Councilman Friend takes us up on the offer to file for ONB Insurance recommendations, No Charge of Course

Joe Wallace, Editor
City County Observer
218 Rosemarie Court
Evansville, IN 47715

July 14, 2011

Office of the Mayor of Evansville Indiana, the Evansville Department of Metropolitan Development, and the Evansville Redevelopment Commission

RECORDS REQUEST

Dear Records Request Officer:

Pursuant to the state open records act, I request access to and copies of any contracts, agreements, and correspondence between Old National Bank and the Evansville Redevelopment Commission/City of Evansville pertaining to the insurance advice, policies, or discussion for the new Evansville Arena.

I agree to pay up to $50 to cover the cost of copying the document.

If my request is denied in whole or part, I ask that you justify all deletions by reference to specific exemptions of the act.

Thank you for your assistance.

Sincerely,

Joe J Wallace

Joe Wallace, Editor
City County Observer

IS IT TRUE? July 14, 2011

IS IT TRUE that the City County Observer is now on its 12th day of leading the Courier and Press in minutes of viewing per month as measured by 3rd party web portals Alexa.com and trafficestimate.com?…that there is a site in Cincinnati that picked up and linked to our article regarding the difficulties that the blown revenue projections for the two riverfront stadiums are causing the people of Cincinnati?…that on Wednesday that the City County Observer had the 9th most read article from that news posting service in the Cincinnati area?…that it seems as though there is blundering in government everywhere and that having the courage to actually point it out pays off?

IS IT TRUE that we are pondering on the DECLARATION OF EMERGENCY that was issued by Mayor Weinzapfel yesterday so that the removal of the Pile of Rocks that used to be the Executive Inn can proceed as an official emergency?…that this declaration will make the removal go faster because there will not be the normal need for a formal bidding process?…that people in the know understand that this will mean that they can charge a higher price since there is no bidding process to keep the prices competitive?…that we will most certainly pay more for this and get it done faster due to this DECLARATION OF EMERGENCY?…that we are curious of just what an emergency is?

IS IT TRUE that the definition of an emergency is a situation that poses an immediate risk to health, life, property or environment?…that most emergencies require urgent intervention to prevent a worsening of the situation?…that the two Piles of Rocks already have a protective construction fence around them with appropriate warnings not to enter?…that these Piles of Rocks are firmly supported on the earth and do not appear to have any potential to fall to the ground or upon to some innocent bystander?…that other than offending someone with their ugliness that these Piles of Rocks appear to be both harmless and inanimate?…that there have not be any injuries reported by the public due to these Piles of Rocks jumping the fence to attack?…that none of the daily activity reports of the Evansville Police Department have any reports of these Rocks committing any acts of violence or robbery?…that these two Piles of Rocks do not appear to pose any immediate risk to the health, life, property, or environment whatsoever?…that a call to the local office of the EPA and a conversation with EPA Director Dona Bergman yielded an answer that there is nothing in their records to indicate that there is any EPA problem handled by their office?…that this is not an emergency at all and that this declaration is only being done to expedite a matter that is fully capable of being mitigated by conventional means?

IS IT TRUE that when a Rock fell off of the Skora Building down by the Greyhound Bus Station that a justifiable emergency order was issued and the building was razed?…that when that rainbow building down on 3rd St. that once housed the FolzCity Boutique caught on fire that an emergency order was issued by Mayor Weinzapfel and the building was razed?…that the owner of the building was presented with the bill for razing the place?…that work has already been completed on the lot that the Rock Pile is on?…that Klenck Construction has done this work and has not been paid?…that it is within their legal rights to file a mechanics lien on the lot for payment?…that many business people would do exactly that to assure that they do get paid for the work that is already completed?…that a mechanics lien will force this issue when and if a hotel developer is ever properly vetted to begin a hotel?

IS IT TRUE that the last time that the ERC met, that John Kish mentioned that there would be a change order needed to complete the debris removal at the Pile of Rocks?…that the DECLARATION OF EMERGENCY that the Mayor just made will eliminate the need to go out for bids or even to disclose that there is was a cost overrun that is large enough to require a new bid?…that we wonder just how much influence that suppressing this information played in the decision to declare an emergency for something that is clearly not a classic emergency?

