Editor

(EVANSVILLE, IN)-   A reminder that residents should start reporting potholes for the City/County blitz on Monday, March 29^th.  Callers should be ready to give specific information about the location, as well as their contact information, in case workers have trouble finding the pothole.   The City of Evansville’s pothole hotline is 435-6000.  The Vanderburgh County hotline is 435-5777.

Residents are being asked to call in pothole reports for the blitz from March 29^th through April 2^nd.  All of the locations will be mapped out to create a grid that will help crews systematically fill potholes throughout the City and County.  The filling work will begin on April 5^th and continue through April 9^th.  Crews cannot begin patching potholes any sooner because the material needed will not be available in the quantities needed until the beginning of April.

Please keep in mind that the State of Indiana maintains Diamond Avenue, Morgan Avenue, U.S. Highway 41, the Lloyd Expressway, and State Road 62.

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How to Attract and Retain Talent

(EVANSVILLE, IN)-  Why did you choose to live in Evansville?  What do you value most about life in the region?  What makes Evansville a great place for the next generation?

Mayor Jonathan Weinzapfel and Greater Evansville: The Place for Young Professionals are pleased to present the “Next City” Summit, which will engage the community in a discussion about attracting and retaining the next generation.  The Summit, which is sponsored by Vectren, will be held on Tuesday, April 13^th, from 8:00 a.m. to noon at The Centre.   Admission is free but attendees are required to RSVP in advance.  Seating is limited.  Call (812) 568-6027 for reservations.

“It is important that we engage young people in planning for the future because it gets them invested in our community and gives them a reason to stay in Evansville. The next generation also provides much needed perspective and insight about what will attract high caliber talent to our community,” said Mayor Jonathan Weinzapfel.

“As a long time member of the Evansville community, I continue to hear and witness the difficult challenge in attracting and retaining qualified employees. Individually, the problem of brain drain cannot be solved; it’s time we all come together to understand the drivers behind this phenomenon. This has to be a community wide, collaborative effort if we’re going to understand the challenges and address them. This initiative is an opportunity to join in the process,” Ellis Redd, Vice President – Human Resources, Vectren.

The Summit will feature Next Generation Consulting (NGC) founder Rebecca Ryan, author of Live First, Work Second: Getting Inside the Head of the Next Generation. Rebecca is a former professional basketball player and an Entrepreneur of the Year.  Since 1998, NGC has conducted interviews, focus groups, and surveys with over 40,000 young professionals creating a comprehensive proprietary system for evaluating a community based on what matters to young people. NGC helps cities like Nashville, Milwaukee, and Columbus, Ohio, design strategies to attract and retain young, future leaders.

The “Next City” Summit will include insight into how Evansville ranks in the attributes that matter to young people when choosing a place to live.  It will be followed by open discussion about what area residents feel are the assets, challenges and opportunities that make (or will make) our region a more vibrant place for young professionals to live and work. The Summit dialog will become the foundation for additional research and attraction/retention strategies.

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State, City Ahead of National Average

(EVANSVILLE, IN)-  The first mail participation rates are in for the 2010 Census and even though it is early in the count, the good news is that Indiana and the City of Evansville are ahead of the national rate of return.  As of today, the participation rate nationwide is 13%; the State of Indiana is at 20% and the City of Evansville is at 19%.  Here is a further breakdown of the local numbers:

• Armstrong Township 28%
• Center Township        20%
• German Township  25%
• Knight Township  21%
• Perry Township  21%
• Pigeon Township  15%
• Scott Township  23%
• Union Township  21%

The mail participation rates will be updated daily on the Census website at http://2010.census.gov/2010census/take10map/. Again, these are very early numbers and we still need to spread the word about the importance of everyone filling out and returning their Census forms.*

A reminder that help is now available at Questionnaire Assistance Centers (QAC) in Evansville for people who need assistance filling out their Census forms.  QAC’s will remain open through Monday, April 19^th.

C.K. Newsome Center, 100 E. Walnut Street

Tuesday, Thursday    1:30 – 4:30 p.m.

