Comments on Advance Indiana™: Mayor Ballard's First Priority Looking Good

Mike Speedy and Ginny Gain are the logical choices...

2007-11-09T01:01:00.000-05:00

Mike Speedy and Ginny Gain are the logical choices. Lincoln Plowman would be a poor choice if not an embarrassment. The council, just as the Mayor's office, needs real leadership.

The real sad news I'm hearing is that Ice Miller's...

2007-11-08T23:32:00.000-05:00

The real sad news I'm hearing is that Ice Miller's Melissa Reece Profitt is on the steering committee for Ballard. Her law firm did everything possible to make sure Ballard didn't win this year. Steve Goldsmith shut the firm out of city government for nearly 8 years because of their support for Louis Mahern in Goldsmith's firt run. No law firm had a greater hand in the election of Peterson 8 years ago than Ice Miller and Peterson has rewarded the firm handsomely. I really started getting sick thinking this firm would even have a seat at the table of an administration they had nothing to do with bringing about and was everything about stopping it from happening. The firm's tentacles are worse than an influential crime syndicate.

Hey "Sorry I wasted my time", I have a question fo...

2007-11-08T20:16:00.000-05:00

Hey "Sorry I wasted my time", I have a question for you. So why did you help on the campaign? What were YOU hoping to get out of helping?

I have volunteered on a campaign myself and my number one goal, as was MOST of the people I worked with, was to get our candidate elected. If that wasn't your goal then what was it?

With all the people a candidate meets, even if they see you over and over, it would be impossible to remember everybody's name. I have hired a lot of people and they all know me but I can't remember all of them. I don't expect everybody to remember my name. Again, what was it you wanted out of volunteering? A position? An appointment? It isn't about YOU it is about the candidate.

anon 6:38, Mike Speedy and I both attended IU-Indy...

2007-11-08T19:30:00.000-05:00

anon 6:38, Mike Speedy and I both attended IU-Indy law school. He was one year behind me. He seemed like a nice enough guy. I have talked to him twice about council matters. I tried to bring his attention to the problems in the Fall Creek development a few years ago. He, like Scott Schneider, weren't interested in investigating the many troubling things I discovered about that heavily government-financed development area--some of it criminal. Schneider was honest enough to tell me that the area was primarily gay and he thought I should talk to Jackie Nytes about it. On another occasion, I spoke to Mike about the HRO. He told me he would discuss any issue with me but that one. He made up his mind he was opposed to it, and he did not wish to discuss any of the issues surrounding it. He cited his religion as grounds for opposing it. That always bothers me when a person refuses to even hear the other side's argument. Based upon my knowledge of him in law school, I would not have expected him to be so close-minded on the issue. After that experience, I never attempted to speak to him again. On other council matters, he seems to be pretty level-headed, although he has had to recuse himself from time to time because of his real estate business dealings.

Mike Speedy is a friend and I can tell you he woul...

2007-11-08T18:38:00.000-05:00

Mike Speedy is a friend and I can tell you he would make a good Council President. He is a man of integrity and character and would NOT lead out of self-interest like so many others in politics. It is my hope that he is selected as Council President.

I have known Mike Speedy for 15 years, and I am su...

2007-11-08T18:23:00.000-05:00

I have known Mike Speedy for 15 years, and I am surprised that you wouldn't see him as the frontrunner for Council President. He is a gracious man of great integrity and conviction. He's well-spoken, thoughtful, and knowledgeable on the issues. His real estate business gives him the flexibility to set his own schedule, which gives him lots of time to meet with constituents and attend to Council business. As long as I have known him, he has been a solid conservative.

with the above post, there goes your flipper theor...

2007-11-08T17:06:00.000-05:00

with the above post, there goes your flipper theory wilson.

OMG. Mansfield won.Any other districts where ther...

2007-11-08T17:04:00.000-05:00

OMG. Mansfield won.

Any other districts where there could be some surprises?

sorry i wasted my time...Just how many signs did y...

2007-11-08T13:53:00.000-05:00

sorry i wasted my time...

Just how many signs did you deliver?
Where were you at during the election?
How many phone calls did you make?

I delivered signs and that was it. About 300 of them. I was thanked personally by Greg and Tim Dugan.

