OpEd: "The Night Clarice Called": or, On the Service of Fred Juergens

Some years ago, after the new Evansville Common Council had been put into action, it was a Friday night and I was not going out on the town---and right in the midst of a leisurely bath, I heard the commotion downstairs----the family was yelling that "Clarice is on the Phone.!!!!!"

"Clarice" was one of the classic bloggers of Evansville, and had strong opinions about a lot of things, and some of these, The Observeer even published. One of her favorite targets of comment in those early years, was Fred Juergens, who had been the leader of the anti-war referendum and thus was on the opposite side of the war issue from Clarice.

I just wondered what "Clarice" was unhappy about in The Observer this Friday night.

Then I heard her say:

"I was wrong about Fred. He is doing a wonderful job. And I wish more people in Evansville would step up and serve like he has. It would be a completely different town."

Then she went on about how grateful she was that he had spearheaded the renewal of the Franklin Street Park. She was amazed that he cared about it even though he was not a 4th Ward resident.

"Have you told Fred this?" I asked.

"I have left some messages," she said.

Later I mentioned to Fred that I was amazed that one of his blogger adversaries had been totally converted.

He just laughed and said that he was surprised and pleased and that there were a few others he needed to convert also.

In my lifetime I can count the number of people that have called me or pounded on my door telling me that they were wrong ....well....on one hand. It is an extremly small number. How about you?

She was right about Fred. And I join the late "Clarice" in congratulating Fred on his service to Evansville over the past two years. I have reviewed each and every page of minutes of meetings of Public Works, Park Board, and for a while Finance too, and in additon have viewed the big change in the Evansville web site, and it all adds up to remarkable service. Congrats, Fred.