Blurred lines: Extol's "End of Summer Bash" and the Southern Indiana Community Housing Corporation's "charitable" status prompt the reincarnation of Lt. Columbo.

It's a good thing when local magazines sponsor free community gatherings. Naturally blog readers are encouraged to support this Extol function and events like it. Go there, have fun, and rock on.

I'm taking great pains to make it clear that what you're about to read is not blanket criticism, or a call to boycott anything, or some sort of hatchet job. It isn't, not at all.

Rather, as Lieutenant Columbo once said, "There are a couple of loose ends I'd like to tie up."

On the surface of it, surveying the obvious synergies implied by the fest's sponsors, just about all of it is benign and sensible.

For instance, there's participation from New Washington State Bank, which is about to make its presence felt downtown by occupying space in the former Jimmy's Music Building, which is being remodeled by Steve Resch, whose son Jacob is an outstanding musician booked to play the fest.

It makes perfect sense.

There are invaluable community assets like the Horseshoe Foundation and SoIn; the tourism bureau and Extol collaborate to publish the annual area visitor's guide.

They make perfect sense, too.

The fest's sponsors include AllTerrain Paving, a company whose profile recently has risen markedly via aggressive bids on Team Gahan's local construction projects. The company has ties to Neace Ventures, and the latter also has had past involvement with Extol as an investor. Denton Floyd is in charge of the Reisz Building/City Hall project and previously had the brief for Mansions on Main in the former M. Fine Building.

Perfect sense as well.

Of course, both AllTerrain and Denton-Floyd (as well as John Neace of Neace Ventures) have donated heavily in the past to Mayor Jeff Gahan's campaign finance fund, and if I'm not mistaken, they've all also made election tithes to the (unsuccessful) county commissioner and (ongoing) at-large city council campaigns of Jason Applegate, who with wife Angie Fenton is the owner of Extol and the sales agent for the magazine.

Regular readers know that we pay close attention to campaign finance, and yet all of the preceding strikes me as boilerplate. Movers move and shakers shake; so it goes in any small city, and readers may draw their own conclusions, if any. Thus far, there's not much to see.

Still, echoing Columbo once again, "there's just one more thing." 

Extol identifies the non-profit Southern Indiana Community Housing Corporation as a "charity" worthy of inclusion in the bash's charitable outreach. Proceeds and donations will be disbursed to SICHC ("benefiting the residents of NAHA"), WHAS Crusade for Children and USA Cares via Extol Charities, a fund of the Community Foundation of Southern Indiana.

However SICHC is by no means an autonomous "charitable" organization. It is an appendage of the New Albany Housing Authority, itself captive to Jeff Gahan's staffing and board appointments, several of whom have board seats on both entities, NAHA and SICHC.

This is a charity? In a world where Bud Light is called "beer," I suppose anything is possible when mangling semantics. As non-profits go, SICHC's involvement as a "charity" is stretching the limits of propriety.

I'm told that SICHC originally was set up by deposed NAHA chieftain Bob Lane as a means of advancing voucher housing off site of the various NAHA properties. It may also have been necessary in legal terms to make applications for tax credit-driven projects Lane was pursuing to regenerate NAHA's physical plant -- these being the projects Gahan vehemently rejected in the run-up to the mayor's seizure of NAHA and subsequent firing of Lane.

Of course Gahan's choice to replace Lane was the woefully unqualified (and overpaid) David Duggins, previously Gahan's chief fixer at Redevelopment, where Duggins took great care to involve entities ... yes, like Neace Ventures, AllTerrain Paving and Denton-Floyd in big-money redevelopment projects.

Did Extol consider all this?

Glancing at Elevate, we see that whatever else SICHC does to "benefit" residents of NAHA, it is the owner of eight or nine small properties around town (many tied to the abortive Linden Meadows project) and one very large one: Cross Creek Apartments on Green Valley Road.

It's hard to see SICHC as a "charity" worthy of inclusion in Extol's festival, and so I sent multiple messages to both Applegate and Extol asking for this relationship to be clarified. Neither of them have replied. 

There may be a simple answer, but if so, it isn't being given, at least yet, although this does explain Applegate sightings at the NAHA administrative offices.

If we still pretend to believe in something approximating journalism, my question is a legitimate one to ask of Extol. Why is SICHC being referred to as a charity when there is so much relevant background being ignored?

Applegate seems oblivious to the plain fact that wearing multiple hats has a way of blurring lines and prompting legitimate questions. After all, he's the owner of a media outlet who sells ads to many of these entities, and he's a candidate for local office as an open and enthusiastic supporter of a corrupted mayor whose only real platform is political patronage tied to campaign donations and pay-to-play chicanery ... and who advertises heavily in Extol.

Speaking for myself, I have no personal grievances"against" anyone mentioned here, even the ones immersing themselves in Gahan's soiled web. Rather, my grievance is with the process as we've grown to tolerate it, and it's critical to remember that most folks hereabouts never wanted local government to be about dark money to such a large extent that we're obliged to spend time following it to the sources.

Unfortunately the political patronage system that always bubbled on low heat has been injected with steroids by Gahan, Adam Dickey, Warren Nash and other exalted Democratic Party functionaries, and consequently we've come to a place where the money must be followed.

