Gahan's toxic Colonial Manor farce is reason enough to vote against him.

It's endlessly fascinating to watch peak, self-interested Gahanism in action.

Gahanism is about power, money and control; all ideas must emanate from the same centralized source deep inside the Genius of the Floodplain's cranium, although it bears repeating (again and again) that if absolute power really does corrupt absolutely, you'd have to go to Belarus or Pyongyang to find a better example of it than right here in Anchored Down City.

Collated instances of our municipal #CultureOfCorruption would fill a War and Peace-sized volume, but there's no better example than this year's Colonial Manor episode.

ON THE AVENUES: Amid Deaf Gahan's "victory" over grassroots activists at Colonial Manor, the toxic paranoia is no less rancid.

Suffice to say that in 2019, when Team #MyNA Gahan belatedly learned there was a grassroots neighborhood initiative underway, the ruling clique reacted to this thoughtful, well-conceived and firmly non-partisan effort by sending Warren Nash in riot gear running through inhumanely heated and cooled City Hall corridors screaming "EBOLA! We're all gonna DIE!"

And so the Redevelopment Commission's upper echelon of fixers went into late-night hyperspace. Boilerplate plans from a campaign donor firm quickly were cobbled together, a public comment session with no public comment allowed was held, the battered TIF piggy bank was shaken down to its hooves, and voila -- here's the official plan, straight from the unprecedented mind of Dear Leader, ready to be rubber-stamped just in time for the primary election.

City council wasn't buying the offal.

Council rejects Gahan's, Redevelopment's Colonial Manor tax increment financing lollapalooza by a 5-4 vote. Alterations to come?

Given that the Redevelopment Commission is regarded by Jeff Gahan as his personal plaything, and the Colonial Manor purchase with the TIF One Platinum card plainly was intended as a rushed feather in Dear Leader's re-election bonnet, things now get interesting.

It was yet another example of a phenomenon described with typical clarity by NAC's junior editor, Jeff Gillenwater.

Gahan isn’t remotely interested in input. His personal insecurity, control issues, and need to generate campaign kickbacks from the contractors involved keep any sort of real input from ever happening. Citizens get expensive, poorly conceived and executed projects and Gahan gets a flood of tax dollars into his campaign coffers. It’s a worst case scenario, repeated frequently enough to be the hallmark of his tenure as mayor. New Albanians two generations from now will still be paying for his ego trip.

If you haven't yet exercised your right to vote, then I suggest you vote against Jeff Gahan by voting for Mark Seabrook. New Albany needs a break from the cartoonish buffoonery of Big Daddy G's megalomania. Let's just let Gahan haul away his $100k in leftover special interest campaign finance donations (but not without first paying taxes on it, mind you), exit the down-low bunker and accept his next powder-puff position as a political consultant -- or would HWC even consider hiring an ex-provider?

Three reminders:

Election 2019: The buying and selling of a city, or our updated master list of 73 Gahan wheel-greasers, a veritable pornographic potpourri of pay-to-play.

These 30 free-spending special interest donors top Jeff Gahan's 2019 pay-to-play campaign finance windfall of $150,000 (so far).

CFA-4 Follies: OMG, just look at Gahan's huge pile of special interest donor cash flowing to out-of-towners.

Jeff "No Debates" Gahan ecstatic as League of Women Voters ditches the candidate debate format.

Since the year of Our Dear Leader 2015, I've been constantly reminded that critiquing the local chapter of the League of Women Voters isn't allowed.

Alas, I'm not a very good listener, and occasionally stubborn when I do, but at least I can "anchor" my point of view to personal experience four years ago, when I ran for mayor as an independent and learned very quickly that anyone differing with the two-party local patronage system cannot expect level treatment from those dedicated to the system's perpetuation.

In short, Jeff Gahan was doing his best in 2015 to avoid any semblance of debate, and the League was more than happy to enable him (a) by holding its sponsored debate on his own home court, the TIF-fueled Pleasure Dome (Silver Street Park), and (b) refusing to change the date of the debate when the GOP's Kevin Zurschmiede couldn't attend owing to his son's wedding, which had been planned months in advance.

