IS IT TRUE? November 15, 2011 Special Evening Edition

IS IT TRUE that Mole #44 tells us that a special executive meeting of the Evansville Redevelopment Commission will be called as soon as this Thursday to hear the status of the Hunden Strategic Partners work that has been done to VET the two bidders to accept the terms offered to build a downtown Convention Hotel?…that word all around town is that Mayor Weinzapfel has a sense of urgency to see a contract signed to move forward with the hotel project before his last day in office which is now only 46 days away?…that this is indeed unfinished business but the CCO believes that rushing this through at the last minute when it is a decision that will have to be managed and lived with by the Winnecke Administration is simply irresponsible?…that no matter if the winning bid is from Prime Lodging or Kunkel that shoving this through in the last days of the Weinzapfel Administration will taint the winner with the scent of CRONEY CAPITALISM and bring undue scrutiny upon the project?

IS IT TRUE that without calling names that it is highly inappropriate and looks absolutely horrible for members of the Evansville City Council to be spotted in any luxury suite with either Kunkel or Prime Lodging?…that such things will not only serve to promote the appearance of corruption but will even further open the bidding process up to allegations of insider deals?…that members of the current and incoming Evansville City Council should have the good sense to exercise discretion and good judgment when it comes to openly partying with either bidder?

IS IT TRUE that at this late stage of the downtown Convention Hotel saga, the best course of action is to seal the results of the forthcoming report by the Hunden Strategic Partners and to leave this decision to the Winnecke Administration and whomever is appointed to the 2012 incarnation of the Evansville Redevelopment Commission?…that at this late stage that if a decision is made it should be after the Hunden Report has been released to the press for a period of at least 30 days?…that making a decision without releasing the Hunden Report and the rationale for a decision that is backed up by the Hunden Report will give us all a sense of déjà vu back to the announcement of the deal handed to City Centre Properties to convert the McCurdy into 90 luxury apartments?…that the Winnecke Administration does not need a pre-emptive albatross hung around its neck in the name of CRONEY CAPITALISM?

IS IT TRUE that the United States Supreme Court has agreed to hear the case regarding whether or not the mandatory purchase of health insurance is constitutional?…that the expected date of this proceeding is June of 2012?…that this is right in the beginning of the big push for the nominations for the next President of the United States?…that we believe that this may be the first time ever that a central platform of a sitting President will be up for constitutional review during an election year?…that the elections of 2012 are already shaping up to be very interesting?

IS IT TRUE? November 15, 2011 Part 2

IS IT TRUE that according to the Vanderburgh County Assessor’s website that the deadline has passed for each and every property owner including City Centre Properties LLC of Carmel, IN that owns tract #82-06-30-020-005.002-029, aka the McCurdy Hotel to pay their taxes?…that the tax bill on that property that was due last week is $10,268.66 and that the Vanderburgh County Assessors website indicates that the payment is still due?…that means a penalty of 5% is now added to the total?…that at day 31 that penalty is increased to 10%?…that the choice to pay or not to pay this tax bill serves as an early indicator as to whether City Center Properties LLC has the means or intention to move forward with this project?…that many properties appear to have paid so this is probably not the slow moving of the website?…that the Evansville Redevelopment Commission is now proven powerless to do anything about this non-payment?…that we will patiently await the next action but are not necessarily expecting any good news regarding this issue?

IS IT TRUE that today is the last day that Stratman’s Pharmacy will be open?…that the closing of Stratman’s will leave another large space available in downtown Evansville?…that this makes three new vacancies in the last couple of weeks?…that the restaurant that was in the basement of the Marlocon Building also closed its doors after a very short time in business?…that this restaurant location has now seen two businesses come and go during the last three years?…that the other emptied out storefront is also in the Marlocon where the Rug Merchant was in and out and then VenuWorks went in but was always destined for the Ford Center so that on was a planned move?…that on the positive side there is a request for a special liquor by the drink permit to be granted for an unnamed establishment that may be going in at 524 Main Street right next to the Maingate?…that the Maingate got a special deal a couple of years ago and that whatever special deal was made for the Maingate should also be extended to any business that wishes to sell drinks on Main Street?

