IS IT TRUE? Part 2 July 8, 2011 Another Survey of What Evansville Needs???

By: Joe Wallace

IS IT TRUE that Greg Wathen the President and CEO of the Economic Development Coalition for Southwest Indiana released the first phase of the anticipated study that the United States government is paying $231,000 to Garner Economics of Atlanta to do?…that the one of the bits of content of this study is to tell the people of Evansville what our plusses and minuses are?…that in management lingo this is called a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) Analysis?…that the most valuable information to improve on is your weaknesses so that you can actually use that knowledge to make things better?

IS IT TRUE that a SWOT analysis was done and published when the last master plan was done in 2000-2001?…that the weaknesses of 2001 are still the same in 2011 with a few more weaknesses added and the hole that we have dug into getting a bit deeper?…that another SWOT analysis was done as part of the WIRED initiative in 2007?…that the writer of this installment of IS IT TRUE was a participant in that SWOT analysis?…that the 2007 SWOT analysis had about 25 participants and was facilitated at USI?…that some of the legacy weaknesses were attempted to be removed from the study by a few members of the committee who are a part of the legacy and sympathetic to the current administration?…that at least one person was formally counseled about speaking out about ugly truths in what was supposed to be an open and honest forum?…that the weaknesses of the 2007 study were the same as they were in 2001 and are still the same as the “outsider” study published today?

IS IT TRUE that Evansville’s problem is that it does not use these expensive studies as a call to action to take actions designed to improve on the weaknesses?…that if the past is prologue that somewhere in the City of Evansville in a very few weeks there will be a tribunal formed of the legacy contributors to community discussions?…that the dominant parts of their discussion will have a predetermined conclusion along the story line of “them outsiders don’t understand our uniqueness and that them weaknesses ain’t weaknesses at all, they is strengths”?…that denial runs deep within the oligarchy of Evansville?…that denial runs so deep that is sometimes seems like someone must be profiting from the prevention of positive change?

IS IT TRUE that just for the sake of repeating the weaknesses that seem to get swept under the rug every six year or so that they bear repeating?…that Evansville ranks 368 out of 370 metro areas for internet connection speed?…that the Evansville Airport is not business friendly because of low numbers of flights and difficult scheduling?…that the City of Evansville is cited as unattractive and compared to rundown rural communities for attractiveness?…that the availability of professionals is so sparse that it is cited to be a hindrance to doing business here?…that as has been published in the CCO and other publications that there is exactly ZERO venture capital available?…that the utility bills are cited for being 20% above the national average and 50% above the cost in the peer cities of Davenport, IA and Chattanooga, TN?…that with respect to educated people living here that Evansville trails the nation in every single category?…that if the past is prologue for these weaknesses that NOT A DARN THING WILL BE DONE ABOUT IT UNTIL ANOTHER STUDY IS DONE IN 2017 WITH THE SAME ROTTEN RESULTS?

IS IT TRUE that the City County Observer and this author have published article after article regarding the “pall” over Evansville, the failure of the business community to establish any venture fund at all, the litter problem, the degradation of infrastructure, the lack of transparency in local government, and the appallingly uncompetitive wages that local professionals are paid?…that we would like to know where to send the bill for our services?

IS IT TRUE that last week we posted a video call “the Wayseers Manifesto” that we called a celebration of creativity and accomplishment oriented people?…that this video expressed the belief that 10% of the population are such people?…that these people that are vital to positive change are the very kind people that are so turned off by the failure of oligarchies to embrace positive change that they either leave (brain drain) or assimilate by suppressing who they are?…that when and only when Evansville can find a way to stop driving the creative and outside of the box thinkers that are born here away can it even hope to attract such people from somewhere else?

Behold the Wayseers Manifesto:

http://city-countyobserver.com/2011/07/02/the-wayseer-manifesto-a-celebration-of-pushing-the-envelope/

“Living on a Prayer: Gotta Hold on to What we Got”

IS IT TRUE? July 8, 2011

IS IT TRUE that with all of the interest in the recently disclosed interest in an outside party to lead the refurbishment of the old Greyhound Bus Station the subject of what happened to cause the rest of the block to be vacant was raised by one of our readers?…that there was a building there that some people thought had some architectural significance that had fallen into disrepair and was for all practical purposes abandoned?…that this building was known as the “Skora Building”?…that several small pieces of the ornate stonework on the Skora Building fell to the ground one night?…that when big pieces of stone start falling to the ground that is an indicator that it may just start “raining stone” in the daytime?…that the night it rained stone from the Skora Building was the catalyst that was used by the City of Evansville to issue an emergency demolition order?…that the Skora Building is no more because of the danger of “raining stone”?…that the decision of the City of Evansville to demolish the Skora Building because of the stone raining down may have been the right decision because no one stepped forward with the money to refurbish the building and that it had become a public nuisance?…that raining stone really is dangerous to the public and that when parts start falling off of buildings it is time to raise them to the ground OR refurbish them right now?

IS IT TRUE that there is some evidence that some small pieces have been falling off of the McCurdy Hotel?…that there are absolute visual indications that some big chunks of ornamental stone are nearing the point of impending motion and will be crashing to the ground?…that there is tape around every entrance to the McCurdy Hotel that forbids entry?…that some of the potential for “raining stone” at the McCurdy will endanger the general public if they are not dealt with?…that if history is any indicator AND if the current administration is consistent in its actions that WHEN and we do mean WHEN a piece of stone crashes onto the street that a raise order will have to be issued?…that this would be a shame to let this landmark follow the Skora Building and the Executive Inn to the recycling graveyard?…that the picture in this article is just the most accessible example of a rock that is ready to fall?…that separations like this could be all over the McCurdy Hotel?…that a thorough inspection by City of Evansville Building Inspectors is in order?…that that inspection if there is the will to take this puppy on WILL result in orders to do repairs to protect the public safety from the potential for “raining stone”?…that this should be done before the end of July of 2011 so that the current owners are held accountable for the deteriorating condition of the McCurdy Hotel?…that it will be a travesty if the people of Evansville are stuck holding this bag along with the Executive Inn bag, the Parks bag, and the Sewer bag?…that proper VETTING of the developer by the Evansville Redevelopment Commission could have and should have prevented the McCurdy from rotting to this point?

