personnel Recommendations

5. Action Items (Pat Tuley)
5.01 Resolution Permitting the Investment of Surplus Funds for Total Monies
5.02 Adoption of the school budget for calendar year 2012
5.03 Adoption of the 2012-2014 Capital Projects Fund
5.04 Adoption of the 2012-2023 Bus Replacement Fund
5.05 Tax Neutrality Resolution

6. Information
6.01 EVSC Climate/Engagement Survey Discussion (McDowell Riley)
6.02 General Fund Monthly Review (Tuley)
6.03 Monthly 5% over expended report (Tuley)
6.04 Summary of Cash Balances by Fund (Tuley)
6.05 Expenditure Ledger Summary by Function and Object (Tuley)
6.06 2 Year Revenue Comparison (Tuley)

7. Public Comment
7.01 Public Comment

8. Continued Business (Dr. Smith)
8.01 Continued Business
9. Adjournment