Boys & Girls Club of Evansville, 700 Bellemeade Avenue

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday          2:00 – 5:00 p.m.

Thursday       4:30 – 7:30 p.m.

Culver Elementary School, 1303 Judson Street

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday    10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Thursday       11:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.

The QAC’s will be staffed by sworn U.S. Census Bureau professionals who are there to help people accurately complete their Census.  There will also be language assistance guides at the QAC’s to help those who don’t speak English.  By law, the Census Bureau cannot share an individual’s answers with anyone, including welfare and immigration agencies.  Also, every Census Bureau worker takes an oath for life to protect the confidentiality of Census responses.

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(EVANSVILLE, IN)- The Board of Public Safety will be asked on Wednesday to approve the closing of a portion of Oak Hill Road for improvement work.

Virginia Street/Oak Hill Road from U.S. 41 to Weinbach Avenue will be closed to through traffic through the end of 2010 or early 2011.  Local traffic and access to businesses and residences will be maintained at all times.  The detour around the closure will be via U.S. 41 and Morgan Avenue.

Also during this time, Oak Hill Road will be closed to northbound traffic between Weinbach Avenue and Eichel Avenue; and Oak Hill Road north of Morgan Avenue to Pigeon Creek will be restricted to one lane of traffic in each direction and lane widths will be restricted.

This project is the first phase of major improvements to Oak Hill Road which include new pavement, curbs and gutters, sidewalk storm sewers and bicycle lanes.  The second phase, which will include the same type of improvements on Oak Hill between Pigeon Creek and Lynch Road, is tentatively scheduled for early 2012.

The first phase of Oak Hill Road improvements will cost $6.9 million.  Approximately $400,000 will come from local funds; the remainder will be a combination of funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and other federal transportation dollars.

The Board of Public Safety meets on Wednesday, March 24^th, at 1:30 p.m. in room 301 of the Civic Center.  Presuming the request is approved, the closures will begin right after the Board meeting on Wednesday or shortly after.

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Downtown Traffic Improvements

(EVANSVILLE, IN)- Funding for traffic improvements which should make navigation of downtown Evansville easier for both motorists and pedestrians was approved today by the Board of Public Works.

“We hear a great deal from citizens about the difficulties they have getting around downtown.  Not only will these traffic improvements make things better for pedestrians and motorists, it will provide better access to downtown businesses,” said Mayor Jonathan Weinzapfel.  “The planned improvements will also help handle anticipated increase in downtown traffic when our new arena opens.”

Map shows the intersections involved. Please disregard the arrows indicating traffic direction. They represent the traffic flow now, not what it will be after the improvements.

The project includes the upgrade of 21 traffic signals and related improvements, including the installation of Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant curb ramps at each of those locations.   The improvements will also include fluted, dual-purpose poles that will have both street lights and pedestrian crossing indicators, which will eliminate poles that are currently only used for street lights.

The improvements will also convert several one-way streets to handle two-way traffic.  They include:

• Vine Street: between Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard and Riverside Drive
• Sycamore Street: between Main Street and Riverside Drive
• Third Street: between Sycamore Street and Court Street
• Fifth Street: between Sycamore Street and Court Street

Construction should begin by mid-summer and take approximately 12 months to complete.

60% of the funding (at least $2.1 million) will come from the Federal Government and 40% ($1.9 million at most) will be funded locally with TIF funds.

This is just the first phase of major downtown traffic improvements.  The second phase, also slated to begin this year, will include similar signal improvements on Main Street between Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard and Riverside Drive.  It will also include the reversal of traffic flow on that section of Main Street.  Median cuts will be made on Riverside Drive at Main Street and Walnut Street, providing better access and traffic flow into and out of the downtown area.

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(EVANSVILLE, IN)-  The Board of Public Works will be asked today to approve a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the City of Evansville and the County Commission which will allow them to apply together for a National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) grant.

The proposed broadband network would have more capability for multiple users, instead of one network for one application.  This would augment the wireless initiative originally announced by the City which would have been a single network for a single function.  The network would enhance City and County services and public safety; provide access for people who don’t have the internet and better access for people who have wireless internet. It would also allow for increased government efficiencies. In addition, the proposed network would have the capability and capacity to allow local government to work with outside entities such as institutions of higher education and hospitals.