IS IT TRUE that it has now been 1,529 days since the announcement was made on May 14, 2007 that the McCurdy Hotel was to be refurbished into luxury apartments?…that it has now been 1,382 days since the Evansville Redevelopment Commission at the request of Mayor Weinzapfel approved the spending of $603,000 to purchase the parking lot?…that City Centre Properties and Scott Kosene the developers of the McCurdy project are both listed as contributors to the Weinzapfel for Mayor committee for 2010?

IS IT TRUE that there are now 480 days remaining in the two years that the EPA had given the City of Evansville to present an acceptable solution to the Combined Sewer Overflow problem?…..that this plan is an expensive and complex endeavor that needs immediate attention to avoid the embarrassment and expense of another round of fines?

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Five award winners will be honored at Sustainable Evansville Awards Ceremony. The application deadline is July 29, 2011.

Nomination Category
An Award will be provided to acknowledge projects that excel in each of the following 5 categories: 1) Air, 2) Water, 3) Resource enhancement & Conservation, 4) Green Community, and 5) Education.

Nominee Eligibility
Projects must have been completed during January 1, 2006 and July 29, 2011. It has to be demonstrated that the project is leading the way to a more sustainable future for the Indiana-Evansville region, including Gibson, Posey, Vanderburgh, and Warrick counties.

Judging Criteria
The judging panel will select five winners who best meet the 3 criteria: 1) Innovation, 2) Impact, and 3) Leadership.

Award Ceremony
Mayor Weinzapfel will present the Awards at the Awards Ceremony. The date, time, and place will be announced shortly.

Agenda for Meeting of Board of School Trustees
Monday, July 11, 2011

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 June 20, 2011 Board meeting
3.02 Consideration of Allowance of Payments
3.03 Consideration to purchase items from Extracurricular Accounts
3.04 Consideration to submit grant proposals
3.05 Consideration to approve the agreement between EVSC and CAPE Head Start
3.07 Consideration to approve the agreement between EVSC and Evansville Association for the Blind
3.08 Consideration to approve the agreement between EVSC and Blackboard
3.09 Consideration to approve the agreement between EVSC and Ivy Tech Community College
3.10 Consideration to approve the amendment to the agreement between EVSC and Apex Learning, Inc.
3.11 Consideration to approve the resolution to extend participation with Key Government
3.12 Consideration to approve the resolution authorizing petition to court for appointment of appraisers for North & a portion of SICTC
3.13 Consideration to realign the titles for athletic treasurers at the high schools
3.14 Consideration to approve the transfer of funds for Oak Hill School

4. Consideration of Personnel Recommendations (Dr. David Smith)
4.01 Personnel Recommendations (Smith)

5. Action Items
5.01 Appointment of Treasurer of the Board of School Trustees (Smith)

6. Public Comment
6.01 Public Comment

7. Continued Business (Dr. David Smith)
7.01 Continued Business

8. Adjournment

Time 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Subject DISABILITY ADVISORY BOARD
Location 301
Reminder 15 minutes
BONNIE FOX @ 4927
Categories ROOM 301

Of Course this took some Serious Planning and Staging to Do, not to Mention Waiver of Inspections. Can we Compete with This?

Time 8:00 AM – 10:00 AM
Subject TREE ADVISORY BOARD
Location 318
Recurrence Occurs the first Thursday of every 1 month effective 7/7/2011 until 7/7/2011 from 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM
Reminder 15 minutes
SHAWN DICKERSON @ 475-1426
Categories ROOM 318

Time 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM
Subject AFFORDABLE HOUSING
Location 318
Reminder 15 minutes
LAURA
Categories ROOM 318

Time 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM
Subject EMPO TECHNICAL
Location 301
Recurrence Occurs the first Thursday of every 1 month effective 7/7/2011 until 7/7/2011 from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM
Reminder 15 minutes
KARI @ 7833
Categories ROOM 301

Time 1:30 PM – 3:00 PM
Subject BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS
Location 301
Recurrence Occurs every Thursday effective 7/7/2011 until 7/28/2011 from 1:30 PM to 3:00 PM
Reminder 15 minutes
Sharon Evans @ 4982
Categories ROOM 301

Time 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Subject EMPO POLICY BOARD
Location 301
Recurrence Occurs the first Thursday of every 1 month effective 7/7/2011 until 7/7/2011 from 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Reminder 18 hours
KARI 2 7833
Categories ROOM 301

(EVANSVILLE, IN) – July 6, 2011 – To facilitate communication with citizens and area media outlets, Central Dispatch has set up a Twitter account to distribute emergency traffic advisories and other public safety alerts as requested by on-scene responders.

To access the Evansville Central Dispatch Twitter page, go to the link http://www.twitter.com/Evansville911 or search Twitter for “Evansville911.”

Central Dispatch supervisors will be posting the information as necessary, and content could include:
• Traffic information such as emergency road closings or restrictions.
• Missing, endangered persons.
• Other information as requested by emergency services personnel.

To report any type of emergency, call 9-1-1. Please do not attempt to contact Evansville Central Dispatch through Twitter for emergencies.

More information about Central Dispatch, including current statistics, can be found at http://www.evansvillegov.org/CentralDispatch