IS IT TRUE that another officer of the Vanderburgh County Democrat Party has resigned his position?…that Adam Schaaf, the Democrat Party Committeeman for Precinct 2-1 tendered his resignation to Party Chairman Mark Owen citing the behavior of local Democrat Party leaders with respect to insider attacks on the Davis for Mayor campaign as reason for his resignation?…that Mr. Schaaf’s resignation letter addressed to Chairman Owen included the following paragraph?

“I certainly hope that Indiana Democratic Party Chairman Dan Parker moves swiftly with a full investigation of the Vanderburgh County Democrat Party. In closing, as a Democrat, I remain committed to upholding central Democratic values within our community. I wish the best to ALL of the Democrat winners on the ballot in 2011 the in their quest to represent our fair city and they remain committed to moving our city forward. I will look forward to a time when I may serve my fellow citizens again.”

IS IT TRUE that even though Evansville City Councilwoman Elect Stephanie Brinkerhoff-Riley did not share her reasons for her own resignation from the Vanderburgh County Democrat Party we know her to also be a person who is as Mr. Schaaf, “committed to upholding Democrat values within our community”?…that during the campaign one of the things that the CCO learned about Councilwoman Elect Riley is that she is a person of pure convictions and that she through her own deliberations has chose to further the political positions of the Democrat Party?…that we never caught her in a falsehood or a dirty trick toward her equally virtuous but ideologically different Alan Leibundguth?

IS IT TRUE that people who enter politics from a place of conviction founded on thoughts, all deserve respect and that we came during the campaign to greatly respect both Councilwoman Elect Riley and Mr. Leibundguth?…that it is people like these two who are different yet grounded that can make government work?…that our expectations for both of the 3rd Ward candidates was that they would be true to their ideology and would never alter their fundamental beliefs for political convenience?…that the CCO wishes Councilwoman Elect Riley success as a member of our City Council and would welcome her explanation for resigning from the local Democrat Party but will respect her decision to keep that information private if she chooses to do so?…that our opinion of her is that she will be part of the solutions needed for a better Evansville and that we will know where she stands based on who she is and not on who some political strongman tells her to be?

IS IT TRUE that we went from shorts and T-shirts on election day to coats and freezing within 48 hours?…that is the way fall is in SW Indiana and that we at the CCO are grateful for the warm weather that we have been able to enjoy 1/3 of the way into November?

IS IT TRUE that we are thankful that the news of shootings in the 4th Ward has come to a halt?…that we would like to commend the people of the 4th Ward and especially those in the community of faith who have stepped up to lead the effort to take back their neighborhoods?…that we are also thankful for the upcoming Thanksgiving Holiday and that we wish all of our readers a happy time with their families?…that everyone does not have the means for a good meal on Thanksgiving and that the CCO would like to encourage our readers to make a donation to the Evansville Rescue Mission to provide Thanksgiving meals for people among us who may be having a bad year?

IS IT TRUE? November 11, 2011 Part 2 What Next?

IS IT TRUE that some people who dwell in the unincorporated parts of Vanderburgh County have been expressing a re-consideration of previous positions with respect to consolidation after Tuesday’s Evansville City Council elections?…that it has become painfully clear to some that the City of Evansville is now through brain drain, population shrinkage, and dependence on government subsidies is now either at or near the point of no return for Republicans to ever have a potent voting block on the Evansville City Council?…that some people from the county who have been adamantly opposed to consolidation on the basis that the City of Evansville has too many problems that will cost county people money for little or no benefit are now reconsidering based on what basically is a mercy mission?…that to paraphrase a staunch opponent of consolidation “it is now clear that Evansville will never fix itself, so we will have to consolidate and help Evansville or watch it rot down before our eyes”?…that this has been the unspoken reason for many consolidations including ones in Louisville, Lexington, and Nashville?…that this subject will be rather interesting during 2012?

IS IT TRUE that that this 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 yesterday 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 pretty much powerless to do anything about this non-payment?

IS IT TRUE that the CCO is eagerly awaiting the agenda for next Tuesday’s meeting of the Evansville Redevelopment Commission to see if there is anything at all about the McCurdy Hotel or the downtown Convention Hotel VETTING process on the agenda?…that this incarnation of the ERC has only three more meetings scheduled before Mayor Elect Lloyd Winnecke takes over?…that there are only three more opportunities for this ERC to hold public discussions regarding the two most prominent yet unresolved construction fiascos of the Weinzapfel Administration?…that it would be best to let the Winnecke Administration handle the downtown Convention Hotel decision after the first of the year?…that first there was no VETTING and now there is a prolonged VETTING process that could have and should have been completed in a month?…that in China hotels are built in less time than it has taken to VET two proposals in Evansville?…that leaves one wondering just how on earth we can compete on a global scale to do anything?

IS IT TRUE that there are three Evansville based high school football teams still in the hunt for an Indiana State Championship?…that the CCO sends good luck and good wishes to the Central Bears, Mater Dei Wildcats, and the Memorial Tigers to go out and win this weekend?

IS IT TRUE that on this Veteran’s Day the City County Observer would like to take this opportunity to thank and honor all of our Military Veterans?…that whether it is the Veterans of WWI, WWII, Korea, Viet Nam, Grenada, the Balkans, Iraq, Afghanistan or any number of special operations that require bravery and risk of life and limb that our Armed Services deserve honor and support from all of us?…that we raise our glass and tip our hats to all American Veterans living and dead?…that without their sacrifices our prospects for life would not be as good as they are?

IS IT TRUE that our Mole Messenger tab yesterday received a message that stated that 3rd Ward Evansville City Councilwoman Elect Stephanie Brinkerhoff-Riley has resigned from the Central Committee of the Vanderburgh County Democrat Party?…that we went straight to the person accused and Brinkerhoff-Riley confirms that she indeed did resign from her position with the Vanderburgh County Democrat Party on November 2nd?…that she did not provide any particular reason for her action?…that we have confirmed that there are a number of formal complaints that have been filed with the Indiana State Democrat Party that seek to have Evansville City Councilwoman Connie Robinson and Precinct Committeewoman Louise Williams removed from their positions within the Vanderburgh County Democrat Party?

IS IT TRUE that we shall see what happens with the local branch office of the Democrat Party?…that one thing that is for certain and that is that if the Vanderburgh County Democrat Party is to be credible then something must be done?…that if this were a business undergoing a reorganization that the entire group of officers would be fired and the office would be moved so that the dysfunctional organization could start over?…that I am told by those in the know that in politics it just doesn’t work that way?…that the lecture that the CCO was provided stated that in party politics that only loyalty matters and that performance has little meaning?…that this is why our system of choosing leaders just does not seem to be working?…that at a time that our cities are filing for bankruptcy, our states are cutting services, and our country can’t seem to agree that apples are good for you, that loyalty to rusty old POLITICAL MACHINES is the last thing that needs to prevent real talent and merit from having any interest in seeking public office?

IS IT TRUE that Mole #7 tells the CCO that former Chamber of Commerce Vice President Steve Schaeffer is under serious consideration to move into Rose Young’s office as Mayor Elect Lloyd Winnecke’s Chief of Staff?…that Mole #7 also tells us that Vanderburgh County Councilman Joe Kiefer has been in hot pursuit of being appointed to Winnecke’s seat on the Vanderburgh County Commissioners?…that will open up a seat on the County Council and that a couple of candidates are being considered for that position if Kiefer is successful in his lobbying effort to be appointed as a County Commissioner?