Gahan is far more energetic in ducking debates than keeping campaign promises from 2011.

 ... In the assumption that Kevin Zurschmiede would be out of town for his son's wedding, Jeff Gahan carefully planned his mayoral debate schedule to avoid any unmanageable situation requiring the three of us to appear together, accepting invitations to events staged by the New Albany Housing Authority (Sept. 22) and the League of Women Voters (24th), and declining to participate in what obviously stood to be the most substantive and challenging, debate, as organized by Leadership Southern Indiana on the 29th.

Gahan already has refused to attend the Southern Indiana Realtors Association question and answer luncheon. Another such mayoral chat, put together by the Builders & Development Association, was cancelled. Had it been held, Gahan would not have been there.

(Zurschmiede was unable to alter his travel plans and couldn't) come to Silver Street Park (Gahan's de facto "home" field) for the League's debate, which will feature questions provided in advance from LWV organizers like Linda Moeller, who also is Gahan's appointee as controller and openly acknowledges her position as high-ranking Gahan campaign worker.

Thus far, the League has managed to misspell Zurschmiede's name twice (differently each time) on promotional materials, which incorporate an 8-year-old photo of me, when literally dozens of more recent photos can be found merely by Googling my name and clicking on Images.

In short, the only debate at which all three candidates will appear is a softball toss orchestrated by Democrats supporting Gahan, who conveniently wave the League's "impartial" banner. It's a farce, and needs to be recognized as such, but I wouldn't think of missing.

Somewhat hilariously, the League's guiding forces replied to my questions at the time by denying they were biased, and yet each of them in turn had a reason to seek the avoidance of Slick Jeffie's well-documented nocturnal wrath. One of them would be seeking funds for her organization from Gahan, and another was running Gahan's shill ads in his declining newspaper. A third actually owed her very government job to Gahan's political patronage machine.

Impartial? hardly. It was a shambles, as Jeff Gillenwater summarized.

Kevin (Zurschmiede) 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.

Of course, none of it was corrected, and the League's homer-fest at the Gahan-built Silver Street Park was my only direct debate with the duck-and-cover mayor in 2015. The majority of assessments agreed with me that I smoked his ineffectual posterior, but that's neither here nor there.

In 2019, the League's sponsored candidate gatherings don't even appear to resemble "debates," having been dumbed down into pablum, which predictably is just fine by the Tom May Evangelism Guidepost (formerly known as the News and Tribune).

OUR OPINION: Candidate forums offer direct Q&A

 ... But how do we know what any of (the candidates) are thinking, what their ideas are, their priorities, and if they match ours?

We can’t rely on glossy fliers or scripted political ads to tell us what we need to know. We need face time.

Fortunately, the South Central Indiana League of Women Voters is making it easy for us to connect with candidates who want our votes.

Beginning Thursday, the League of Women Voters is hosting a series of candidate forums — in our own back yards. Charlestown, New Albany / Georgetown, Jeffersonville and Clarksville voters can hear directly from candidates in their communities.

The best part is that candidates get the chance to speak directly to us, and we can ask them questions about issues that are important to us. No filter. Just us, and them ...

— The News and Tribune Editorial Board members are Publisher Bill Hanson, Editor Susan Duncan, and Assistant Editors Chris Morris and Jason Thomas.

Did Hanson's apologists ever tell us how much money Gahan spends on advertising?

I didn't think so.

Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Times gets it. You can talk to local representatives any time. I disagree often with New Albany's council reps, but as far as I can tell, they all answer phone calls -- and it's likely candidates will, too.

What we cannot experience is an actual debate between candidates of differing views, and now the League no longer is interested in this instructive concept.

Editorial: Why political debates still matter LA Times Editorial Board

... Nothing beats the potential of old-school debates to reveal and humanize the men and women behind the glossy ads and focus-group-approved slogans.

Admittedly, debates can often seem like well-rehearsed exercises in reciting talking points and staying on message. Still, it can be tremendously informative when two candidates vying for the same important job stand (or sit) next to each other in front of an audience to answer questions, describe their policy differences and, well, debate. Unscripted forums offer a rare glimpse into candidates’ foundational character traits and temperament. They can also indicate how well a person might handle the unexpected challenges that arise once he or she is in office.

