Thursday, May 16, 2013

Richerson Ousted as Peoria Riverfront Musuem Leader

A news conference will be called today to announce the dismissal of Jim Richerson. Losses in 2012 projected to be over one million.

Jim is a nice guy. I wish him better success in his next venture.

Sunday, May 05, 2013

PRM Early Warnings About Support for the PRM

Never reported by any of the media was the result of a survey made by The National Citizens Survey in 2009 and paid for by Peoria County taxpayers,  that was summarized by Peoria County Officials as follows:

Under "Policy Questions" it reads, 'Riverfront Museum 65% somewhat oppose or strongly oppose a sales tax increase".

This supports a survey done by the City of Peoria and promptly squelched by then Mayor Dave Ransburg. that was negative to the museum building that suggested "Peoria was more sports minded and beer drinking community".

I have a copy of that survey.

Move to my next two blogs.

Dr. Chester Danehower Says "Stop the Negativity and Let the Museum Shine"

So said the good doctor in  an editorial to the JSEB and printed in today's paper. Start here and read my next blog and my 15 or so factual blogs about the probably impossible financial success of this project.

Note that the quote "33% of the $99 million museum would be all that the public would need to contribute, came from Brad McMillan in an address to County Board members and a subsequent LTE printed in the JS. Actual submissions show that the public so far has contributed over 67% of  the $99 million museum.

Finacial results are not important as the quality of the product as attributed to Museum Director Richerson in the JS when revising attendance figure downward from 240,000 every year to a "possible' 150,000 the first 12 months of it's existence.

If citizen taxpayers need not worry about finances, we might all live in million dollars homes and drive expensive European cars.

Hm.

PRM Fiscal Year Ended June, 30, 2012 - Financial Results Still Not Made Public

Why not?? Start with the facts. When the Lakeview museum people started stretching the truth, (with Caterpillar's support) like Caterpillar blaming the county for delaying the projects start, an IMAX theatre that became a seldom if ever heard of Big Screen, at least in Central Illinois, funds in the banks but $10 million spent BEFORE A SPADE OF EARTH WAS TURNED and the museum was still called  Lakeview, FOIA requests were never answered promptly and possibly not truthfully so I'm speculating why the delay as exposed by the JS and TV media, is a subject of worry to the taxpayers who supported it with their dollars. ( the elite, arrogant, wealthy or not, be concerned and who are ALWAYS  sure they are right, why would the majority of the community who gives a damn, believe the ardent supporters now? Perhaps some strong supporters believe the economy or the flooding is surely the cause of the delay.

I suggest, merely suggestions of what may be going on with the museum Director and Dave Ransburg, supposedly the head of the museum Board of Directors. Side Comment: Remember what Dave was quoted by the JS  when he became head honcho? The JS reported that Dave said he would easily raise the missing, at that time, $10 million, but would raise more. Indeed??

I list the possible reasons for the museum's financial result delay. I'm not saying these are facts, just sheer guesses:

Some money may be missing.
The museum accountant is ?????
The promoters are still trying to collect pledges and then , though late,convert them into actual dollars. (Fact, early on, museum figures showed some $565,000 deemed uncollectible.)
The outside accountants have not signed off on the figures submitted by the museum board for fear of????
Attendance figures, once PROJECTED to be 240,000 per year forever may now be PROJECTED to be as low as 150,000 per year. (In my blogs, I tried to reason with museum promoters, that one member with 4 kids visiting 4 times a year, causes misleading figures. They couldn't figure out how that affected REAL attendance; I'm sure my reader can figure it out if I could.
The economy of the area is so good, the private accounting firm is too busy to????
Previous lies to the public are being reviewed with President Obama as how to turn them into charismatic believable lies.
Some big egos are fearful of result publications and want to delay them until they are traveling away frrom Peoria,
Caterpillar, this is FACTUAL, who first said they would contribute a $51 million Caterpillar Visitors Center at their expense, then reduced that amount to $37 million and then placed Caterpillar Offices off limit to visitors, on the top floor of the $37 million Visitors Center, is laying plans to take over the museum as their NEW WORLD HEADQUARTERS.

All sheer speculations same as One Technology Center, Gateway Center, Cub Foods, new softball fields to take the overflow from Eastside,  25 new baseball fields (JS on 5/24/11, 5/25/11, and 5/30/11), 18,000 families joining the RiverPlex, the emptiness of the old Lakeview Museum Building and the former YWCA building, when the 20,000 potholes on Peoria public streets and the 10,000 potholes in private businesses entry ways and parking lots, untold dozens of empty buildings being quickly sold and occupied, the Peoria Historical Society displaying the thousands of historical items now safely in storage: almost all of the above are purely speculations but need to be submitted with the City's application to be named an All American City, thus  fulfilling Henry Hollings predictions of three or so years past.

Hmmmm.

I plug C.J. Summer's blog the Peoria Chronicle for more on the PRM.


Thursday, May 02, 2013

Heidi Heitkamp, Democrat I Support

I count few political Democrats I like. Heidi recently moved to the head of the type of Demo politician I like.

Sorry I'm not blogging much but I have other issues right now. Not financial. (My shares of IMAX were up $1.39 per share, not bragging but I suggested quite awhile back that if you were in the market buy IMAX and CAT, who will soon bloom again) I really would like to turn my history of this community and world issues to someone who is interested. Approimately 8 file drawers, most sorted and labeled in file folders.

In the meantime, go to my search bar to read about ring roads, musuems, ball parks,. highways including the one time "highway to Chicago", Obama, Romney, ObamaCare, poverty, School Dist. # 150, etc.

Thanks for reading me. I never expected eveyone to agree with me.