Time 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Subject MBE/WBE UTILIZATION BOARD
Location 318
Recurrence Occurs the second Thursday of every 1 month effective 7/14/2011 until 7/14/2011 from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Reminder 15 minutes
DEBRA SPALDING @ 4961
Categories ROOM 318

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 2:00 PM – 2:30 PM
Subject DMD BID OPENING
Location 307
Reminder 15 minutes
LANA ABEL @ 7804
Categories ROOM 307

Time 3:30 PM – 5:00 PM
Subject ITAC
Location 318
Recurrence Occurs the second Thursday of every 1 month effective 7/14/2011 until 7/14/2011 from 3:30 PM to 5:00 PM
Reminder 15 minutes
GARY HECK @ 2468
Categories ROOM 318

Time 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Subject AREA PLAN COMMISSION
Location 301
Recurrence Occurs the second Thursday of every 1 month effective 7/14/2011 until 7/14/2011 from 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Reminder 15 minutes
KATHIE @ 5228
Categories ROOM 301

July 23, 2011
10 am – 6 pm

This outdoor art show will feture all local artists. All aritsts are welcome to come exhibit and sell their work for free.
Artists need to provide their own tables and chairs and easels.

Contact: Jay Zimmer (402-0842) who owns the coffee shop.

Abbey Road Coffee Bean Emporium
422 North Main Street (two doors down from Turoni’s on Main)
Evansville, IN
(812) 402-0842

(EVANSVILLE, IN)- A reminder that the deadline for area nonprofit groups to apply to utilize the new Evansville Arena without paying a rental fee, before the Arena officially opens to the public, is July 18th. Interested groups are being asked to fill out an application at http://www.evansvillearenaproject.com/content/application-nonprofit-event-new-evansville-arena Final selections will be made by August 17th.

“We want to invite nonprofit groups to experience the arena in a way that they wouldn’t normally be able to do once the venue is open,” said Kathy Kleindorfer, Chairman of the Evansville Arena Project Committee. “This is our community’s arena and this is just one of the ways we will be introducing it to the public.”

Reservation-type events of more than 50 people and less than 500 will be considered. Nonprofits will not be charged a rental fee, but they will be responsible for the cost of set up and tear down as well as providing chairs, tables, etc. Groups must also arrange for a caterer if food is being served.

Available dates will fall between mid-October and the first week in November as time and space will allow. Saturdays are not included.

IS IT TRUE? July 14, 2011

IS IT TRUE that the City of Evansville under EMERGENCY ORDER of Mayor Jonathan Weinzapfel has thrown the Pile of Rubble that used to be the Executive Inn down the hall to the rock busting division of Tom Barnett and the Department of Metropolitan Development?…that this will get the ball rolling on cleaning up the Pile of Rubble (there are actually 2 piles) in the fastest and most expensive way that local government can move?…that the construction company that was originally hired to do this job, Klenk Construction, pulled off of the job on Tuesday because they had not been paid for their work?…that even if Klenk is hired to finish the job that the PRICE IS GOING UP due to the EMERGENCY ORDER that was issued by the Mayor?…that there reason given for the EMERGENCY ORDER is that the two Piles of Rubble are now declared to be a PUBLIC HAZARD?…that we have not seen or heard of anyone being injured or even being cited for trespassing on that site?…that there are Piles of Rubble, houses falling down, roads collapsing, etc. all over Evansville that escape the clutches of an expensive EMERGENCY ORDER for years?

IS IT TRUE that this decision was more about protecting the ego of the fellow who issued the EMERGENCY ORDER than it was about keeping a young version of Tom Barnett from climbing the fence to play on the Pile of Rubble?…that the mental picture of a young Tom climbing a chain link fence to break rocks is quite funny?…that this EMERGENCY ORDER will have some people working on the ROCK PILE pretty soon?

IS IT TRUE that once there was a young man from Los Angeles who wanted very badly to be a Fireman?…time and time again his application to become a member of the LAFD was passed over?…that this young man devised a scheme to start a fire and then extinguish the fire in a very public way gaining publicity and valor in hopes that he would finally be hired as a Fireman?…that this young man did indeed start a fire in the mountains behind Calabasas?…that during the time that he was waiting for the LAFD and media to arrive, that the fire got too big for him to handle?…that he could not put it out and neither could all of the fire crews that were sent to the West LA area under Emergency Order…that this fire became one of the largest fires in the history of California and destroyed $375 Million DOLLARS of property as it raged to the Pacific Ocean through Malibu Canyon and Sycamore Canyon?…that three people died and many homes were destroyed?…that the young man who devised the scheme to become a Fireman by starting a fire and putting it out was convicted of multiple charges?…that he never became a Fireman?