It bears noting that in 2015 the League refused to consider requiring the candidates to debate "blind," insisting the participants receive the debate questions in advance. C-minus students like Gahan need help, I guess.

It's 2019, and the Tom May Bible Study Digest covered the first candidate gathering in Charlestown.

Political forums kick off in Charlestown ahead of election, by Tara Schmelz

CHARLESTOWN — About 75 Charlestown residents filled the downtown square Thursday night to hear from candidates seeking local office, as part of the first of a series of forums hosted by the South Central Indiana League of Women Voters.

However, something was missing.

The Republicans.

Wonderful. H.L. Mencken said it best -- figuratively, of course: "Every normal man must be tempted, at times, to spit on his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin slitting throats."

That's my view of the best course in addressing the two-party system.

Our diamond-encrusted mayor giggles with giddy delight while accepting donations from each entity connected with the Lancaster Lofts project.

I seldom attend Board of Zoning Appeals meetings, but received a report from a friend who was there on Tuesday evening.

Up for a zoning variance was Progressive Land Development's "microloft project" at the former site of Tommy Lancaster's and Market Boy (northwest corner of Vincennes and Market).

55 one bedroom units ranging from 292sqf to 644sqf, and a whopping single retail unit that is 1300 sqf. Micro units to rent for planned $525 and the large units $825. Observe that 12x23 is smaller than a pull-behind camper.

Dude: that's almost as tiny as David Duggins' world view ... but I digress.

However this variance for the benefit of Progressive Land Development was not sought by the company itself, whose principal is a documented Gahan re-enthronement campaign donor.

Rather, Progressive's docket was handled by redevelopment director Josh Staten on behalf of Anchor City. Seems the municipality still owns the properties it purchased from the likes of Vinod Gupta and environmentally remediated.

Apparently someone asked Staten to enumerate the city's previous accumulated subsidies and investments in the project, but he replied that he didn't have those numbers. Obviously since the properties have yet to be sold to Progressive, we also don't know the sale price, either.

It also was revealed ...

 ... that HWC is the engineering firm of record and AXIS the architects. Both these firms are from Indianapolis, and yes Virginia, they've been pouring money into Gahan's pockets.

To conclude: The city's redevelopment department has picked a winner, and is running interference; the redevelopment director cannot cite relevant details at a variance hearing; and Gahan campaign donors are involved every step of the way, with ripened plums of the usual no-bid contracts awaiting them.

Nothing about this strikes me as transparent, and if I were to ask Democratic party functionaries to explain, the response is near certain: Yes, it's slimy but it's also standard operating procedure, and no one cares about the details as long as we keep moooooving forward; besides, the Republicans are worse.

This, then, is the extent of our degradation.

#FireGahan2019

Nice building in Providence RI. What's it have to do with Market & Vincennes?

Grassroots redevelopers buy "the worst house on the worst block." How's a self-respecting mayor to wet his beak on THAT?

Progressive Land Development proposes to reinvent the wheel at Lancaster Lofts as Deaf Gahan says wait, is that check in the mail yet?

Lancaster-themed "Micro Lofts" soon will inhabit Duggins' anchor wasteland at the corner of Market and Vincennes.

Redevelopment Commission hands $40,000 for infrastructure subsidy to a fast food chain on Grant Line Road. Where do indies queue for some of this action?

Just a random glance at small potatoes fixes, approved and forgotten. From the minutes of the January 22 Redevelopment Commission meeting:

The developer slated for $40,000 to improve a privately held parking lot:

No one argues that Muncy has upgraded an outmoded suburban asphalt pit. The location:

The latest cookie-cutter sandwich chain to titillate us with sheer meaninglessness:

My question, as always: Do independent restaurant operators have a snowball's chance in Guam of scoring a similar subsidy?

Break up into groups and discuss ... and don't forget to #FireGahan2019 ... to sweep clean those department heads, clear the appointed boards, and see if we can't make all this local system a tad more democratic (lower case "d").

Develop New Albany should refrain from allowing its ribbon cuttings to be commandeered as Gahan-4-Life campaign appearances.

