Is Evansville Determined to Follow the Destructive Path of Failed Cities?

“We have transformed Evansville and I have put it on a path to success” –Quote by Evansville Mayor Jonathan Weinzapfel

The Toughest Job in Evansville has to be Editor of the “Evansville Business Magazine!”

Our Civic leaders, are celebrating the announcement of two, “Dollars Stores,” which will soon be built in Evansville.—-This is not good news, it is bad news! Because, “Dollar Stores” follow the economies of the cities that are on the demise. Recently, at Eastland Mall, one of the largest department store manager’s asked me “where are the people?” I told him to go to Walmart, Target, Dollar Store and you will see the economy of Evansville.

Several years ago, I could see our demise and future as I traveled the East Coast, I visited cities like Buffalo, Syracuse, Rochester, Wilmington, Newark and on and on! Upon my return, I would tell my wife, I have just seen the future of Evansville, it is bleak and evitable.

The East Coast cities tried to save themselves by promoting internal civic projects, which cost their industries even more dollars. Between high labor cost, taxes, utilities, high transportation costs, these businesses one by one left these cities. In our paper,— Mead Johnson announces another 50 high paying jobs will be leaving Evansville. It sort of reminds me of my employer, who once had 5 production plants, 7 warehouses and their Consumer Affairs and refrigeration headquarters in Evansville. Little by little, they left. —warnings to the local unions and to the city, were ignored. The same warnings by Chrysler, Bucyrus Erie, and those who made us the furniture capitol of the world and the refrigeration capitol of the world, meat packers, bakeries, bottlers, beer producers, etc., etc., etc., they all left.

Today, we try to save our economies by building schools for a declining student population and building an arena which most of the people opposed. We keep adding public construction jobs as if they will save our economy. We close our eyes at the logistical and engineering blunder of the arena and downtown hotel. We even pretend the use of the arena is for basketball. And in a panic, we celebrate at the artist’s rendering of a replacement hotel that looks more like it belongs next to a Cracker Barrel Restaurant, instead of a grand downtown hotel. We are rapidly being conditioned to expect less!

We are slowly delegating ourselves to bottom fishing and being content when someone pulls up a carp for dinner.—When did we lose our pride? The pride, which was once Evansville? Perhaps, it was something as simple as when we let the unique Mesker Merry-go-Round leave town, or the UE basketball team, which seems to lose every year!— or when we lost our National Weather Bureau.– I think of the weather station leaving each day, when I see the report out of Paducah or listen to one of the “Weather Channel” reporters refer to us as Evansville, Illinois. Meanwhile, we wait for the next economic shoe to drop and wonder. — Which abandoned strip mall will house the next “Dollar Store!”

Bill Hazelip

2010 Bacchanalian Fest Over the Top
Can’t Five People Fit in a Minivan for Trips to Tennessee?

The article that we were working on and preparing to publish prior to the crash of our server was about the receipts for the Christmas parties for the Evansville Convention and Visitors Board of Directors for the immediate past. Those expenditures have been as follows:

2006: $1,836.07
2007: $1,765.00
2008: $1,357.33
2009: $2,167.04 (15 people, 9 bottles of wine, 22 alcoholic beverages: Most expensive wine was $65.00 per bottle)
2010: $3,079.00

TOTAL FOR 5 YEARS OF CHRISTMAS PARTIES FOR ECVB: $10,205.00

Details were not available for years 2006 – 2008. In each year the tab was covered by the Executive Director of the ECVB.

A group of five people that included board members David Dunn and Joe Vezzoso, architect Mike Shoulders, Gray Loon’s Jon Ruthenburg, and Executive Director Marilee Fowler did charter a plane to visit little league complexes in Knoxville and Chattanooga at a cost of $2,542.90 on January 11, 2010.

