Canine capers: And we have a winner for Caption Contest #56.

Future site of the visitor's center.

"Dogs Allowed Only at

Native American Burial Sites."

Thanks to B for the caption.

Chronicles of New Gahania: Mayor evades questions about dog park sacrilege with help of police escort.

Thanks J.

Just in case you missed it, Mayor Gahan went to a self-congratulatory plaque-raising yesterday, and damned if some substance didn't break out.

Watch the pooch pee: Doggie excrement "trumps" Native American sacraments as Jeff Gahan flees the WHAS-11 camera.

Meanwhile, these screen shots show what happened when Tony attempted to engage The Genius of the Flood Plain in dialogue as he scurried past the Fourth Estate.

The Green Mouse has learned that when the Imperial Carriage arrived and Our Beloved Leader saw WHAS-11 setting up for an interview with Tony Nava, Deputy Mayor Duggins immediately phoned for police back-up, lest Nava attempt to tell the truth on camera within earshot of Gahan.

DUDE: This is no way to conduct a State Senate campaign, especially when you'll have to beat Chuck Freiberger in the primary.

Watch the pooch pee: Doggie excrement "trumps" Native American sacraments as Jeff Gahan flees the WHAS-11 camera.

"The City of New Albany has done some really dumb stuff in the time I've lived here but a members only, pay-to-play "public" dog park out on the fringe of town with no walking route - built on Native American ceremonial grounds, no less - is among the dumbest. Three strikes with one pitch."
-- Bluegill (here)

Before we look at the incriminating photos, let's rewind to March, 2016 for background on the origins of New Albany Dog Park, which by a miracle yet to be revealed, hasn't yet been named for a suburban subdivision or a dead Democrat.

THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 2016
Dog daze: With Gahan back in the safe house, civilian architect Timperman now is the city's official spokesman.

When Mayor Jeff Gahan donned his standard issue suit and tie for an uncharacteristic public appearance at Cannon Acres with WDRB's Gil Corsey, actually speaking on behalf of his own administration without the usual sycophants and intermediaries for protective filtration,

"Right now the last thing we'd want to do is be disrespectful to anyone," Gahan said.

Amid instantaneous and contagious community-wide laughter, it was only a matter of milliseconds until chief handler Adam Disney speed-dialed Gahan to remind the mayor that the only way he can refrain from disrespect is to remain safely ensconced in the down-low bunker.

In the emergency meeting that followed, you can almost see them looking around the room ... so, who can we use?

Seven and one half months of campaign finance beak-wetting later, the dog park was dedicated, and to the credit of WHAS-11, Tony Nava was invited to say a few words. Follow the link to watch the video.

Meanwhile, these screen shots show what happened when Tony attempted to engage The Genius of the Flood Plain in dialogue as he scurried past the Fourth Estate.

If a picture paints a thousand words.
Then why can't I paint you?
The words will never show.
The you I've come to know.

The "you" who flees any unscripted opportunity ... and yet the most incisive comment is reserved for this dog ...

 ... peeing on a ceremonial Native American site as the cameras roll.

Adam Disney didn't give that dog very good public relations advice, did he? Unless, of course, that's exactly the advice he gave him.

The luxury dog park atop the burial ground will be open for defecation soon. Does anyone know why?

Elsewhere in the nation, Native Americans are leading the anti-pipeline fight on environmental grounds.

Things Are Getting Very Ugly Over a Pipeline in South Dakota. by Charles P. Pierce (Esquire)

 ... Things got very ugly out on the prairie over the last few days. (Unidentified security personnel with attack dogs. At least ol' Bull Connor wore a uniform.) The governor of North Dakota, Jack Dalrymple, already has the National Guard on alert. The Guard spokesperson said that the troops will not be at the protest site, but now it can legitimately be said that they're enforcing the order of a federal court.

That is often all the authority that they need.

Back here in New Albany, a Native American archaeological site has been transformed into a luxury dog park on electoral grounds, because how else can Jeff Gahan convince county voters to support his future State Senate bid if not gifting them with posh pretend-Democrat infrastructure?

New Albany dog park set to open, despite objections, by Chris Sutter (WDRB)

NEW ALBANY, Ind. (WDRB) -- The fences are up, the gazebos are in, and requirements and payment have been established.

By the start of October, New Albany pet lovers will have their first dog park.

"For your first pup it's $15, the next one's $10, the next one's $5 ," New Albany Mayor, Jeff Gahan said.

From the beginning, Tony Nava didn't think any of it should happen.

"Why do you want a bulldozer to come in and eradicate 6,000 years of history?" he told WDRB in March.

Tony, Tony.

Why?

It's because bulldozers and the campaign finance they leave in their wake, not unlike happy little rabbit pellets, make key Democrats in New Albany very, very happy. We covered the story extensively in spring as the fix locked firmly into place.

Dog daze: With Gahan back in the safe house, civilian architect Timperman now is the city's official spokesman.

Now it's September, and time for the breathless press release.

The New Albany Dog Park is set to open on October 1st, 2016! Memberships are now on sale through the New Albany Parks Department, NAFC Animal Shelter, and select Feeder's Supply locations. Read all about this off-leash paradise for the four-legged members of our families and how to get your membership here.