A week before the election My mother passed away, so for obvious reasons, I stopped with the signs.
Greg Ballard sent flowers to my mothers funeral and he and Tim Dugan both apologized profusely that they could not attend the services.
Just because you were not offered a Deputy Mayors position does not mean that your efforts went un-noticed.

Give yourself a big pat on the back and go buy yourself a big glass of self-pity. Join Bart at 300 East. I hear they are having a special on that drink.

It sounds like somebody is "flipping" out ...

2007-11-08T12:56:00.000-05:00

It sounds like somebody is "flipping" out ...

I wasn't looking for personal regognition, but whe...

2007-11-08T11:41:00.000-05:00

I wasn't looking for personal regognition, but when you see someone almost every day for 6 months, you should remember their name.

When someone sits for hours and makes phone calls for you, you should remember their name.

When someone calls you and says "I need more signs and addresses, you should remember their name.

When someone stand out in the cold wind for 11 hours handing out cards for you so you can get the top job, you should remember their name.

I want nothing from the city, the (new) mayor, or the MCRCC. I was NEVER thanked for my time and efforts. Others were.
Just showing that it will be "politics as usual", the little guy has been used and tossed aside.
Sounds like the last 8 years in Indy!!!

I'm not a Repulican and didn't support Ballrd or t...

2007-11-08T11:10:00.000-05:00

I'm not a Repulican and didn't support Ballrd or the Repub party's council nominees. But I love good government.

Steve West was an excellent councilman and he's always been a good citizen. By the by, Gary, I heard that he's in poor health. A true gentleman.

I don't know who started this counsel/council argument, but you can check this out: Bob Elrod, a smart man, is not an employee of the city. On contract or salary. And ordinances don't provide for the council minority to have their own lawyer. That could and likely will change, but it's not the case now...

Aaron Haith out the door. Freaking hilarious.

I won't meddle on the council presidency to my Republican friends, except to say: if you want to really help my party out, put in Plowman. Seriously.

Another public safety president. He's more polite than Monroe, but that's about it. Not a real deep guy.

I hardly ever agreed with Beurt SerVaas, but there was obviously some gravitas there...could we get back to that, please? Or, go ahead and appoint Plowman, and we'll sit back and start taking notes for the 2011 commercials. And there will be plenty from good 'ole Lincoln...he's nothing if not predictable.

sorry,what exactly were you expecting from all thi...

2007-11-08T10:51:00.000-05:00

sorry,

what exactly were you expecting from all this? did you want a change in the direction of this city or a new best friend?

perhaps ballard himself could have been more congenial, who knows. don't know exactly what the circumstances were. i did the same types of tbings you did. even even acknowledge last sunday he couldn't recall my name because he had met so very many people lately but recognized my face from frequent campaign activities. he said he appreciated his supporters and knew that he was getting it from people who normally aren't involved in mainstream politics.

if you volunteered your time to change this city you have succeeded and should be proud of that. if you did it for personal recognition, find another hobby.

Big law firms are falling all over themselves to r...

2007-11-08T10:41:00.000-05:00

Big law firms are falling all over themselves to round up major cash and get city bond, lobbying, "consulting" business, and appointment of one of their own on the major boards. Whoever replaces Lacy Johnson on the AA board will signal who is in for sure. Mike McD wasn't joking about the "amnesty" ball. Everyone wants the pie, right now Barnes (Loftus is mentioned as transition) is the #1 player because they were the only firm on board. Watch Barnes to takeover from B&D on state gov. lobbying for the City.

This is what it's all about people.

Anyway, can you AI, or someone, outline exactly the steps that are needed to put IMPD under the Mayor? Is is purely a CCC measure, or is something else involved? What would the fiscal impact be?

As a supporter and volunteer for Ballard, I can sa...

2007-11-08T10:27:00.000-05:00

As a supporter and volunteer for Ballard, I can say that Greg COULD be a good mayor.
His first mistake is to appoint that a-hole, John Cochran, to his transition team.
Ever time i would walk into MCRCC, I was given the cold shoulder.
I delivered over 500 signs, along with the handout cards, and his bumper stickers. I made phone calls, I spent about $800.00 for gas on his campaign alone, a flat tire, and then I froze my butt off on election day.
Ater I went home, showered, and dressed for a party, got to the Murat, and was treated like a second class citizen.
Greg didn't remember my name... he was "done with me"
John Cochran wouldn't even speak to me.
Tom John didn't even acknowledge me.
Kurt Fullback said Hi, but didn't remember my name.
Now that Greg has a lot of appointments to make, he'll be guided by the people who were paid to support him, not the people who supported him because they believe in him. I now believe that Ballard will fail as Mayor because he is surrounding himself with idiots that were PAID by the MCRCC.
His true supporters were left out in the cold.(the ones who stood out at the polls, for FREE)

Good Luck, Greg!! You're going to need it!!!

