WHAS coverage of Bob Lane's ouster: “It just doesn't make sense,” says one lifelong Democrat.

Daddy Trump is very proud of his little boy Jeffrey. A chip off the ol' block, to be sure.

Meanwhile, at least a few of those Floyd County Democrats applauding Dan Canon's prospective run for Congress are beginning to see Deaf Gahan for what he really is.

Anything but a d(D)emocrat.

Director's removal shocks crowd at New Albany Housing Authority Board meeting, by Heather Fountaine (WHAS)

NEW ALBANY, Ind. (WHAS11) – A sudden outburst as people yelled ‘shame’ during the final moments of a New Albany Housing Authority Board Meeting when board members voted to terminate Housing Authority Director, Bob Lane.

“It just doesn't make sense,” Susan Ryan, who was at the meeting, said.

Lane immediately walked out of the meeting, choosing not to comment with WHAS 11 News, as he was embraced with hugs and shock.

“It's just hard to believe, it's hard to believe,” resident and former Board Commissioner, Ruthann Wolfe, said.

BREAKING: Bob Lane has been fired by Jeff Gahan's stacked and packed NAHA public housing board.

Jeff Gahan has fired Bob Lane, and if you're wondering how Gahan treats his vanquished enemies ... remember Mike Ladd?

Jeff Gahan has fired Bob Lane, and if you're wondering how Gahan treats his vanquished enemies ... remember Mike Ladd?

Earlier this evening, Bob Lane was fired as director of the New Albany Housing Authority. It is likely other long-term NAHA employees also will be purged.

BREAKING: Bob Lane has been fired by Jeff Gahan's stacked and packed NAHA public housing board.

It's important to remember that the stealth public housing putsch of 2017 was years in the making, and that it has been authored by Jeff Gahan. The board? Mere groveling sycophants. Gahan owns this, just as he owns his team's jihad and subsequent character assassination against former Urban Enterprise Association director Mike Ladd.

The following three links are from 2014, when Ladd's lawsuit was settled. What Nick Cortolillo said in 2012 about Gahan's annexation of the UEA applies just as succinctly now, with the NAHA.

"The city of New Albany wanted unlimited access to the enterprise association’s revenue and Ladd was in the way."

Change the word "revenue" to "land," and "Ladd" to "Lane" -- and there it is.

Again.

Feeling good about yourselves, Democrats? Apparently Gahan assumes you'll continue to fall over yourselves in the scramble to kiss his ring.

He might be right, alas.

---

Mike Ladd speaks: "Small minds seek small solutions and fight for even smaller purposes."

Mike Ladd will be leaving town soon to get on with his life, and in a great many ways, it can be said that Mike was chewed up and spit out by the civic dysfunction that's as much a part of life here in New Albany as stifling summertime humidity and the mafia's brilliant orange-uniformed disguise as the Harvest Homecoming junta.

Almost from the moment Mike came here to succeed Nick Cortolillo at the UEA, the games began. Develop New Albany, then tethered to the UEA's revenue stream for sustenance, staged its own South Sudan henhouse flight amid cacophonous squawking and flying feathers, pausing only to dictate self-serving reunification terms. Mike shrugged and went about the business of administering an efficient, streamlined UEA, upon which I served a term, and was fortunate to be a part of something that actually worked.

But, as Cortolillo wrote in 2012, "The city of New Albany wanted unlimited access to the enterprise association’s revenue and Ladd was in the way."

It's a shameful chapter in the city's perennially underachieving history. For three years, Mike was under constant pressure from the grubby, sneering, small-time confidence trickster's avarice of Doug England and Carl Malysz, only to have the incoming Gahan administration complete the task of decapitating him. It was ugly and unnecessary. It was the very essence of why New Albany fails.

Does anyone even know what the UEA has accomplished since then?

---

The settlement of Mike Ladd's lawsuit does little to dissipate the ugliness of his treatment.

I sincerely believe that Mike Ladd was wronged, and it makes me embarrassed to live in a place where such treatment is regarded as proper. Political culture in New Albany suffers from a learning disability.

---

More on the Ladd lawsuit, in which I tell you exactly what I think.

