In its nearly eight years, the Administration of Mayor Greg Ballard has actually come up with a few brilliant, creative, innovative ideas. Yet in the explanation and implementation of those ideas, “Ballard’s Boyz” have screwed up time and time again.
Take electric cars.
I’ll concede Ballard’s position to make Indianapolis a leader in government use of electric and hybrid cars was bold and innovative.
I’ll even concede that Ballard’s military service in the first Gulf War influenced his strong belief to try and help make America less dependent on foreign oil.
But to me, the way his staff and top advisers have repeatedly subverted, perverted and botched Ballard’s dream is the real story.
The mayor first announced his goal to convert Indy government’s entire vehicle fleet to electric, hybrid, even vehicles burning natural gas on the ominous date of 12/12/12.
Ballard backed that up with Executive Order 6-2012.
The order also provided the Department of Public Safety would be treated differently and their special vehicle requirements would be taken into consideration.
Let’s be clear. The executive order clearly stated it would be Indianapolis’ policy to lease such fuel efficient cars.
The executive order said the Procurement Division of Indy’s Office of Finance and Management would supervise the initiative.
Now even though their plan wouldn’t add jobs for Indy residents, nor directly improve the quality of life for Indy neighborhoods, the Ballard Administration felt their plan was groundbreaking for a major city government. They even wrapped it around national security calling it the Energy Security Program.
The city even said they’d talk to major auto manufacturers about creating electric hybrid police cars. Then in May 2014, Ballard signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the City of Sacramento Calif. and their Mayor, former NBA Star, Kevin Johnson promising to share best practices in helping both cities reduce their foreign oil dependency.
So with all that national hype, why didn’t a bunch of companies approach with proposals to help Indianapolis achieve Ballard’s goal of converting and managing an electric car fleet of city vehicles.
Out of all the entities concerned with green technology and the green economy, why did a start-up, a brand new, untested company called Vision Fleet receive, without competitive bidding, a seven year $32 million contract?
From day one, Ballard’s plan, official city policy, was that this was to be a lease program, run through the city procurement office in Finance and Management with police exempted.
So how did the provisions of Executive Order 6 get perverted to the point where the electric car program isn’t a lease but rather a management services agreement, run through the Department of Public Works?
When I interviewed Corporation Counsel Andy Seiwert on our WTLC-AM (1310) “Afternoons with Amos” on May 12, he said nothing about Executive Order 6. In the interview, the city’s chief lawyer didn’t mention the city’s policy document on the city’s procurement of electric cars.
Seiwert, to my knowledge, never mentioned this controlling document with the City-County Council members in public hearings.
The mayor’s area on the city’s Indy.Gov website has a whole section on Ballard’s Energy Security Proposal including the text of Executive Order 6, but nothing that says the executive order was repealed.
The website lists Indy Executive Orders going back to 1976 up to Executive Order 3-2014, from that huge snowstorm in January 2014. According to the website, no new Executive Orders exist; which means Executive Order 6-2012 remains in effect.
So now for the BIG questions: Why did the Ballard Administration, Ballard’s Boyz, the Mayor’s Minions not follow the clear instructions in City policy for the Energy Security Policy?
Why the changes? Who did they benefit? Indianapolis needs to know!
What I’m Hearing in the Streets
Members of the Crispus Attucks 1955 championship basketball team enjoyed a whirlwind weekend. The team and cheerleaders received a Heroes and Heroines welcome at the IPL 500 Festival Parade where they served as grand marshals. Crowds applauded and cheered, many rising from their seats to give the Tigers the standing ovation they deserved 60 years ago, but never received.
The VIP treatment continued throughout the weekend.
I caught up with them in a glass enclosed suite and open air terrace at the 500.
Oscar Robertson was chilling on the terrace with his teammates, soaking it all in. Current athletes like the Pacers’ Paul George were paying their respects to those Attucks Tigers who paved the way.
It was a great overdue honor and the 500 Festival and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway are to be commended.
Columnist William Rhoden of The New York Times, quoted the Big O as saying “The invitation was not about making up for lost time or trying to right a wrong. I think they’re doing it because our team stood the test of time.”
Couldn’t agree more.
Speaking of the 500 Parade, Gov. Mike Pence didn’t get a hero’s welcome along the parade route like the Attucks champs, or outgoing Ballard, or the 500 drivers.
Instead the crowd of thousands’ response to Pence was mostly polite silence, some claps— in some cases, there were even boos and a few epithets. This was a completely out of the ordinary reaction at the parade for a sitting Indiana Governor in his capital city.
See ‘ya next week!
You can email Amos Brown at acbrown@aol.com.
