Thoughts on the Future of Roberts Stadium
By: Pete Swaim, Candidate for Republican nomination for at-large City Council seat

As many Evansville residents have pointed out over the last couple of years, Roberts Stadium has been more than a memorable fixture in our community for over 50 years. Those same folks have offered up a number of alternative uses, since the notion of ball fields has now been taken off the table. I became very familiar with the building and its operation during my time on the Sheriff’s Department, having worked security at events there for nearly three decades. I realize that any further use for Roberts, in its current configuration, must, first of all be made from a good business standpoint and that any of those uses should not conflict with the new downtown arena. I have compiled a partial list of events from the thoughts of others and some of my own that could extend the usefulness of the Stadium for many years to come. These would include, but are not limited to the following: A return of I.H.S.A.A. high school basketball regular season games and tournaments. During the hay days of a single class tournament, the building was packed during sectional, regional and semi-state play. The popular Great Lakes Valley Division II tournament was literally kicked out of town due to exorbitant rental prices. With reasonable fees, I can’t imagine they couldn’t be lured back to Evansville. Perhaps the Christian College Tournament, that’s now played in Oakland City, would be interested, not only in the building, but having additional hotel rooms and restaurants on the east side available to their fans. Other events such as monster trucks, tractor pulls and rodeos would be better suited to continue in Robert’s Stadium, allowing more time for total clean-up between events. I can also imagine the Jehovah’s Witness conferences, if given a choice, would rather be on the east side for the same reasons, if that event were not a conflict.

Even with events scheduled for Robert’s Stadium, it could also be kept as a regional disaster emergency center and house F.E.M.A.’s local offices, vehicles and emergency supplies for hundreds of potentially displaced residents.

The water being pumped from the water table beneath the floor is no longer a problem, since cleanouts were installed in the PVC pipes now in place. I’m proposing the 12,000 gallons per minute of 50 degree aquifer water, be channeled into geothermal heat exchangers to help defray the costs of heating and cooling the building. In theory, with this amount of water, the system could also incorporate Swonder Ice Rink into the loop. I will soon have the figures on the initial start- up costs for that equipment from a local company that specializes in this. So, these are some of the possibilities. I would be interested in hearing some more of your thoughts and ideas for additional events. Please forward your ideas to me at my campaign e-mail address…pete4council@gmail.com. Thanks for your interest in keeping the old gal a viable part of our community.

Pete Swaim
Republican Candidate for City Council at large

EPD Activity Report April 19 2011

IS IT TRUE? April 19, 2011

IS IT TRUE that information has a way of finding its way out when enough attention is focused on faulty incidents?…that somehow a Master Plan for the Evansville City Parks that was published in 2009 has found its way to the City County Observer?…that many things about this plan are already obsolete and need to be revisited?…that much attention is given to the organizational chart and to the inventory of parks with their respective acreage?…that there are descriptions of all of the kinds of sports that are able to be played in the parks?…that this document is 74 pages long and took about an hour to read?…that some excerpts from the “Vision Plan” are as follows?

“That all visitors to park facilities and participation in parks programs leave with a positive, enjoyable and safe recreational experience.”

“Increase security monitoring at all park facilities, including lighting improvements, increased usage, restroom maintenance, and police patrols”

“Adequate maintenance, staffing and funding of existing facilities and programs, before addition of new programs and facilities”

“Use comment system to evaluate adequacy of maintenance at park facilities”

IS IT TRUE that those very fundamental parts of the “Vision Plan” are not being accomplished making the other 73 3/4 pages of the plan very difficult to put into operation?…that of lately the comment system has had to resort to shaming the City of Evansville through media coverage of vandalism, drug related activities, and prostitution to get the attention of the Parks Department?…that in the Maintenance section of the “Vision Plan” the following words were written in 2009?

“Maintenance deficiencies have reached a point that there is a perceived lack of safety and security in many parks because of the apparent lack of sufficient maintenance.”

“The general decline in funding available to maintain and operate parks combined with increased maintenance and operation costs has reached the point that park user’s no longer feel safe.”

“Maintenance budgets are often subject to changes caused by variations in political and budget priorities.”

“Prior to construction of major capital projects, make sure that projected revenue is balanced with maintenance and operation cost, to ensure new facilities are self-sufficient; and if not self-sufficient that a plan is in place for providing adequate funding of maintenance and operations without placing additional burden on EDPR personnel and resources.”