Today the City County Observer experienced what is known as a meltdown on the site that hosts our servers. This happened because our traffic has spiked this year with the most interesting news and the launch of our new website for “good news” the Community Observer. To be specific our server host has reported that we exceeded 40,000 accesses during the last 24 hours which crashed the server. We have been advised that we should be up and running again in the next 24 to 72 hours. We will also be expanding our capacity to serve you, our readers over the course of the next month so that your access to our original content is not interrupted. Please understand that this is just one of the growing pains when rapid growth occurs.

The article that we were working on and preparing to publish was about the receipts for the Christmas parties for the Evansville Convention and Visitors Board of Directors for the immediate past. Those expenditures have been as follows:

2006: $1,836.07
2007: $1,765.00
2008: $1,357.33
2009: $2,167.04 (15 people, 9 bottles of wine, 22 alcoholic beverages: Most expensive wine was $65.00 per bottle)
2010: $3,079.00

TOTAL FOR 5 YEARS OF CHRISTMAS PARTIES FOR ECVB: $10,205.00

Details were not available for years 2006 – 2008. In each year the tab was covered by the Executive Director of the ECVB.

A group of five people that included board members David Dunn and Joe Vezzoso, architect Mike Shoulders, Gray Loon’s Jon Ruthenburg, and Executive Director Marilee Fowler did charter a plane to visit little league complexes in Knoxville and Chattanooga at a cost of $2,542.90 on January 11, 2010.

Best Regards,

Your City County Observer Staff

40,000 Accesses in 24 hours Overload Server

Dear CCO Readers,

Today the City County Observer experienced what is known as a meltdown on the site that hosts our servers. This happened because our traffic has spiked this year with the most interesting news and the launch of our new website for “good news” the Community Observer. To be specific our server host has reported that we exceeded 40,000 accesses during the last 24 hours which crashed the server. We have been advised that we should be up and running at full speed in the next 24 to 72 hours. We will also be expanding our capacity to serve you, our readers over the course of the next month so that your access to our original content is not interrupted. Please understand that this is just one of the growing pains when rapid growth occurs.

Best Regards,

Your City County Observer Staff
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David Dunn the chief proponent of the now suspended $18 Million Roberts Stadium Ballfields proposal has resigned from the Board of Directors of the Evansville Convention and Visitors Bureau. Dunn and 5 other members of the Board of Directors have been the subject of public outrage this week over the discovery that they were treated by the ECVB to a $3,079 dinner for Christmas. The outrage was sparked by the fact that 80% of the tab at Biaggi’s was spent on alcohol including 5 bottles of Opus One at $250 per bottle. Mr. Dunn has been adamant that there was nothing excessive about these expenditures. His resignation came at the morning meeting of the Vanderburgh County Council.

Also at the meeting a vote was held that resulted in Kristin Tucker, Editor and Publisher of Evansville Living Magazine being removed from the ECVB Board of Directors by a 7-0 vote. Sources tell the CCO that Ms. Tucker refused to resign on the grounds that her resignation would constitute an admission of guilt.

County Councilman and former Mayor Russ Lloyd Jr. expressed satisfaction that the Evansville Convention and Visitors Bureau now has a chance at a fresh start.

It was further disclosed that a letter will be sent by the Vanderburgh County Council to Mayor Jonathan Weinzapfel encouraging him to remove the three members that he appointed. Those members are Claudette Branson, Stacey McNeill of Casino Aztar, and Mike Roeder of Vectren Corporation. Mr. Roeder did not attend the controversial expensive dinner.

Candidate for Mayor and Vanderburgh County Treasurer Rick Davis in and exclusive interview (link below) with the City County Observer called for the resignations of the ECVB board yesterday along with Vanderburgh County Commissioner Marsha Abell upon discovering the price of the dinner.

http://city-countyobserver.com/2011/01/04/mayoral-candidate-rick-davis-speaks-out-on-the-ecvb-roman-christmas-dinner/

IS IT TRUE? January 5, 2011

IS IT TRUE that CCO Mole #3 accurately predicted 6 months ago that Evansville Mayor Jonathan Weinzapfel would not seek a third term?….that the Mayor in his first of what will certainly be many farewell addresses proudly boasted of many accomplishments and of his “love” for being the Mayor?…that the City County Observer recognizes both good and bad in Mayor Weinzapfel’s time as our leader and wishes him wisdom and clarity as he contemplates how to find his next place in this world?

