Home Blog Page 7128

IS IT TRUE? June 10, 2011

8

The Mole #??

IS IT TRUE? June 10, 2011

IS IT TRUE that the “Last Tango in Evansville” for the Vanderburgh County Commissioners and the Evansville City Council to put a spit shine on the document known as the consolidation proposal concluded last night with little possibility that any tangible financial benefit will be a part of whatever box full of words that they agree on?…that now there will be one last opportunity for the citizens to stand at the lectern and have their say but that with the sacred cows that have been sequestered away from the hand of economic improvement sitting idly by there is not really much that any citizen could say that will be capable of getting this consolidation proposal into shape to show everyone a real identified benefit?…that it will all come down to how well the forthcoming spin machine called marketing the theory of consolidation will work?…that if the people of Evansville and Vanderburgh County are receptive to having the wool pulled over their eyes in 2012 the forthcoming proposal may pass by a narrow margin?…that if the people of Evansville and Vanderburgh County have their Tom Terrific thinking caps on that this will fail by a wide margin?…that the theory of consolidation is sound but that the forthcoming rendition is will not be?

IS IT TRUE that at least there will be a referendum to make this choice?…that the referendum will be flawed and that if it happens to pass in either the City of Evansville or Vanderburgh County and fail in the other yet pass overall that there will be legal challenges and open revolt?…that having a consolidated vote was the first malignant mistake that this whole process made?…that not allowing the consent of the governed poisoned the waters for acceptance from the first day that choice was made?

IS IT TRUE that this whole effort should be aborted right now and a new pre-consolidation committee should be formed to merge the city and county budgets and then to compare our spending patterns service by service to identify tangible value that can come from consolidation?…that we are certain that if our spending is limited to even 110% of some of the best managed peer cities in America that there will be at least $100 Million that can be saved?…that Rule #1 is that there are no sacred cows?

IS IT TRUE that Councilwoman Missy Mosby went on record last night as accepting the theory that the voters can decide term limits whenever they like in general elections?…that theory is well understood but that there are two major flaws with believing this will actually work?…that those two major flaws are the Democratic Central Committee and the Republican Central Committee?…that so often in a small market like Evansville that the candidates are chosen by caucus or that the only candidate in the primary is the handpicked choice of the party central committee?…that it is the limited choices that are often available to the people that begs for codified term limits?…that fresh ideas and people who have not gotten the puppet strings attached to them are needed in local governance?…that the only way to assure enough turnover to keep fresh and puppets from running the town is to have term limits?…that unfortunately some good officials will need to be cycled out to keep complacency from becoming a way of life?…that many of Evansville’s problems can be at least partially attributed to having career politicians in control for too long?

IS IT TRUE that the Mayor’s office in particular is as guilty of recycling old ideas as a West Virginia joke?…that “13 administrations, 52 years, and only 4 last names” is an accurate description of the office of the Mayor of Evansville during most of our lifetimes?…that Evansville could almost be confused for the town of Rock Ridge in the movie Blazing Saddles where everyone who owned a business had the last name of Johnson?…that we wonder where Mongo is when he is needed to shake things up?

IS IT TRUE? June 9, 2011

2

The Mole #??

IS IT TRUE? June 9, 2011

IS IT TRUE tonight shall be the “Last Tango in Evansville” for the Vanderburgh County Commissioners and the Evansville City Council to put a spit shine on the document known as the consolidation proposal?…that unless there have been some serious secret meetings where the entire budgets of both the County and the City have been merged, compared to other more efficient cities like Henderson and Fort Wayne, and significant financial savings have been identified that the City County Observer expects that this version of consolidation is DEAD ON ARRIVAL with the local voters?…that significant financial savings in the case of the $1,830 per person per year budget of the City of Evansville means finding savings of at least $50 Million and hopefully closer to $100 Million?…that only after a) getting our government accountable and efficient and b) showing tangible value to consolidation will any consolidation have a high probability to pass?…that we have either of those conditions yet?

IS IT TRUE that given the financial state of the City of Evansville that a good faith effort to do a bit of internal improvement needs to be shown before Vanderburgh County will accept a merger without a formidable resistance?…that for Vanderburgh County to merge with the City of Evansville makes about as much sense as using the bone marrow of a cancer patient to do a transplant on a healthy person?…that if Evansville does some self healing and some future committee shows a tangible reason to merge that we expect that consolidation will pass both the City and the County in separate votes by wide margins?