As our junior editor Bluegill correctly notes:

“Whenever a business or organization puts a politician front and center for photo ops they are promoting that politician. The choice to do so is a reflection of their values. Don’t want the association? Don’t do political photo ops.”

Me thinks Develop New Albany very much wants to promote the incumbent, who has remade DNA into an arm of the propaganda commissariat.

I'm reminded of the former New Albany Tribune's policy regarding guest columnists, paraphrased: Elected representatives might be a regular guest columnist by virtue of their office, but once they're running for election, they must take a hiatus.

Develop New Albany hasn't ever been very good with either consistency or ethics. Our purported Main Street organization always has declined to participate in civic questions of importance, citing its non-profit status and supposed inability to be involved with "politics."

But what exactly are these photo-ops? And what was DNA's advocacy of the farmers market buildout a few years back, if not political?

In this instance DNA should for once raise the bar: once declared, candidates for office cannot appear at ribbon cuttings, because such appearances constitute gratis campaign advertisements.

It's not like the former veneer salesman Jeff Gahan knows thing one about independent businesses, or has had anything whatever to do with independent businesses opening. Suddenly when it comes re-election time, he materializes from his Down Low Bunker to claim credit for openings, anniversaries and photosynthesis.

I'm not a non-profit, so altogether now: #FireGahan2019

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

Speaking only for myself, whenever I'm confronted with an anti-climax like this, I reach for my Rice Krispies Treats. HWC's Ed Jolliffe probably does, too.

For many years prior to being awarded so many city contracts that it opened an office within eyesight of the mayor's anchor-bedecked window, HWC annually pumped thousands of dollars into Mayor Jeff Gahan's campaign finance war chest, which at last glance was topping out at around $100,000.

We all know why.

David Duggins was the city's redevelopment director, and his wife worked for HWC. It reeked of nepotism, but who other than this blog bothered to state the facts aloud?

Accordingly, the stenographers strike again with yet another gullible report on the awarding of YET ANOTHER contract to HWC, this time to manage construction of the new luxury city hall.

What will it take for the News & Shambles to inform the public of the many cash-strewn trails running from special interests like HWC to Gahan's Money Machine?

What the newspaper's cloistered management apparently fails to understand is that for a growing number of us on the outside of this enrichment loop, journalistic silence about City Hall's corruption implicates the newspaper itself. Perhaps this is an unjust point of view, but as it stands, it's the only logical conclusion to draw from the newspaper's failure to report facts.

Meanwhile, it appears that municipal corporate attorney and chief sluice greaser Gibson was misquoted.

WAS: "They (HWC) will make sure what we bought is what we will get."

CORRECTED: "They (HWC) will make sure a percentage of what the city bought lands in the mayor's campaign finance account."

HWC to oversee city hall construction in New Albany, Chris Morris (Hanson Capitulation Chronicle)

NEW ALBANY — As work progresses on transforming the old Reisz Furniture building at 148 E. Main St. into the new city hall, the city has hired HWC Engineering to complete ongoing inspections during the construction period.

Shane Gibson, city attorney, told the New Albany Board of Public Works & Safety on Tuesday that HWC will be onsite daily.

"They will make sure what we bought is what we will get," Gibson told the board.

The contract for the duration of the work is not to exceed $154,000.

A metaphorical tale of compassion, honesty and integrity in photos, thus updating the East Main Street Improvement Project.

It's how the circle of nourishment works. Go here for more on this topic.

Human rights commission? It's just a "vehicle" to stop criticism, says worst-mayor-ever Warren Nash.

"I felt like the city was being maligned back then and I thought this would be a vehicle to stop that criticism. The complaints against the city were all unfounded."
-- Warren Nash

Chris Morris has done us a great service by capturing this breathtaking quote, which reveals the politically-motivated, self-serving conniving that has characterized Warren Nash's whole career as a self-appointed mover/shaker in New Albany.

Plainly, the human rights commission means nothing to Nash in any sense of furthering the cause of human rights.