But wouldn't it be nice if the city could bring itself to admit to the pre-meditated fiasco of Ladd's firing, pony up what the contract stipulated, and be done with it?

BREAKING: Bob Lane has been fired by Jeff Gahan's stacked and packed NAHA public housing board.

9:15 p.m. update: Jeff Gahan has fired Bob Lane, and if you're wondering how Gahan treats his vanquished enemies ... remember Mike Ladd? (NA Confidential)

9:20 p.m. update: New Albany Housing Authority board fires executive director; No reason cited at meeting for Bob Lane's termination, by Elizabeth Beilman (N and T)

---

How proud are you, Floyd County Democrats?

We've learned that the latest phase of Jeff "Little Head" Gahan's Public Housing Putsch 2017 occurred earlier this evening when Stan Robison made the motion to fire longtime NAHA director Bob Lane.

Gahan's sycophantic sardines approved.

That's all I know at present.

WHAS-11 apparently was at the NAHA board meeting. I'll be back to update as the news filters through.

SHANE'S EXCELLENT NEW WORDS: 20 cherished ways to say "you’re fired."

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

But why all these newfangled words?

Why not the old, familiar, comforting words, like the ones you're sure to hear when asking the city's corporate attorney why the answers to my FOIA/public records request for Bicentennial commission finances, due to be handed over on July 8, still haven't arrived on November 16?

Bicentennial commission financial trail? What's two (yawn) weeks (shrug) after 463 days?

November 16 update: Make that 19 weeks since the FOIA record request's due date and 581 days since I asked Bullet Bob Caesar to tell us how many coffee table books were left unsold, and how much the city's 200-year "summer of love" fest actually cost us. It's with Indiana's public access counselor now, and a verdict is to be rendered no later than the first week of December, so perhaps "compliance" would be a word for our friend's future consideration.

No, it's because a healthy vocabulary isn't about intimidation through erudition. Rather, it's about selecting the right word and using it correctly, whatever one's pay grade or station in life.

Even these very same iniquitous, paving-bond-slush-engorged municipal corporate attorneys who customarily are handsomely remunerated to suppress information can benefit from this enlightening expansion of personal horizons, and really, as we contemplate what they knew and when they knew it, all we have left is plenty of time -- and the opportunity to learn something, if we're so inclined.

Today's words were made famous by the President-elect, and in one of history's cruel ironies, they're now applicable to ... shall we say, others.

You're fired!

Personally, I prefer old standbys like canned, sacked, axed and shit-canned, but the story is here, and you can decide for yourself: 20 ways bosses fire you without actually saying ‘you’re fired’, by Catey Hill (Market Watch).

1. We’re letting you go
2. We’re downsizing/restructuring/right-sizing
3. You’re no longer needed at the company
4. We’re going in a different direction with your position
5. You’re dismissed from your position
6. We’re asking you to resign
7. You’ve been selected out of your job
8. We’re in the process of a workforce adjustment
9. We’re terminating you
10. Your position has been eliminated
11. You’re released from your role
12. Let’s call this a premature retirement
13. We’re in the middle of a personnel surplus reduction
14. We’re requesting your departure
15. Call it an involuntary separation
16. We’re destaffing
17. You’re not a fit here
18. We’re scaling back
19. I think it’s time we parted ways
20. You’re being discharged

Literally, "Pink Slip."

In an odd turn of events, Ed Clere is removed as House Public Health chairman.

In Indiana, wagon-circling is an Olympic event.

Rep. Clere removed as chairman of state health committee, by Elizabeth Beilman (N and T)

INDIANAPOLIS — State Rep. Ed Clere, R-New Albany, has been removed as chairman of the Indiana House of Representatives Public Health Committee.

While Clere claims it was his controversial stances on issues that caused his removal, House Speaker Brian Bosma said he made an administrative change because of Clere’s behavior.

Clere said Bosma called him last Monday to warn him of his removal, referencing an earlier conservation the two had in September.

“He told me that he and other members of the house Republican caucus were upset with me about a number of controversial issues and my stance on those issues,” he said, specifically referring to issues including needle exchanges and statewide Medicaid expansion.