IS IT TRUE that the Ford Center is now being praised for creating 400 part time and 25 full time jobs?…that whomever puts out statements like this must think that downtown Evansville is a different city than the corner of Boeke and the Lloyd Expressway?…that moving a number of jobs from one part of town to another part of the same town never has and never will constitute job creation?…that sometimes government officials just seem to be idiotic when it comes to making announcements with respect to job creation?…that the only jobs created by moving the entertainment from Roberts Stadium to the Ford Center would be net new jobs in excess of what was at Roberts to begin with?…that we are pretty sure that the 25 full time jobs announced are equivalent to what was at Roberts already?…that we are not so sure about the part time jobs but that creating a part time job is not really the same as a full time job is anyway?…that this is all sleight of hand and smoke and mirrors?…that it does not do the Ford Center justice to attribute things that simply are not true to its presence?…that the Ford Center may very well incent some job creation but moving already existing jobs down there does not constitute job creation?

IS IT TRUE that last night’s meeting of the Evansville City Council was the night for Vectren to state their cases for who they are, what they do, and why they do it here?…that the president and CEO of Vectren Mr. Carl Chapman opened the much anticipated “Friendquisition” with a long but very well done presentation that addressed all of the humanitarian, charitable, and other community partnering that Vectren does with local entities?…that we also were told how many employees Vectren has in their Evansville headquarters, how many taxes they pay, and how much the culture of Vectren is adding to life here in SW Indiana?…that the one very clear thing from the first 90% of the presentation was that Mr. Chapman is an excellent speaker and has the benefit of a superb staff to help prepare him to speak before something as small as the Evansville City Council or as large as the board of directors of a Wall Street investment firm?…that Mr. Chapman is the CEO of a NYSE company and is expected to have these skills?…that seeing some members of the City Council sit there listening with blank looks upon their faces clearly emphasized that when it comes to presentations skills and technical depth that most of the Evansville City Council is no match for Carl Chapman?

IS IT TRUE that one member of the City Council that seemed to follow Mr. Chapman’s presentation with respect to electricity rates and the dense pack proposal was Councilman John Friend, CPA who expressed that he had some experience working with utilities?…that the dense pack project that stirred this whole mess up seems to simply be the straw that broke the camel’s back because the words “rate increase” were associated with it?…that after many corrections and clarifications that particular project seems to be positive for the ratepayers?…that it was nice to hear Mr. Chapman use the term customers as opposed to the more commonly used term ratepayers which makes us customers seem more like mules than customers?

IS IT TRUE that Councilman Friend brought up two valid points regarding the fact that the rates that Evansville customers pay the highest rates in the State of Indiana and roughly triple what is paid across the river in Henderson?…that we understand that Vectren has gotten ahead of the EPA curve and that our rates were approved by the Indiana Utilities Regulatory Commission based upon Vectren’s requests and investments?…that the CCO and Councilman Friend do not think that Vectren is crooked, we just know that they are very expensive?…that Councilman Friend referred to a recent article from the Louisville Courier Journal where it was stated that Kentucky Utilities (KU) will see a rate increase of 11.2% to a level of $0.0747 per kWh by the year 2016 due to the investments that they will be making to meet EPA standards?…that if that is true that our friends who are on KU will reach attainment by 2016 and will still be paying HALF OF WHAT VECTREN CHARGES TODAY?…that Mr. Chapman’s response to Councilman Friend’s question was that the article was not correct?…that sort of put that argument on hold?

IS IT TRUE that on page 5 of the “Rates and Terms” public document obtained from the KU website that the rate for residential service is stated right now to be $0.06719 per kWh with a monthly connection fee of $8.50?…that if one calculates the increase to reach the number of $0.0747 that it is indeed 11.2% giving credence to the Courier Journal report?…that if we are to believe both the Courier Journal and the official KU rate sheet that it would support exactly what Councilman Friend stated?…that this is a point that deserves more attention at the November 28th meeting because Councilman Friend and Mr. Chapman seem to be at odds over the facts?…that a link to the KU rate sheet is provided below?

https://city-countyobserver.com/2011/11/15/kentucky-utilities-electric-rate-disclosure-document/

IS IT TRUE that another issue that was brought up by Councilman Friend that was clearly understood by Mr. Chapman is the fact that 27 Governors have filed lawsuits against the EPA to relax the requirements?…that if the standards are relaxed and other areas are let off the hook for making the huge investments that Vectren has already made that SW Indiana could be stranded as an island of excessive electricity costs for a long time?…that this will serve as a deterrent to economic development projects that are power hungry?…that in the presentation no successful attraction projects that have been brought into Evansville in recent history are large users of electricity?…that there are several documented cases of small businesses leaving Evansville for Henderson to get cheaper power?

