Comments on Advance Indiana™: Citizens Energy And The Proposed Utility Sale/Transfer

corr: Nov., 2011

2010-05-16T21:52:27.368-05:00

corr: Nov., 2011

Thank you for all your unpaid efforts on behalf of...

2010-05-16T21:20:20.285-05:00

Thank you for all your unpaid efforts on behalf of our sovereignty as citizens, Indy Student. And as for historic, how about a Paul Ogden for Mayor, Libertarian, (thanks HFFT) on the ballot in November, or four years from now. I would definitely donate.

I wouldn't call it historic, Marycatherine. B...

2010-05-16T16:10:33.261-05:00

I wouldn't call it historic, Marycatherine. But as someone who attends public forums and council meetings semi-frequently, it has been one of only two times where I felt that what I was saying was being heard and thought about by those I was speaking to. The reps I've talked to from Citizens, in smaller meetings, have fielded questions and had a lot of knowledge to share and seem genuinely concerned.

I'D LOVE IT IF PAUL OGDEN RAN FOR MAYOR AS A L...

2010-05-16T15:34:55.182-05:00

I'D LOVE IT IF PAUL OGDEN RAN FOR MAYOR AS A LIBERTARIAN!

He'd be the worst nightmare of self serving insiders.

It is terribly troubling that under UNIGOV, mayor ...

2010-05-16T11:51:29.736-05:00

It is terribly troubling that under UNIGOV, mayor after mayor of Indianapolis negotiate against the interests of the citizens of Indianapolis. The performance of the at-large councillor, who after being elected as a Republican, joined the Libertarian Party, and declared that that is what he is, has also been very disappointing.

Kudos to AI and all those who attended this historic meeting, and to Councillor Scales for arranging it.

Gary you and I have had the same discussion - publ...

2010-05-16T11:00:29.925-05:00

Gary you and I have had the same discussion - public entties can't enter into settlement agreements and keep them confidential.

I've agreed to them before just because it wasn't worth fighting about. I've always known though that should some reporter really want to see the confidential agreements and were willing to push the issue, the agreement would have to be disclosed.

Why not file a formal request with the IURUC, that...

2010-05-16T09:12:06.471-05:00

Why not file a formal request with the IURUC, that issues & conflicts in question, be reviewed & cleared prior to any consideration for approval? It seems those concerns would be germane to their charter.

The confidentiality agreements are par for the cou...

2010-05-16T07:55:34.936-05:00

The confidentiality agreements are par for the course for B&T lawyers. I've gone round and round with them on cases I've had against them involving public entities. I explain to them that the open records laws bar governmental units to sign settlement agreements and then refuse to disclose them publicly. The last time this argument arose in one of my cases the corportion counsel's office set the high-paid attorneys straight and told them to knock off the confidentiality demand.

Big thanks to Christine Scales for setting up the ...

2010-05-16T07:45:37.953-05:00

Big thanks to Christine Scales for setting up the opportunity to find out out more through the bloggers. I wish to heck I had her instead of Ryan Vaughn for a councilman.

Bigger thanks to Mr. Welsh. As nice a piece and service to the public as his CIB writings, Brizzi legwork, etc. Hope you're feeling better.

I grew-up learning about this stuff through the investigative reporting of newspapers. Even if economically flush, do you think the Indianapolis Star would cover this thoroughly? Not with that magic elixar of promised infrastructure improvements they won't. Just like with Wishard, like a 16 year-old boy, they they get all stirred-up when someone flashes their proposed "improvements" at them.

I think Gary & Mr. Ogden nail it. Why again are we suppossed to do something complicated when it should be simple? For all assurances of enhanced transparency, Mayor Ballard has descended to shell games to get done what he wants- or what Barnes & Thornburg wants.

What about what the taxpayer wants?! How about voting on city improvements seperately, get the IURUC to protect us like they're suppossed to!! How about stopping this madness of trying to slip everything into something else- not caring if you're noticed or not?

Once in awhile, enough people speak-up. Enough, cumulatively, spoke-up to hound Bauer to some ethics reform. Enough MSDWT parents raised cain to lessen the superintendent's raise. Enough were fed-up in the city to get Peterson ousted during an ill-timed tax increase.

Will enough people now tell Peterson's successor that we just want efficient water company management, not a whole bunch of things tacked onto it? PLEASE, let us vote on those things seperately, or we do without them. without them.

