Make way for Candace

As former Union Township trustee Candace Ulmer ascended the dias after been sworn in as a de-facto Zionsville Town Council member two years ago, she was heard to remark, ''Watch out Zionsville.''

Ulmer joined the Zionsville council by virtue of the consolidated government act, and then last May ran and won a seat on the council from Union Township. Ulmer ran opposed in the fall, and

bank rolled with a large infusion of cash, and despite opposition her campaign paid off and she won handily.

Ulmer takes her marching orders from many, including Elizabeth Mueller, a resident of Union Township. Mueller is a well known left-winger, who has moved many times, looking for greener pastures after getting into squabbles with locals.

When the Matt Price/Chad Pittman cabal took over the town council, Mueller, via Ulmer got Mueller's spouse, Steve, named to the Zionsville Park and Recreation Board. Follow? Ulmer is the force behind many of the important appointments, and "un"appointments. Former Park Board President Ellen Butz was unceremoniously dumped from the parks board for an unknown because Butz got cross-wise with Ulmer.

Elizabeth Mueller has been inserting her heft through her husband, Steve, into the business of the parks board. It was no secret to insiders that some parks board members were frustrated with Mueller, who was taking his marching orders from his frau.

And, Councilor Ulmer hasn't been reluctant about an earmark for her hubby, John, in his role on the Eagle Creek Watershed Alliance. Candace persuaded the council to pony-up some $28,000 a year for five years for a water gauging station on Eagle Creek.

But, with the creek's first high water last spring, the gauging station was swept downstream.

Well, to the point of all this - this has been in the works for a while. Town insiders report that within the last two years, Ulmer accompanied a group of the Boone EDC, and went to either North or South Dakota to investigate ''multi-purpose'' arenas, specifically built for ice hockey.

Ulmer turned in receipts for the trip to the town for reimbursement of several hundred dollars. But, know what? Ulmer never gave a report to the town council for spending taxpayers' funds, so as far as residents knew, the trip never existed.

Until now.

The council has approriated $53,000 for Crowe-Horwath to do a feasibility study for a 3,000 - 4,000 person multi-purpose arena (ice stadium) for Zionsville. Click on the preceeding link to read the letter of engagement with Town Council President Tim Haak.

It's hard to follow the dots, but stay with me - remember Allan Rachles - the current president of the Zionsville Plan Commission. Rachles was a former partner with Crowe. Rachles donated heavily to Haak's campaign in both 2007 and 2011.

And, don't miss this one.

The Indianapolis Ice hockey team will be out of a home for two years because the state plans to remodel the Indiana Coliseum. There are rumblings that a site on 421 for the ''multi-purpose'' stadium has already been selected,

So, how does this get back to Ms. Ulmer? Now, she is circulating a questionnaire asking Zionsville residents what strategy they would have the town pursue over the next four years. What variety of strategy isn't specified.

One open-ended question posed asks what sort of big expenses the town may have soon, and how should they be paid for. (Humm, how about a multi-purpose stadium?) No one is sure about the questionnaire's intended audience, nor is it readily accessible on the Town's website. It's invitation only perhaps?

Strange, didn't Zionsville residents weigh-in on their vision for the town in the questionnaire done for the pricey Economic Development Strategic Plan? And, of course Ulmer promises anonymity, which means she can pick and choose which responses fit her/council agenda.

''Watch out Zionsville,'' the Candace cometh.

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.

Who Gave The Candidates' Cash

As promised by Zionsville Confidential, here is the information on individual donations to the winning candidates in the 2011-2014 Zionsville Town Council race.


And, stay tuned for the detailed list of the donations that went into Political Action Committees, which dumped tons of cash into those candidates' coffers.

If you are going to printout the latest list of donations, better get our a ream of paper - there are a lot of donations from friends and neighbors, and some from far-flung places.

For the donations list, click here.





Or you can click this link:


http://www.docstoc.com/docs/115813432/Zionsville-Town-Council-Campaign-donations

Big Bucks Council

Zionsville residents should be proud of its' new council - it's one of the fattest cash cows in the town's history.

The Magnificant Seven took in $91,899.89 in campaign contributions for a $5,000 a year position - $91,899 - the tail is wagging the dog folks.


These figures come from campaign reports on file at the Boone County Clerk's office in Lebanon. And, who got the lion's share of the goodies?

Candace Ulmer, the former Union Township trustee, who collected $18,46l, following closely by incumbent Tim Haak, with $18,101. Mrs. Ulmer is going to be "The one to see.''