But Bosma said his decision “had nothing to do with his position on issues and everything to do with how he has treated other people and his role as chairman” ...

Watch as this bumbling sidewalk superintendent oversees Main Street pavement repairs.

Move along -- nothing to see here. Just mass-scale repairs of shoddy pavement. Scram, kid. Get lost, already.

Wait, that guy yapping into his cell phone and gesticulating... he looks like ... could it be ... I think it's John "Rasputin of Re-dishevelment" Rosenbarger. He doesn't seem to be paying much attention to that big roller thingy. Careful ... your Main Street mashup was supposed to make the street safer for pedestrians.

Just another few feet forward, and there it is ... watch it!

Thanks to M for the tip.

"The End of an Error," 20 years later.

"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it."
-- George Santayana

Back on April 10, I was considering a special pub opening today to mark the occasion. Let's just say that it slipped my mind, but providentially, yesterday's iPhone photo deletion marathon provided a needed last-minute jolt.

Perhaps a special Sunday pub opening day on October 19?

Regular customer EN took this photo at the Public House yesterday. It's hard to believe that while so much has changed, this sheet still remains taped and tacked to the beam behind the bar after almost two decades. It's almost like a shrine, except that for the most part, generationally, Eddie LaDuke is forgotten. Not for me. It's a daily remind: Never promote otherwise capable sports writers to positions anywhere outside the sports department. Doing so simply cannot end well.

But there's always Bill Hanson. As Erich Honecker was to the Berlin Wall, Hanson is (and always will be) to the News and Tribune Paywall. When he's finally gone, perhaps another printout will be merited.

May it remain affixed proudly, another 20 years.

Days of rage at LEO Weekly, as non-readers remain precisely that.

I skip out of town for a few days, and all hell breaks loose at LEO. On a personal level, I'm a big fan of Sara Havens, and as usual, Kevin Gibson gets it right.

Opinion: LEO Weekly made a big mistake in jettisoning ‘The Bar Belle’, by Kevin Gibson (Insider Louisville)

Last Friday, on her 15th anniversary of working for the news magazine she loved, Sara was unceremoniously “let go.” As you’ve no doubt already heard, LEO was purchased by Aaron Yarmuth, son of founder John Yarmuth, for whom I worked all those years ago. The sale went through Friday, and the younger Yarmuth’s first order of business was to lay off four employees.

I’m not going to bash the new ownership; times are tough, Yarmuth had his reasons, and I suspect he found out he had fired Sara on her 15th anniversary after the fact. (I’m a benefit of the doubt kind of guy.) But I am going to say this about his decision: Good luck with that.

Apparently there was a fractious staff meeting -- at this juncture, "staff" being a somewhat nebulous concept.

LEO Weekly left with zero editorial employees after two remaining staffers walk out (Insider Louisville)

A source inside LEO Weekly says the publication’s two remaining full-time editorial staffers walked out following a meeting this morning with new owner Aaron Yarmuth.

We were in Duluth when the story began breaking, and our conclusion? Neither of us could remember the last time that LEO was a "must read," or something we grabbed as soon as it appeared at the coffee shop or pub. It's no reflection on Sara as editor, just recognition that for some years now, the publication has been average at best.

Since the demise of my beer column, at the very least.

I think that's a joke. In the interest of equal time, Aaron Yarmuth "broke" the silence last evening at the publication's Facebook page. Here it is, in its entirety.

---

Breaking the silence.

Hello LEO readers and Louisvillians. While this is not my official introduction letter — which will be running in Wednesday’s issue — it is with a heavy heart, and great sincerity that I write on behalf of the staff and new management to explain what happened late last week.

First and foremost, I am terribly sorry to those LEO staffers who were not brought on to the new company. Contrary to what has been widely reported/misconstrued, is that the first act of new management was to fire staff. The truth is that it was the last act of SouthComm to let go of all of its employees.

My biggest personal regret is that I was not personally able to be with the people at LEO during the tumultuous afternoon.