IS IT TRUE that the Malibu fire of 1994 was rooted in ambition?…that it was intentional and self serving?…that it backfired?…that the City County Observer DOES NOT BELIEVE that the chaos of the “Fling at Walnut and King” that has led to yesterdays ENERGENCY ORDER was intentional?…that quite frankly it was a failure to plan, a failure to follow up, a process that was dysfunctional, a complete lack of understanding of the value proposition, a prolonged period of hard headed denial, and finally the chickens coming home to roost with the cancellation of the contract with Woodruff Hospitality LLC that made this EMERGENCY ORDER necessary?…that this is no way to run a city?…that we will be glad when this is over?…that just when one thinks that it cannot possibly get more bizarre, it does?…that neither Hollywood nor Malibu could have ever come up with all of the twists and turns that the “Fling at Walnut and King” have delivered?

Pool, Ponies, and Harold Hill take Gary, Indiana to the Cleaners

Take That: July 13, 2011

IN RESPONSE TO: Cincinnati Taxpayers left Holding the Bag for Stadiums Financial Failures

“Why is it that reading this articular provokes feeling of deja vu? I must be psychic today, is this Evansville 10 years from now?” Blanger

“Be sure to remind them that at least Cincinnati gambled on an existing franchise, with an existing market. Weinzapfel’s gamble, on the other hand, involved creating an ice hockey market two to three times that of the existing market? Weinzapfel’s gamble, wasn’t spurred by a team threatening to leave, as Cincinnati. After all, to use an Otters analogy the CCO commenters seem to like…. Isn’t Weinzapfel’s gamble, a bit like trying to build a “Yankee stadium” for our Otters to play in? (And/or a Rupp for our Aces)” Eville Taxpayer

“You guys (the CCO) must be in a very optimistic mood today. Do you really think the idiots that run Evansville have done due diligence and vetting of any kind?I bet you laughed out loud when you were writing that. After reading about this in Cincinnati and following the antics of the ERC here in Evansville I am beginning to think that the north side of the Ohio River must cause brain damage.” The Donald

“If this country’s idea of economic development is watching grown men run up and down a field or court or skate around a rink as the case may be then we are in a world of hurt. The Indy Capital Improvement Board CIB was bailed out even before Lucas OIL was built and the Colts only pay a measly $250M/yr to use it. I have reviewed the financial statements of the CIB and I can almost guaranteee the CIB will be back to the state legislature in the next year or two asking and needing more money. Stop the madness.” Steve Smith

“Most of these stadium projects promise economic development for the area that never materializes. Unless overpriced parking, tickets, hot dogs and warm beer are what they think economic development is about.” Rwtrax

“Public money to sports teams is reverse redistribution of income. Why can’t the team owners build their own stadiums? For example if an NFL team has a $50 Million payroll and plays in a publicly funded stadium that has a debt payment of $10 Million, this is directly taking money from the pockets of people that work and handing it to ballplayers. The team should support their own stadiums and pay the players with what is left. This is no different than bailing out banks or oil companies.” The Donald

“They bring in $245 million +. That’s about as good as it gets for a stadium and a ballpark that have not hosted any all-star or Super Bowls, but it’s good enough to support itself. In 4 years, those stadiums have generated almost a billion dollars. If the city of Cincinnati cannot budget the tax revenue from that impact wisely to be able to afford a one time $50 million upgrade then how can you blame the stadium and ballpark?…. Unlike oil and banks, stadiums bring in tourists and revenue to a city.” RailoverAuto

“Tourists can’t get here or anywhere else without oil. As for banks, how many of them buy the sponsorship rights to these stadiums. Heck you can’t even turn on the lights, the scoreboard, or gas up the Zamboni without oil. Transportation and banking are vital to every economy in the world. Stadiums are ultimately just some place to watch grown men play ball. As for the estimates by the consultants, they were not close enough to keep Hamilton County from having to welch on its promise to the taxpayers.

Stadiums are much like politicians which is why politicians seem to love them so much. They are big and flashy. Lies have to be told up front to get them put into place. When the lies are evident, the jackasses that told the lies are long gone with a pocket full of money and the public is left holding the bag.