IS IT TRUE that those excerpts sort of blow a hole in the recently heard excuse of “WE DIDN’T KNOW” that the maintenance was not getting done or “WE DIDN’T KNOW” that there was a safety problems in the parks?…that a current machine candidate for Evansville City Council said last month that “I live on a park and see nothing at all wrong with any of the parks in Evansville”?…that whoever wrote that Master Plan knew about the problems in the City of Evansville Parks System?…that anyone who has actually read this Master Plan or even the 2002 Master Plan would have or should have known that the City of Evansville has maintenance and safety problems in the parks?…that it would be interesting to depose some of the people who have held elected office since the 2002 Master Plan went into effect and see how many have really read either Master Plan?…that it would be even more interesting how many of those who would claim to have read the plan would also have used the “I DIDN’T KNOW” excuse when the stories of needles and vandalism were exposed?…that one can’t have it both ways unless reading and comprehension is not one’s forte’ in which case one should not hold public office?…that maybe the ISTEP should be administered on an annual basis for elected officials and those appointed by elected officials?…that young children are afraid of the dark but that some adults are afraid of enlightenment?

IS IT TRUE that well lighted, clean, and manicured parks are not places that are frequented by drug addicts and prostitutes?…that lights and order are like Kryptonite to whores and drug addicts but that darkness and squalor attract them like a flame attracts moths?… that if the Master Plans of 2002 and 2009 has been followed that the parks of the City of Evansville would have never fallen into disrepair?…that it is time to take back our parks and today is a good day to take a volunteer minute and either pick up some trash or pull a weed?…that the City County Observer encourages all of our readers to do this and will lead by example by doing it ourselves?

NOTE: The 2009 Parks Master Plan is over the file allocation size to upload into WordPress. If you would like a copy please email Joe Wallace at jjw0729@aol.com and you will be provided with a copy.

EPD Activity Report April 18 2011 Second Issue

EPD Activity Report April 18 2011

IS IT TRUE? Part 2 April 18, 2011

IS IT TRUE that the personnel committee met with a candidate for the position of Executive Director of the Evansville Convention and Visitor’s Bureau last Friday at Casino Aztar?…that Mole #3 says that an offer is being drafted to present to a candidate in the very near future?…that we will not publish any of the information about this candidate including name, current hometown, current employer, etc. out of respect for this candidates privacy concerning their situation if the ECVB opportunity does not work out?…that more interviews were held with other board members on Friday?…that the CCO truly hopes that when a candidate is hired that all “Sunshine” laws are complied with and the new Executive Director becomes a huge success?

IS IT TRUE that nearly a year after it was admitted that the Executive Inn and its parking garage were unfit for refurbishment that the wrecking ball has finally started to swing?…that the towers on the roof are gone, the cellular service in downtown Evansville is working and finally after a two month delay the hunk of junk is finally coming down?…that the Executive Inn is next and that the lots where a new Hyatt Place hotel will be and the back lot park or whatever goes where the Big E is now will be vacated?…that a dynamite show would have been more fun to watch but that the City County Observer is pleased to see the final solution to the Executive Inn Dilemma finally start to come to fruition?…that we hope that there are no snags or oversights to put the brakes on the progress yet again?

IS IT TRUE that Ann Ennis is at it again in asking the citizens of Evansville to get on board with picking up the litter that blows so freely?…that we are in full support of Ann and in her expanded role at Keep Evansville Beautiful that involves Getting Evansville Beautiful before you can keep it that way?…that a candidate for City Council will be coming forward to lead a litter picking and weed pulling brigade in the very near future?…that this may just be a summer of Getting Evansville Beautiful so Ms. Ennis can keep it that way? Thumbs Up Ann!

IS IT TRUE that the City County Observer has grown in visibility to the point that its representatives are being asked to speak about its missions and methods at civic organizations around Evansville?…that we consider this to be a good thing?

IS IT TRUE? April 18, 2011

IS IT TRUE that we are pleased to see that some other publishing businesses in Evansville are finally getting on board to demand some substance from our slate of candidates for Mayor of Evansville?…that the City County Observer has been asking “WHERE’S THE BEEF” and even posted a picture of 4 parrots that can reportedly mimic the words “CREATING JOBS” in unison but are really just interested in a cracker or a piece of fruit for themselves?…that we would like to congratulate and commend Mizell Stewart III for his editorial titled “Move beyond talking points” that was published yesterday?…that the talking points that were chosen by Mizell (closed door meetings, public disclosure, jobs, and parks) are among the ones that the CCO has been calling out the Weinzapfel Administration over for a couple of years now?

IS IT TRUE that these talking points without substance are all just symptoms of a system without checks and balances?…that an easy path to elected office as Mayor Weinzapfel and his then Team Weinzapfel rode to office in 2007 against an outmatched and unfunded Mayoral opponent was not good for Evansville?…that the message received (not necessarily the real message) from an 85% – 15% victory in an election with an anemic turnout supplied the Mayor with the false sense of a mandate when there really was no mandate at all?…that confidence leads to arrogance and arrogance leads to closed door meetings, disclosure issues, strong arm tactics, Executive Inn Dilemmas, the McCurdy Home for Aged Pigeons, and ultimately to deciding not to seek re-election?