“In this wired age, anyone who wants or needs the internet should have affordable broadband access.  This grant will allow us to provide that access while serving public safety and government needs,” said Mayor Jonathan Weinzapfel.  “I am pleased that we are joining with the County to make this application.  It makes sense that a broadband network should be accessible not only in Evansville but to the broader population in the County as well.”

Through the MOU, the City and County have also agreed to establish the Greater Evansville Broadband Alliance (GEBA). GEBA will manage a City-County broadband network and be responsible for receiving and disbursing all funds received through the NTIA grant.  The County Commission approved the MOU on March 16^th.

Funds for the NTIA grant are being made available through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.  The federal government is placing an emphasis on building broadband infrastructure to make high speed broadband more accessible and affordable to more people across the country.

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$2.6 billion remains of the $7 billion allocated for NTIA grants; the City and County are jointly applying for a little more than $5.2 million.  If awarded to the City and County, the grant will cover 70% of the cost of the local project.  The remaining costs and expenses will be shared by the City and County.

The grant paperwork is being assembled and is due by March 26^th.  Awards will be made by September 30, 2010.

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(EVANSVILLE, IN)- Plans for the renovation of the Wesselman Woods Nature Center were presented today to the Board of Parks Commissioners.  The Center is being expanded in order to enhance the visitor experience and increase the number of programs and services being offered to the public.

“The Wesselman Woods Nature Center is a valuable tool to help educate the public about Evansville’s natural resources and our environment.  The renovation is important because it will make the Nature Center a modern facility and help draw attention to the State Nature Preserve and National Natural Landmark right in our own backyard,” said Mayor Jonathan Weinzapfel.

The renovation of the Nature Center will begin in May.  Viewing areas will be added to the existing classroom and a second classroom will be created in the gift shop area. The new gift shop will be moved to the front entrance.  Large windows will be installed to increase the building’s transparency and connection to nature. There will be more space dedicated to education and exhibits.  Other improvements include siding, trim repair, new gutters and roofing.  The Wesselman Nature Society will seek funding to build new exterior decking on the building’s east side.

Hafer Associates (architects) is also aiming for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification, which provides independent verification that a building project meets the highest green building and performance measures.  LEED-certified buildings are designed to:

• Lower operating costs and increase asset value
• Reduce waste sent to landfills
• Conserve energy and water
• Reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions
• Demonstrate an owner’s commitment to environmental stewardship and social responsibility.

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The Wesselman Woods Nature Preserve and its trails will remain open during the construction and the Nature Society will continue to offer programs. Renovation of the Nature Center is expected to be completed by the end of December 2010.

The Parks Board approved a contract last December with Hafer Associates for renovations to the Wesselman Woods Nature Center. The City will pay up to $850,000, which was funded by riverboat money in the 2009 budget, for the improvements.  The payment is part of an agreement with the Wesselman Nature Society to manage and operate Wesselman Woods Nature Preserve (including the Nature Center and Recycling Center), the Howell Wetlands and Canoe Evansville.

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(EVANSVILLE, IN)-  The City of Evansville and the Just for Kids Spring Break Camp are teaming up for a family-friendly event to pre-register kids for the camp and promote the Census.  Please join us for a free afternoon of fun on Sunday, March 21^st, at the C.K. Newsome Center, from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

“Getting an accurate and complete Census count is critical to our future, particularly because that number is used as a basis for funding programs such as education, social services and road maintenance.  As such, we are taking every opportunity to spread the word about why it is vital that everyone take part in the Census,” said Mayor Jonathan Weinzapfel.  “We are grateful to be able to partner with Just for Kids for this event and hope to encourage parents to come out and enroll their children in this free camp over spring break.”

Parents who attend Sunday’s event will be able to sign their children up for the Just for Kids Spring Break Camp.  Just for Kids is a free, community-supported camp which gives kids K-12 something positive to do over their spring break.  The camp runs from March 22^nd to March 24^th and from noon to 5:00 p.m. daily.  Free lunch and a snack will be provided each day.  The program includes dancing, diversity programs, field trips, arts and crafts, sports, and reading.