That being said, last Friday, August 1st, was the third attempt at closing the deal. There was no nefarious attempt to avoid bad news on a Friday afternoon. In fact, my partner and I spent over 4 hours in my attorney’s office on Thursday the 31st, trying to close the deal so that we could have those conversations then. It unfortunately spilled over into Friday, and even still, I had every intention of meeting with the staff.

Finally, as the final transactions took multiple hours to execute, we had run into the early evening. I was away from the office doing everything I could, personally, to see the deal closed, and simultaneously, SouthComm had to begin notifying employees. Again, I am forever sorry that things transpired the way they did, but I was in a place where I had to make sure the deal was closed.

The worst came when I received a text notifying me that it was — to the day — the 15th anniversary for Sara Havens at LEO. I would like to think that had we known that, we could have avoided it. But as it turned out, it was unavoidable.

In sum, we had a press release ready, plans to do a story on our website, and I intended to be readily available to respond to questions, concerns, comments, et cetera — staff, media, and the public. By the time the process had begun, it was too late. Joe Sonka was on assignment at Fancy Farm, people had left for the weekend, and we did not even have access to certain LEO outlets until the deal was closed.

From there, we were not in a position to communicate until this morning. Unfortunately, due to some more pressing issues that arose this morning, I am sorry that this is the first moment I have had to relay this communication to the public — via our own channel.

The good news is, LEO will be going to print tomorrow evening, and come Wednesday morning it will be in the racks waiting for you — with a surprise, special guest commentator.

There will be a lot more to come on the staff changes, and our plans for the future of LEO. But as every President has reported, “The state of our publication is strong!”

Aaron Yarmuth

Mike Ladd speaks: "Small minds seek small solutions and fight for even smaller purposes."

(On the settlement of Mike Ladd's lawsuit)

Mike Ladd will be leaving town soon to get on with his life, and in a great many ways, it can be said that Mike was chewed up and spit out by the civic dysfunction that's as much a part of life here in New Albany as stifling summertime humidity and the mafia's brilliant orange-uniformed disguise as the Harvest Homecoming junta.

Almost from the moment Mike came here to succeed Nick Cortolillo at the UEA, the games began. Develop New Albany, then tethered to the UEA's revenue stream for sustenance, staged its own South Sudan henhouse flight amid cacophonous squawking and flying feathers, pausing only to dictate self-serving reunification terms. Mike shrugged and went about the business of administering an efficient, streamlined UEA, upon which I served a term, and was fortunate to be a part of something that actually worked.

But, as Cortolillo wrote in 2012, "The city of New Albany wanted unlimited access to the enterprise association’s revenue and Ladd was in the way."

It's a shameful chapter in the city's perennially underachieving history. For three years, Mike was under constant pressure from the grubby, sneering, small-time confidence trickster's avarice of Doug England and Carl Malysz, only to have the incoming Gahan administration complete the task of decapitating him. It was ugly and unnecessary. It was the very essence of why New Albany fails.

Does anyone even know what the UEA has accomplished since then?

Mike submitted the following as a letter to the editor of All About Jeffersonville, but it has not been published, and I've been given permission to run it here.

We wish all the best to Mike, wherever he lands, and whatever he does next.

---

Dear Editor:

I recently settled a lawsuit against the City of New Albany for my wrongful termination from the Urban Enterprise Association. I'm not a litigious person; I've never had to sue anyone before, but I was told it would be the only way my contract would be honored. I did what the Gahan administration told me to do and they refused to honor its word. It is unfortunate to be forced to such extremes to receive what is rightfully due one.

But, small minds seek small solutions and fight for even smaller purposes.

This administration is mired in controversy and scandal. When one hears of the number of former city employees who haven't had their contracts honored, the many fights with its own police department, the state police investigation of that same department, his fight with the little league association, other nonprofits, neighborhood groups, county government, and other situations, the problem can't lie with all these different people and entities; it is not always the others who are wrong cases like these. 

It is the individual who is the problem.

That any mayor would choose to become the central figure in such a trivial matter, creating an unnecessary contract dispute and prolonging it for no purpose, surely would cause thoughtful people to ponder the nature of his character. On an everyday basis, most mayors should have more important things to do. But Jeff Gahan chose to ride point on my case. His reasoning and logic are his own. The fact remains that he was named by both his city attorneys as point person is proof enough. The pointlessness is baffling. I had already stated privately my intention to resign the position once a new board was appointed. The way was clear for the Gahan administration to take over the UEA at its leisure. All they had to do was to honor a simple contract.

