The Leopard Shows Its Spots

Well it didn't take time for the leopard to show its spots.


Remember all that pablum the current Town Council administration spoon-fed the gullible voters during their mega bucks campaign last May - that it ''will work tirelessly to reduce waste and eliminate duplicate services?''

Within a month of being in office, the Town Council fired planning director Terry Jones, and the senior building inspector John Merritt for no reason other than, ''We want to go another direction,'' so said El Presidente Haak.

In the next breath, the council approved hiring an ''interim'' planner from American Structurepoint at $130,000 a year, according to our sources. The combined salaries of Jones and Merritt were never a whisker near $130,000. This particular hire was never reported in our local media.


Merritt was a hard-nosed and respected inspector, who at times ruffled builders' feathers making them toe the line on building codes. He obviously was targeted. So, the council decided to satisfy the complaints of disgruntled builders to make it easier for the contruction codes to cut corners.

And, remember American Structurepoint?

That firm has a $59,000 contract with the Zionsville Economic Development Commission to design an Economic Development Strategic Plan for the town. This is the same plan that is currently under intense scrutiny by several citizens groups who caution the plan will destroy Zionsville's character.

Talk about the appearance of impropriety and a possible conflict of interest.

No wonder one of the first acts the council considered was to waterdown the town's policy on conflict of interest. As originally written, it prohibited the town councilors from voting on anything involving a campaign contributor. As repealed, it tosses all restrictions aside.

So, voters, how can the town expect unbiased planning decisions from an ''interium'' planner, whose bread and butter comes with a company that has a vested interest in a strategic plan that many residents have called into question?
During their campaign, the tag team of Jeff Papa and Susana Suarez touted ''They are convinced that investing in new enterprise can be accomplished without compromising the integrity of our traditional values.'''

The ''new enterprise'' at this point appears to be American Structurepoint, whose principles dumped loads of contributions into the coffers of the campaigns of the Haak et al administration. (See last post.)

Talk about integrity?


The blog Advance Indiana had an interesting post on American Structurepoint.


Another curious matter is that of the longevity of the ''interim'' planning director. How long will the financially strapped town be paying top dollar for an "interim" planning director in an economic downturn?

Since the uncermoninous dumping of Jones and Merritt in January, the openings for those jobs have not been posted on professioinal job sites. Ask Ed Mitro, town manager, why.


Methinks Mitro knows how to count the leopard's spots, but the unfortunate man is wary. He may be the beast's next meal.