IS IT TRUE that the “Nightmare on Walnut Street” continues to drag on as we expect to see the water show continue and very few swings of the wrecking ball today down at the Executive Inn demolition site?…that the clock keeps ticking on the activities down there?…that whether there is a financing deal on the table to build a hotel or not that the lots under the old Executive Inn and its parking garage are eyesores and need to be prepared for an eventual convention hotel?…that we encourage the City of Evansville to get on with the business of getting these lots into presentable condition on their own dime and to spend the next 21 days preparing an RFP just in case it is needed?…that the motto of the Boy Scouts of America is “BE PREPARED”?…that it is obvious that the Weinzapfel Administration either is not made up of former Boy Scouts or that they missed the first lesson and never earned their Tenderfoot badge?…that many veterans of the US and British military will recognize the 7 Ps adage?…that the 7 Ps adage could be the defining statement for the Executive Inn Dilemma and the McCurdy debacle?…that the 7 Ps adage goes as follows:

Proper Planning and Preparation Prevents Piss Poor Performance

IS IT TRUE that the Shriners Fest starts today and will run on the Evansville waterfront through Sunday?…that many people have worked long and hard to put this together and that the City County Observer would like to encourage all of our readers to head on down to the river and give this festival a fighting chance at success?…that the community whined and complained about button prices and that the Shriners have listened?…that mingling with your friends on the waterfront is completely FREE and that there are plenty of activities to entertain you?…that we hope that the vendors who stuck their neck out to make this happen will all have a successful festival?…that we also encourage all to spend a little money at our now FREE festival?

Alexa Traffic Reports: City County Observer Dominates Local Media in Depth of Content

6

CCO Overwhelming in Unique Pages/Visit and Time/Visit Categories

Alexa, a web based information provider that logs data about critical use metrics for websites worldwide contains data to support that the City County Observer is now the leader in local media based websites in two categories. These categories are unique pages per visit and the number of minutes that each visitor spends on the site.

The Rankings for Unique Pages per Visit for Evansville based media sites are ranked as follows:

1. City-CountyObserver.com 20.0 pages
2. CourierPress.com 4.4 pages
3. News25.us 2.6 pages
4. 14WFIE.com 2.4 pages
5. Tristatehomepage.com 1.9 pages

The Rankings for Time per Visit are as ranked as follows:

1. City-CountyObserver.com 63.9 minutes
2. CourierPress.com 6.3 minutes
3. News25.us 2.8 minutes
4. 14WFIE.com 2.4 minutes
5. Tristatehomepage.com 2.0 minutes

The staff and owners of the City County Observer would like to thank our readers for what has become a year that even we never dreamed to be imaginable.

Source: www.alexa.com

IS IT TRUE? Part Two June 8, 2011 DEMOLITION TIME

4

Naming Rights for Sale for Half Demolished Building

IS IT TRUE? Part Two June 8, 2011

IS IT TRUE that the demolition contractor for the Executive Inn has not been paid one red cent since this project began?…that according to three different well placed Moles that the management of the demolition company has no idea when or who will be paying the mounting bill?…that the latest words from Arena project manager John Kish are that the demolition project will cost about $1.5 Million?…that the demolition company has set a great example locally by recycling everything that can be recycled?…that for a local construction company that provides good local jobs to get stiffed because of a vetting process that was lacking is not an acceptable situation for the City of Evansville and the Evansville Redevelopment Commission to be associated with?

IS IT TRUE that we reported earlier that the Executive Inn demolition seems to be a standstill?…that now we understand why?…that demolition is a play for pay business?…that the only thing that seems to be in high gear down at the site this week are the dust suppressing water sprays that make the site look like a water park in a falling down hotel?…that Holiday World gives out free soda and free sunscreen at their water park but that the big shower on Walnut does not have a free soda stand running?…that we do wonder exactly who will be paying the water bill for keeping the spray going full speed all day long?…that a water rate increase may be needed if this demolition is not completed soon because of the large amount of water that is being poured onto the piles of debris next to the two-thirds demolished hotel?

IS IT TRUE that a thinking business person could develop a deliberate strategy of leaving just enough hotel to look as decrepit as possible standing as a way to motivate the owners of the new and beautiful Arena next door to pay them for their demolition work?…that would be just one more monument to the colossal oversight that has become the trademark of this whole hotel project?…that a third of a hotel may even become art after many years of standing there longing for the return of the wrecking ball?…that we could even sell naming rights to the last pieces of the Executive Inn that may just be there for awhile if arrangements are not made to pay for the demolition?

