POINTED LETTER TO COUNCILWOMAN ROBINSON FROM COMMERCE BANK PRESIDENT LUKE YAEGER

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    Dear Connie,

    I’m hearing more about the proposed ordinance that would require only citizens of Evansville to serve on boards and commissions. This is pretty disappointing indeed. I thought as a community we were moving forward with an embrace toward the ideals of regionalism and a movement away from the parochialism that has kept the tri-state from moving forward at the pace of many other communities.

    Doesn’t it make more sense to be inclusive and seek out talent rather than be divisive and chase it off? I wonder how many of our community’s 20 under 40 winners live outside the city limits? Irrespective of where they live, wouldn’t we want to get them engaged and invested in the decisions our community is making so they don’t bolt for another locale?

    It is indeed disappointing to know that my personal efforts of volunteerism with a mind toward bettering my community are not needed inside the city limits. It further puzzles me as to why my residency causes me to be cast out from city boards and commissions meanwhile my bank, located on 4th and Sycamore, and its tax dollars are happily accepted by the city. I wonder who we’re casting aside by such a proposed measure.

    I’ll be happy to discuss this with my peers, like Bob Jones, CEO of Old National Bank who also lives outside the city limits. Or his Chief Banking Executive, Jim Sandgren who also is a Warrick County resident like me. Perhaps we should exclude Christy Gillenwater, the head of our regional chamber of commerce who is outside the city limits. I’ll make sure our CEO Tom Austerman, who happens to be a New Harmony resident, realizes this is the approach some of our local elected officials prefer. My CFO, John Schenk, would also be interested to know we’re moving in this direction given that he is a Warrick County resident.

    It is my hope that we can all see the forest above the trees….which brings to mind the money others and I raised for the city of Evansville—about $1.5mm that is—for the benefit of Wesselman Woods and Wesselman Nature Society (which happens to manage a city owned asset). Should my philanthropic efforts and others be only directed at the city or town in which we claim a residency?

    I truly hope we’re not thinking of taking this approach to government.

    Luke J. Yaeger

    President

    Commerce Bank

    FOOTNOTE:  THIS LETTER WAS SENT TO BOTH CONNIE ROBINSON AND STEPHANIE  BRINKERHOFF RILEY BY MR. YAEGER TODAY VIA PHONE TEXT.   CITY COUNCILWOMAN CONNIE ROBINSON  SENT THIS LETTER TO FELLOW CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND THE CCO ALIKE.  THIS LETTER IS POSTED WITHOUT OPINON,  BIAS OR  EDITING.

    PLEASE GO TO OUR “READERS POLL” AND TELL HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT THIS ISSUE.

    RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR

    31 COMMENTS

    1. the city appointments to regional boards and city boards should come from city residents, and county appointments should represent people who live in the county. if you live in New Harmony and want to be part of Evansville’s city government, move. if you are inclined towards public service, I’m sure Posey and Warrick counties would welcome your expertise. and while you might have aided in the raising of funds for Wesselman Park, you didn’t do it alone.

    2. Mr. Yeager is super duper sad that he might not be able to make policy in a place he does not reside, and is threatening to take all his toys and stay home. What will we do if he and his ‘leet peers are excluded from appointment to city boards? If not for their selfless service I guess we would not have the clean, structurally updated, financially sound city we currently enjoy? Nor would we have developed such a highly educated, gainfully employed, progressive thinking, trim and happy citizenry…?

      Get over yourself, Mr. Yeager. If you were that high on Evansville, you would live here. The self-aggrandizing list of your ‘accomplishments’ and banker buddies neglects to mention that you no doubt benefit personally and professionally from your activities. The selfless martyr act is disingenuous and unbecoming.

      • Good call. People who serve on these boards to further their own personal game make me sick. Now if they do it out of the desire to help others then that’s totally different. Those are good people that care about others. We need to keep those kind of people even if they don’t live inside the city limits.
        But that’s really up to the city residents and the city council members are their representatives. So if the city council votes to make them live inside the city limits before they can serve on a board then so be it. To me that will be the city’s loss more than theirs.

        I really could care less what the City of Evansville does these days. I moved out of the city a long long time ago.

        I see that the County Commissioners voted or decided to put up “No Trespassing” signs at the old court house to keep the homeless people from coming inside to get warm and hang out. What were they hurting? Oh right they didn’t fit in with the IN crowd and didn’t wear their designer cloths or drive the nicest car in the city. I guess that means that they won’t be invited to the County Commissioners Christmas party this year. At a time when we have had some of the coldest temperatures on record for this time of the year this sure seems kind of heartless to me.