As is this blog's custom whenever possible, we reserve final comment space for our own Bluegill, who summarizes New Albany's sorrow in his usual succinct and accurate fashion.

The City of New Albany has done some really dumb stuff in the time I've lived here but a members only, pay-to-play "public" dog park out on the fringe of town with no walking route - built on Native American ceremonial grounds, no less - is among the dumbest. Three strikes with one pitch.

Scarlet letter? As New Albany hemorrhages jobs, we reveal Team Gahan's economic development argument.

(Reader Submission -- thanks)

Dog daze: With Gahan back in the safe house, civilian architect Timperman now is the city's official spokesman.

You just knew there had to be a catch -- and I don't mean dogs playing Frisbee.

When Mayor Jeff Gahan donned his standard issue suit and tie for an uncharacteristic public appearance at Cannon Acres with WDRB's Gil Corsey, actually speaking on behalf of his own administration without the usual sycophants and intermediaries for protective filtration,

"Right now the last thing we'd want to do is be disrespectful to anyone," Gahan said.

Amid instantaneous and contagious community-wide laughter, it was only a matter of milliseconds until chief handler Adam Disney speed-dialed Gahan to remind the mayor that the only way he can refrain from disrespect is to remain safely ensconced in the down-low bunker.

In the emergency meeting that followed, you can almost see them looking around the room ... so, who can we use?

Hall? He already does council meetings.

Duggins? No, he's got deputy mayor shit to do, and anyway, television cameras bring out the dollar sign tattoos a bit too vividly.

Thompson? Absolutely not. He might tell the truth.

(Disney's iPad begins to glow with inspiration)

Timperman? Ah, now there's an idea. He's got more credentials than Bono Road has potholes.  Perfect. Get him out there now ...

Petition circulates after concerns over New Albany dog park location (WAVE-3)

... "If the state archeologist wanted to come down here and check again, that’s fine with me, because I don’t have any dog in this fight and I think that the city has tried very hard to comply with the state’s requirements," Timperman said.

Today's coda:

Remember when fans of the New Albany farmers market were led to believe that the market was going to be moved to the parking garage?

Of course, they were misled, and it was pure stage-managed hokum, but at least it showed there actually were fans of the farmers market.

Fast forward to the past week's dog park controversy. Zealous advocates of the dog park now are deluging social media with their support for ... dogs... wait. No, they're not. Outside of city workers and the mayor's family (is that a redundancy?), there isn't any support for a dog park.

None.

Zilch.

Nada.

Yet again, we ask: Why is money being spent on this -- Native American site or not?

---

Previously at NAC:

SHANE'S EXCELLENT NEW WORDS: Autodidact -- and how David Duggins denigrates one of them amid Team Gahan's zeal for a dog park.

One week later, the newspaper reluctantly diverts its attention from cooking school and learns that "park site in New Albany draws concerns."

In unprecedented act of territorial pissing, outraged dogs gather to protest Native Americans.

Belatedly addressing the Cannon Acres dog park fiasco, Mayor Gahan insists he watched "Dances with Wolves" on the VCR over the weekend.

Tony Nava on WDRB: "Would we want to use a church grounds as a dog park?"

4:00 p.m. today: Citizens trying to save a Native American church from being used as an inappropriate and unnecessary dog park.

Commentary: Amid quintessential City Hall arrogance, a petition to "save the Cannon Acres Native American site."

Dog crap on a sacred area: Jeff Gahan moves timeline forward, with the desecration of a 3,000-6,000 Native American site to begin Monday.

An AWOL Jeff Gahan evades Native American activist seeking dialogue about potential site destruction at the dog park.

The city of New Albany may soon try to destroy a 3,000 to 6,000 year old Native American site to build a dog park.

SHANE'S EXCELLENT NEW WORDS: Autodidact -- and how David Duggins denigrates one of them amid Team Gahan's zeal for a dog park.

Welcome to another installment of SHANE'S EXCELLENT NEW WORDS, a regular Wednesday feature at NA Confidential.

But why new words? Why not the old, familiar, comforting words?

It's because a healthy vocabulary isn't about trying to show rental property owners you're smarter than them. To the contrary, it's about selecting the right word and using it correctly, whatever one's pay grade or station in life.

Even municipal corporate attorneys are eligible for this enlightening expansion of personal horizons, and really, for those of us watching as every tree in town is transformed into firewood, all we really have is time on our hands -- moments enough for us to learn something.

This week, a different approach.

Autodidact (aw-toe-DIE-dakt) is a fancy Greek word meaning “self-taught.” Simply stated, an autodidact has gathered knowledge without the benefit of formal or specialized education.

Perhaps the most celebrated example of an autodidact is Leonardo Da Vinci. We now refer to him as a “Renaissance man,” because this term implies expertise in multiple areas of the human experience. In Leonardo’s case, he excelled at painting, sculpting, engineering, architecture, music, geology and astronomy. This list is by no means comprehensive.