Whether my alleged transgression is real or imagined remains a mystery to me. But it must be imagined since my contact with Gahan as councilman was minimal. I occasionally received word through others that he supported my efforts and thought the UEA was on-track. All I can think now is this was mis-direction, of which he has so often been accused by others.

Michael Ladd, former executive director, New Albany Urban Enterprise Association

The settlement of Mike Ladd's lawsuit does little to dissipate the ugliness of his treatment.

First, the breaking news.

Former UEZ director claims New Albany administration tainted his reputation; Mike Ladd harbors discontent over Urban Enterprise Zone issue, by Daniel Suddeath (N and T)

NEW ALBANY — The lawsuit brought by former New Albany Urban Enterprise Zone Executive Director Mike Ladd has been settled, but he still harbors discontent over how the matter was handled.

Ladd settled with the zone for an undisclosed sum June 16 in an agreement reached through a court appointed mediator. In January, Ladd filed a lawsuit asking for the pay out of the remainder of his contract, which his attorney said was $11,370.

Ladd was fired by the UEZ board at the request of the administration in March 2012. It’s not uncommon for city officials to be dismissed; however, Ladd took exception to a statement made by David Duggins, director of economic development and redevelopment for the city.

Next, the newspaper's handy chronology.

• Jan. 1, 2012: Jeff Gahan takes office as New Albany mayor
• March 2012: Urban Enterprise Zone board votes to fire Ladd
• October 2012: Complaint sent to city’s Ethics Commission
• September 2013: Ethics commission confirms it won’t hear past cases
• January 2014: Ladd files lawsuit against city seeking pay out of contract
• June 16, 2014: Sides agree to Settlement reached former UEZ director case

In January, I told you exactly what I think, and I'll repeat it today.

I'm not a lawyer. I only play one on the blog when Dr. Tom comes calling. But wouldn't it be nice if the city could bring itself to admit to the pre-meditated fiasco of Ladd's firing, pony up what the contract stipulated, and be done with it?

There wasn't any malfeasance, was there?

Has it occurred to anyone involved that implying malfeasance can make it hard for a man to find a job?

Irrespective of how the lawsuit plays out, the worst of it always will be that after fighting so hard to avoid the UEA's outright annexation by the Righteous Brothers (i.e., Doug England and Carl Malysz), it's exactly what happened.

It made me sick then, and it still does. Bad for the man, and bad for the city. All in all ... too bad.

For background at NAC:

Mike Ladd: 17 months to receive 2 weeks pay, and other shovel-ready Ethics Commission topics.

Tweeting the Urban Enterprise beheading, as it happened.

UEA decapitation: Different tactics, same desired outcome, and still just as wrong as before.

ON THE AVENUES: A decapitation, coming tomorrow.

I sincerely believe that Mike Ladd was wronged, and it makes me embarrassed to live in a place where such treatment is regarded as proper. Political culture in New Albany suffers from a learning disability.

Why is that, and can anything be done about it?

LEO returns to the Yarmuths. By the way, LEO needs a beer column again, eh?

In a probable triumph of localism against the dull conformity of media chains, LEO will again have Louisville ownership.

This qualifies as good news, I believe, and of course, I can't help reliving the villainous time of my shit-canning as beer columnist, back when telling the truth about wretched mass-market swill led directly to my principled departure -- and then another principled departure by the ax-wielder herself, some years hence. As Grandpa Jones always said, "Truth is stranger than fact."

Just go here and read about it:

Coming around again: Matters of principle at LEO.

Best of luck to the new ownership group. Some times a freshening is needed.

LEO Weekly Bought By Group Led By John Yarmuth's Son, by Joseph Lord (WFPL)

Long before he was a congressman, John Yarmuth was the founder of Louisville's alternative weekly, LEO.

And now his son is its principal owner.

