The Jeff Gahan Money Machine, Part 10: Oh Cripe! Or, the path from Al "Indy" Oak's company PAC leads to Silver Street Park and Breakwater, and probably others.

Previously: The Jeff Gahan Money Machine, Part 9: These west end properties and their ultimate redevelopment surely comprise a rich, albeit tangled, source of campaign finance extractions for our Genius of the Flood Plain.

Some people grow turnips, 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.

Back in June of 2017, we examined the "wet your beak" mob idiom and the shady arena of bond fees: SHANE'S EXCELLENT NEW WORDS: Lawyers, guns, bond issue beak wetting and how Dean Martin anticipated the Mighty Trumpolini.

This blog holds that when it comes to a wetting of beaks, the thirsts being slaked are far more commonly attached to perfectly upstanding citizens (in appearance), who operate according to perfectly legal mechanisms instituted precisely to facilitate a wetting of beaks. It doesn't rule out extortion, but it accepts a level of built-in remuneration not always obvious to Joe Sixpack.

The purpose of the current series is to illustrate that Mayor Jeff Gahan, via his campaign finance vacuum, has been merrily wetting his beak from many of the big dollar projects Team Gahan has initiated since 2012.

While construction itself tends to be subject to competitive bidding, a whole class of design, planning, engineering, architectural, legal and consultation work can be assigned without competitive bidding -- most often by appointed boards, most conspicuously the Board of Works and the Redevelopment Commission.

The same names pop up again and again ... and the deeper you dig, the greater the number of connections between them. As an example, since Gahan's first mayoral campaign in 2011 he has pocketed a crisp, even $10,000 from something called Citizens for Excellence in Government.

2011 ... 500
2013 ... 1,000
2014 ... 3,500
2015 ... 2,000
2016 ... 1,000
2017 ... 2,000
Total ... $10,000

At first it was listed on Gahan's CFA-4 "tip of the iceberg" form as an "other organization," but since 2011 it's been properly filed under Political Action Committee. The state of Indiana concurs.

One might be forgiven for asking, "what sort ideological or single issue advocacy might this PAC be pursuing with its cash?'"

The apparent answer would be: Why, the ultimate ideology, corporate profit, seeing that the head honcho of the Citzens for Excellence in Government and the Cripe Architects firm is the very same guy, one Alex D. Oak.

Alex D. Oak, PE | Chairman & Chief Executive, Partner ... Al Oak joined the firm in the summer of 1972 as a land surveyor. Since then, he has served in just about every area of the firm. In 1992 he became Chief Executive Officer and, with that appointment, made some key strategic changes in the firm’s business and cultural model.

Can we assume that his free spending PAC has helped innovate, fertilizing these "business and cultural model changes?" My, my -- the beaks surely have gotten wet.

And the connection between Cripe, the Citizens for Excellence in Government PAC, Gahan's campaign cash reservoir and taxpayer funding of bright shiny objects?

That's right: Silver Street Park, the involvement of Cripe in which was partially covered in Part 4 of this series.

But that's not all!

Yes, Cripe also was in bed with Flaherty-Collins on the Breakwater project. We've yet to consider Flaherty-Collins' contributions to Dear Leader's cash-engorged ego, so maybe that's coming next.

After a nice, restorative drink of beverage alcohol.

#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 11: Lawyers from afar, expressing gratitude to Jeff Gahan for their billable hours -- and the curious case of Stan Robison.

Team Gahan presents the incredible TIF Man -- the superhero who alchemizes property taxes into campaign finance.

Sources tell the Green Mouse that transparency is like kryptonite to TIF Man, though not Council Woman.

That's because there aren't any council women, are there? Now, let's follow the millions ...

Join us on February 23rd at Silver Street Park for SUPERHERO DAY! Superhero Day is the first event in the GeekStreak series at City of New Albany Parks and Recreation this year. Unleash your inner-geek with with this event series tailored to comic, fantasy, and science fiction fans. These family-friendly events are designed to share some of these classic stories with the next generation of kids.

For more information about Superhero Day, and our other GeekStreak events planned for 2018, please visit: www.newalbanycityhall.com/geekstreak

Elevation, segregation and hallucination as TIF-endental Meditation comes to a Parks Department Taj Mahal near you.

It was bound to happen, if for no other reason than cash flow(n), if not minds blown.

Silver Street Meditation

BUT THAT'S NOT ALL! -- Act now with a $100 contribution to Gahan for State Senate 2018, and you can meditate right along with the mayor (koozie not included).