I regret it this mess, but I didn't create it, and since "real" journalists like Chris Morris and Susan Duncan refuse to ask these questions, I will, if for no other reason that stubbornness. As Morrissey once observed, the more you ignore me, the closer I get.

I earnestly encourage Applegate and/or Extol to provide an answer, and we'll provide space here for it, free from extraneous commentary on my part.

Better yet, maybe just commission the esteemed David Duggins to write it, given that SICHC's involvement probably was his idea to begin with.

The Jeff Gahan Money Machine, Part 17: Denton-Floyd feels M(ighty) Fine -- and the resulting Reisz Krispies Treats never tasted better to Mayor Gahan.

Previously: The Jeff Gahan Money Machine, Part 16: Last week's minutes from the Board of Public Works and Safety reveal big donors daintily lapping their gravy.

Some people climb mountains, but during the coming weeks we'll be plucking highlights from eight years of the Committee to Elect Gahan's CFA-4 campaign finance reports. Strap in, folks -- and don't forget those air(head) sickness bags.

Last year the local activist Aaron Fairbanks, who is running for city council in 2019 in Jeffersonville, was doing research on campaign finance in the run-up to the 2018 elections. Denton-Floyd Development came into the rear-view mirror.

September 7, 2017: The News and Tribune reported that Denton-Floyd Development received a $2.5 million state tax credit, matched by the City of New Albany to begin construction on an estimated $15 million "new senior living facility going into the former M. Fine & Sons shirt factory in New Albany."

September 14, 2017: Mayor Jeff Gahan received $3,000 from Denton-Floyd Development more than two years before the next mayoral election.

This is what it looks like when your tax dollars at work are spent buying an election without your consent.

Why, yes -- it does look like that. Here's the line item from 2017, when Gahan pulled in a whopping $56,225 from "friends" just like Denton-Floyd.

About a month later, still in 2017, Denton Floyd graciously treated former redevelopment chieftain David Duggins to a relaxing day with hired "models" and Miller Lite at Keeneland and a Louisville City soccer match.

ON THE AVENUES: Could that be David Duggins paddling across Jeff Gahan's putrid cesspool? On second thought, I'll take the blindfold.

By then, Denton Floyd was engaged in top secret, cloak and dagger negotiations to transform a "neglected" building into a luxury city hall.

Throwing Reisz: The Jeff M. Gahan Luxury Government Center keeps the emphasis on buildings, as opposed to people.

Yesterday, the Green Mouse was told that during an earlier conversation about the Reisz conversion, David Barksdale was asked if there was a point beyond which saving the building would no longer be financially feasible.

How much is too much?

"Whatever it takes," was Barksdale's reply.

The back alleys swarmed with preying mantises in suits.

The redevelopment commission surreptitiously gifted the Reisz’s purchase price of $390,000 to the city’s preferred contractor Denton Floyd -- by sheer coincidence a firm frequently contributing to Gahan’s campaign war chest -- which duly passed the money to the Reisz building’s owner, who as Gahan himself concedes, rendered it dilapidated in the first place.

Now it's 2019, and the Reisz Mahal is set to become a central campaign prop for Gahan as he seeks re-enthronement. Expect the construction work to escalate; just imagine those delightful phone calls to Denton-Floyd if progress again slows as it did in December 2018 and January 2019.

GREEN MOUSE SAYS: Just $400k in mechanics' liens involving Denton Floyd and the Mansion on Main. Whither the Reisz Mahal?

Here's the breakdown. Among other observers, David Barksdale no doubt approves of this bounty; after all, it's "whatever it takes" to rescue heroic municipal workers chained to their desks, suffering from inhumane working conditions. Those damned Republicans in county government!

(wait ... isn't Barksdale a Republican, too?)

Denton-Floyd
Adam B. Denton DF Development 3,000
DF Development/M Fine Construction 3,000
DF Property Holdings 4,000
Total: $10,000

If we all work together, we can #FireGahan2019

Rebuttals are welcome and will be published unaltered -- so don't forget spellcheck. If you have supplementary information to offer about any of this, please let us know and we'll update the page. The preceding was gleaned entirely from public records, with the addresses of "individuals" removed.

Next: The Jeff Gahan Money Machine, Part 18: Clark Dietz, CD PAC top Gahan's "Quality of Distant Corporate Donors" chart.

GREEN MOUSE SAYS: Just $400k in mechanics' liens involving Denton Floyd and the Mansion on Main. Whither the Reisz Mahal?

As noted in Louisville Business First, two Mansion on Main subcontractors have filed "mechanics' liens" against various of Denton Floyd's LLCs.

The Green Mouse first heard about this last December.

Lien this way, because it's a Mansion on Main pop quiz -- and we're leaning toward this autographed 12-pack of Bud Light Lime Mango-Rita as first prize.

To learn more about DF Development LLC, go here. There's even nice views of Mayor Jeff Gahan cutting the ribbon at Mansion on Main.

It's amazing Gahan can reach the ribbon with the scissors given all that cash in his pockets. To no one's surprise, one or the other arms of Denton Floyd have found it expedient to feather Gahan's re-election nest ever since then-redevelopment wheel-greaser David Duggins structured the pay-to-play.

Sonny and Cher provide the coda.

Always remember, and never forget: #FireGahan2019

Related:

ON THE AVENUES: Government Lives Matter, so it's $10,000,000 for Gahan's luxury city hall clique enhancement. Happy dumpster diving, peasants!