IS IT TRUE that in all seriousness this hotel project needs a good round of thinking outside of the box followed by some rational action?…that if there are problems with the finances before the old building is demolished that this does not bode well for getting a new one built?…that if you do not have a system in place that can get a building torn down that you surely do not have a high probability of getting a new one built?…that some amount of vetting, bonding, and verification needs to be done before any building is started?…that if one thinks that a half demolished building on that site looks foolish, one needs to imagine a half completed hotel on the very same site?

IS IT TRUE that the City County Observer is eagerly awaiting the 16th of June when we are supposed to be supplied with the contracts for the hotel and Arena management?…that multiple Moles tell us that the hotel contract has already been defaulted on and has received a 30 day extension?…that the same well placed Moles tell us that there is not yet a contract in place with VenuWorks to manage the Arena?…that our opening act opportunities are dwindling by the day as the fall entertainment tours are being booked right now?…that we still wonder what committee or person to talk with to discuss naming rights for the smaller opportunities that most surely should exist in the Arena?…that even tiny cities with unpaid governments figure out how to sell memorial bricks and seat dedications?…that as NASA used to say before the shuttles were grounded, T minus 4 months and counting?

EPD Activity Report: June 7, 2011

0


EPD Activity Report June 7 2011

IS IT TRUE? June 8, 2011

6

The Mole #??

IS IT TRUE? June 8, 2011

IS IT TRUE that first and foremost today that the City County Observer would like to express sympathy and prayers for the family of Evansville City Clerk Alberta Matlock whose son passed away from injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident last night?…we would like to encourage our readership to remember this family in their thoughts and prayers?

IS IT TRUE that the demolition of the Executive Inn seems to be at a standstill again?…that when the job to tear the thing down was started it was anticipated to be a one week job and that we have now watched it come down one brick at a time for three weeks?…that demolition contractors have to be paid and that no sufficient financing is in place to complete the job?…that maybe the developer is balking at paying for demolition without having a financing deal in place for the whole project?…that no prudent business would borrow money and embark upon a project unless the full financing package were in place?…that it is highly probable that this demolition is being strung out to find out about financing?…that if the financing falls through that the City of Evansville will most certainly be picking up the tab for the demolition?…that may just require the project manager to go hat in hand to the Evansville City Council to beg for approval to exceed the previous not to exceed spending limit of $127.5 Million?

IS IT TRUE that collateralized loans are things that are made by banks and non-bank financial companies?…that some private investors have been known to by units in hotels but that buying units in holding companies that own a group of hotels is less risky and diversifies their investment?…that private equity groups on occasion make investments in entire groups of hotels but seldom have any interests in individual properties?…that venture capitalists look at hotels that cost more to build than they will appraise for with about as much interest as a vampire has in a silver cross, a stake through the heart, or the light of day?

IS IT TRUE that the highest priced hotel listed as for sale in the 180 – 250 room range on the commercial real estate website Loopnet is located in Orlando, Florida, has a water park and works out to an ASKING PRICE of $45,000 per room?…that at that valuation per room the new downtown convention hotel will appraise for $10 Million?…that is a far cry from the $32 Million plus that it will cost to build?…that the reason for the difficulty in securing financing lies in the low collateral value of the proposed hotel?…that no amount of posturing, rubbing a rabbit’s foot, or denying financial reality will change the fundamentals of the valuation process?…that there are two ways for the financing of this hotel and the McCurdy to go forward?…that one way is to find a very rich person (or government) who loves the project and is willing to lose about $25 Million of net worth to see it happen?…that the other way is for the City of Evansville to get into the hotel business with a loan guarantee or as the owner?…that going the predatory lending route will not set either project up for long term success?

IS IT TRUE that the deadline for securing financing of the McCurdy has once again been extended?…that the drop dead date has now been moved to July 31st?…that we assume that the year that this has been extended to is 2011 but would not be at all surprised if the perpetual extension machine keeps kicking this can down the road?…that the day of reckoning has now managed to stay in extension mode for 4 years and 2 months since that glorious day in 2007 during the last Evansville election cycle when a smiling Mayor Weinzapfel announced his latest accomplishment?

IS IT TRUE that it has now been 1,499 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 1,352 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 510 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?

Quality Control Inspection Forms for City Parks

3

Courtesy of the City of Atlanta, Georgia

Well, Well, Well, it seems as though there are examples of using quality inspections to keep park systems looking good.