A more recent pop culture exemplar is Jeff “Skunk” Baxter, guitar virtuoso and a former member of Steely Dan and the Doobie Brothers. You may not know that Baxter also has worked for many years as a respected consultant to the US Department of Defense on the topic of ballistic missile defense, of which he is entirely self-taught.

Autodidact is a concept of respect, or at least it should be, except that this is New Albany.

At Tuesday’s weekly meeting of the New Albany Board of Public Works and Safety, economic development director David Duggins introduced Larry Timperman. He is a local architect, and the designer of the controversial dog park to be installed at Cannon Acres.

Links to previous coverage here.

Last week local Native American activists, most notably Tony Nava, became aware of these plans and protested. Their objections are ongoing. So are is the city's plan to begin construction.

More than a decade ago, when proposals for this acreage were first made, archaeological studies were commissioned and conducted. Nava believes that these previous studies were not sufficiently comprehensive, and in any event, a further phase should be conducted prior to the dog park’s construction.

To speak with Nava about Native American history and culture is to understand that what he might lack in academic credentials, he has learned through self-motivation and study.

That's an autodidact.

Larry Timperman is quiet and personable. He exudes stolid competence. As the dog park protest crescendo began to rise last week, he quickly was chosen by Team Gahan to serve as its public shield, i.e., the soft-spoken and apolitical architect and planner whose very presence aims at diverting the discussion from the forever troublesome back corridor deal-making in which the mayor and Duggins select and reward builders, contractors and ancillaries.

Over the weekend, in an interview on WHAS, Timperman referred to the 2005 state archaeological survey, commenting that in situations like this one, trained planners always go with the most recent letter.

He fleshed out this comment at the Tuesday morning BOW meeting. According to the most recent letter from the Indiana state archaeologist (presumably, from 2005), the two previous surveys marked certain quadrants at Cannon Acres as the only ones likely to contain Native American artifacts. So long as the city builds around them -- no harm, no foul.

(Nava points out that these surveys were conveniently spaced to allow the soccer fields subsequently installed at Cannon Acres).

But to me, the most interesting aspect of Timperman’s presentation – and what returns us to autodidact – came only after he finished speaking.

Duggins rose and immediately asked Timperman to explain his professional background and credentials, which the architect was more than happy to do. Figuratively, Timperman modestly pulled his wallet from his back pocket and allowed the vinyl pouches containing degrees, certifications and endorsements to cascade like a Slinky, all the way to the floor.

The intent was unmistakable.

In a room 95% filled with mayoral appointees and functionaries, none of whom gives a damn about Native American anything, and all of whom want nothing more than to be spared the mayor’s 2:00 a.m. phone calls, Duggins was tossing bloody meat to the true believers, heaping scorn on Nava for the latter’s temerity in first trying to speak with the great and inaccessible Oz, then claiming knowledge as an autodidact.

Our deputy mayor-pretend had a point to make: It’s the nicely perfumed, well-remunerated, professionally recognized white man who should be trusted, not some crackpot activist who couldn’t possibly marshal facts without having first attended the right school – you know, like Silver Creek.

Throughout the shamelessness, Warren Nash played his familiar role of leering, biased enabler:

“Wow, Mr. Duggins, do you mean to say we’ve known all these things from the very start and exercised our stewardship with the sort of flawless aplomb that we’ve come to expect from our Dear Leader?”

Nava’s an autodidact. We should praise him, not denigrate him, but this clash was inevitable. From Gahan’s standpoint, comprehension of Native American culture is impossible precisely because it isn’t right there in front of him, like an aquatic center or Disney theme park. It’s a spiritual thing. It can’t be held in one’s hand, raffled or monetized for campaign finance.

You can keep your Philistines.

Give me the autodidact, any day.

---

Previously at NAC:

One week later, the newspaper reluctantly diverts its attention from cooking school and learns that "park site in New Albany draws concerns."

In unprecedented act of territorial pissing, outraged dogs gather to protest Native Americans.

Belatedly addressing the Cannon Acres dog park fiasco, Mayor Gahan insists he watched "Dances with Wolves" on the VCR over the weekend.

Tony Nava on WDRB: "Would we want to use a church grounds as a dog park?"

4:00 p.m. today: Citizens trying to save a Native American church from being used as an inappropriate and unnecessary dog park.

Commentary: Amid quintessential City Hall arrogance, a petition to "save the Cannon Acres Native American site."

Dog crap on a sacred area: Jeff Gahan moves timeline forward, with the desecration of a 3,000-6,000 Native American site to begin Monday.

An AWOL Jeff Gahan evades Native American activist seeking dialogue about potential site destruction at the dog park.

The city of New Albany may soon try to destroy a 3,000 to 6,000 year old Native American site to build a dog park.

One week later, the newspaper reluctantly diverts its attention from cooking school and learns that "park site in New Albany draws concerns."

Each day, we see the ramifications of the News and Tribune's ongoing inability (unwillingness?) to hire a reporter for the New Albany city beat. It isn't just that the newspaper proves late to the table on the Cannon Acres/Native American story.