ON THE AVENUES: Could that be David Duggins paddling across Jeff Gahan's putrid cesspool? On second thought, I'll take the blindfold.

"To transform the former tack factory into 50 senior housing units, the city of Madison is partnering with Denton Floyd Real Estate."

Maybe I'm missing something, but ever since HWC got the contract to oversee the contract at the future Reisz-Stag, has any construction actually taken place at the re-election campaign's centerpiece?

Following the money: HWC Engineering made city streets even safer for speeding cars. Now the company will oversee the Reisz Mahal. Can campaign donations be far behind?

The primary's right around the corner, with lots of banners and photo-ops. This just won't do.

Good luck, Madison.

Community program helps former tack factory become senior housing, by Rachael Krause (WAVE-3)

MADISON, IN (WAVE) – A redevelopment project will keep an historic building standing in one small Indiana town. The project is the first step toward revitalizing the entire community, made possible because of a stellar community designation from the state.

Built in 1896, the former ‘tack factory’ in Madison, Indiana used to be where locals worked making tacks, nails and hangers. The factory sat empty since 2007 when it shut down.

“It’s kind of an eyesore for us,” said Nicole Schell, city planner for Madison.

The city was designated a stellar community by the state of Indiana in 2017. The program provides access to grants for projects to revitalize unused spaces and renew interest in rural communities. To transform the former tack factory into 50 senior housing units, the city of Madison is partnering with Denton Floyd Real Estate ...

GUEST COLUMN: Councilmen on Reisz: "You have a duty to treat public money as the public’s money. You can’t just spend it on what you WANT."

This commentary is contributed by Randy Smith, owner of Destinations Booksellers. 

---

A fictional council member of a Second Class City in Indiana:

· I WANT to give taxpayer money to a church. Sorry, it’s not allowed under the constitutions of the United States and of Indiana.

· I WANT to give taxpayer money to a charity. Sorry. Indiana has given the trustee the ability to levy taxes for such purposes. They have not given it to you. Go talk to the trustee.

· I WANT to give taxpayer money to the schools. Sorry. If you hadn’t given up the authority to levy taxes for schools years ago, it could be done. But you did and you can’t.

· I WANT to create a public transit system with public money. Sorry, you gave that authority and all available revenues to TARC.

I WANT a new city hall. Hmmm. Do you have a need for new space? Is the space you have too small or is it unusable? Do you have financial obligations that make that too expensive? Do you have a fiduciary responsibility to the taxpayers that overrides what you WANT?

Guess what? If you want a new city hall, it’s not illegal. In the current circumstances, it’s evil, but it’s not illegal. Considering the vastly inflated costs, there are almost certainly individuals who can be indicted, and even if I’m wrong, it stinks to high heaven.

You have a duty to treat public money as the public’s money. You can’t just spend it on what you WANT.

Now, if you want to raise your personal pay packets, I might just come down and speak in favor of it. It certainly would improve the talent pool at election time. Then, if you WANT something, you can spend YOUR money on it. If you want to preserve old buildings, you can invest YOUR money. If you have a pet charity that involves, oh, let’s say backpacks, you’ll have extra money you can donate. Gosh, I guess if you want to give money to a church or a school, you’ll be able to.

But keep your hands off my money.

No Democrat, no Republican, no independent is looking at next year’s municipal election and saying, “You know, if those Democrats would just demolish half of all public housing, I’ll vote for them.”

No Democrat, no Republican, no independent is looking at next year’s municipal election and saying, “You know, if those Democrats would just build a new city hall, I’ll vote for them.”

Votes matter. Machines don’t. You may think you’re invulnerable from defeat. You are not. Ask the people you replaced if they thought they were popular, if they were sure they would win reelection. You may say, well, I’m a Democrat in a Democratic district. So long as I play along with the machine, I’ll be safe.”

You may be saying to yourself, “This is New Albany. This is Indiana. There won’t be any newly energized voters looking to lop off the heads of incumbents.”

You may be saying to yourself, “I’m giving up my seat after next year, but at least my name will be on the plaque for a city hall that should last a while. This ‘yes’ vote will be my legacy.”

It’ll be your legacy, alright. It will haunt you. It will diminish your reputations. This is but another in a long line of decisions made in the shadows – most of it was even kept from this body, although I can’t speak to how many private conversations with particular councilmen led to this vote.

Why do we need new space for city hall? Because Jeffersonville and Clarksville got new ones? Why are we renting such an enormous amount of space? Because the city civilian staff has tripled? Why are we choosing the Reisz warehouse? Because the developer took decision-makers on a junket to Keeneland with paid escorts? Why are we paying such an exorbitant rent when we don’t have to?

How much more are we going to pay in utilities? Who is going to perform and pay for the maintenance of this ancient building? How is security going to be handled? Are we going to replicate the guarded entrance and metal detectors at the current site? New furniture is a given, but how much MORE furniture will be needed for triple the space? Will there be a vast public hall available for public meetings, government or community? Will that public hall be designed for the broadcasting of official meetings and with a sound system that allows all in the hall to hear? Will the building have public wi-fi and will it be strong enough to accommodate hundreds?