Here is a link for the curious. Once again, Evansville does not need to invent this, monkey-see monkey-do techniques should suffice to get our parks a good inspection.

parkinspectiondirections

Muncie-Delaware County Passes Comprehensive Smoking Ban

1


68% Citizen Support for Action in Recent Poll, When will Evansville Follow?

MUNCIE — After hearing more than an hour of sometimes-heated comments about a proposed smoking ban, the Delaware County commissioners apparently had few of their own. With little discussion, the officials unanimously approved the ban during a special Monday evening meeting.

The comments during the public hearing were heartfelt and brought murmurs — and sometimes more — from partisans in the crowd. At one point Donati banged his gavel and called for order.

Few comments could top that of the first speaker, Robert Scott Wolfe, who said he was told his terminal cancer was caused by second-hand smoke.

The ordinance will go into effect 30 days after the date of passage.

Pre-vote surveys indicated that 68% of the 605 people surveyed supported the comprehensive smoking ban and that 85% support protecting ALL workers from second hand smoke. It was also noted that 69% of current smokers were in agreement.

On the Home Front

Of course the question locally is just when will the Evansville City Council finally get on board and support public health by passing a comprehensive smoking ban. Private interviews with the sitting City Council indicate a 5-4 affirmative vote for adopting a comprehensive smoking ban. Similar interviews indicate that a smoking ban that exempts Casino Aztar will fail by that same 5-4 margin. Last year a stronger smoking ordinance ended in a 4-4 tie with Curt John who opposed the ordinance being absent.

The results of this years Democratic primary and the decision not to run by Councilman John has paved the way for 2012 to be the year that a comprehensive smoking ban will pass in Evansville. Three of the five no votes will not be returning to the 2012 City Council and the other two no votes are now in strongly contested races. All indications are that a comprehensive smoking ban will pass next year by at least a 6-3 margin but could be adopted unanimously in a 9-0 vote if the contested elections all go the way of the 73% of the people of Evansville who support a comprehensive smoking ban.

Ball State University Report

http://www.bsudailynews.com/delaware-county-commissioners-unanimously-approve-smoking-ban-1.2598530

IS IT TRUE? June 7, 2011

6

The Mole #??

IS IT TRUE? June 7, 2011

IS IT TRUE if political candidates for public office don’t pay their advertising bills in a timely manner this should tell the potential voters something?

IS IT TRUE when the 5th Ward City Councilman and Budget Chairmen John Friend, CPA called John Kish many times during the last couple of weeks and doesn’t hear from him there is something wrong in RIVER CITY? …we can’t wait for the upcoming City of Evansville budget hearings to begin? …we respectfully suggest that Mr. Kish better be ready to answer pointed financial questions posed by the City Council Dean of Accountancy, John Friend, CPA at the upcoming City of Evansville Budget hearings? …don’t be surprised to that City Council members Dan McGinn, Esq. of the 1st Ward and Dr. Dan Adams, At Large member have additional in depth questions about the Arena and proposed downtown Hotel that they want Mr. Kish to answer also?

IS IT TRUE we have received a few interesting comments we made today praising our 2nd Ward City Councilwoman for her outstanding way of campaigning? …we not only stand by our statement but would like to add if the election was held today Missy Mosby would be re-elected as the 2nd Ward City Council member? …we know that E L Walters shall make an extremely competitive race between himself and Missy?

IS IT TRUE that Lambert’s Café in Sikeston, Missouri has built a chain of restaurants by playing on a local colloquialism of the past tense of the word throw?…that the THROWED ROLLS that are served at Lambert’s are pretty tasty?…that once in a cross country drive after eating a Lambert’s that my 8 year old son commented that “they threw those THROWED ROLLS at us every time we held our hand up”?…that to the astonishment of many pairs of ears last night on the 10 o’clock news a local news anchor used the term THROWED as the past tense of THROW?…that some professions really do require that words like THROWED and terms like “I SEEN IT” to be left at home?…that an aspiring young news guy should have been trained not to use the word THROWED?…that today he and his employer shall remain nameless but that if this becomes a habit that we shall call him out by name?…that the City of Evansville is struggling with a reputation for being fat and that we do not need to add dumb to that list?