Many questions that might have been asked and should have been asked aren't, because staffers filling in aren't as familiar with the running story. That's why beat reporters cover a beat. Bill Hanson has a lot to answer for. Unfortunately, he emulates Jeff Gahan as it pertains to openness.

City Hall's case rests on architect Larry Timperman's openly stated reliance on a letter from the state of Indiana delineating what lies where at Cannon Acres. The letter references stages of archaeological examination conducted more than a decade ago. Timperman told WHAS-11 that planners in his position always trust the most recent letter.

But what if different, newer instructions were to be issued by the state? That's the crux of it. I'll have more on this later today in "Shane's Excellent New Words." If you're just tuning in, see NAC's "previous story" links below.

Park site in New Albany draws concerns, by Chris Morris

NEW ALBANY — Julia Youngblood and city officials agreed to disagree Tuesday morning as she walked out of the City-County Building.

Youngblood, Floyds Knobs, is concerned that the proposed dog park planned for Cannon Acres, which is off Budd Road, will disturb ancient Native American historic sites which includes artifacts and possible burials. But the two historic mounds identified by Indiana Department of Natural Resources Archaeologist Cathy Draeger-Williams won't be disturbed, according to David Duggins, director of Economic Development and Redevelopment for New Albany.

Duggins explained to Youngblood after the meeting that only fencing will be placed around the area designated for the dog park. He said there will be no digging or excavating on the site. There will also be gravel paths built to the dog park area at the park.

"We have have been respectful of the historic significance of the property," Duggins said.

Youngblood and Duggins, along with architect Larry Timperman and city engineer Larry Summers, talked for several minutes following Tuesday's Board of Works meeting.

---

Previously at NAC:

In unprecedented act of territorial pissing, outraged dogs gather to protest Native Americans.

Belatedly addressing the Cannon Acres dog park fiasco, Mayor Gahan insists he watched "Dances with Wolves" on the VCR over the weekend.

Tony Nava on WDRB: "Would we want to use a church grounds as a dog park?"

4:00 p.m. today: Citizens trying to save a Native American church from being used as an inappropriate and unnecessary dog park.

Commentary: Amid quintessential City Hall arrogance, a petition to "save the Cannon Acres Native American site."

Dog crap on a sacred area: Jeff Gahan moves timeline forward, with the desecration of a 3,000-6,000 Native American site to begin Monday.

An AWOL Jeff Gahan evades Native American activist seeking dialogue about potential site destruction at the dog park.

The city of New Albany may soon try to destroy a 3,000 to 6,000 year old Native American site to build a dog park.

In unprecedented act of territorial pissing, outraged dogs gather to protest Native Americans.

Belatedly addressing the Cannon Acres dog park fiasco, Mayor Gahan insists he watched "Dances with Wolves" on the VCR over the weekend.

"Native Americans just love Frisbee golf," said the mayor.

Gil Corsey offers a follow-up to last night's WDRB report. For the first time, Mayor Jeff Gahan has emerged from his down-low bunker, pushed David Duggins aside, and taken one himself.

Local Native Americans aim to protect New Albany's Cannon Acres Park from dog park plans

The city of New Albany wants to build a dog park on the land off Budd Road and Highway 111 as part of Mayor Jeff Gahan's recreational improvement plan.

"There's a Frisbee golf course here, as well as a dog park with a water feature," Gahan said. "A great place for people to enjoy with their family."

The city has already sketched the outline for the dog park, with orange flags dotting the land. Construction was supposed to start this week.

"Right now the last thing we'd want to do is be disrespectful to anyone," Gahan said.

There's more to come. Anyone seen the newspaper?

---

Previously at NAC:

Tony Nava on WDRB: "Would we want to use a church grounds as a dog park?"

4:00 p.m. today: Citizens trying to save a Native American church from being used as an inappropriate and unnecessary dog park.

Commentary: Amid quintessential City Hall arrogance, a petition to "save the Cannon Acres Native American site."

Dog crap on a sacred area: Jeff Gahan moves timeline forward, with the desecration of a 3,000-6,000 Native American site to begin Monday.

An AWOL Jeff Gahan evades Native American activist seeking dialogue about potential site destruction at the dog park.

The city of New Albany may soon try to destroy a 3,000 to 6,000 year old Native American site to build a dog park.

Tony Nava on WDRB: "Would we want to use a church grounds as a dog park?"

Above are views from yesterday's 4:00 p.m. media conference. Below is the link to WDRB's story. Follow the link to view the video. We're still transcribing the gurgling sounds emitted by Mayor Gahan in response.

New Albany residents worried Native American historical site may be turned into dog park

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Some New Albany residents are concerned that a Native American historical site will be turned into a dog park.

Tony Nava says archaeologists from the Department of Natural resources found artifacts belonging to the Shawnee and Mississippian tribes at the Cannon Acres Park. While a more extensive search has not been completed to determine if the area is a burial ground, he says either way it's disrespectful to have a dog go to the bathroom in an area that he considers sacred.

Previously at NAC:

4:00 p.m. today: Citizens trying to save a Native American church from being used as an inappropriate and unnecessary dog park.

Commentary: Amid quintessential City Hall arrogance, a petition to "save the Cannon Acres Native American site."

