This week's Fundy goes to Barney Levengood of the Capital Improvement Board. Levengood is the Executive Director and runs the day to day operations for the Board.
Levengood is one of the best in providing public records upon request in a timely manner and without fanfare. In fact, he is the only one that ever held a request of mine because the documents I wanted were still in negotiation. Once signed, he forwarded them to me immediately without requiring me to submit a new request.
I often disagree with the policies and funding requests of the CIB, but the access that the public has to their documents is very much aligned with the spirit of open government - thanks in large degree to its Executive Director.
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The Pollyanna Approach
16 hours ago
7 comments:
Barney Levengood is a good guy.
He is a survivor who has lead the operations of the CIB since 1991 under the leadership of some pretty challenging personalities of every political stripe over the years.
Everyone is gone, except him.
Too bad he didn't red flag Fred Glasses Colts deal before it broke the CIB business model and made the organization financially insolvent.
That single decision can easily be traced to a whole host of major problems we have today.
The glass ceiling may be a problem.
Pat-
I love Fundamental Friday. You're offering constructive compliments for those helping to further government as it's supposed to be run, instead of the corrupt bums who get all the publicity (and too often the credit). It would be fair to say you're my favorite Democrat and a role model for how to be civicly fixated instead of politically. Many thanks and I hope you run again for office.
I would much rather vote for a Scales/Andrews ticket than any of the blowhards we presently have serving or vying for the Presidency.
If either of you could be bought, it damn sure wouldn't be easy.
anon 3:48 -- I agree that the contract with Irsay was bad for Indianapolis.
But, I have to add that Daniels took the building project, added the retractable roof and its attendent costs, from Peterson. I have always assumed it was so he could control who got the contracts.
Daniels and the Republican Legislature also gave the CIB only half the tax revenue stream they needed to maintain the new facilities. It was the last domino that led to the CIB's fiscal woes. Fred Glass was in the paper back then denouncing the shortage.
Of course, instead of saying they needed that extra $10 million a year they cried wolf and request nearly $50 m a year plus a one time infusion of another $50 m. But, that was not under Glass. It was under Bob Grand.
anon 9:43 - Your comment is so nice. Thank you.
In addition, I'm glad you like the piece. I know there are great people working in city government who do a fantastic job and who are not afraid of public disclosure.
You are right about Mitch Daniels role and his stewardship of the Indiana Stadium and Convention Building Authority.
It is surprising that Fred Glasses law partner David Frick (which Mitch Daniels appointed to lead the ISCBA) has gotton no heat for the stadium cost over runs that took 3/4 of the $1 billion budget intended to upgrade the convention center as well as build a football stadium.
David Frick has done nothing to fix the ICVA business model that he helped break.
No he is not a good person
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