BUT HE'S NOT FINISHED YET --Just imagine the fun when the megabuck aquatic center gets into the act, combining meditation and icy water sports to produce Polar Bear Pondering.

In an effort to take our minds off the abundant comedic and satirical possibilities of TIF-endantal Meditation at one or the other of our many multi-million dollar parks, let's give Team Gahan a few more words to consider. In fact, the lyrics read as a sort of mezcal-laced history of the Gahan administration.

This should keep them busy well into 2018.

Hallucinate
Desegregate
Mediate
Alleviate
Try not to hate

Love your mate
Don't suffocate on your own hate
Designate your love as fate
A one world state
As human freight
The number eight
A white black state
A gentle trait
The broken crate
A heavy weight
Or just too late
Like pretty Kate has sex ornate
Now devastate
Appreciate
Depreciate
Fabricate
Emulate
The truth dilate
Special date
The animal we ate
Guilt debate
The edge serrate
A better rate
The youth irate
Deliberate

Fascinate
Deviate
Reinstate
Liberate
To moderate
Recreate
Or detonate
Annihiliate
Atomic fate

Mediate
Clear the state
Activate
Now radiate
A perfect state
Food on plate
Gravitate
The Earth's own weight
Designate your love as fate
At ninety-eight we all rotate

Hallucinate
Desegregate
Mediate
Alleviate
Try not to hate

Love your mate
Don't suffocate on your own hate
Designate your love as fate
A one world state
As human freight
The number eight
A white black state
A gentle trait
The broken crate

A heavy weight
Or just too late
Like pretty Kate has sex ornate

Now devastate
Appreciate
Depreciate
Fabricate
Emulate
The truth dilate
Special date
The animals we ate
Guilt debate
The edge serrate
A better rate
The youth irate
Deliberate
Fascinate
Deviate
Reinstate

Liberate

LWV Debate 1 (N and T link): Why is Jeff Gahan terrified of a mayoral threesome?

Photo credit: Christopher Fryer, N and T.

The subtitle is very important.

"Voters won't see full-field New Albany mayoral debate."

After announcing he'd fly back from his son's destination wedding for last night's LWV debate at Wembley, Kevin Zurschmiede changed his mind and chose to remain with his family. I believe that's a civilized and rational decision, and I respect it.

We simply must not forget that the ongoing responsibility for conniving to evade face to face debates with all three mayoral candidates present lies with Jeff Gahan, not Zurschmiede.

It's clear that Gahan is ducking and covering, though he still might choose to do the right and honorable thing by attending the Leadership Southern Indiana session on Tuesday, September 29.

Yes, I know. It's advisable to refrain from holding your breaths. Gahan's already asphyxiated common sense and decency in this town, and there's no use in NAC readers becoming casualties, too.

The departing reporter Suddeath sifts through it quite well, and this is a solid overview of the LWV affair. Earlier this week, he covered the NAHA forum here. The raw video of last evening is here.

New Albany mayoral candidates trade jabs over platforms and personality; Voters won't see full-field New Albany mayoral debate, by Daniel Suddeath (News and Tribune)

NEW ALBANY — Incumbent Democrat Jeff Gahan and Independent mayoral challenger Roger Baylor continued their verbal sparring Thursday over the future of New Albany, as well as decisions made in the past, during the second candidates forum held this week.

Baylor attacked Gahan's track record on economic development, citing the recent or planned exoduses of companies like General Mills, Indatus and StemWood from New Albany. Gahan accused Baylor — who has been a co-owner of the New Albanian Brewing Co. for more than 25 years and active in numerous other local causes — of being too negative.

"He's never done anything in a positive manner to help the city of New Albany," said Gahan, who is seeking his second term as mayor, during the debate hosted by the League of Women Voters.

LWV Debate 2 (video link): Gahan and Democrats feeling the burn, though not the Bern. That's the problem.

Fundamentally Jerry Jones.

Robert Landrum's raw LWV debate video can be viewed here. Note again that Kevin Zurschmiede decided to remain at his son's destination wedding, and missed the debate.

Let's give Robert a well-deserved hand. He's been right there at several key events in recent months, taking the time to film when others (read: city) couldn't be bothered. These occasions include Jeff Speck's and John Gilderbloom's (parts 1 and 2) vital streets presentations.

Last night ...