IS IT TRUE that it is time for Evansville to have a real election with candidates that are both qualified and humble with a desire for public service that exceeds their desire for applause?…that begs for some substance to back up the parroted platitudes?…that we are waiting guys?…that once again we ask but are not alone in asking from this day forward in asking“WHERE’S THE BEEF”?

IS IT TRUE that the GUNS AND HOSES event held at Roberts Stadium on Saturday night was proof that our firefighters and law enforcement professionals are much more than one dimensional people?…that these public servants boxed each other in front of a crowd of 6,700 to raise money for children?…that there were 15 bouts of 3 rounds each and that this year the POLICE took back the championship belt from the defending champion FIREFIGHTERS?…that Sheriff Eric Williams and Chief Brad Hill were sitting ringside supporting their guys enthusiastically?…that police and firefighters from all around the Evansville region and all three states in the area were represented in and out of the ring?…that is the government officials need an example of how to run a regional event that they need look no further than the promoters and managers of GUNS AND HOSES?

IS IT TRUE that Mayoral candidate Troy Tornatta is most remembered for his reinstatement of smoking in the county restaurants?…that Mr. Tornatta had the opportunity to have lobbied his fellow political allies in the Evansville City Council to have a fair and consistent smokefree workplace laws in 2007?…that he had a golden opportunity at that time to have been the leader of smokefree workplace laws and chose not to?…that siding with business owners over worker safety has never been a part of the Democratic party’s ideals?…that the City County Observer would welcome a cognizant position paper of substance from candidate Tornatta on the subject of smokefree workplace laws with respect to public health and would publish it in its entirety without edit or bias?

IS IT TRUE that at-large candidate for the one of the three Democratic nominations for City Council Jonathan Weaver has expressed that he believes that a public referendum is the right way to decide on smokefree workplace laws?…that we would welcome a cognizant position paper from candidate Weaver regarding the referendum process for such things in the State of Indiana and just how his suggestion could become a reality?…that we would publish his position paper in its entirety without edit or bias?

EVANSVILLE NEEDS A VIBRANT PARK SYSTEM

Introduction

The quality of a City’s park system is directly related to its economic health and development. A vibrant park system helps stabilize neighborhoods and property values. A diverse park system with lots of recreational opportunities also improves the health and quality of life of residents. Quality of life is a big part of what attracts business and creates jobs. New businesses and businesses looking to relocate are looking for quality of life and a strong infrastructure. We can provide both. The park system is a big part of our quality of life.

We have an incredible resource in our park system. It’s one of the largest in Indiana and one of the largest for any community of similar size in the United States. The Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) operates and manages over 2300 acres divided into 65 parks and 21 special facilities in the City and County. The Board of Park Commissioners (BPC) oversees the DPR and Mesker Park Zoo and Botanic Gardens (Zoo). The Zoo has an Advisory Board that makes recommendations to the BPC. Burdette Park is the only facility that is not under the control of the BPC. Its Director reports directly to the County Commissioners. Last year the budget for the DPR was over $13 million.

Issues

The issues facing the DPR include a decrease in revenues and the public’s use of the park system, crime, broken and dilapidated equipment, and workforce that is not big enough to keep up with maintenance.

A. Decrease in Revenues and the Public’s Use of the Park System

In 2006 an Efficiency Study of the DPR was conducted. It was determined that “[i]n order to maintain the existing park programs and develop new ones while maintaining quality, the services provided by the Parks Department must become more self-sustaining. This would require an increase in the public’s use of the parks, an increase in fees charged for their use, or a combination of both.”
Since 2006, the quality of the park system has degraded. It seems clear that in the last five years the DPR has failed to become more self-sustaining. When quality goes down, usage goes down, which decreases revenues, which triggers a further degradation of quality, and so on. It becomes a downward spiral. The budget for the DPR should focus on providing quality services and reflect the value the community places on the park system. As quality goes up, usage and revenues will increase. Additionally, a significant portion of the DPR budget is the Zoo, which operates at a loss. If we can make the Zoo more self-sufficient, the DPR will have more funding for the parks.

B. Crime

The crime issues in the parks include drugs, crimes against DPR property, sexual activity and fights. Judging from the current state of the parks, these problems have gotten worse since the Park Rangers were eliminated. When the Park Rangers were eliminated, additional officers were not added to the Police or Sheriff’s Department. There is currently not enough manpower to adequately patrol the park system. In considering whether to add manpower for park patrols, we need to consider the cost to the community in continuing to leave the parks with their current level of coverage. There are significant costs associated with repairing and replacing vandalized signs and equipment, and there are people who are deterred from using the parks because of a perception that they are not safe.