Rather, it's just a vehicle -- a purely cynical propaganda jalopy -- to thwart criticism, which at the time of Nash's single term as mayor almost 50 years ago (he was mercilessly crushed seeking a second term and never won another race) was criticism directed against Nash's own incompetence as the worst mayor this city has ever endured ... until Jeff Gahan, Nash's eager pupil, who subverted the current human rights commission and now has doubled down on the damage by appointing his unspeakably dull Svengali to serve on it, so as to perpetuate the do-nothing fix for a new generation, one that deserves far better than either Nash or Gahan allowed anywhere close to a decision-making post.

But it's plenty good for Gahan's campaign war chest, isn't it? In New Gahania, money has more rights than humans. Maybe we need a Campaign Finance Rights Commission.

Thanks, Chris.

The city needed to see exactly what Warren Nash is, and how he operates. In 2019, we can retire Nash by firing Gahan, and in the process, free ourselves from the reign of vendor cash and the stifling yoke of the C-Minus Clique.

New Albany's Human Rights Commission looking for fifth member (Tom May Escalator Duplex)

NEW ALBANY — For a commission that hasn't met in two years, there are going to be a few bumps along the way once that group reconvenes.

The rust was evident during the first 15 minutes of New Albany's Human Rights Commission meeting Tuesday night, the group's first meeting of 2018 ...

Illicit Summit Springs Phase Two work, redux: Can't Team Gahan's lickspittles get their damn stories straight?

Earlier:

Scott Wood and Shane Gibson predictably duck the newspaper reporter, leaving deputy mayor Mike Hall to explain ceasing, desisting, and Summit Springs Phase Two work.

Let's take another look at the latest installment of the Gang That Can't Get Their Fibs Straight. Seems their stories are changing by the minute.

UPDATE: Work has stopped in phase two area of Summit Springs, by Danielle Grady (Tom May Hyper Content Generator)

NEW ALBANY — A neighbor of Summit Springs in New Albany is worried that the developer is overstepping boundaries by working in an area of the project that hasn’t received city approval, but the project’s team says that they’re doing everything according to plan.

Summit Springs IN LLC was sent a cease-and-desist letter from New Albany’s plan commission director Scott Wood after workers began clearing trees in April for a new water line that will connect to a hotel.

The hotel is in the first phase of the project, which has already been approved by the city, but the tree removal occurred in a second phase area of the project, which has yet to gain city approval. As a whole, the 60-acre-plus development will contain restaurants, medical/office buildings and a 14-story residential tower.

The letter called for the halting of "all construction activities" in the phase two area.

David Ruckman, the surveyor working on the Summit Springs project, said that Wood verbally rescinded the cease-and-desist letter the day after Summit Springs IN LLC received it. Ruckman said he called Wood and explained that the tree clearings were for a part of the project in phase one.

Hmm. Ruckman didn't deny working in the phase two area, did he? In short, he's commenting in the breach, implying it's okay to work in the unapproved "phase two" area so long as the work benefits phase one -- and no one notices.

Work on the water line resumed as early as April 18, when the subject was discussed at a New Albany Board of Works & Public Safety meeting. But it was on Wednesday, less than 24 hours after the New Albany Plan Commission tabled the developer’s phase two application at a meeting, that neighbors noticed that Summit Springs IN LLC was removing trees cut down in April in the phase two area. The developer was moving around trees to stockpile excess dirt from the phase one area, said Ruckman.

Same circular argument. Same violation. Same city non-enforcement.

Wood, who initially directed the News and Tribune to Mike Hall, New Albany's director of City Operations, for comment, later said there is no written document rescinding the cease-and-desist letter.

Fawcett Hill resident Aaron Hellems saw the tree clearing occurring Wednesday and contacted Wood, who told him the cease-and-desist letter was still in effect. Wood confirmed this.

Still, Hall stated in an email late Wednesday that the city was unaware of any violations by the Summit Springs developers.

Wait, is Wood somehow getting his groove back?

He'd best be careful, because to contradict Hall -- the city's chief propagandist and royal court food taster -- might well to bring the wrath of Dear Leader down upon him.

In response to neighbor concerns, construction crews for Summit Springs IN LLC have stopped work in the phase two area anyway, Ruckman said. Construction crews are now stockpiling dirt in the phase one project area. Work should is on hold until developers get through plan commission hearings.