        • There are lots of homeless shelters in the city. They provide free food, a place to stay, showers etc. One requirement- you must be sober.

          Maybe you should invite the homeless to your house to sleep. What would they hurt?

          • No pets allowed, as well. Seems like a minor thing, but I have personally interacted on-duty with people who would not go to a shelter because they couldn’t take their dogs with them.

            The sober thing is a major issue, as you point out. I think if it gets cold enough shelters will even waive the sobriety requirement, though. I don’t know if I would generally call homelessness a ‘choice’, but on some level not having shelter for the night is, in fact, a choice.

    3. Connie Robinson is right and Luke Yeager is wrong. Appointments from city officials should go to city residents, and county officials should appoint county residents. If you don’t live in either the city or county, you should seek to serve on boards where you are a resident.

      • ……..This kind of response is exactly what Yeager is referring to! LKB, you remind me of panic that progress means change and therefore out of fear you hunker down and preserve your turf. Everyone loses with that kind of mentality.

        • Actually, I am endorsing change, Shem. There is no such limit on appointments at this time. I happen to believe that our boards and commissions should be representative, and the proposed ordinance would serve to make them more representative. There are plenty of competent people who live inside the city, with our vibrant downtown, and those who dwell there. Right?

        • My dear Water’s edge,

          Wouldn’t it seem that for such logic to exist, why do we limit the residence of the mayor to the city limits….why do we limit the seats on our City Council to the wards and at large to the city limits. Has previous politicians been challenged due to their proclaimed residence within their jurisdictions? With that said, why would anyone object to the notion that those who determine the fate and fortunes of our citizens shouldn’t be left to those who have the most to gain or lose, to believe otherwise is absolute elitism…I have always wondered why someone from another community would wish to set on a board, without compensation unless they desired power and influence and/or economic advantages. But, those who live, work and play in our community have skin in the game, their hopes and dreams, their desires to see their children and grandchildren to develop and remain in this great City to be paramount above all…and to hear those who say this community lack the wisdom, the talent, the skills to determine their destiny is insulting and rejected!!!

        • Shem, you think in a very narrow track and believe that anything to the right or left of you is fear or the tea party. As others have said, serve the community in which you reside. I read Yeager’s who’s whom response and would like to follow the money. Actually, I read your response and wonder where you reside?

      • Something to think about. The “county only” residents that pay property taxes, do pay a 6% city tax. This should allow them to be on appointed city boards because of taxation!

        • Explain this to me. Under what portion of the tax code does this occur? I’m legitimately interested.

            • Specifics. What is this city tax? Do you pay additional property taxes? Is there a payroll tax I’m not familiar with? Is it earmarked towards budgetary items that involve joint city/county departments?

        • Please explain to what you are referring? The only additional “taxes” that I can think of might be:

          1.) The Vanderburgh County local option income tax which provides a means for people who are employed in Evansville/Vanderburgh county but live outside of Evansville/Vanderburgh county (Warrick county, Gibson county, Posey county, Illinois, Kentucky, etc.) to contribute/support the infrastructure (roads, utilities, police, fire, parks and recreation, etc.) that they use and enjoy.

          2.) The 1% local tax added to the state sales tax for meals, entertainment, and lodging to support local community infrastructure. (Trust me, that’s cheap. I just returned from Nashville where the combined sales tax and “visitor” tax is 17.25%)

    5. County residents do include the city residents, correct? County government does cover the city residents, but the duplicating city government does like to protect their turf for that tax money

    6. He’s dead wrong. The city is doing great with Weinzapfel then Weinneke and the all-star city council that we have set in place. Who needs input from really really smart, successful business minded people, who want to contribute, but for one reason or another, love outside the city. I’m curious… What does Connie Robinson do for a living?

      Maybe the US Presidency should only be open to residents of DC. If people want to better the USA, they just need to move to DC first.

      • Brian J., per a Courier & Press article, a full 30% of city board appointees are currently filled by folks who do NOT live within the city limits. I presume that these 30% are the ‘smart, successful business minded people’ you refer to? What % of non residents do you think would put us over the tipping point towards greatness? 45%? Maybe 65%? Or maybe The Mayor appointed has buddies of his from the banking industry to give them personal favors and resume builders, perhaps even giving them an even greater chance of recognizing increased personal or corporate profit from their positions within the City government? Is that possible?