From the start, I knew that the League of Women Voters debate was being purpose-built for the incumbent, if for no other reason than the choice of venue.

I knew that whenever Jeff Gahan needed a boost of any sort, he’d merely shrug and say “look around you – isn’t this nice?”

Still, when he actually did it on more than one occasion, it was flabbergasting to think that the mayor genuinely believes that his $20 million TIF bond for parks construction has irrevocably altered the course of New Albany history.

Self-delusion among this city's Democrats has spread to a degree previously unattainable apart from the use of hallucinogenic drugs. Almost to a man, this city's Democrats gaze at Disney World as a daily inspiration, but significantly, Disney is not real. It's entertainment. It's escapism. And it's entirely imaginary.

As usual, Jeff Gillenwater provides the best capsule summary of the evening.

Baylor: The Gahan administration has spent and spent and yet the lives of most New Albany citizens remain unchanged. I'm perennially disappointed when local Democrats aim all our money and projects at the wants of upper and middle class suburban white people while real fundamentals like transportation and a level playing field go unaddressed. They never seem to talk about the local independent businesses who employ most people, affordable housing, income inequality, a living wage, or anything of the sort.

Gahan: I resent that suggestion. Anyone who can manage to get a ride to this multi-million dollar indoor soccer facility I financed against tax revenue for the next 20 years is welcome to use it.

There'll be more to say, but first, I learned something very important last night. It's hard to get a laugh out of a crowd at your opponent's home court when roughly 70% of them depend on him for their paychecks.

In fact, so many Democrats in that crowd owe their jobs to the mayor that if the State Police could have cited people for driving under the influence of The Kool Aid, there'd have been a road block at the park entrance and proceeds enough to build another bridge over the Ohio.

Part one is here, and don't forget: Indie Fest this Sunday at Underground Station, corner of Bank and Main in downtown New Albany.

Never mind, Bill. I'll just fix it myself.

Shrug. I sent the photo from this year, as opposed to the one from 2008. Below, unchanged save for the inclusion of Kevin Zurschmiede; above, with my edit.

Stop the presses: Zurschmiede works it out, will attend the Sept. 24 LWV debate at the Homerdome.

I hope the newspaper is paying attention, seeing as I've been ... never mind.

Don't ask me for details about the change. I only know that with Jeff Gahan announcing his debate schedule with a mind toward avoiding a three-way contest, Kevin Zurschmiede has somehow altered his family itinerary, and will be able to attend the League Of Women Voters event on September 24 at Gahan's home field, Silver Street Park.

South Central Indiana League of Women Voters

Great news, our league received news today concerning the debate from the Republican chair and Kevin zurschmead has rearranged his schedule and will be at the debate! So, in both counties all mayoral candidates will attend!

Of course, the LWV won't publicly concede this is Gahan's home field ... and very gently, it's Zurschmiede, and Facebook does allow editing, even hours later.

But make no mistake, this is good news. Voters deserve to see the three of us together on one stage, in spite of Gahan's evasive machinations, and now the great and powerful Oz needs to get real, reciprocate, and honor both city voters and the hard work of Leadership Southern Indiana by rearranging HIS schedule to attend LSI's debate on the 29th at New Albany High School.

Earlier today, long before the breaking news, the South Central Indiana League of Women Voters added event promos on Facebook.

My photo shows me wearing a US Postal Service cap from the Tour de France. Randy Smith gave it to me. In 2008, I was bicycling in Belgium, and lost the cap on the road somewhere. I can't remember the origin of the photograph, but then again, it's been more than seven years.

A healthy discussion then took place on the LWV's page at Fb. Here it is, lest something happen to the historical document. Note again that a few hours later, Zurschmiede's situation changed, and the update above was posted.

Roger A. Baylor
With all due respect, consider changing the date of the NA forum. Gahan's only coming because Zurschmiede cannot. The voters deserve better than this.

South Central Indiana League of Women
Gahan isn't coming to the LSI debate, we really cannot and hope you understand. There are debates and forums happening and canceling it would just conflict with another function.

Roger A. Baylor
I understand you have no interest in accountability, and that is genuinely regrettable. You are actively enabling Gahan's selective irresponsibility, but it's a learning experience -- and I surely wouldn't want anyone losing her city job over it.

South Central Indiana League of Women Voters
That is unfair, you question my integrity, Bill Hansen's, Teresa Perkins, and everyone involved in the League. We have been impartial and have bent over backwards to pull off an event that would give voice to everyone equally. If you choose not to come, we will understand.