The building exists. It is old. But in the words of Councilman Barksdale, does it even meet the criterion of “contributing?” Why have we not had a vigorous discussion of this warehouse’s historical significance? There are many buildings that have been torn down, much to the regret of historic preservationists LIKE ME. Most were torn down because the city wanted them gone, or at least, were willing to let them be. Who says this building is about to be torn down? Jeff Gahan? What the hell does Jeff Gahan know about historic preservation? Does he even give a fig?

I don’t think even one councilman is urging this building be torn down. In fact, I believe every member is in favor of the building being put to an adaptive reuse. The city can prevent demolition and if they won’t, the council can defund the administration until they comply with the council’s wishes. They can make the position of mayor an unpaid position. They can impose new restrictions on the RDA and RDC until they comply with the council’s wishes.

If every single member were in favor of this expensive relocation, would the Reisz building be the place to move?

Mr. Barksdale is so clearly compromised in this matter that he must abstain from voting, particularly if he stands ready to provide the fifth “yea” in a 5-4 vote. David, have you come to some sort of accommodation with Mr. Coffey whereby he can provide the fifth vote? How about with David Aebersold? Councilman Blair? President Knable? And if there are not even 4 “yes” votes without you, don’t tarnish your integrity. Tonight, I don’t ask you, David, to vote against this boondoggle. I insist, however, that you have such obvious conflicts of interest that you must abstain. Give up your seat temporarily and march to the podium as a citizen with a special interest and make your best advocacy case. But don’t pretend you are objective.

A 4-4 vote will set the stage for a reasonable exploration of ways to reclaim the Reisz building and to determine if a relocation of city administrative offices is wise.

Reisz Elephant people power tonight? If we're to spend $10,000,000 on anything, it should be for as many people as possible, not one single government building.

Regardless of the outcome of tonight's city council meeting, with a third and final vote scheduled to endorse or reject the Reisz Elephant city hall relocation project, June of 2018 will be remembered as the month when Emperor Gahan's personality cult paraded past and the voice of a child rang out:

"But he isn't wearing anything at all!"

In future years, we'll look back and see an uninterrupted arc of hypocrisy, beginning with Gahan's hostile takeover of the New Albany Housing Authority in early 2017 alongside promises of rampant demolitions to come, and now culminating with tonight's fix-is-in $10,000,000 to construct his own luxury office suite.

A pretend Democrat of the most abominable variety, Gahan's reign of self-aggrandizement has now reached its orgasmic apogee, and these words of Kevin Baker in Harper's, intended to describe the New York City he remembers, apply just as accurately to Nawbany -- or as we refer to it, New Gahania.

"Back when the city endeavored to serve its people instead of just weed them out if they didn’t make enough money."

Allow me to summarize the arguments in opposition to Gahan's Reisz Elephant Luxury City Hall, as presented in these pages over the past three weeks, but as a preface, just a brief word about the nature of politics.

Several times recently, I've been scolded for having the unmitigated gall as a non-office-holder to so much as participate in the political process, by people who insist the Reisz Elephant is about historic preservation, and therefore not political at all.

These people simply are delusional.

The practice of politics is making decisions about power; what happens and doesn't, and who benefits -- and doesn't.

The basic family unit is purely political in the sense of determining how its members are to proceed through life, by means of budgeting, shared responsibilities, delegated authority and numerous other decisions. The city is intended to work in like fashion -- and periodically, it even does.

I've run for office, attended meetings and endeavored to "do my homework." My household is located within city limits, pays taxes, and does its small part to make New Albany a better place.

We're ordinary people, and ordinary people needn't ever listen to the scoldings of self-appointed elites and governing cliques, which arguably are more virulent in a small town than a large one. We -- YOU -- have every right to participate in this process, rich or poor, big or little.

And make no mistake: at present, a remarkably small number of people are making all the decisions. Team Gahan is a clique by the classic definition, an insular sociopolitical group that thinks it knows better than you.

But you have every right to participate in politics with whatever legal tools are at your disposal (illegality is another topic, along with civil disobedience).

The "ins" always seek to define the propriety of the "outs," and you have every right to protest their limitations with words, signs, your own physical presence and your voice.

They're no better than you. They only think they're wearing clothes.

---

With the advent of the Reisz Elephant, we find the few with their pricey luxury wants versus the many and their everyday basic needs.

At a time when citizens are suffering, basic human conscience seemingly dictates our working together in search of solutions, rather than building walls -- as Jeff Gahan seems intent to do with regard to county government, hurting the downtown economy in the process.

Breaking down the Reisz bait 'n' switch, my ON THE AVENUES column of June 21 has become the year's most read, and it offers an overview.

Government Lives Matter, so it's $10,000,000 for Gahan's luxury city hall clique enhancement. Happy dumpster diving, peasants!

However, it's not too late to reformat and democratize the project. Denton Floyd has done "pre-development" work, but a "no" vote by council will revert Reisz to the city and allow a do-over.

As for the vote itself, it shouldn't be taken unless absentee Wile E. Gahan deigns to appear before the legislative branch and put some skin in his own game for once -- and David Barksdale can restore his political integrity by recusing himself.

As it stands, Barksdale and the city's contingent of historic preservationists are having their pockets picked by a mayor with absolutely no interest in old buildings, but who possesses epochal campaign finance avarice and a fetish for provocation that eerily echoes Donald Trump's.

