City Council Attorney Scott Danks stated Sunday that he has received confirmation from Crowe-Horwath that the accounting firm has no interest or intention of accepting the task of vetting the development agreement signed by the Mayor of Evansville and approved by the Evansville Redevelopment Commission. The decision by Crowe-Horvath was made based on the refusal of the selected developer HCW of Branson, Missouri’s mandate that no financial information supplied for the purpose of vetting could be shown to or spoken about to the Evansville City Council (Crowe’s client) or the Office of the Mayor of Evansville.
The news of HCW’s secrecy and Crowe’s unwillingness to vet the deal has not deterred Mayor Winnecke’s office from trying to breath life into a deal that is rapidly losing a thin base of support in the City Council and among the people of Evansville. Upon hearing the news, the Mayor’s Office asserted that they are still planning discussions with HCW for today.
The Finance Chair of the City Council John Friend, CPA has called the deal “as good as dead” and two other members of the City Council (O’Daniel and Lindsey) have publicly announced they will be voting no. Five votes are needed to defeat a resolution and sources tell the CCO that there are sufficient no votes to kill this deal should the Mayor’s Office succeed in resurrecting it for vetting.
This weekend’s news has made it clear to all involved or interested that Mayor Winnecke and the Evansville Redevelopment Commission along with City Council members Jonathan Weaver and Missy Mosby have chosen to support this deal with this developer without the benefit of a typical vetting procedure.
The question arises about who will vet any documentation that HCW may choose to provide the Mayor’s Office should their “HAIL MARY” efforts produce a formal financial grant application package.
Hail Mary indeed. It sounds more like a rat from the Titanic floating on a plank next to an iceberg to me. When will the numbskulls Winnecke and Ziemer come to grips with reality? These people are beginning to look like the “no-brainers” that Weaver the headless councilman was talking about.
Good one. Ichabod Weaver, the headless councilman.
LOL, what nickname is appropriate for his sidekick Missy Mosby?
Big Bird
Weaver’s campaign slogan could be “I like Ich”.
“Big Bird” is just…wrong, yet somehow it’s so…right.
This thread cracked me up. Thanks for the laugh.
Go get em Mr Danks.
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