One thing I will say for Cincinnati. At least their leaders had the courage to take to a vote of the people.” trainwreck

IS IT TRUE? Part 2 July 13, 2011

IS IT TRUE that it was also reported to us regarding the fearless leader of VenuWorks Evansville’s speech at Rotary yesterday that the topic of parking was brought up?…that the answer as we agree is that there are a sufficient number of spaces within walking distance of the new Arena?…that the real concern that most people have is not with the number of spots available but with the difficulty in finding one of them?…that Roberts has easy parking to deal with since you just drive up and down the aisles until you find one?…that downtown Evansville with several towers, some street parking, the back 40, and neighborhood parking will be more confusing and frustrating?…that the fearless leader of VenuWorks answer was that there will be numerous on street people to wave you to available parking places?…that these dudes need to seriously look into using iPhone apps to direct people to available parking as many other cities are already doing?

IS IT TRUE that the true test of being a multipurpose arena will be in being able to host one event in the afternoon and another in the evening?…that it was disclosed yesterday by the fearless leader of VenuWorks that during the first year that Ice Hockey will not be able to be held on the same day as other events such as basketball due to having to work the bugs out in the changeover process from one entertainment set up to the next?…that Ice Hockey is supposedly scheduled for 31 days in 2012 and that UE basketball is scheduled for a similar amount?…that this does not seem to be a big deal UNTIL the hockey team makes the playoffs and those playoffs are scheduled for a date that a prepaid ticketed event is already on the schedule?

IS IT TRUE that a member of the Evansville City Council has accepted our offer to file a Freedom of Information Act request on his behalf?…that we are awaiting his instructions for the exact wording to use to make the request?…that the subject of this City Council members request is the insurance report that the City of Evansville and/or the Evansville Redevelopment Commission paid Old National $100,000 to do?…that both the City of Evansville and the ERC should be profoundly ashamed and embarrassed that a sitting member of the Evansville City Council had to ask for the help of the City County Observer in filing a FOIA request to get what he has already made multiple requests for in order to DO HIS JOB AS A COUNCILMAN?…the even the Supreme Soviet and the Politburo of the now defunct USSR allowed members of the Knesset to obtain documents on a “need to know” basis?…that Evansville, Indiana is a part of the United States of America and that the City of Evansville should stop treating elected officials as they are Krazy Komrad Kouncilmen?

IS IT TRUE that the ISTEP scores for the schools in Indiana are out and that the local schools have made some baby steps of improvement?…that for this progress we congratulate the EVSC and encourage more improvement?…that even with these improvements the passing rates for our public schools on the ISTEP are typically 10% lower than state averages?…that using the raw numbers that the CCO calculated that 91% of the private school students in Vanderburgh County passed and that 59% of the EVSC students passed?…that is a significant difference?…that if one takes it one step further the pass rate of the private schools is 54% higher than for the EVSC?…that the private schools spend less per student each year than the public schools do?…that education is not just about tossing money at school systems?

From Monday, July 25 through Friday, July 29, the University of Evansville will throw open its doors to prospective students as part of the first Indiana Private College Week. UE is one of 31 private, nonprofit colleges and universities to participate in this new statewide initiative.

During Private College Week, the University will offer daily campus tours and admission presentations beginning at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Advance registration is encouraged but not required.

According to research conducted by Eduventures, 71 percent of high-school students identify the campus visit as the most trusted source of information about a college or university. Private College Week allows prospective students to explore their options and experience campus life firsthand.

“Sometimes, parents and students rule out the possibility of attending one of Indiana’s independent colleges and universities based on preconceived notions about costs, without ever learning about the tremendous financial aid available,” said Richard L. Ludwick, president and CEO of Independent Colleges of Indiana, Inc. (ICI). “We want every student to consider the high-quality academics, personal attention, and higher graduation rates that distinguish our campuses.”

Students visiting one or more ICI campuses during Private College Week may enter a drawing for an Apple iPad.

ICI is a nonprofit association that represents the state’s 31 private, nonprofit colleges and universities. ICI member institutions, including the University of Evansville, enroll more than 87,000 students and annually produce 35 percent of all bachelor’s degrees in Indiana.

For more information on Private College Week, please visit www.indianacollegechoices.org.

To arrange a visit to UE during Private College Week, please call 812-488-2468 or 800-423-8633 x2468 or e-mail admission@evansville.edu.

Source: evansville.edu