IS IT TRUE that Councilman Friend also brought up the issue of the value of carbon credits and how their value affects ratepayers?…that no real answer with dollars attached to it came from Mr. Chapman on this topic?…that Councilman Friend may be onto something of interest with respect to carbon credits as he has had several discussions in the past with Vectren officials and others and has gotten several different answers?…that we encourage the Evansville City Council to cancel their meeting that is scheduled for November 28th at 5:30 and conflicts with the IURC meeting that will be at the Centre at the exact same time?

IS IT TRUE? November 14, 2011 Evening Laughs and Condolences

IS IT TRUE all of the staff of the City County Observer are agreeing to stand in solidarity with the NBA players union?…that we all refuse to play basketball for less than a couple of million dollars per year?…that no matter how much they beg we are resolute not to even practice our free throws for less than $1 Million per season each?…that we won’t even answer their phone calls?

IS IT TRUE that Mole #3 called in from South Florida with a tip that Evansville City Councilwoman Missy Mosby is considering taking on Indiana State Representative Gail Riecken in the Democrat primary to punch her ticket to Indianapolis?…that we did have to ask Mole #3 if it had been adapting to the hard drinking lifestyle of South Florida as this was completely out of left field?…that we shall keep our local feelers out to see if there is any truth to Mole #3’s first contact in the last week?…that we think there may be some rum involved with this tip?

IS IT TRUE that excluding the well rehearsed and presented words of Vectren Corporation president and CEO Carl Chapman that we will address in the morning that tonight’s meeting of the Evansville City Council made the meetings regarding racing pigeons look rational?…that there was a 45 minute discussion on changing the zoning so a man that has an 8 bedroom house could put a mother in law apartment on his property?…that he must not have wanted his mother in law within 7 bedrooms of where he sleeps because he was asking for rezoning to add another structure for them to live in?…that neighbors did not believe him and neither did the Evansville City Council because his request was shot down by a vote of 8 – 1?

IS IT TRUE that the last act of comedy at the Evansville City Council was brought to us courtesy of Jeff Day?…that Mr. Day was upset because there is a flag of Canada in the Ford Center to make the Canadian hockey players feel more at home?…that Mr. Day did seem to have a valid point that the City Council and the manager of VenuWorks, Mr. Scott Schoenike did not understand the proper protocol regarding he flying of the flags and that he entered an instruction into the record of the Evansville City Council?…that City Councilman Dr. H. Dan Adams took Mr. Day on and supported the tradition of flying Canadian flags in places where hockey is played?…that Mr. Day countered and we must say very effectively asking if we would be flying the Mexican flag if most of the players were Mexicans?…that at that point the President B. J. Watts took the first opportunity to close the discussion and adjourn the meeting?…that for those of us out in TV land who can read lips it was obvious that President Watts clearly said “that guy needs to shut the f#@% up” to City Clerk Alberta Matlock as they were leaving the desk?

IS IT TRUE that Schoenike is a three syllable word that is pronounced “Shay-Nuh-Kee” as opposed to “Shay-Nike” as Mr. Day pronounced his name?…that we encourage everyone in Evansville to learn how to pronounce Scott’s last name as it appears he will be here for as long as he likes if the attendance at the Ford Center continues as it has started?

IS IT TRUE that it was disclosed today that Stratman’s Pharmacy on Main Street will be closing tomorrow?…that as skeptical as we have been about the job creating capacity of the Ford Center we did not expect to see a closure of a business happen so soon?…that the people who have bought lofts really did need Stratman’s and that it is a blow to downtown living to see Stratman’s go?…that we do know John Stratman to be a good man and wish him peace and prosperity in his next phase of life?…that a superb restaurant that has lunch and dinner would work well in that location and we hope to be trying one out soon?…that this will be a big test of the attractive capacity of the Ford Center?