No kidding?

"Now that we're doing what we should have been doing all along until we got caught red-handed," commented Ruckman, "can you please start looking the other way again?"

"I mean, shit -- this fix is in, right? Gahan's got it down. Can't we just get on with it?"

Hall's email also stipulated that the city is not the property owner or developer of Summit Springs, and it said that Wood would be meeting on Thursday with "all parties" involved. Both Hellems and Ruckman said on Thursday that they were not planning to meet with Wood that day. Ruckman did say that he expects to meet with the city and neighbors as the application process for phase two of Summit Springs continues.

Plan commission and board of works members were unable to shed light on the situation. New Albany City Attorney Shane Gibson also did not return a call and email for comment.

Bless Ms. Grady for including this section. A total of at least four or five city functionaries and appointees, and as many as nine or ten, have refused to comment for attribution. There you have it; with bootlickers and sycophants fleeing in all directions, down in flames goes Gahan's protests of transparency.

Again.

Hellems said that Summit Springs IN LLC's actions were part of a pattern of attempting to speed up the development process without going through the proper channels. He pointed to a situation in April 2016 when Wood gave Summit Springs developers permission to cut down trees without obtaining secondary approval. Wood said he was trying to help the developers meet a deadline to cut down the trees before Indiana bats made their home in them.

As we've consistently pointed out, the city was adamantly opposed to Summit Springs, inclusive of first and second phases, right up until it wasn't.

Then Hall orchestrated the press releases, and voila -- the city was partnering with the developers, who could not have achieved anything profitable without the city's eager TIF-impelled hillside road-building.

The fixes, corruption and kickbacks.

Aren't you getting tired of them?

#FireGahan2019

Scott Wood and Shane Gibson predictably duck the reporter, leaving deputy mayor Mike Hall to explain ceasing, desisting, and illicit Summit Springs Phase Two work.

The little people?

They're the ones who can't afford to play the game -- right, Scott?

Did the developer of Phase 2 at the Summit Springs Luxury Mudslide Strip Mine Fun Park violate a cease and desist order yesterday?

If isn't as if we don't know which side the city's on. Hall himself probably wrote the press release about Team Gahan partnering with Kelley Greed Inc. on this bountiful environmental catastrophe.

As such, does anyone really think the city is interested in the enforcement of agreements and covenants when it'll be primary election day, like, tomorrow?

Work is happening in phase 2 of Summit Springs. Should it be? by Danielle Grady (Tom May's Rolltop Desk)

NEW ALBANY — A neighbor of Summit Springs in New Albany is worried that the developer is overstepping boundaries by working in an area of the project that hasn’t received city approval, but the project’s team says that they’re doing everything according to plan.

Summit Springs IN LLC was sent a cease-and-desist letter from New Albany’s plan commission director Scott Wood after workers began clearing trees in April for a new water line that will connect to a hotel.

The hotel is in the first phase of the project, which has already been approved by the city, but the tree removal occurred in a second phase area of the project, which has yet to gain city approval. As a whole, the 60-acre-plus development will contain restaurants, medical/office buildings and a 14-story residential tower.

The letter called for the halting of "all construction activities" in the phase two area ...

Did the developer of Phase 2 at the Summit Springs Luxury Mudslide Strip Mine Fun Park violate a cease and desist order yesterday?

Photo credit: Tyler Stewart.

On Tuesday evening, the Plan Commission decided not to appear unseemly.

New Albany Plan Commission: Phase 2 of Summit Springs needs more detail, by Danielle Grady (Tom May Mimeograph Machine)

NEW ALBANY — Plans to start a phase two of the Summit Springs commercial and residential development are not detailed enough for New Albany’s plan commission yet. At a Tuesday meeting, the voting body tabled requests by the developers to consider plans for a 14-story residential tower and more on top of a hill overlooking State Street.

The usual suspects yawned.

David Ruckman, a land surveyor for the project, said that the request from the plan commission for more details was “expected.”

“It’s a process,” he said.