IS IT TRUE that the politically embattled Evansville Convention Visitors Bureau special closed door meeting scheduled for January 5, 2011 has been abruptly cancelled? ….that this special closed was for discussion of strategy with respect to a certain pending litigation? ….that the ECVB Board of Directors should spend to plan a strategy on how to correct the massive public relations nightmare caused by its Holiday bash on December 13, 2010?

IS IT TRUE you can now read our new media partner publication by linking on to www.community-observer.com? …that the Community Observer was launched to offer community information without a heaping helping of politics on the side?….that this is the place to go for “feel good” articles and local event information?

IS IT TRUE we wonder the exact amount of taxpayer dollars the Evansville Convention and Visitors Bureau spent on the Holiday Board of Directors Dinners in the 2009, 2008, 2007 and 2006?….that if it is appropriate to repay last month’s excessive tab that it would also be appropriate to repay prior years tabs where a simple holiday dinner turned into a Bacchanalian Festival to celebrate self indulgence?….that some traditions are not worth continuing?

IS IT TRUE that Chairman of the Board of Directors Mr. Joe Vezzoso, has now paid back $439.90 and is on record as stating as far as he is concerned that he “owes” the money back to the ECVB?….that Mr. Vezzoso has been affiliated with the ECVB for as long as most of us can remember?….that if he “owes” it back for the 2010 gluttony fest that he may owe 20 or more times that amount back?….that we wonder exactly how far back it is appropriate to audit these self indulgent spectacles to recover intentionally squandered taxpayer’s money?….that the payback of a portion of the 2010 party is a decent first step for the two members who have done so (Vezzoso and Kristin Tucker), but that as both of those are long time members of the board and have attended many times that this is just a down payment?

IS IT TRUE we also wonder the exact amount the Evansville Convention Bureau Board of Directors spent on its fact finding trip to Memphis, Tennessee to look at established baseball fields?….that we have requested receipts for the out of town trips to inspect little league baseball fields in Nashville and Memphis?…that the mode of travel to these events are rather unconventional to a hard working taxpayer?…that we are quite curious about the expenses billed for all of the “exploratory” visits to inspect the little league parks of the United States?

IS IT TRUE that Gray Loon Marketing Group where Jon Ruthenburg who also attended the Bacchanalian Festival of self indulgence works is located in the same building that Dunn Hospitality where ECVB board member David Dunn has a day job?….that Gray Loon has been a service provider to the ECVB for some time?…that we wonder if the other service providers to the ECVB may be slightly envious because they did not have the privilege to attend a $3,079 dinner?….that many local connoisseurs or just curious people would love to have the opportunity to mow the grass or trim the roses for just one glass of that $250 per bottle Opus One? ….ahhh Ces’t Magnifique!!!!

STATEMENT FROM RICK DAVIS, MAYORAL CANDIDATE

Like many Evansville and Vanderburgh County residents, I was outraged when I read about the excessive spending the appointed board members of the Evansville Convention & Visitors Bureau exhibited recently at their annual Christmas party.

The ECVB’s appointed board has violated the public’s trust. I feel the first step toward restoring public confidence requires that the board members who attended the Christmas Party repay the ECVB for the full amount of revenues expended at the party. Additionally, I call on each of these board members to resign their posts, due to the fact that the public has lost confidence in these board members’ ability to exercise proper judgment when it comes to spending taxpayer dollars. Resigning their posts is important because in the future it will be nearly impossible for any of these appointed board members to present a worthwhile community project that requires the use of public funds.

The City of Evansville has many appointed boards that spend taxpayer dollars. As a private citizen, I myself have wondered how so many boards filled with appointed people could spend millions of taxpayer dollars without any direct accountability to the taxpayer. If I am fortunate enough to be elected mayor, I will ensure that as many elected officials as possible will be placed on these boards to ensure that board members responsible for making these decisions are directly held accountable by the people.