Dog crap on a sacred area: Jeff Gahan moves timeline forward, with the desecration of a 3,000-6,000 Native American site to begin Monday.

An AWOL Jeff Gahan evades Native American activist seeking dialogue about potential site destruction at the dog park.

The city of New Albany may soon try to destroy a 3,000 to 6,000 year old Native American site to build a dog park.

4:00 p.m. today: Citizens trying to save a Native American church from being used as an inappropriate and unnecessary dog park.

Local Native American activists are meeting the media today at 4:00 p.m. at 1933 Budd Road, which I take to mean the parking area of the soccer complex. 

For some readers, it may seem that the controversy surrounding the city's decision to construct a dog park atop a 3,000 to 6,000 year old Native American site has come out of nowhere. It hasn't. The Navas have been monitoring the disposition of the Cannon Acres land since the ideas for various parks were first minted more than a decade ago.

This is ongoing. The Navas do what they can, as they're able.

Meanwhile, the development of the dog park has taken place in the usual back corridors, largely out of sight, with no public meetings devoted to discussion, and a new found urgency to get the bulldozers moving once it was learned there would be principled opposition.

It's disgraceful.

Concurrently, there has been no groundswell of support for this dog park. It is being built in a place that is inappropriate, both by virtue of proximity to a Native American ceremonial site, and because it is completely removed from the urban center, where it might actually be useful.

Moreover, it's yet another sickening example of Team Gahan's utter refusal to communicate. Tony Nava wanted to speak to Mayor Jeff Gahan, and simply could not get past the gatekeepers. Gahan almost certainly would have responded to priests, pastors and rabbis if similar concerns were being voiced about their religious locales.

Gahan's response to Nava was to shunt the complaint to the economic development director, David Duggins, who has told all and sundry that the dog park is "his" project.

Entirely apart from the justified, long-term concerns of the Navas and their friends in the preservation community, how have we come to a juncture where the mayor won't speak to people, and the economic development director is in control of a parks project?   

Two things need to happen.

First, Gahan needs to realize that a Native American ceremonial site is as important as a boys high school basketball game, and that citizens need to be communicated WITH, as opposed to AT.

Second, the dog park project needs to be delayed, so as to afford Nava a fair hearing, and to stage a public meeting about the stakes involved with Gahan's decision to move forward with the inappropriate Cannon Acres site.

Shannon Nava has posted on Facebook.

---

So meanwhile ... while people sit in their pews this morning in their designated churches, my husband is trying to save our church from the city trying to build a public dog park. 

Some of you may not know this, but New Albany is trying to destroy a potentially 6000 year old CEREMONIAL Mississippian site. There have been archaeological digs, actually two phases. Currently, no bodies have been found BUT there have been significant finds, dating back to archaic times. 

Pottery shards with intricate archaic designs, derbage, arrowheads, FRC, hammer stones, and so much more have been found. If you have ever visited the land, you would have noticed three large mounds. They are pretty hard to miss even after over 100 years of plowing (it was a family farm,and the land was used for hay). 

They even found items that proved there were slave quarters, which we confirmed yesterday through a gentleman who has lived in the area for the entirety of his 65 years. 

Anthony has been working on saving this site since 2003. We know now that the city has misallocated funds from a federal grant to use for the phase two archaeological survey. 

So, sound off folks! How do you feel about this so called "public" dog park that community members will have to pay to be members to use? 

How do you feel about the city building a dog park over a significant American Indian historical site? 

How would you feel if you someone brought their dog into your church to take a crap? If you're not happy about it, like us ... meet us today at 1933 Budd Road, New Albany @ 4 o'clock to tell the press how you feel.

The city already have construction crews and their equipment waiting to get started moving earth first thing tomorrow (Monday) morning, after they promised they would wait three weeks to talk more to the native people.

Help us save it.

---

Previously at NAC:

Commentary: Amid quintessential City Hall arrogance, a petition to "save the Cannon Acres Native American site."

Dog crap on a sacred area: Jeff Gahan moves timeline forward, with the desecration of a 3,000-6,000 Native American site to begin Monday.

An AWOL Jeff Gahan evades Native American activist seeking dialogue about potential site destruction at the dog park.

The city of New Albany may soon try to destroy a 3,000 to 6,000 year old Native American site to build a dog park.

Commentary: Amid quintessential City Hall arrogance, a petition to "save the Cannon Acres Native American site."

Anthony Nava has started a petition at Change.org.

Petitioning State Representative Edward Clere (to) Save the Cannon Acres Native American site

Cannon Acres contains a 3,000 year old to present-day archaeological site. This is at risk due to the city wanting to build a dog park. If this happens we may lose this site forever. This site has been used by the Mississippian people to the woodland people of the Shawnee as well as a rich history that is local to New Albany.

At Fb, Nava was asked a relevant question.

Is there no state or federal law preventing this? I thought this kind of thing had to be thoroughly researched and approved if it involved a Native site.

His answer:

When it comes to Native rights we are second hand citizens. The NHPA is supposed to protect sacred sites but since the city is self-funded it's a loophole in the law, that they operate by the skin of their teeth. But if Federal monies are or were used to develop the site they would have to answer to sect 106 of the NHPA act.