An example of how the city can accomplish more by spending less has been suggested by CM Scott Blair by encouraging the private sector to rehabilitate the Reisz, freeing the city to build a new city hall on land it already owns.

The best place to begin a community dialogue is the notoriously secretive Redevelopment Commission, which must be opened to public scrutiny. Redevelopment's rigged and non-competitive deal with Denton Floyd is an act of surreptitious lubrication that must not be repeated, and it's also time to expand the scope of public meetings and curb the power of non-elected boards and commissions.

As it stands on Monday morning, council is arrayed in two blocs, with five members in favor of the city hall relocation expenditure and four against.

The Reisz fix appears more solidly "in" than usual, but I persist in thinking that one of the four Democratic councilman presently insisting that luxury government office space somehow must be prioritized, even at the expense of their supposed core mission of defending those of our citizens who are most at risk, will examine his conscience and see that in addition to high monetary cost, there is a high opportunity cost to Gahan's fancy.

If we're to spend $10,000,000 on anything, it should be for as many people as possible, not one single government building. See you tonight. It's going to be a long, hot, uncomfortable meeting, but your voice must be heard.

GUEST COLUMN: Councilmen on Reisz: "You have a duty to treat public money as the public’s money. You can’t just spend it on what you WANT."

Smoking gun? City Hall finally releases the "Reimbursement Agreement" with Denton Floyd. A "do over" for Reisz is possible, isn't it?

Sorry, folks -- photo files are my only option on short notice. Excuse any sloppiness; I want to get this out.

Thanks to the Green Mouse for obtaining it.

The Reimbursement Agreement is dated August 11, 2017 -- three days after the Redevelopment Commission meeting on August 8 (read the resolution here).

As noted previously, Denton Floyd purchased the property on September 14, 2017, using the money approved in the Reimbursement Agreement on August 11.

In itself, this chronology is sufficient to expose the shadiness of Team Gahan's backroom deal; it also proves the Request for Proposal (RFP) six months later was always intended as a perfunctory sham.

To these eyes, what the city was doing last year with Denton Floyd was circumventing allegations of a backroom deal by contracting for "pre-development products" with its intended public-private partner. As such, it is stated that Denton Floyd is the presumptive partner, although of course city council approval is the final hurdle.

As such -- and I'm not a lawyer -- the agreement reads as though in the interim, Denton Floyd is to receive a sum of money to carry out certain tasks, and if council approval isn't forthcoming, ownership and improvements pass back to the city.

In short: contrary to corporate attorney Shane Gibson's assertions on the 21st, a Reisz Elephant do-over is still very much possible. Gibson said demolition would be the only alternative, but if council were to reject the backroom deal and the Reisz pass back to the city, it would still be possible for Scott Blair's market-oriented alternative suggestion to come to fruition.

Heaven forbid, it might even allow for a fair and informative RFP -- and Denton Floyd could even participate alongside other area contractors, with everyone entering through the FRONT door.

It isn't clear what Denton Floyd might do with the leftover silver platter bearing David Duggins' fingerprints, but surely area pawn shops could help.

Currently there are four "no" votes: Coffey, Blair, Aebersold and Knable. If they were to commit in good faith to saving Reisz if the present deal is rejected ... what does David Barksdale do -- apart from a good, long, post-Gahan-bed-sharing shower?

As a bonus, here is the financial analysis of the Reisz payment plan.

Following up: the Redevelopment Commission's resolution RC-06-17 is released, but not documents pertaining to the terms of the $750K handout to Denton Floyd.

As you'll see below, the Redevelopment Commission's Josh Staten complied promptly (two days) with my request to view the text of RC-06-17, the commission's resolution to spend public funds on the renovation of the Reisz Elephant, as well as two other buildings. I appreciate Staten doing this.

However, we've yet to see documents pertaining to conditions, agreements and contingencies approved by the city and Denton Floyd as a prelude to the handover of the check. 

Reisz Elephant: Lawyer Gibson hails redevelopment's back-room RFP fix as an excellent way to do business with just one company.

Jeff Gahan handed Denton Floyd $750,000 to kick-start the Reisz project. Where are the documents detailing this transaction?

To reiterate, throughout city council’s discussion of the Reisz project, from May 2018 to the present, including the 35 questions for Gibson to answer (or artfully evade) on June 21, the actual text of the resolution and the content of accompanying legal documents have not been seen … by anyone, on council or off, although presumably the council’s two redevelopment representatives at the time, David Barksdale and Bob Caesar (the latter since replaced) viewed the terms.

These details are rather important, aren’t they?

Would any self-respecting attorney merely hand a $750,000 check to a contractor without specific language about the terms of the transaction taking place? There'd be signatures, right? And wouldn't there be detailed explanations of contingencies, the simplest being things like insurance coverage and time frames?

Or are we to believe that former (seriously?) redevelopment chieftain David Duggins brought a briefcase filled with C-notes to the limousine for Denton Floyd's public-officials-only Keeneland junket (with paid models) last September?

Isn't it impossible to believe that the Redevelopment Commission resolution and/or legal agreements between the city and Denton Floyd explaining the $750,000 payment AREN’T accompanied by somewhat more than a post-it note reading “if Reisz doesn’t happen, just keep the money and tear down that motherfucka”?