In the case of the ECVB, state law requires that at least three members of the hotel industry are to be placed on the ECVB board. We can adhere to state law while also putting elected officials on this board so that the decisions of these boards can be held directly accountable to the public. I also ask that the mayor join representatives of the Vanderburgh County Council and the Vanderburgh County Commissioners – the bodies that appoint the ECVB positions – to determine a proper oversight committee to ensure these types of funds are not being abused in the future.

Rick Davis
Democratic Party candidate for City of Evansville Mayor

Mole #3’s Prediction Comes True

Evansville Mayor Jonathan Weinzapfel called a news conference at the C.K. Newsome Center today to announce that after careful consideration he will not seek a third term as Mayor of Evansville. He did not elaborate on his plans for beyond January 1, 2012 when he will hand the keys to the City of Evansville over to a new Mayor.

This is a developing story

From: Evansville Mayor Jonathan Weinzapfel
To: Local Media
Regarding: Evansville Convention & Visitors Bureau Board Holiday Dinner
Date: Tuesday, January 4, 2011

“Spending $3,000 of taxpayer funds for a 14-person dinner, for any reason, goes well beyond a lapse of judgment. It is absolutely unacceptable and a misuse of public money. I would hope that the ECVB would reject payment of this bill at its next meeting and that all ECVB board members, staff and guests who attended the dinner would split the cost of the bill and reimburse the ECVB immediately.”

IS IT TRUE? January 4, 2011 Topic: CVB

IS IT TRUE that the Evansville Convention and Visitors Bureau had a Christmas party at Biaggi’s restaurant?…that they spent over $3,000 on dinner and DRINKS?….that the Opus One at $250 per bottle was flowing freely and that lesser bottles at only $85 each filled the gap after the pallets were exhausted? …that you already knew about those things from yesterday but that the next stuff is new?

IS IT TRUE that this is not the first time that the board of directors of the Evansville Convention and Visitors Bureau has thrown a Bacchanalian Festival with the taxpayers of Evansville picking up the tab?….that it is not even the most expensive festival of gluttony that this particular board has thrown?….that Mole #29 tells us that at the 2009 Bacchanalian self love fest that this board spent closer to $4,000?….that (sarcasm coming) we should all congratulate them on cutting their glutton fest budget by 25% from $4,000 to $3,000 in respect for the Great Recession?

IS IT TRUE that this is the same board that pushed every way possible to spend $18 Million on 8 baseball fields with much of that money slated to bail out the City of Evansville for the demolition of Roberts Stadium and deferred maintenance?….that in studying little league baseball fields that there was travel involved to cities that have such parks in operation?…that Nashville is one of the cities that was visited?….that local governments typically have stringent procedures in place to control travel expenses and to tell officials whether to fly or drive?

IS IT TRUE that there are no commercial flights available from Evansville to Nashville?…that Nashville is less than a 3 hour drive?….that in order to have a look at a little league baseball park in Nashville that some members of our volunteer board of directors (the same board that just treated themselves to a $3,079 dinner), chose to travel to Nashville on a chartered private plane?

IS IT TRUE that people with long term involvement tell us that this type of party has been an annual tradition for nearly 25 years?….that this single dinner exceeds the average wage for a month in the City of Evansville?….that this not only shows poor judgment but callous disregard for the taxpayers money?

IS IT TRUE that the City County Observer reiterates our call for the board members in attendance to tender their resignations immediately?….that if they refuse to do so or continue to rationalize to the media that their actions were not excessive that the public entities that appointed them remove them for cause according to Indiana Statute IC6-9-2.5-2.

IS IT TRUE that once again a “Time of Reckoning” has been presented to the governance of Vanderburgh County and to the Mayor of Evansville?…that the decisions that are made at times like this are defining decisions?….that political mischief may have just helped create the anything goes atmosphere that seems to have manifested itself in the ECVB board over the past year?….that it is up to the political entities of the county and the Mayor to clean the mess that last year’s meddling helped to create?