While signing up their children for Just for Kids, parents will also receive information about the 2010 Census.  The City of Evansville is fortunate that the Census Portrait of America Road Tour (http://2010.census.gov/2010census/roadtour/) will make a stop at Sunday’s event.  The Road Tour is designed to educate the public about the 2010 Census and the positive impact their participation can have on their local community and the nation.

There will also be things for the kids to do while their parents are learning about the Census or signing them up for the Just for Kids Spring Break Camp. Mesker Park Zoo will bring animals for show and tell and the Evansville Police Department will be fingerprinting.  Members of Evansville’s semi-pro football team, the Ohio River Bearcats, will be on hand as well.  There will be clowns and other entertainment.  Free food and giveaways will also be provided.

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(EVANSVILLE, IN) – With the awarding a of a bid by the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT), construction of Phase 2 of the Pigeon Creek Greenway’s Industrial Corridor should get underway by the end of this month.  This phase of the Greenway will be funded entirely with American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds (stimulus money).

Phase 2 will extend the Greenway from Franklin Street to Maryland Street along the Pigeon Creek levee into Lamasco Park.  It will include a new trailhead at the park as well as a bridge which will allow pedestrians and bicyclists to cross over the outflow from the levee’s pump station.   Construction of Phase 2 is scheduled to be complete in June 2011.  The bid, which was about $400,000 less than the estimate to build, was awarded to Blankenberger Brothers Construction for $1,730,419.  Blankenberger is also currently working on Phase 5.

“When the Industrial Corridor is complete, it will link Evansville’s riverfront with the near north side.  The Greenway Passage will provide a safe and convenient route for residents to jog, walk or ride their bikes to Downtown Evansville,” said Mayor Jonathan Weinzapfel.  “Our next goal is to extend the Greenway toward the east, completing a loop of trail around the City.”

This is the first time two sections of the Greenway Passage have been built at the same time.  Construction has started on Phase 5, which stretches from Kratzville Road to Dresden Street, and is expected to be complete by December 2010.   Completion of Phases 5 and 2 will bring the total miles of the Greenway Passage to six.  Only one-half (1/2) mile remains to be constructed to finish the trail from Sunrise Park to the Heidelbach Canoe Launch.

Plans for Phases 3 and 4 are being finalized in the event further federal funding becomes available.   So far, nearly $5 million in federal funds, a $900,000 grant from the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, and a $265,000 from the Mead Johnson Foundation has been utilized for the construction of the Industrial Corridor.  The City of Evansville has matched the grants and paid the engineering costs with $900,000 from riverboat funds.

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(EVANSVILLE, IN)-  Census Day is April 1, 2010, and on that day every person in the United States must be counted as set forth in the Constitution.  Yet thousands of people fail to fill out their Census forms for one reason or another, and that comes with a high price.

Census data is used to distribute federal aid to states, counties and cities.  The Brookings Institute reports that in 2008 $447 billion, or $1,469 per person, in federal aid was distributed to for programs including:

• Education
• Law enforcement
• Highway projects
• Community Development Block Grants (for programs such as Front Door Pride, Meals on Wheels, Albion Fellows Bacon Center and Neighborhood Inspection Services- which receives, investigates and prepares cases on weeds, trash and residential building code violation complaints)
• School lunch & breakfast programs

Census results can also have a profound effect on our government and elections.  Despite gaining population in the 1990’s, Indiana lost a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives leaving the state with only nine congressmen.  The Census also impacts presidential elections because a state’s number of electoral votes is equal to its number of representatives plus senators.

The act of simply not filling out a Census form can be costly in another way.   The Census Bureau must send field workers to each address in an effort to collect responses if a form is not received.  These follow up visits are estimated to cost taxpayers $2 billion.  Here is a look at local response rates from the last Census in 2000:

• Indiana    69%  (down from 72% in 1990)
• Evansville   71%
• Pigeon Township  56%
• Union Township   60%
• Other Townships     75% or above

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