Office of The Mayor

(EVANSVILLE, IN)-  To reduce the estimated $2.7 billion cost of following up with households that fail to mail back their 2010 Census questionnaires, the U.S. Census Bureau has begun mailing second forms to approximately 40 million addresses in areas that had below-average response rates in the 2000 Census.  The questionnaires were sent regardless of whether a 2010 Census form had already been returned.

According to the Census Bureau, each time the national participation rate increases by a percentage point, it saves about $85 million. It costs the government just 42 cents in a postage paid envelope to get a questionnaire back in the mail, but it costs taxpayers an average of $57 to count a household that fails to mail it back.  Households have until mid-April to mail back their forms before Census takers begin going door to door to residences that failed to respond.

If you need assistance filling out your Census form, or did not receive one, you can stop by of the Questionnaire Assistance Centers (QAC) here in Evansville until 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.

Bilingual QAC, Nativity Catholic Church, 3635 Pollack Avenue

Saturday & Sunday          3:00 p.m. – 5:30 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.

It is important to remember that, 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) – Mayor Weinzapfel’s April Traveling City Hall Program will be held on Tuesday, April 13th, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Vogel Elementary School, 1500 Oak Hill Road.  All City residents are welcome.  The Traveling City Hall Programs give the public the chance to ask questions and voice concerns, one-on-one outside of normal business hours, of the Evansville Mayor and City Department Heads.

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(EVANSVILLE, IN) – Evansville’s Celebration of Diversity Distinguished Lecture Series would like to remind the public that tickets for Rosie Perez’s lecture are now available at The Centre box office.

Perez’s lecture is free to the public; however, tickets are required for admission. There will be a maximum of four tickets distributed per person.  Group tickets will not be available.  Upon request, tickets and seats will be set aside for anyone needing special accommodation.

The lecture will begin at 7:00 p.m. on April 22^nd at The Centre, with doors opening at 5:30 p.m.

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(EVANSVILLE, IN)-  Mayor Jonathan Weinzapfel announced today the creation of the Department of Sustainability, Energy and Environmental Quality (SEEQ). SEEQ will work on energy conservation and green initiatives within City government and collaborate with interested parties in the community to promote green, quality of life initiatives.  The Evansville Environmental Protection Agency (EEPA) will fall under the umbrella of SEEQ and will continue to enforce local air quality regulations, perform compliance inspections, provide technical assistance to businesses and industries, and promptly respond to citizen complaints and concerns.

The City has already “gone green” with several projects including:  hybrid buses at METS, a green fleets policy, no idling policy, LEED certification for public buildings like the new downtown arena and the soon-to-be renovated Wesselman Nature Centure.  All of the Front Door Pride homes are Energy Star+ rated, meaning they are the greenest most energy efficient homes on the market.

“The creation of the Department of Sustainability, Energy and Environmental Quality is another milestone in my administration’s efforts to improve public health and quality of life by protecting the environment,” said Mayor Jonathan Weinzapfel.  “With a budget that is burdened by high energy costs, the City is working to chart a new course of increased energy independence, greater energy efficiency and reduced greenhouse gas emissions.”

Under this reorganization, the EEPA will become part of SEEQ.  Current EEPA Executive Director, Dona Bergman, will move into the newly-created position of SEEQ Director and the City will hire a new EEPA Director.  One full-time staff position has also been reduced, creating a savings of $48,000 in salary and benefits.

Contributing to the reorganization is the fact that the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) decided in December 2008 to take over air permitting, monitoring and state-level compliance issues from the EEPA. IDEM also pulled its contracts from local air quality agencies in Indianapolis, Gary and Hammond, the Anderson Air Agency and Vigo County.

Last March, the U.S. Department of Energy informed the City that it would be receiving $1,206,000 in Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) funds, which are part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) – also known as “stimulus” funds.   The new SEEQ Director will administer the EECBG funds which have strict compliance and reporting requirements; they also must be spent by December 2012.

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“I will ensure that the EECBG funds are spent thoughtfully and carefully to achieve the maximum energy conservation per dollar spent.  I am especially looking forward to collaborating with the many groups and agencies which have complimentary interests and responsibilities in the sustainability field,” said Dona Bergman, current EEPA Executive Director.

The City will utilize a portion of the EECBG funds to perform energy audits on key City buildings and infrastructure.  Based on the recommendations of the audit reports, the City will begin energy conservation retrofits which could include more efficient HVAC systems, replacement lighting, new doors or windows and / or insulation.

Proposed changes to the Evansville Municipal Code to create SEEQ have been approved by the EEPA Board and will go to City Council for a first reading on April 5^th.

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(EVANSVILLE, IN)- Following through on his promise to keep Evansville residents safe and dry in their homes, Mayor Jonathan Weinzapfel today marked the beginning of construction on the Southeast Brookside and Covert Avenue outfall project.  When complete, the project will affect almost 1,500 people and cover approximately 120 acres on Evansville’s southeast side.

“The people in this area have been living with the constant threat of flooding and fear of losing their property.  Today we are giving them hope by moving forward with sewer separation and drainage improvements.  This project will help reduce flooding and prevent the unsanitary conditions that result from combination sewer backups during heavy rains,” said Mayor Jonathan Weinzapfel.

The Southeast Brookside and Covert Avenue outfall project area is currently served by a Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) system that runs south along Weinbach Avenue, then west along Covert Avenue.  A parallel sewer will be placed adjacent to the existing system and a new storm sewer will drain into Bee Slough near the end of Sweetser Avenue.  The contractor and Vectren have been working for the last five months to relocate water, sewer and gas lines to make room for a new 96” storm sewer which is being placed today along Sweetser.

The project area is bound by Bayard Park Drive, Weinbach Avenue, Madison Avenue, and Rotherwood Avenue.  The new storm sewer will drain an area that is constantly flooded during more intense storms.  There is also a large secondary area that will get flood relief from this project.  It includes parts of Brookside Drive, Blackford Avenue, Frederick Avenue, and Ravenswood Drive.

The total cost of the Southeast Brookside and Covert Avenue project is about $24 million.  $4 million in funding is being provided through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) and almost $20 million will come from the State Revolving Loan Fund Program (SRF).   Construction is expected to be complete by June 2012.

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(EVANSVILLE, IN)-  A bilingual Census Questionnaire Assistance Center (QAC) will open tomorrow at Nativity Catholic Church, 3635 Pollack Avenue.  The QAC hours will be 3:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, through April 19^th.

The QAC 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 to help those who don’t speak English.

It is important to remember that, 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.

People who speak Spanish may also request a Census form translated into their language by calling 866-928-2010. It is important to save the English form that was originally sent in the mail in case the translated forms do not arrive in time or get lost.

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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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