The Nashville-based media company SouthComm Communications has sold LEO to a group of local investors led by Yarmuth's son Aaron, LEO staff writer Joe Sonka reported in a blog post Tuesday.

Perhaps a special Sunday pub opening day on October 19?

Regular customer EN took this photo at the Public House yesterday. It's hard to believe that while so much has changed, this sheet still remains taped and tacked to the beam behind the bar after almost two decades. It's almost like a shrine, except that for the most part, generationally, Eddie LaDuke is forgotten. Not for me. It's a daily remind: Never promote otherwise capable sports writers to positions anywhere outside the sports department. Doing so simply cannot end well.

But there's always Bill Hanson. As Erich Honecker was to the Berlin Wall, Hanson is (and always will be) to the News and Tribune Paywall. When he's finally gone, perhaps another printout will be merited.

May it remain affixed proudly, another 20 years.

Ladd files suit.

2:30 pm update: Here's the court case, on line.

The Green Mouse reports that former Urban Enterprise Association director Mike Ladd has filed suit in superior court to force the city of New Albany to enforce Ladd's employment contract. It's a story that dates back two years, to March of 2012, when the incoming Gahan administration formally annexed the formerly independent UEA, thus oddly fulfilling The Righteous Brothers' (Doug and Carl) fondest dreams of a handy ATM machine on every corner -- especially 8th and Culbertson.

Of course, this is only one side of the story. The city has 20 days to reply. Should be fun. For background, visit these pages:

Mike Ladd: 17 months to receive 2 weeks pay, and other shovel-ready Ethics Commission topics.

Tweeting the Urban Enterprise beheading, as it happened.

UEA decapitation: Different tactics, same desired outcome, and still just as wrong as before.

ON THE AVENUES: A decapitation, coming tomorrow.

Hilarity at Horseshoe as Deen becomes disposable.

Harrumph.

When Horseshoe dropped NABC from draft sales (it took two frigging years to navigate the casino bureaucracy and get those beers pouring in the first place), local media completely ignored the story.

Well, maybe I should have told someone in local media, but by that point I really wasn't up to giving a damn.

Can we be truthful?

Any casino in the world is about one thing, and one thing alone: Gambling, and the profits to be derived from it.

The rest, whether NABC Black & Blue Grass or Ku Klux Kobbler, is secondary. That any benefit whatever to the community is accrued through the offerings of the Foundation results from indirect taxation on casino patrons, when local government refuses to do the deed itself.

Irony. How very elusive hereabouts.

horseshoe-southern-indiana.php">Paula Deen Buffet Dropped By Horseshoe Southern Indiana Casino, by Zach Everson (Eater Louisville)

Rumor has it Guy Fieri might be available...(and he likes to visit Louisville for Derby).

Last week, of course, a deposition leaked in which Deen admitted to casually dropping n-bombs and other racist behavior.

Breaking up is hard, and even foggier than expected.

Today the 'Bama Pop-Up Coagulator is reporting that no one's talking to it, either, when it comes to Carl Malysz's unexpected sacking last week.

Indeed, seldom in New Albany's two-century history have so many different lips been zipped tight.

I haven't always agreed with Carl, generally owing to the political role required of him, and sometimes eagerly accepted by him, as deputy to various mayors. However, I've never disliked him, and it's always been a pleasure conversing about a wide range of topics.

Carl, if you'd like to skip the usual Deep South pension recipients and talk to the city's blog of record, too bad -- Kitchen Table's still cowering in a root cellar somewhere. But there's always NA Confidential. Good night, and good luck.

Sources: Carl Malysz is out.

Earlier tonight, two impeccable sources have informed the Green Mouse that Carl Malysz has got the sack as director of community housing initiatives, or whatever the job title he's had since Doug England left office. In the photo above, Malysz prepares the crystal diodes for loading.

DNA releases statement on Ladd firing, UEA absorption into city.

Nick Cortolillo on "politically motivated interference" with the UEA.

In a letter to the newspaper, former UEA director Nick Cortolillo opts for straight, no chaser:

"The city of New Albany wanted unlimited access to the enterprise association’s revenue and (Mike) Ladd was in the way."

The complete letter to the editor follows.