Also, you're right in asking for the question ...

2010-05-15T22:21:58.312-05:00

Also, you're right in asking for the question regarding Vaughn's conflict of interest.

Melina is refraining from speaking on the water company because she takes seriously ethics and the rules that all lawyers are supposed to follow regarding ethics and conflicts of interest.

It seems that Ryan Vaughn just doesn't give a S**T about those rules of ethics.

I have a friend who worked as an admin assistant o...

2010-05-15T22:09:17.026-05:00

I have a friend who worked as an admin assistant on the 25th Floor for Peterson and during the first year of Ballard's administration.

She says reports of shredding any documents as Peterson's team left the office are just plain FALSE.

Can someone tell me if a good Libertarian candidat...

2010-05-15T22:05:40.477-05:00

Can someone tell me if a good Libertarian candidate for Mayor will surface? If anyone knows of someone that is considering it please encourage them to do so. I know a ton of people who would vote for an L this time around!

Sean, Do you recall all the talk during the transi...

2010-05-15T22:05:10.489-05:00

Sean, Do you recall all the talk during the transition about Peterson's staff shredding documents regarding the water company? Ballard had promised an investigation to learn all about the water company purchase. He scrapped that idea as soon as Bob Grand and Joe Loftus moved into the 25th floor with him. There are public documents that can be accessed through public records requests concerning Veola's contract. The confidentiality agreement pertains to discussions between Veola and Citizens about their contract.

I doubt that decision is completely made yet. If t...

2010-05-15T21:50:40.940-05:00

I doubt that decision is completely made yet. If the LPIN or LPMC was stocked full of well healed political insiders and a massive donor base I'm sure there would be lots more getting done.

Generally, I'm most concerned with someone voting the right way as very few legislators (at any level) are really very active with introducing their own proposals and most of those that do are dependent on others (assistants, lawyers, lobbyists, special interests, concerned citizens, etc...) to write them for them.

Regardless, what about the Freedom of Information Act to get access to those water services contracts?

I couldn't agree more with your conclusions in...

2010-05-15T21:37:32.730-05:00

I couldn't agree more with your conclusions in this post.

I too was pleased with the candor of the Citizen's Energy officials at the meeting. It's the sort of candor I haven't seen from administration officials in 2 1/2 years.

Having said that, I have reached some definite conclusions about the deal:

1) I have no problem with the city water and sewer utilities being transferred to Citizen's Energy. I think they can run it more efficiently and there will be savings involved though I doubt they can quantify those savings as accurately as they claim.

2) The "sale" though is a complete farce. We, the public own the city water and sewer utilities both before and after the sale. We are selling it to ourselves, a paper transaction that means nothing.

3) The sale is a ruse for the Republican administration to disguise an enormous tax increase within a series of rate increases. In return they get a ton of up front money to use for pork barrel projects, a transparent effort to buy votes to save the unpopular Ballard administration from inevitable one term political oblivion.

4) I too have problem with the City forcing Citizen's Energy to take over the lopsided Veola and United Water contracts. I too wonder about the behind-the-scenes conflicts of interest involving Barnes & Thornburg, including Council President Ryan Vaughn.

Sean, Ed has been totally missing in action on the...

2010-05-15T21:29:00.149-05:00

Sean, Ed has been totally missing in action on the council lately. I understand he intends to vote for it as proposed. So much for his Libertarian voice. He sure doesn't make the case for electing Libertarians to the council.

If there are contracts with the city (Vieola for e...

2010-05-15T20:59:43.882-05:00

If there are contracts with the city (Vieola for example) that Citizen's would have to take on are they not publicly viewable either on-line (thanks to Ed Coleman's [L] transparency proposal that was passed) or via FOIA ?

"I have no confidence that Republican members...

2010-05-15T19:57:54.962-05:00

"I have no confidence that Republican members of the council, save Scales, will exercise independent judgment in this matter. Many Democrats appear poised to insist upon some changes, although I think it is more political posturing on their part than concern for the common good. Chances are the transaction will be rammed through and the truth unraveled only after it is approved. As the famous saying goes, "Those who fail to learn the lessons of history are doomed to repeat them.""

Unfortunately, this is what will likely happen. Thanks for your efforts, although they may be in vain.