        Success in the banking industry is not = to smart, and is certainly not = to ethical or prone to operating in the best interest of your fellowman.

        • My point is this- why limit ourselves (city of Evansville) to only having choices of people who reside in the city? Bad idea, like choosing the lesser of two evils because they’re the only options. Who needs an exact number of anything, as in residents vs nonresidents. Just look for the best people.

          The real problem is the “appointees” and “appointers”. There needs to be checks and balances. Or you get an unqualified police chief who is facing a huge spike in all crime stats, or an unqualified CVB board member and so on and so forth. You know, typical politician types.

          But honestly, the best and brightest don’t stick around here very long. Why should they.

        • This is a great comment. The status quo is a large number of non-resident rich people, typically bankers, serving on boards that make significant decisions related to the direction of Evansville and how its tax dollars are spent. The status quo is generally disfavored on this site, and the problems related to the status quo are discussed in great detail. This is an issue where you can’t have it both ways. If you are dissatisfied with the direction of this local government, then you cannot also be upset to see a pretty significant change in leadership. 30% is a big number. Perhaps the new blood will think of something besides their CV.

    7. I think Mr. Yeager is implying that we should be looking to residents of other counties to sit on our boards and commissions, as well as residents of this county, is he not? He seems to be implying that Posey and Warrick counties should also be included, in his little spate of name-dropping.

      • A tip o’ the cap to Danceswithwolves:

        ” But, those who live, work and play in our community have skin in the game, their hopes and dreams, their desires to see their children and grandchildren to develop and remain in this great City to be paramount above all…and to hear those who say this community lack the wisdom, the talent, the skills to determine their destiny is insulting and rejected!!!”

        I’ll be upfront with you, I’m a Posey County resident. We shop, dine & worship in Evansville / Vanderburgh County. To the good, bad or indifferent, whatever happens in E-town affects the region & I try to listen in on things. Am I concerned about what goes on in Evansville & Vanderburgh County? In light of the regional influence, Yup! As a non-resident who doesn’t have to deal with the daily ups-&-downs that Evansville / V’burgh residents do (as well as my not paying property taxes in Vanderburgh), am I qualified to opine how you good people run your city / county? Uh, obviously, “NO!”.

        As a working-class dog like the majority of you, I don’t think that I’m out of line by wishing you the best & by hoping that you’ll be able to work things out AMONG YOURSELVES.

        It’s been decades since I’ve been to Wesselman Park but as I recall, there was never a “Reserved for Residents Only” sign at the entrance. Come to think of it, Burdette lacks the same signage. I commend Mr. Yeager’s participation in fundraising efforts & hope for the sake of us all, that his interest & that of other participants continues. REAL public service is NEVER a bad thing, no matter at what level one serves…

        That being said, as a non-resident myself, I don’t see where non-residents have the right to serve on any body that dictates the condition(s) under which residents must live. Kinda reeks of “carpetbagger”, if you know what I mean. The notion of “skin in the game” is, to me, most powerful…

        Thanks for your time & good luck to us all!

    8. So as it seems, elitism is alive and well in Southwest Indiana….millions of dollars have past through the hands of these respective boards, hard earned tax money from the citizens of our Community…the fortunes and happiness of our citizens in the hands of those who elect to live in other communities were their decisions on our boards do NOT effect them personally. Similar to Obamacare, we the stupid electorate who do not know what is good for us and need those intellects to guide us through the complexities and must violate transparency to achieve those goals.

      If failure must be our fate, let it be at our hand…and to hell with the elitist!!!!

    9. So these Local Boards “need”– Full of themselves Elitist “Daddys”, –to give the masses direction? What a novel idea Mr. Yaeger. You and your Peers might think about putting an ad in the WSJ offering yourselves to any Community– “in need”.
      Maybe Evansville will miss you then,—Maybe not.

    10. Luke Yaeger is a machine slurper. A reliable toad. Thinks he’s hot because the machine landed him at such a superpower bank as Commerce. Please !

      No, Yaeger is wrong. If you love the City so much, live here. If you want to serve on boards, live here. For once, Connie is right about something.

      • Now, why would Mr. Yeager wish to live here…he can use his privilege on those boards, wheel and deal, give loans to questionable outside entities….all the while enjoy the squeaky little suburbania, quaint town of Newburgh while his power wheeling position nets him tickets to the game….What? Is this name Luke Elitist Yeager!!!

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