Roger A. Baylor
I don't even know who you are. I wouldn't miss this or any other event, and I'm not the only one with eyebrows raised. It's a softball toss in the mayor's own building, and he's shirking LSI because he's getting a free ride here.

South Central Indiana League of Women Voters
Again, we have worked hard. The questions are coming from concerns expressed by citizens and will come to you at the same time they come to other candidates. We have had commitments from everyone before any other debate was even announced. It is Barb (Anderson), Roger. I respect you and your right to feel the way you do but we do not intend to soft pedal anything but we do intend to hold an event that is fair, impartial, and balanced. Kevin expressed his regret due to his son's marriage and we will read those regrets and respect him a great deal, he was quite the gentleman about not being able to attend. We are asking questions that are pertinent to the community, a two minute response to the other candidate and a one minute rebuttal. To our knowledge and to our seeing there has been no attempt to soft pedal anything, just an attempt to have a civil debate.

Roger A. Baylor
And Barb, my respect for you is immense. The builders cancelled their forum owing to no-shows, which points to the potential for manipulation, and that's my argument: if it is impartial, then one candidate cannot be handed ammo (the building) and also provided a pretext to evade face to face with both challengers. Lots of us already know what it feels like to be used by Jeff Gahan. Perhaps the League will learn this difficult lesson too. Cheers.

South Central Indiana League of Women Voters
I live in Jeffersonville, I loved the public park which is owned by the taxpayers. Kevin as a council person has as much to do with parks as any Mayor. We are not a wealthy organization and thought the venue was beautiful and proud for any forum to be held there. There are three city council candidates not attending. We are offering for educational purposes and opportunity for the citizens of the county to see and speak with their candidates. The questions are being offered by the League and no one else, the reception will be an opportunity for people to ask one on one questions. My respect for you is strong as well, I would never suggest you would participate in an event that wasn't fair and above board, neither would I think you would suggest I would.

Jeff Gillenwater
Kevin actually voted against the expenditure for the park and many others questioned it, including Roger. Gahan, in turn, has been continually using it as a prop for campaign purposes. The League declaring it something beautiful of which to be proud, a very pro-park and, in context, pro-Gahan stance, isn't exactly impartial so it's not difficult to see why many people are questioning venue choice. I think the brewery that Roger helped build is great and an asset to the community but I wouldn't suggest that holding a mayoral debate there would be impartial. The same could be said of Kevin's properties. The park is technically public but the association is plain. Given the low number of New Albany forums involving all the mayoral candidates, it doesn't seem unreasonable that a single alternative date and/or location could be explored without conflicting with another event. Besides the LSI debate, what other neutral events involving all the mayoral candidates are scheduled between now and the November election that would make it difficult to find another date or location? The library, the Carnegie Center, IUS, or any of the public schools would be neutral. Is there really not an alternative date available at any of them over the next couple of months? At best, this is an honest mistake but it's not too late to correct it.

Roger A. Baylor
Thanks, Jeff Gillenwater. That's it in a nutshell.

Gahan will merely smile and gesture toward numerous nice, shiny objects.

On September 12, the Floyd County Democratic Party will stage its fall campaign kick-off at Silver Street Park.

On September 24, the very same multi-million dollar venue will be the site of the mayoral and city council "candidate forum" held by the League of Women Voters. As I've pointed out previously, among the event's organizers is Linda Moeller, New Albany's city controller.

Moeller's  Fb profile picture urges that we re-elect the local politician responsible for her governmental position ... and of course, they're both Democrats.

When I asked the League about this, here was the reply.

We were excited because the venue was not going to cost anything and it was lovely. We are bipartisan and do not intend to favor any candidate with the questions. We look forward to the debate but consider a public space appropriate.

Contrast the choice of New Albany venue with that assigned to the Clark County session, and see the difference: Ivy Tech. It's a public institution, but not a building featured on an incumbent's campaign literature.

In short, there is no need to favor a candidate with softball questions when the venue itself is tantamount to the incumbent's home field. In fact, it's so much the incumbent's home field that the Democratic Party is kicking off its campaign there. There isn't anything especially non-partisan about any of this, and it's disappointing that the League persists in thinking so.

As we used to say at road games, this is some serious home cookin'.

Homer
A sports official that is blatantly calling games for the home team. Typically found in high school and amateur sporting events.