IS IT TRUE that Congressman Anthony Weiner who has expressed long term aspirations to become the Mayor of New York City has become the latest high profile member of congress to succumb to the siren’s tweet?…that it seems like social networking has become the crack cocaine of the US Congress?…that people who thrive on collecting “like” clicks and on the adoration of unknown people are not adjusting very well to having unlimited access to the general public?…that the need to be adored does not mix well with social media and that people who gravitate to politics are Type A personalities in the category of “need to be adored”?…that it is really a shame to see a bright and courageous young congressman like Anthony Weiner throw his congressional mojo away for the thrill of tweeting some inappropriate pictures?…that we hope that Congressman Weiner gets his mojo back and returns to his well known aggressive pursuit of progressive policies?…that whether you agree with him or not, his style and passion will test your theories and make your own positions better and stronger?…that the continual stream of losing congressmen that can’t handle social media is disturbing?…that if the same litmus test was applied locally that scores of elected officials may be caught in the same trap?

IS IT TRUE that a limerick crossed our mind yesterday and that it is dedicated IN THE SPIRIT OF FUN to Congressman Anthony Weiner?…that the following limerick assumes that the Democratic leadership of the US House of Representative will find a way to make Congressman Weiner resign?…that will be a mistake and that many of the hounds howling for his head have done worse things than tweet something stupid?

There once was a Congressman named Weiner
Whose persona could not have been meaner
He sent out a tweet to a cute little vixen
Then lied like Clinton and Nixon

Is Your Government a Headless Chicken: Part Two

2


By Kieron Mcfadden

It is one thing to decide and agree upon the product we want our government to deliver in exchange for the money we pay it.

It is quite another to make sure that it does and that it keeps on so doing.

There is hardly a government on the planet at this time that is delivering the product.

If the environment is being rendered safe for somebody (which I doubt) that somebody sure as hell is not the likes of thee and me.

Regardless of whether our government SAYS that whatever it is doing it is making the world safer, our experience is that the environment is becoming more dangerous in almost every aspect and very often the danger emanates from government itself!

Take the war on terror for instance. I don’t know about you but I don’t feel safer. I don’t feel any more scared of terrorists than I did but I sure as hell feel more intimidated by my own government in its efforts to make the world safe!

Economically I feel less safe. In the unstable, mismanaged mess of my country’s economy, I’m poorer and less secure than I once was and less confident of the future and I sure am more inhibited in my efforts to flourish and prosper.

Are people more literate, more equipped with the life skills necessary for them to be able to flourish and prosper? No, they are not. In my own country, Great Britain, educational standards have dropped through the floor.

We need to be able to make correct and rational decisions so as to flourish and prosper. For that we need truthful information and not falsehoods from our fellow human beings, from industry and from government itself. Is our environment then free of the falsehoods that lead to erroneous decisions? No it is not. And it is a deteriorating scene in which we become increasingly bewildered. Governments lie and withhold information and even start wars that get a lot of good people killed based on falsehoods; mighty drug corporations are less than honest about the drugs they try to seduce us into buying; food corporations put stuff in the food that damages our health and hope no-one will notice; the media slants its reports and cannot be trusted, and so on.

We are not getting the product of a safe environment in which all honest people are able to flourish and prosper free of inhibition to our survival efforts.

What we are getting is the opposite: a progressively less safe environment in which the inhibitions to our survival efforts are increasing.

So our governments are not delivering the goods.

It is necessary then to correct the actions of government so that it does deliver the goods or at least moves in the right direction – towards a safer environment and reduced inhibition to our efforts to flourish and prosper.

We would do that with any other group that sold us a lousy product. Indeed any entity that produces something MUST have some kind of quality control function in order to be able to detect and correct a flawed or inferior product.

So why not government?

But how do we correct the course of government when it moves in the wrong direction and does not deliver the goods?

What is required if that is to be achieved, is a quality control function for government.

This would be an entity exterior to government and thus able to oversee it. Such an entity would have a clear idea of what the product is supposed to look like. It would be alert enough to spot the flat ball bearings when they appear AND the specific errors or malfunctions further up the production line that produced the flawed product. It would also have to be powerful enough to insist that corrections are made so that the product IS delivered.

So far as I am aware no government in history has ever had such a quality control function and like any group that does not have the facility to detect and correct goofs, they fail.

Does such a quality control entity exist? At present, no.

Could we create one? Yes, we could.

If all public groups came together and formed a forum, a united front able to speak with one voice, such a forum could exert quality control upon government, probably for the first time in history.

It would actively then be helping government deliver its product of a safe environment in which all honest people (including those in government) can flourish and prosper.

And then we all win.

1...7,1277,1287,129...7,226Page 7,128 of 7,226