Had Ruckman said, "it's just a game," he'd have disqualified himself for duty by telling the truth, and on Wednesday, less than 12 hours after the meeting, there were questions about the willingness of developers to observe a cease and desist order pertaining to clearing land for the next stage of the environmental atrocity.

The Green Mouse was told:

A neighbor on Fawcett Hill emailed us today saying he saw a dump truck and a flatbed truck hauling something up Fawcett Hill. Some of us have called Scott Wood. Scott said he sent out Larry Summers. Says they were removing old dead trees. When asked if they were removing more live trees, Scot said he "didn't know." If they are, the construction firm is violating the cease and desist order. Also, did you see the picture News and Tribune took? It shows the hill sliding down behind Taco Bell.

It's a wonderful photo, indeed (see above).

At a time when public housing residents face daily insults from their colonial overlords as a prelude to demolition, Team Gahan brags about million-dollar condos in the middle of a strip mine.

Amid the blather and propaganda, we can be sure of one truthful eventuality: the volume of stormwater runoff coming from Summit Springs will be matched only by the amount of kickbacks flowing into the mayor's campaign piggy bank.

A 2016 reprise: "High atop Summit Springs with friends (and relatives) in low places."

They're in it for the money: Team Gahan and its Plan Commission's cowardly and abject capitulation to the Kelleys and their Summit Springs development atrocity continues tonight.

Plan Commission to consider phase two of the Summit Springs Kelley Enrichment cluster muck development atrocity.

Buffalo Dis-Trace: White folks dress up like their bison-killing ancestors as we glance at Jacobi, Toombs & Lanz's big role in Gahan campaign finance.

They're in it for the money: Team Gahan and its Plan Commission's cowardly and abject capitulation to the Kelleys and their Summit Springs development atrocity continues tonight.

As we've noted previously, Summit Springs would not be possible without taxpayer subsidies for its infrastructure.

Plan Commission to consider phase two of the Summit Springs Kelley Enrichment cluster muck development atrocity.

That's because it is a development that shouldn't happen in the first place.

The city opposed Summit Springs until Dear Leader reasoned that kickbacks from those entities benefiting from the development's approval far outweighs assurances given to neighbors or environmental consequences.

Consequently, the greed-driven monetization of Summit Springs proceeds apace, and the spoils stand to be divvied like they always are, because at present, in Year Seven of Bubonic Gahanism, there's little justice on tap in New Albany.

But there's lots and lots of money.

In future years, Summit Springs will become symbol of greed and corruption, forever inseparable from Jeff Gahan and those sycophantic fat cats, vendors and contractors feeding him scented grapes while stuffing their pockets as the mayor is fanned with palm fronds, lounging on the royal chaise lounge.

Too bad about Scott Wood. Then again, in a former age when integrity still mattered, he'd have resigned in principle long ago over Gahan's Summit cash flip. Integrity, trees, ethics -- in Clear Cut City, they all form perfect, orderly queues to await the chainsaw's ritualistic hum. 

Phase 2 of Summit Springs appearing before New Albany Plan Commission Tuesday, by Danielle Grady (Best Loved Tom May Columns Dot Com)

NEW ALBANY — Phase two of the 60-acre plus Summit Springs development will go before the New Albany Plan Commission Tuesday night for preliminary approval.

The fix appears to be cemented tightly into place.

A New Albany planning and zoning staff report gives the plan commission assurance that they can favorably recommend the PUDD to the New Albany City Council, which will also be voting on the rezoning.

Of course, the Kelleys -- a local synonym for avarice -- have already helpfully started the necessary process of deforestation. Money can't grow on trees, you know.

The plan commission meeting will take place at 7 p.m. in the Assembly Room (Room 331) of the City-County Building at 311 Hauss Square.

Documents show that the Kelleys were sent a cease-and-desist letter in April from the city telling them to stop cutting down trees in the Summit Springs phase two area. In 2016, the city faced the wrath of neighbors when they cut trees from the hills before phase one of the PUDD was approved.

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

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

---

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

But keep your hands off my money.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

These people simply are delusional.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

---

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Thanks to the Green Mouse for obtaining it.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

These details are rather important, aren’t they?

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

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

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

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