C. Broken an Dilapidated Equipment/Insufficient Workforce

The DPR is unable at its current staffing to adequately maintain the parks’ equipment. Over the last 20 years, the number of employees has decreased while the area managed by the DPR has increased. The additional summer employees for this year will help get some of the maintenance backlog cleared, but it is a temporary fix. A longer term solution is needed. An Assessment should be done of the park system to evaluate and prioritize the issues to be tackled to get the parks back into good shape. We also need to really look at what it takes to maintain the parks. It’s pointless to fix our parks and then let them degrade in quality again.

In looking at the current volunteer issues related to the contract the City has with the Teamsters, we need to understand from where the language comes. It is my understanding that during a time when there were significant layoffs in the DPR, the Teamsters sought language to try and protect the remaining jobs. The language of the contract is understandable under those circumstances. That being said, the DPR needs to be able to more freely use volunteers for trash pick-up, weeding, and other simple tasks. I do not advocate for violating the current contract. I think the Teamsters are entitled to the benefit of the bargain they made with the City. However, I think the City should make it a priority in the next negotiations to work on this issue. Making it easier to use volunteers should not mean that the number of employees at the DPR should be reduced further. If anything, we should look at the cost of not taking better care of our parks compared with the cost of adding addition full-time employees. There is only so much that volunteers can do.

Conclusion

The quality of our park system is directly related to our ability to attract high-paying, quality jobs. Evansville is already ahead with the size and diversity of the park system. However, we need to work on quality. After an assessment is completed, the community can develop a game plan. We will definitely need a vibrant volunteer network and lots of public/private partnerships to take on various projects. Maintaining the park system in good condition may require additional full-time employees. We may have to make some tough decisions in determining the correct budget for the park system.

Stephanie Brinkerhoff Riley
Candidate for City Council in the Third Ward

EPD Activity Report April 16 2011

IS IT TRUE? April 17, 2011 Connecting some Value Dots

IS IT TRUE that Ann Ennis of Keep Evansville Beautiful contributed a very well written and no holds barred call to the people of Evansville to do exactly what her organization exists to promote?…that talking the problems of litter, parks maintenance, and general appearances is picking up steam and gaining some awareness in Evansville for the first time in what seems like a long long time?…that when Ann writes things like “see a weed, pull a weed” and “see litter, pick up litter” that she is admonishing the citizens of Evansville to do exactly the most cost effective beautification lifestyle possible?…Cheers today to Ms. Ennis for going public in a big way to call upon the citizens of Evansville to do exactly as was admonished in the passage of Luke chapter 4 verse 23 where Jesus is quoted as saying “Physician, heal yourself’–meaning, ‘Do miracles here in your hometown like those you did in Capernaum.’

IS IT TRUE that connecting related articles and events is a very effective way to promote understanding?…that Mort Marcus in his weekly column addressed the topic of the cost of government?…that it is presumed by most of us that government does not make a profit and that we basically get all of our government services “at cost”?…that digging a little deeper into what it cost to actually pay the government to accomplish something is a worthy set of numbers to crunch?…that when a citizen of Evansville does what Ann Ennis says and pulls a weed or picks up litter that the cost to the taxpayers is exactly ZERO?…that when criminals in orange jumpsuits are out doing these sort of tasks that this service is not free?…that the Orange Jumpsuit Apparatus needs supervision, transportation, and food that is certainly paid for with tax money?…that these same tasks when done by the Evansville Parks and Recreation department are subject to a contract between the City of Evansville and the Teamster’s Union?…that the most expensive way possible for paper to be picked up or weeds to be pulled is to put that responsibility in the hands of local government that is shackled with a contract?

IS IT TRUE that Evansville can and should be litter free and have manicured parks?…that these things can be a collective effort and cost us ZERO in taxes?…that a simple exception added to the Teamster’s contract followed by good habits of the citizens will solve this problem?…that it is also unlikely that any grievance would ever be filed over citizen weed pulling patrols or citizen litter pick-ups?…that it would be interesting to see but that our bet is that the Teamsters are just as much of a part of the community as everyone else and that they would be glad to see the citizens of Evansville take these tasks on?

IS IT TRUE that an army of citizens cannot fix our sewers, should not risk life and limb tearing down dilapidated houses, and really can’t effectively recruit jobs to the area?…that those tasks are best left to professionals?…that the professionals will be better equipped to do their jobs if Evansville is clean and manicured?…that here is the formula to solve the litter problem in ONE YEAR?

NEVER LITTER ANYWHERE

PICK UP THREE PIECES OF RANDOM LITTER PER DAY FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE

IS IT TRUE that if all 178,000 people in Vanderburgh County would do this that we will never have our home referred to as a slovenly mess again?…that the City County Observer says “you go Ann, never get discouraged and don’t let them get you down”?…that a new day can dawn in Evansville and that it can start tomorrow?