The balance went to:


Susana Suarez, $16,572
Elizabeth Hopper, $14,236
Tom Schuler, $13,966
Jeff Papa $10,561

The largest contributor to the campaigns was a political action committee, Civic Pride of Boone County, which dumped $24,502 into the seven coffers. Civic Pride's contributors are a mix of developers and their attorneys and those wonderful folks who bring you more apartments.

Civic Pride's largest contribution went to Mrs. Ulmer of $10,458, and close behind was the new council president Haak, who picked-up $6,858.

And following Civic Pride in contributions was the Metropolitan Board of Realtors PAC with $7,210, which doled out $1,000 plus goodies to the seven campaigns.

Wonder why our local newspaper hasn't followed the money?

Publisher Andrea Cline is the spouse of Pat Cline, an officer with MIBOR, whose bank is none other than the Bank of Indianapolis, which employes Tim Haak - just a coincidence.

One name missing as a contributor in any of the seven campaigns was Chad Pittman.

This is the same fellow who gave birth to the Citizens for a Better Zionsville, and in 2009 confided with former councilor Michelle Barrett:

''I appreciate your leadership of our town and the direction you are taking us. Who would have thought that we could have come this quickly to aligning our town planning area with the school district to make it easier to plan and control our own destiny.''

Zionsville Confidential has heard unofficially that lately Pittman has been having a case of the jitters seeing his name in print, closely aligned with bank-rolling the council candidates. This is also the same fellow that still has a Papa/Suarez sign up on his barn on the corner of 334 and Michigan.

Stay tuned. Zionsville Confidential is preparing a complete list of all the contributors.

The Town Council Circus

The baptism of the 2012 Zionsville Town Council was a dismal display of open government, which coincidentally the Pittman puppets hooted for during the May primary campaign.

Not only did this bizarre adventure into town government display a complete lack of understanding of the issues on the agenda, but it also showed the council's disregard of the public.

One would like to think that any questions about items on the agenda would have been answered at the council's agenda meeting weeks before the regular meeting.

Of the several contested items on Monday's agenda - a new tax for stormwater, softening the conflict of interest ordinance - the new nincompoops managed to find time to slip in an ordinance reversing the town's acceptance of the Ford Road Bridge over Eagle Creek - thanks to Beam Longest and Neff - remember who - Jim Longest and his brother Tom, dumped thousands of dollars into the councilors' campaigns.

One might hope someone on the council would know that the County Commissioners are responsible for bridges in Boone County, and this ordinance does nothing except chest pounding, and pave the road for the devastation of the tunnel of trees, thanks to Gene ''Oz'' Thompson.

So now to the open government part.

As the council was getting ready to pass the Ford Road bridge ordinance, a member of the public had the audacity to ask if the ordinance could be recited so that the public would know what was being voted on.

Humpty Dumpty Haak then proceeded to stumble through the ordinance. Shortly afterward, another citizen cited inaccuracies in the ordinance, and was told she had limited minutes and to sit down.

When pressed if the council knew what the cost would be of a new bridge would be, Humpty Dumpty promptly stated the public was out of time. Wouldn't you think the council would want to know what the costs were?

During the three-hour root canal, the newly-sworn would voice the rationale for their votes - after the vote was taken - no dummies, you express your position before the vote.

Would someone please give these do-gooders a course in parliamentary procedure and train Humpty Dumpty on how to treat the public with transparent government.

The Ides of March next.

The Structure of Structurepoint

This is the company that the Zionsville Economic Development Commission hired to devise a strategic master development plan for the town. It is also the firm that has been hired to design a ''gateway'' to Lebanon, which is projected to cost $8,765,500. To read more about this boondoggle go to the Watchdog Indiana at http://www.finplaneeducation.net/.

And, according to Watchdog Indiana, guess who the City of Lebanon hired to work three days a week to ferret out more federal money? Tom Kouns, the recently retired Boone County Highway Department manager, being paid $30,000.

Ogden on Politics

“Throughout history, it has been the inaction of those who could have acted; the indifference of those who should have known better; the silence of the voice of justice when it mattered most; that has made it possible for evil to triumph.” Haile Selassie

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

American Structurepoint Executives Pour Money Into Ballard Campaign; Company With Bribery Indictment Past is Rewarded With Lucrative City Contract

The Indianapolis Business Journal reports in part:

American Structurepoint has been tapped by the Indianapolis Department of Public Works as program manager for the city’s “RebuildIndy” infrastructure-improvement initiative.

RebuildIndy is the formal name of the massive infrastructure improvements Mayor Greg Ballard wants to make with $425 million in expected proceeds from selling the city’s water and sewer utilities to Citizens Energy Group.
...
Contract terms with American Structurepoint are still being negotiated, said DPW spokeswoman Molly Deuberry.