The issue of the dog park/archaeological site arose prior to Thursday's city council meeting (see links here), following Nava's unsuccessful efforts to speak directly with Mayor Gahan about his concerns.

I noticed local architect Larry Timperman in attendance on Thursday night, sitting through the meeting without saying anything, and now it has been revealed that Timperman (the dog park designer?) was sent by City Hall to rebut objections to the dog park design that might arise should Nava or others attend the meeting.

It's dejà vu all over again.

Time after time, it's the same story. The more it becomes necessary for Gahan to lead, the less he is inclined to do so, and the more his handlers keep him swaddled, mummified, like the proverbial Russian baby. It's become almost comical.

Referencing another recent hot button issue: If rental property registration, inspection and enforcement really are such critical "musts," then why did four long years pass without Gahan lifting a finger to help the city's "vulnerable" renters, "as they are forced into sub-standard housing"?

Why did he fail to mention these vulnerable citizens at all during his re-election campaign?

And how could he not come in person to a city council meeting to make his rental reform case, and face the rental property owners in attendance?

Accordingly, Gahan might have spoken directly to Nava, and almost surely would have done so were Nava a priest, minister or rabbi -- you know, the sort of respectable religious personages who'd be safe to invite to your mayoral prayer breakfast.

Instead, Nava was shunted to David "Gatekeeper" Duggins, who is the city's economic development chieftain, and one whose energies might be devoted to filling the gaping hole formerly known as Pillsbury, rather than acting as dog park liaison.

Why is the minister of economics in charge of the city's park system?

City Hall also might have tackled Nava's objections head on, by releasing a statement detailing its side, or by having Timperman speak to the council in a pro-active, rather than sandbag passive, mode.

Why? Because openness and transparency play no role in "governance" as conducted from the white-bread, down-low bunker.

Meanwhile, six months have passed since the News and Tribune bothered to employ a New Albany beat reporter, and as this latest story has emerged, dozens of Clark County articles have been filed. An awards banquet trophy win has been trumpeted, a reality television show set in the Clark County jail lauded, and hundreds of ads about a cooking school (in Jeffersonville, of course) hoisted. The most recent New Albany council meeting was covered via press release and interview.

I do what I can, but it'd be nice to have some help every now and then. 

My goal at present is to find someone not already employed by the city to make the case for the dog park at Gahan's chosen Budd Road location. The mayor notoriously exaggerated a purported tidal wave of demand for aquatic center and parks project prioritized ahead of those vulnerable (take a number, take a seat -- I've got a pool to build) rental dwellers, but at least a handful of people tepidly showed support for water-borne recreation in some form or another.

However, I've yet to encounter a single instance of dog park advocacy undertaken in a public forum. 

I'll gladly turn over a blog post, sans editorial comment, to the first reader undertaking to explain the urgency of doggie recreation when the city's one-way streets continue to sap property values, degrade neighborhood quality of life, and contradict small business investment in downtown.

Meanwhile, Nava soldiers on.

Shouldn't Jeff Gahan speak with him? 

Dog crap on a sacred area: Jeff Gahan moves timeline forward, with the desecration of a 3,000-6,000 Native American site to begin Monday.

Dog crap on a sacred area: Jeff Gahan moves timeline forward, with the desecration of a 3,000-6,000 Native American site to begin Monday.

Previously at NAC:

The city of New Albany may soon try to destroy a 3,000 to 6,000 year old Native American site to build a dog park.

An AWOL Jeff Gahan evades Native American activist seeking dialogue about potential site destruction at the dog park.

Anthony Nava provides an update. According to Nava, the start of construction has been moved forward, to begin Monday, March 21.

OK, THIS WILL BE IN CAPS TO GET YOUR ATTENTION: THE CITY OF NEW ALBANY HAS MOVED THEIR TIME LINE FORWARD FOR THE DOG PARK. THIS MAY DESTROY A 3000-6000 YEAR OLD NATIVE CEREMONIAL SITE . PLEASE CALL CITY HALL MONDAY AND HAVE THEM STOP THIS DESECRATION OF A NATIVE SITE. PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD, POST TO YOUR PAGE AND ANY WEBSITES YOU KNOW ASAP. LET'S TELL THE MAYOR AND THE CITY WE WILL NOT STAND FOR THIS DESTRUCTION OF HISTORY SO DOGS WILL HAVE A PLAY TO CRAP ON A SACRED SITE TO THE NATIVE PEOPLE OF THE AREA. CALL DAN CRISTIANI EXCAVATING TO NO DESTROY THIS SITE AS WELL.

An AWOL Jeff Gahan evades Native American activist seeking dialogue about potential site destruction at the dog park.

On Sunday, we became aware of a problem.

The city of New Albany may soon try to destroy a 3,000 to 6,000 year old Native American site to build a dog park.

Anthony Nava seems to be having problems getting calls through to Jeff Gahan's down-low bunker.