"Former Lt.Governor and head of Lilly Endowment Jo...

2007-11-08T10:26:00.001-05:00

"Former Lt.Governor and head of Lilly Endowment John Mutz only gave a measly $250 to Ballard."

Hell, even I gave more than that. I think.

i totally agree on the kudos for mr. west. he pon...

2007-11-08T10:26:00.000-05:00

i totally agree on the kudos for mr. west. he ponied up early for ballard when no one else would.

west is a fine man, loves indianapolis, and his record shows he has worked hard to do what is best for this city. his family is extremely generous to myriad organizations of all types. they are an example of using your personal good fortune for the good of your community -- without requiring a lot of recognition such as having things named after you. he has the type of credentials -- education, experience, service to the community -- that we rarely see on the city council these days. it makes one wonder why things changed.

while many of our current councillor are certainly fine people -- sadly some are questionable at best -- it is hard to look down the list and see those with the stature in the community, personal success, and record of public service that we used to have. where have these types gone?

Ryan Vaughn would be a good choice.His intelligent...

2007-11-08T09:41:00.000-05:00

Ryan Vaughn would be a good choice.
His intelligent is obvious both in person and on television. He's also a babe and easy on the eyes!

And no I'm not flirting, just calling it how I see it.

Add Steve West to that list, anon 9:33. He gave bi...

2007-11-08T09:37:00.000-05:00

Add Steve West to that list, anon 9:33. He gave big bucks to Ballard as well. West is also a very successful businessman who served on the council for a number of years only to get unceremoniously dumped by the Goldsmith folks.

Former Lt.Governor and head of Lilly Endowment Joh...

2007-11-08T09:33:00.000-05:00

Former Lt.Governor and head of Lilly Endowment John Mutz only gave a measly $250 to Ballard.
And moneybags Brizzi coughed up only $1,000 and that wasn't from his own pocket but his committee.

You've got to hand it to P.E.Macallister. The man's a loyal Republican to the core and decent man to boot. He was on board with Ballard from the start.

I sure hope Greg can sort out who his REAL friends are and not just the ones who gave money.

hmm. forgot about cain but agree she doesn't seem ...

2007-11-08T09:07:00.000-05:00

hmm. forgot about cain but agree she doesn't seem to have any interest in playing nicely so won't work.

i actually am acquainted with and like vaughn. i am one of those pathetic geeks who goes to CCC meetings when i can but watches them on channel 16 when i don't. what i have observed is he seems to ask questions or challenges something and the response usually is something on the order of there is a city ordinance against what he is proposing. nothing major at all. just kind of "oh, gee, my bad" moments.

in any case, i'm hearing rumors it's plowman. third hand information but on seemingly good authority.

Or that should be "council"

2007-11-08T08:53:00.000-05:00

Or that should be "council"

It gets very confusing using the words "counsil" a...

2007-11-08T08:52:00.000-05:00

It gets very confusing using the words "counsil" and "counsel" interchangeably doesn't it?

Sorry Sir Hailstone, Ginny Cain simply cannot lead...

2007-11-08T08:48:00.000-05:00

Sorry Sir Hailstone, Ginny Cain simply cannot lead the counsel after the divisive and extremely offensive comments she made to many during the HRO debate. Your own proclivity to making those kinds of statements are probably what cost you the GOP at-large nomination earlier this year if you stop to think about it. Putting someone in charge who plays to divisive, wedge issues is not the right choice--not by a long shot.

Gary - Bob Elrod is still Counsel to the Council r...

2007-11-08T08:47:00.000-05:00

Gary - Bob Elrod is still Counsel to the Council representing the Minority Caucus.

Pending a disbarment of Aaron Haith, they will likely switch seats. Bob Elrod will represent the council and Aaron Haith will be moved to the background as minority caucus counsel.