Gibson stood before council on the 21st and said there are only two options for Reisz: the mayor's plan, or the landfill. Perhaps the reason redevelopment doesn't want anyone to see the documents pertaining to the $750,000 is that other options are mentioned therein -- and if so, wouldn't this render a "yes" vote null and void?

Reisz Elephant: Lawyer Gibson hails redevelopment's back-room RFP fix as an excellent way to do business with just one company.

On March 27, 2018 the Redevelopment Commission approved a resolution to issue a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the city's City Hall Project.

Ten (actually nine) whole days were given for interested developers to submit proposals for a project already negotiated with Denton Floyd, and announced publicly seven months prior to the RFP.

Jeff Gahan handed Denton Floyd $750,000 to kick-start the Reisz project. Where are the documents detailing this transaction?

"The developer shall have title to the proposed parcel or show demonstrated ability to obtain title to the proposed parcel."

In Denton Floyd's case, the very same Redevelopment Commission issuing this purportedly fair and open RFP already had given its developer of choice the money to buy the property.

At last Thursday's city council meeting, municipal corporeal attorney Shane Gibson lauded the fixed back-alley RFP process as an excellent way to to save money by excluding the free market of ideas.

Are you finding the current occupant's arrogance a bit too much?

Let your council representative know and don't forget the meeting on Wednesday evening at the library.

Stop the Reisz Elephant: There'll be a public meeting on Wednesday, June 27, downstairs at the library, at 6:00 p.m.

---

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

CITY OF NEW ALBANY

CITY HALL PROJECT

In accordance with IC 5-23-5, the New Albany Redevelopment Commission (“Commission”), on behalf of the City of New Albany, Indiana (“City”), is seeking proposals from qualified developers for the development and construction of a new City Hall (“Project”) on property located within the City. The developer shall have title to the proposed parcel or show demonstrated ability to obtain title to the proposed parcel. The Commission anticipates entering into a public-private agreement for the Developer to provide site work, labor and material, as well as financing (as required), to construct the Project with the general characteristics described below:

• Minimum 20,000 SF
• Downtown location
• Redevelopment is preferred vs. new construction
• Other characteristics and specifications as may be identified and included in future design documents and agreements

The City would assume ownership of the site and improvements after a certain period of time to be proposed by offeror.

The scope of the project is to be determined in a scoping period. Respondent should be willing and prepared to engage in a scoping period with the Commission without any contractual obligation. During this scoping period, the Commission will require information from the selected developer sufficient to finalize the financing terms, design, scope, and costs of the proposed improvements once determined.

Information to be Included in Proposals

Proposals should include a written description of the Developer’s experience designing, financing, constructing, operating, transferring, and developing projects, as follows:

• General Information

1. Developer’s general information including company name, principal office location, point of contact, and contact information
2. Company overview, organization information, and organization chart

• Development Experience

1. Experience working with local economic development organizations or local government units in Indiana
2. Demonstrated experience developing projects of similar scope and scale

• Financial Capacity

1. General financial and credit information
2. Information indicating financial ability of the developer to complete the project
3. Credit reference

• Project Approach

1. Outline of duties and responsibilities of all parties related to the development project from the scoping period until project completion (including the operating period and transfer of property to the City). This should include a project timeline.

The Commission does not require you to submit a certified check or other evidence of financial responsibility with your proposal other than requested above.

Anticipated Selection Process

The Commission will review all proposals and may enter into discussions with offerors to clarify and assure a full understanding of proposals. All offerors will be accorded fair and equal treatment with respect to any opportunity for discussion and revision of proposals. The Commission or its agent will make a recommendation for award of an agreement based upon compliance with the above-requested information, or shall terminate the request for proposal process.

Of all evaluation criteria listed in this Request for Proposals, the offeror’s focus on redevelopment, general project approach and financial capacity will be given the most weight by the Commission. The price offered in a proposal will be considered, but is not the primary determining factor. The Commission reserves the right to modify or cancel this project at any time before a developer enters into a formal agreement with the Commission, including at any point during the scoping period.

Deadline

Proposals are due by 12:00 p.m. on April 6, 2018, and six (6) copies of such proposal (plus one (1) unbound copy) should be hand delivered to (and questions should be directed to):

Josh Staten, Redevelopment Director
City of New Albany, Indiana
Phone: 812-948-5333
E Mail: jstaten@cityofnewalbany.com

0128278.0635348 4822-7229-8591v3

Gahan Money Machine 2017: Tens of thousands from corporate outsiders, who by sheer serendipity get lots and lots of work here.

Mayor Jeff Gahan's campaign donations for 2017 -- a non-municipal election year -- came to $56,175.

That's right: $56,175.

That's a buck and a half for every man, woman and child in New Albany -- and precious little of it actually coming from inside the city proper. This is in addition to what Gahan's campaign had left over from 2011-2016, and what's to come in 2018 and 2019.

The median household income in New Albany is $41,456, meaning that half the household earn more and the other half less.

Think about it.

If you're angry about the power of money in local elections, especially as it comes from corporations elsewhere, then look no further than our own quaint city. Gahan's 2017 form reads like a who's who of companies that have scored lucrative contracts, most often without competitive bidding.

None of it is illegal, and we're not suggesting it is. Rather, it's indicative of a patronage system of meticulously organized beak-wetting built to harvest mountains of cash.