Let's just hope the News and Tribune's debate moderator doesn't bring his full arsenal of pop-ups and roll-overs with him. They could make for a very long evening.

Sept. 24 fix at the Taj Mahal: I'd prefer a genuine debate to a staged re-enthronement, but let's do it.

I've received my letter from the League of Women Voters, inviting me to the "candidate forum" for 2015 Mayor and City Council Candidates. It will be on September 24 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Silver Street Park. The event chair is Linda Moeller, the city controller.

As controller, she pays the bills for the park, which cost several million dollars and features prominently in her immediate supervisor's campaign for re-election.

But as the rules (see below) clearly indicate, a non-partisan atmosphere must be maintained.

In addition, closing statements "should be significantly related" to questions provided in advance to the candidates. In short: No truth telling, okay?

I've nothing against either Linda Moeller or the League of Women Voters, but let's be honest. The chair is a Gahan appointee, the venue itself is a Gahan gilded palace and platform plank, and considering these two trends, the questions almost certainly can be relied upon to be incumbent-friendly.

I'd prefer a genuine debate to a staged re-enthronement, but of course I'll sign and return the sheet, agreeing to abide by these rules.

As I interpret them ...

We're counting the ways Jeff Gahan is spending millions without fundamentally addressing failed infrastructure.

To be accurate, Jeff Gillenwater is counting them, and he's doing such a wonderful job of refuting Team Gahan's exaggerated claims that I'll merely recount the point-counterpoint.

"Let us also count the tens of millions of debt we'll be paying back for the next couple of decades while the campaign brags about cash reserves only because it has handcuffed young people with such hefty credit card bills. And why is the irresponsible, neighborhood polluting former owner of this property still being granted so many demolition contracts by the Gahan administration? Was the princely, publicly paid sum for this property not enough of a reward for party loyalty? Should we look for his name on the campaign donor list?"

---

"Like I said, they try to brag about their financial prowess without mentioning the tens of millions of debt we've incurred in just over three years while doing little to address what is obviously failing infrastructure all over the city. An out-of-town developer wants a $5 million handout? No problem. A citizen wants their storm sewer drain to actually drain? Tough cookies. As I previously mentioned, if you're 45 or older, you'll likely be retired or dead before New Albany's citizens pay off Gahan's single term as mayor and we have little functional improvement to show for it. It doesn't take a genius to pay for so much on long-term credit and it certainly doesn't take one to think that doing so means the few extra dollars in one's pocket that day as a temporary, short-term result is a sign of sound fiscal management."

Solar roads, shifts in thinking ... and paying attention.

Keeler, late of the at-large council race, sent me a link on Tuesday morning. A chat broke out. First, here's the story.

The World’s First Solar Road Is Producing More Energy Than Expected, by Katie Valentine (Think Progress)

In its first six months of existence, the world’s first solar road is performing even better than developers thought.

The road, which opened in the Netherlands in November of last year, has produced more than 3,000 kilowatt-hours of energy — enough to power a single small household for one year, according to Al-Jazeera America.

“If we translate this to an annual yield, we expect more than the 70kwh per square meter per year,” Sten de Wit, a spokesman for the project — dubbed SolaRoad — told Al Jazeera America. “We predicted [this] as an upper limit in the laboratory stage. We can therefore conclude that it was a successful first half year.”

De Wit said in a statement that he didn’t “expect a yield as high as this so quickly.”

The 230-foot stretch of road, which is embedded with solar cells that are protected by two layers of safety glass, is built for bike traffic, a use that reflects the road’s environmentally-friendly message and the cycling-heavy culture of the Netherlands. However, the road could withstand heavier traffic if needed, according to one of the project’s developers.

I replied, "I don't see that on the Board of Works agenda today -- great link."

Adam: "Additional incentive for bike lanes. Not only will it reduce emissions from cars but also renewable energy for lights, homes, etc."

Roger: "Agreed. It's important for us to discuss innovations like this even if it appears unlikely that we'd ever actively consider them -- unless, of course, there is a fundamental shift in thinking."

Adam: "Well, the fundamental shift in thinking needs to only happen at the local government level in New Albany. I think it's possible. If we elect people who are capable of critical thinking then our large projects will be analyzed better. Silver Street Park is a great example of a project that could have been ran by solar panels installed above the facility while only costing 2% of the total budget. Saving taxpayer dollars while completing city level projects should be a no-brainer. It's a shame a lot of the administration doesn't pay attention to things like this."