Well I finally got to talk with a rep from the city of New Albany ... sigh. They want to put us off until mid-April. I feel this is to give them time to move forward with their project. I think we need to act quickly before they have a chance to do so and possibly complete their project. I was told that they had the right to move forward but when I requested that the mayor and staff meet with the community I was shot down and my phone message to the mayor intercepted by other staff lower down in his department.

Readers, if you're feeling Nava's pain, please drop a line to your council representative. We wish him luck ... and too many of us know exactly how he feels trying to break through the security cordon.

The city of New Albany may soon try to destroy a 3,000 to 6,000 year old Native American site to build a dog park.

He'll put David Duggins right on it; after all, cultural desecration's just another form of economic development, isn't it?

The Mississippian site of which Anthony Nava speaks in his Fb post is the Cannon Acres Soccer Fields at 1933 Budd Road; specifically, he refers to the soon-to-be-built adjacent dog park, for which finding a visible proponent outside the dreary confines of Jeff Gahan's down-low bunker has been next to impossible.

If you have questions, please send them to me at the usual portals. I'll pass them along.

ATTN: NATIVE PEOPLE ...

The city of New Albany may soon try to destroy a 3,000 to 6,000 year old native site. I will need people to stand up and protest the city to stop the dog park that will destroy this site. so give me your feed back.

This problem has been going on for 8+ years. I've tried talking to the city of New Albany, but with no luck, because when new people are elected the city does not inform the new administration of the site. This is a soccer field located on the way to the casino, and if you're from this area you know there are many sites along the river that have burials and old camps.

This site has been reviewed by the Indiana department of archaeology, and the reports I have show there was a find but no burials.

The city wants to bulldoze a 3,000 to 6,000 year old Mississippian ceremonial platform that is not visible from the ground, though it can be seen clearly from the air (this is due to years of farming). I would like to show a presence and tell the city that it is wrong to destroy this site due to the historic value.

I feel this site along with others holds a larger story about our ancestors from the area and may be the next Angel Mounds site for this area, owing to a site less than a mile away that hold over 400 burials that is not well known to the public. If you have questions please message me. I will not disclose more than I've said here because of looters and grave robbers; sorry, but we need to protect those who can't be, including our dead.

Uh oh -- he's "presenting" another gift to Jobless New Albany.

Maybe Pillsbury will reconsider.

Bids opened for phase 2 of New Albany dog park, by Chris Morris (Clark County Plain Dealer)

... At a recent New Albany City Council work session, David Duggins, director of redevelopment and economic development for New Albany, said the plan will expand upon $125,000 that was approved for phase one of the project in 2014. The cost for phase two is $250,000. Work is expected to begin next year.

Hydrocephalus maladroits: Doggie water park in NA -- for only a quarter million $ more.

Photo credit: The water slide vendor.

On a morning when local media reports Jeffersonville businesses and their patrons expressing optimism about the future now that the downtown bridge is open, and River Ridge coyly hinting at other heavy hitter ... the News and Tribune's account of last evening's City Council meeting speaks for itself. A human water park wasn't enough. Now the mighty Oz must make moisten our dogs, too -- and who better to explain the expenditure than Sancho Panza?

Dog park expansion?

A potential phase 2 expansion of a planned dog park at Cannons Acres Park was presented to the New Albany City Council during a work session before the regular meeting Monday night.

David Duggins, director of redevelopment and economic development for New Albany, said the plan will expand upon $125,000 that was approved for phase one of the project in 2014.

Phase two includes a water line for the dogs, a walking path in the woods near the dog park, a 9-hole frisbee golf course and a water feature for the dogs.

The cost for phase two is $250,000.

The water feature, about 100 feet in diameter, would utilize a sinkhole to create a small pond where dogs could play or go swimming.

David Hall, director of the New Albany-Floyd County Animal Shelter, said it would create a unique feature for dog parks in the region.

Memberships that carry a small fee may be a requirement to be able to use the dog park.

Councilman Scott Blair questioned the location of the dog park and whether or not the area would be better served if a second soccer field was created in the park.

Duggins said the location was chosen working in conjunction with the Parks Department and the slope of the area would not allow for much else.

Satire Warning: "Mayor Jeff Gahan Presents MyYard Urban Piazza, Dog Park and Beer Garden."

M noted this project out west, and it started me thinking about how badly it would fare in the hands of our own New Albany municipal government.

That why you can take your cult of personality and shove it.

Strolling through Quartyard San Diego, the new urban piazza

There’s a pig wearing a pink bow romping alongside a gray Great Dane at a dog park that just popped up in San Diego’s East Village neighborhood. Their owners look on, some sipping craft beers, others uploading photos to Instagram the curious encounter. This might be called a dog park, but pigs are clearly just as welcome.

This is the essence of Quartyard San Diego, a 25,000-square-foot outdoor pop-up, watering hole, and urban piazza where the creative, weird, and iconoclastic minds of the city have been gathering this summer. The area houses a sizable stage, dog run, picnic tables, and games like ladder ball and beanbag toss, as well as craft beer-pouring and sausage-slinging restaurants, food trucks, and a cafe—all housed in 14 retrofitted and repurposed shipping containers. The space is a cross-pollination of people, pigs, poodles, and ideas from all walks of life in San Diego.