It turns out that Aaron Fairbanks and I both have taken an interest in this esoteric hobby known as Following the Money. As for me, paraphrasing FDR, "Gahan's bootlickers are unanimous in their hate for me — and I welcome their hatred."

Aaron's been taking some flack for digging, especially as it pertains to Jason Applegate's campaign for commissioner. This a diversionary tactic, and the newspaper should consider hiring him as a free-lancer. Alas, perhaps they're busy with Son of Cooking School, or trying to corral a few more column inches for Tom May to colonize.

Their (no, our) loss. This is fun and educational, and I'm interested in widening the search by going through all of Gahan's reports dating back to his first mayoral run, and also from city council members, especially the one typically carrying the mayor's jockstrap.

First, a glance at a big campaign donor from 2017. Aaron leads it off:

September 7, 2017: The News and Tribune report that Denton-Floyd Development received a $2.5 million state tax credit that was matched by the City of New Albany to begin construction on an estimated $15 million "new senior living facility going into the former M. Fine & Sons shirt factory in New Albany."

September 14, 2017: Mayor Jeff Gahan received $3,000 from Denton-Floyd Development more than two years before the next mayoral election.

This is what it looks like when your tax dollars at work are spent buying an election without your consent.

Right here it is.

About a month later, Denton Floyd treated former redevelopment chieftain David Duggins to a relaxing day at Keeneland and the Louisville City soccer match.

ON THE AVENUES: Could that be David Duggins paddling across Jeff Gahan's putrid cesspool? On second thought, I'll take the blindfold.

By then, Denton Floyd was engaged in top secret, cloak and dagger negotiations to transform a "neglected" building into a luxury city hall. Now that it's on the verge of approval, the 2018 campaign finance report should be a dilly.

Throwing Reisz: The Jeff M. Gahan Luxury Government Center keeps the emphasis on buildings, as opposed to people.

Yesterday, the Green Mouse was told that during an earlier conversation about the Reisz conversion, David Barksdale was asked if there was a point beyond which saving the building would no longer be financially feasible.

How much is too much?

"Whatever it takes," was Barksdale's reply.

As historic preservation wagged the dog last Monday night, one of the Indy suits in attendance was Beau Zoeller of the Frost Brown Todd legal firm.

Frost Brown and Todd look to be big donors every year.

Earlier today, it was noted that Clark Dietz's entry couldn't be found. That's because it's the CD PAC listed above.

Just for amusement, I went back to 2015 for a look at CD PAC's tithe to Gahan's re-election campaign: $5k.

Look ahead a year at the other side of the ledger -- where Clark Dietz's beneficiaries donate into the pool of funds, and there's this from local CD workhorse Wes Christmas.

Exactly $5k; surely a coincidence.

Going back to the 2015 CD Pak report, you'll have noticed that in the address column, the $5,000 donation from Clark Dietz was listed as going to Gahan at Eastridge Drive, the mayor's home.

Oddly, though perhaps not oddly at all, an entirely different $400 donation was made to Jeff Gahan at 210 Lynnwood in Clarksville (the suits misspelled it), which is the address for Public Finance Management LLC, Duggins' own personal tiller.

Freudian skip? The state's info on Public Finance Management is here. An RIP is in order.

If I'm reading correctly, it looks like Duggins dissolved PFM just four days after cutting a check to Applegate.

Man, this is tiring. Don't forget another golden oldie from the Bookseller, circa 2015:

"Show Me the Money" (video): Jeff Gahan's campaign contributors provide a who's who list of buying and selling a city.

Throwing Reisz: The Jeff M. Gahan Luxury Government Center keeps the emphasis on buildings, as opposed to people.

Previously:

Council Monday: If we're spending $$$ "saving the neglected Reisz Furniture Building to use as a new city hall," then can we be clear as to how it became "neglected" in the first place?

Chris Morris of the Tom May Picayune has by-the-numbers coverage of last evening's council soiree, at which our new anchor-certified city hall took its first inevitable steps toward completion.

Pay close attention to Scott Blair's and Dan Coffey's comments. The council's two independent members distinguished themselves with pointed questions. They followed the money, and should be thanked for doing so.

Council Democrats? They couldn't be bothered.

The usual community pillars want a luxury city hall, and they want it badly, but the curious truth is that the razor-thin 5-4 vote carried only because yet again, quasi-Republican David Barksdale carried Mayor Jeff Gahan's damask jockstrap safely across the finish line.

Next meeting's third reading is a foregone conclusion unless Barksdale is kidnapped and spirited away to Bolivia in the interim.

Yesterday, the Green Mouse was told that during an earlier conversation about the Reisz conversion, Barksdale was asked if there was a point beyond which saving the building would no longer be financially feasible.

How much is too much?

"Whatever it takes," was Barksdale's reply.

For a building. Not human beings and their needs ... but a government building. This no longer qualifies as historic preservation. 

It's a fetish, plain and simple.

There's a famous old gag by Jack Benny, whose comic persona was that of miserly skinflint. An armed robber approaches Benny: "Your money or your life."

Stone-faced, Benny turns slowly away from the increasingly impatient robber to look at the audience.

"I'm thinking it over!"

CM Barksdale, here's $570,000 for 15 years. Shall we spend it on people or historic preservation?

He wouldn't have to think it over. 

Not at all.