Indianapolis-based American Structurepoint was one of four companies to express interest in the city project, she said. The 44-year-old firm, which also has offices in South Bend and Columbus, Ohio, has worked on a number of high-profile projects, including design work on the Interstate 69 expansion.

Besides helping the city develop strategies on project selection and implementation, American Structurepoint also will work with the city to manage its stormwater capital-improvement program, DPW said.
...

What is not in the article, is the fact that American Structurepoint used to be known as American Consulting Engineers and its owners, executives James Wurster and Willis Conner, were indicted for bribery by former Marion County Prosecutor Scott Newman. The indictments had to do with ACE giving a $50,000 plus a year job to Indiana House Ways & Means Chairman Sam Turpin. The job was not disclosed and Turpin allegedly engaged in actions to favor Ace. Wurster and Conner took an appeal of the indictment and won on the basis that the allegation did not include a quid pro quo ("this for that") and without a specific allegation regarding what Wurster and Conner received for their money, the bribery allegation could not stand.

As a side note, the "quid pro quo" requirement remains one of the biggest obstacles to the enforcement of the state's bribery law. Rarely do those wanting favors hand over money with specific instructions to vote a certain way or engage in certain conduct favorable for the one offering the bribe. Rather Indiana's version of "Pay to Play" involves a wink and a nod which generally can't be prosecuted under Indiana law, but can be prosecuted under the federal Hobbs Act which has a lower standard.

While Wurster appears to be out, Conner is still with the company. During 2008 and 2009 (years when the Mayor wasn't even a candidate), Conner individually donated $22,500 to Mayor Ballard's Campaign. American Structurepoint executive Marlin A. Knowles, Jr. contributed $30,000. There are probably others from American Structurepoint who contributed to the Ballard campaign as well.

(Conner contributed $1,000 to Citizens for a Better Zionsville, and $500 to the campaign of Tim Haak.)

Blogger Gary Welsh calls it "Pay to Play the Ballard Way." (To find Gary's take on the story click here.) Indeed it is exactly that. While Ballard pledged to change how business was conducted on the 25th Floor, those of us who supported him never expected that the "change" was to take Indianapolis pay to play politics to a new and unprecedented level.

The Ties That Bind - The ZHS Class of '86

Ring out the old, and in with the new Town Council.

Well, maybe.

From where we sit it appears the Zionsville High School Class of '86 will still be in the cat bird's seat.

Matt (Powderpuff King) Price will be gone, but his shadow looms large. Don't forget, Price kicked in $11,000 to council candidates and PACs in the most recent election cycle.

Could Price, an attorney with the Indianapolis powerhouse law firm of Bingham McHale, be poised to bump Mike Andreoli as the go-to man when you want something done around town?

Don't forget, it's been Price who has done the heavy-lifting in the past four years as council president, and for that he certainly is due pay back.

Without doubt his title as Class of '86 Powderpuff King deserves something.

But, back to the babes-in-the woods - Susana Suarez, Tom Schuler and Elizabeth Hopper.

It's no surprise that the newly-elected council has already met in private and hashed out the council leadership positions.

So, when curtain rises at the inaugural 2012 council meeting look for Tim Haak to assume the presidency, with Jeff Papa as the vice-president.

How Papa slipped into this elite circle is somewhat a mystery because he's not a Class of '86 member.

If you want to know more about Papa go to his Facebook page or google all the things he's worked on at the state legislature.

Haak will have to watch how he votes to makes sure he doesn't step on his ying-yang because of a conflict with his employer, the National Bank of Indianapolis.

Papa also will have to be careful he doesn't stub his toes because of his position as chief counsel for Sen. David Long, R-Ft. Wayne, president pro-tem of the Indiana Senate.

But, how about the other members of the Class of '86 and their connections to town power?

There's Andy Pickell, whose employer is BLN, the engineering company which picked-up the town's account after HNTB, the town's long-time engineers, was bounced last year for no legitimate reasons - other than Class of '86 ties to BLN.

Pickell kicked in a whopping $2,000 to the Political Action Committee, Eagle Good Governance to pay for political attack ads in the last election.

And, speaking of BLN, there's Jim Longest of BLN - the L is for Longest. Longest, who is a member of the Zionsville School Board, also participated in the revision of the town's Master Transportation Plan this year. Longest donated over $6000 in the last election through his involvement in multiple Political Action Committees and direct donations.

Engineering firm and new roads . . . get it?

Other classmates are Charlie Edwards, who is chairman of the all-powerful Zionsville Economic Development Commission.

Edwards' committee was the entity that engaged Structurepoint to devise a ''new Zionsville'' strategic plan which has many residents fuming.

More about Structurepoint to come.