Regional Cities Initiative 1: Cooperation inducement, or bait 'n' switch?

There's an emerging mantra in my world.

Every day, not every now and then.

"Day in, day out" encapsulates my preferred tactic to achieve progress. Speaking for myself as the owner of an independent local business, the daily business climate almost always trumps special, one-off events. It is the undertow, and the cash flow.

In terms of small business, the main point is determining what can be done to improve quality of life every single day, rather than hope a one-off festival or recurring special event attracts "new" and potentially returning customers. If the festival or event is of sufficient gravity to attract a crowd, it stands to reason that most attendees are coming for the music, art or beer -- not to take note of the surroundings. Some surely will, but spreading the risk and the reward throghout the year, every day, is the better formula for ultimate success.

It is uncommon for me to reprint an article so soon (below), but with New Albany having so many "micro" issues going chronically unaddressed, the randomly "macro" aspect of Indiana's Regional Cities Initiative has struck me as a red flag (or more aptly, red herring) from the very start.

More succinctly, when One Southern Indiana starts getting giggly and giddy over the Regional Cities Initiative, it meant we should be getting very cautious. As we'll see in part two, Clark County's council already has.

I'm not entirely rejecting the Indiana Regional Cities Initiative.

As the Indy Star noted recently, it might have genuine merit. When a WDRB reporter asked me what I thought, we had a long conversation, and I said that in the end, whatever compels adjacent communities talking with each other probably is a good thing.

Conversely, we could be talking regionally right now, and working on smaller projects right now. There is a "win the lottery" aspect of the Regional Cities Initiative that is worrisome, and the involvement of the same old regional suspects who brought us the Bridges Boondoggle is even more alarming, owing to yet another loss of local planning sovereignty (see part two).

Might we finish a project first, before embarking on a moon landing?

The following was posted on January 5, 2015.

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Council Night 3: The Regional Cities Initiative's bait 'n' switch comes to a Greenway near you.

Before tying things into the council meeting tonight, let's catch up.

The most recent downtown merchant "mixer" meeting was held on December 16 at Strandz & Threadz, and weirdly enough for a group that seldom attracts more than a dozen attendees, and is routinely ignored by the city's ostensible "economic development" officials, the chat was attended by both State Representative Ed Clere and Mayor Jeff Gahan.

They were there to inform struggling downtown merchants about the potential sheen of the Indiana Regional Cities Initiative, which at first glance appears to be one of those world-classic, chamber-endorsed, bait 'n' switch ideas designed to divert attention from the mundane daily grind of the here and now (which abjectly terrifies City Hall) and instead, to fix all our gazes toward a bountiful harvest ... a coin flip to be determined some day, down the road.

I was fascinated by the spectacle. In November, David "Industrial Park First" Duggins had dominated the merchant meeting as visiting enforcer, there to silence me and gloweringly assure shop owners that they didn't want to hear about the potential for two-way streets to improve their businesses quite soon, in the short term.

Then a month later, here was the mayor himself, spending half an hour describing the Regional Cities Initiative, a strictly "might be" iffy proposition, tantamount to time spent allocating future lottery winnings to the background noise of a Disney soundtrack instead of counting the change actually occupying the jar. If only someone other than a dissident like me would have said:

"But if it would help business downtown, couldn't we change the streets next week?"

The fact is, the missed opportunity cost of Jeff Gahan’s present-day neglect of small business is irrefutable, and the evidence to support my position is overwhelming, but I've already made these points.

Back to tonight, when a council currently configured to do quite little will listen as the Greenway explains its place in that future largesse from Big Daddy Pencebucks.

McLaughlin to seek third term as Mayor Gahan's pliant boy (News and Tribune)

 ... Though there’s only one voting item on Monday’s agenda — a final reading on a road salt purchase appropriation — the body is slated to hear a report on a potential expansion of some of the features of the Ohio River Greenway.

After holding public meetings on the idea in Clark and Floyd counties, representatives of the Paul Ogle Foundation will detail their plan to assist the Ohio River Greenway Commission to “possibly elevate the Greenway to the next level in both scope and scale.”

The Ogle Foundation hopes to pair its plan with the Regional Cities Initiative to be considered by the state legislature this year. The legislation could leverage up to $1 billion in public and private investment for infrastructure and quality-of-life projects around the state, as communities would compete to garner those funds.

Right now, we have a few hundred thousand dollars worth of bigger fish to fry, and so at least it's encouraging to hear Scott Blair publicly question the latest unelected back room board diktat, this one being last week's behind-the-council's-posterior decision by the Board of Works to fund an ill-considered farmers market buildout and a bizarrely situated dog park, three miles out of town on Budd Road.

Councilman Scott Blair said he would like to see the city’s dog park, which is slated to be constructed at Cannon Acres, moved near the Greenway to further bolster the usefulness of the walking and biking path.

“We need to add amenities along that facility,” Blair said.

What we really need to do is finish the Greenway's decades-long first phase, don't you think? After all, Silver Creek might as well be Puget Sound for all the good an unbridged Greenway in pieces does us.