When the vote was concluded, the room abruptly emptied. Seems that community pillars can follow only one topic at a time; let's hope none of them are complaining about potholes, given that paving was the subject of a lengthy discussion after their hurried departure.

In the momentary scrum, Dan Coffey looked at me and said (paraphrased): This is the mayor's project, and he should be here to advocate it. Put that on your web page.

Preaching to the choir, sir, and I already have, but let's repeat it.

Mark my words: In 16 years, or whenever the city is finished renting-to-own the Reisz building -- and assuming the Democratic Party still exists, and is in control -- there'll be a pillar-impelled movement to name it the Jeff Gahan Government Center.

Gahan, a DemoDisneyDixiecrat, who'll campaign against Republican Mark Seabrook in next year's mayoral election, will point early and often to this Reisz rehab historic preservation luxury governance project as a signature achievement of his glorious reign.

AND GAHAN COULD NOT BE BOTHERED TO ATTEND THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING OF MAY 7, 2018. 

HE SENT MIKE HALL INSTEAD. 

Barksdale did the rest. A couple months back, when asked about his view on the mayor's hostile takeover of public housing, Barksdale -- an at-large council member representing all the city's citizens -- waved away the question.

Affordable housing?

It's not his area, and there's nothing he can do. He didn't even have to think about it.

Sickening, isn't it?

Reisz Building plan moves forward after New Albany City Council vote

NEW ALBANY — The dilapidated Reisz Building, at 148 E. Main St., moved one step closer to having a tenant Monday night after the New Albany City Council approved the first two readings of an ordinance that will turn the structure into a new city hall.

The ordinance calls for the city to enter into a lease agreement with Denton Floyd Real Estate Group. Under the agreement, the city will pay $570,000 a year rent to Denton Floyd for 15 years. In year 16, the city will outright own the building.

Denton Floyd's proposal would include $5.6 million to renovate the 23,000 square-foot building with construction beginning in July. The plan is to turn the building over to the city in July 2019 ...

 ... The city currently pays the Building Authority around $200,000 a year for rent of the City-County Building. So the deal will cost the city an additional $375,000 a year for 15 years, something that did not go unnoticed by some council members ...

Council Monday: If we're spending $$$ "saving the neglected Reisz Furniture Building to use as a new city hall," then can we be clear as to how it became "neglected" in the first place?

Actually, we already know the whys and wherefores about the neglect. We'd prefer Jeff Gahan or David Barksdale to concede them aloud, but we'll probably have to settle for Mike Hall saying nothing at all -- 'cuz that's the way Dear Leader rolls.

Private sector, here we come.

Can't we have a factually accurate discussion about municipal history, just this once?

ON THE AVENUES: Super Tuesday shrapnel – or, tiptoeing through the tulips with Dan Coffey, now THE face of historic preservation in New Albany.

But there's good news: Coffey's now a skeptic, and he is vigorously advocating a Reisz-xit.

10 short months ago.

Not to be a pest, but we're wondering about the rumored cost overruns. When not chortling over Duggins/Keeneland junkets with women, booze and Duggins, as staged by the preferred contractor's top brass, Denton Floyd's workers have been gossiping freely about the unexpected expenses to stabilize the building.

GREEN MOUSE SAYS: Is the price tag escalating for our luxury City Hall at the Reisz Furniture building?

That's because the building's been sitting there barely tended for decades -- in the city's own words (not ours), "neglected."

To neglect something is to not take good care of it, like neglecting your pet salamander by not cleaning its cage, or fail to show your usual affection — neglecting your old friends when you make new ones. The person or thing that endures such shabby treatment is neglected — feeling unloved, ignored, and in need. Another meaning of neglected is "overlooked," like when you neglected to bring your umbrella and got soaked.

In fairness, there'll be a gleaming, windowed Schmitt Furniture rehab when all is said and done; Denton Floyd paid Schmitt Inc. $390,000 for the Reisz building, and now Schmitt Inc. pulls 25% of the cost of facade improvements at the Furniture Corner, with Horseshoe Grants accounting for the 75% match.

That's good leveraging for a "neglected" building -- city's words, not ours.

The Green Mouse also has been hearing rumors about City Hall informing the Harvest Homecoming governing committee that 2018 will be the last year for Fiesta Rides in the parking lot behind the projected City Hall (by the levee). Sidestepping the many ongoing (and in some instances, unresolved) issues pertaining to Harvest Homecoming and the independent business community downtown, it remains that Fiesta Rides generates lots of cash for the festival.

The Mouse thinks that threatening to evict Fiesta Rides is Jeff Gahan's way of staking a claim to a negotiating stance v.v. co-billing for Anchor City and Harvest Homecoming. In other words, the city would offer the festival a subsidy for lost revenue, or a credit for other expenses, in return for branding rights: Hon. Jeff Gahan Presents Harvest Homecoming, or some such.

There are many moving parts in this Reisz story, but unless someone like Coffey decides to ask some hard questions on Monday night, I'm guessing we'll hear only one side of it.

Here's the agenda. The Green Mouse and I will begin drinking shortly after lunch -- and by the way, if you're read this far, it is my intent to use non-agenda public speaking time Monday evening to address the forthcoming Taco Walk: cultural appropriation last year, theft of the founder's intellectual property rights, and the need for city government to monitor Develop New Albany's cliquish tendencies.

One clique overseeing another? This isn't Scandinavia, you know.