---

UEA leader’s removal a bad sign


Let there be no mistake about the purpose of the special meeting of the New Albany Urban Enterprise Association board Friday morning. It was to terminate Executive Director Mike Ladd and allow the city of New Albany unrestricted access to the revenue of the not-for-profit organization.


The Saturday News and Tribune article about the termination of Ladd cited several comments from enterprise association board member David Duggins. It should be noted that in addition to being a newly appointed (last two months) member of the board, he is also the newly appointed (by Mayor Jeff Gahan) director of economic development for the city. Duggins was also a previous director of the Jeffersonville Urban Enterprise Association, which was, and still is, administered by the city of Jeffersonville.


Can you start to see a connection? How much time do you think it will take for the enterprise association to go from an independent not-for-profit organization to a city of New Albany administered and managed entity?


There were several comments attributed to Duggins in the article that suggest that Ladd mismanaged the association. I don’t believe any of them. I know for a fact that Ladd has been working hard in expanding the revenue of the organization and working with state legislators and officials to keep the association and the Indiana Urban Enterprise Programs in place and flourishing.


I also know that he has done this in the face of politically motivated interference that has plagued him and the UEA board for the last three years and apparently will continue with the Gahan administration.


Back to my original point. The city of New Albany wanted unlimited access to the enterprise association’s revenue and Ladd was in the way.


— Nick Cortolillo, retired executive director, New Albany Urban Enterprise Association

A final thought for the deposed.

“That was nothing more than a kangaroo court going in there,” Coffey said.

The ironic thing about yesterday's carefully choreographed Urban Enterprise Association "reordering" was that apart from the presence of all nine board members (a council-appointed seat remains unfilled) and four members of the public, five other public figures past and present were very much a part of the proceedings:

Doug England (former mayor), Carl Malysz (former deputy mayor, current housing domo), Jerry Finn (Horseshoe Foundation), Greg Sekula (Indiana Landmarks) and Ed Clere (state representative).

The meeting wasn't about them, and yet in many significant ways, it was entirely about them, to wit: Is the UEA's work to be conducted from within by its board, with or without a full-time director, or is it to be directed from without, by elected/appointed/self-appointed arbiters of the Commonweal?

I'm excerpting the newspaper's coverage in two sections. In the first part, the main points are correct, but some of the details are not.

New Albany UEZ head gets axed; Mike Ladd relieved from duty at special meeting, by Jared Clapp (News and Tribune)

NEW ALBANY — The executive director for the New Albany Urban Enterprise Zone Association was relieved of his position at a special meeting of the UEZ board on Friday morning.

Mike Ladd’s termination came from a 4-0 vote with two abstentions. Dan Coffey, board member, left the meeting before a vote was taken.

David Duggins, board member, said those abstentions came from new board members who said they would have otherwise voted in favor of the measure.

Perhaps because the reporter was not actually present at yesterday's meeting, the vote totals are incorrect. I reported it correctly yesterday via Twitter:

Norrington, Dillman, Norwood, Duggins and Howie vote yes. Streckfus, Bergman and Schmitt abstain. Coffey left mtg. Mike Ladd fired #nauea

On Saturday morning, board member Ann Streckfus added this, also at Twitter:

The Trib has the UEZ story wrong. I've contacted them, but for the record, I did not vote to terminate Mike; I didn't state I would have.

Other than that, the article is substantially correct. The city council representative to the UEA board is Dan Coffey, and he gets the final words, as reported by Clapp:

Coffey said he didn’t think Ladd had done anything wrong, which is why he left before a vote was taken to relieve him.

“That was nothing more than a kangaroo court going in there,” Coffey said. “That was a decision I assume was made before any board members got in there, so I wasn’t going to be any part of that.”

He said he thought the money going into the UEZ was sought by other city governing entities for purposes that didn’t mesh with the state’s intentions for the UEZ — job growth and promotion of business within those zones.

“When you take money out to advertise with Develop New Albany and you take money out for a building that was dilapidated... I don’t care if it was $12,500 or $2,500, you’ve got money that could help fix those up through the parks department and they don’t want to look at it,” Coffey said.