Seems it's another good day for Ogden. A Standard-Examiner article appeared today, after a long reporting lull, announcing that the City Council, acting as the Ogden City RDA, has agreed to sell a one-acre lot on the old mall-site to a Salt Lake developer. This developer plans to build out a six-story structure, which will include retail space, above-ground parking, and residential condominiums, among other things. Project cost will be borne entirely by the his company, apparently, without so much as a dime of RDA or City money being contributed to the project. This is definitely good news for Ogden City! You can read the whole story here.
Mayor Godfrey told us a while ago that developers were waiting in the wings, while the naysayers called him a liar. So far Mayor Godfrey's story checks out completely, and the process of building up the former mall property begins to unfold, while the naysayers are proven wrong yet again.
Meanwhile, there was another belated story about the naysayers, reported today by our faithful newspaper of record. As reported here first, about four days ago, the Std-Ex now tells us that the knight-errant, Don Quixote activist Mitch Moyes has gone to federal court for some kind of vague injunctive relief. According to the Std-Ex story, the complaint alleges that the voter list obtained from the Weber County clerk's office contained errors, that signed petitions were "stolen," and that documents relevant to the Recreation Center project were "intentionally witheld." Of course there's no allegation in the complaint that any of the named defendants were responsible for any ot these unalleged misdeeds. It sounds like a tough proof problem, even if it does get to a trial on the merits -- which it won't.
Strangely, the petitioners didn't even bother to submit their signed petitions by the deadline, which probably means they've waived their right to complain about any discrepancies in the numbers required to put the bonding to a public vote. Even more strangely, the petitioners seem to have no hearing date set for their request for an injunction. My guess is that the defendants' successful motion to dismiss will happen first.
As I said before in an earlier-posted article, it's a good idea to hire professionals to do professional jobs. These naysayers' complaint will be dismissed faster than you can say "frivolous lawsuit."
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5 comments:
As you said, the sale is evidence that there are investors willing to build, if we can show them a more promising future.
As to the law suit. It takes more effort to be a building block, than it does to be a stumbling stone.
I think it would be a mistake to dismiss the petition and most of the people that circulated and signed it. While Mitch seems to be in a big meltdown, there are a whole lot of people in Ogden that showed their dissatifaction with the Recreation Center plan by signing the petition. I rather suspect that a lot signed it as a show of disgust for city hall. I kind of think the number was 5000 plus incidently, which if even close shows a lot of restless indians out there.
There is a very large pool of contempt for what alot of folks see as a little arrogant Mayor and a mostly incompetent council. A lot of people are mad for a lot of different reason's - most to do with the smug and condencending manner in which they believe the whole administration conducts themselves. There are numerous tales of whoa by people who have dealt with this city on a wide range of matters. All ya gotta do to verify this is walk around and talk to the real people
of Oz! Talk to small business owners and property owners that have dealt with one city department or another.
This high tech wreck is going to happen a lot more surely than the proposed train wreck of yesteryear! I would like to be wrong when the mall saga is a done deal, but I feel it will just keep getting worser and worser as the story unwinds. It has to many major hurdes to overcome to ever have a betting chance of working. In fact I think there will be a lot of crashing and burning in the future years with all these RDA projects initiated by this group with so little business acumen. The only projects that seem to be working are 2nd street , Fresnius and Williams. That is because they have seasoned companies that are doing the deals and running the shows, and they are NOT retail. These people know what the're doing.
Unfortunately ten of the cities RDA's will be in hock on the 19 million bucks that is going to be laid down on the craps liine in a few weeks. I'm guessing that the wager will also be made BEFORE either Boyer or Larry Miller are signed on the dotted line. Again I hope I am wrong on this, these guys wouldn't put a 19 million buck debt on the public without firm signed committments from Boyer and Miller would they?
One sad part is that these particular politicians and bureaurocrats most likely won't be around and responsible when the final scores on all of these RDA schemes is known to the public. If any fails they won't have to take the heat and they of course have nothing personal to lose if it all goes bust - But if there is any success on any project these folks will make sure it's in the papers. Just the way politics works folks.
As to this new guy from SLC buying and building a 6 story building at the mall site, I say amen. If he is doing it with no RDA or other tax payer money I am in full support of it, and I congradulate the administration if they really are getting the 700 grand or so they say they are for the half acre - with no strings attached!
It would be great if this whole dream of the wizard of Oz like mayor came true and was successful. Then maybe he could collect enought sales tax off the bowling alley and ten bucks a minute air tube to repair the big holes in the streets and fix the collapsing water system.
I think the're all decent people doing what they think is right for Ogden, but man do I ever think the're dreamin the impossible dream - like old Rulon played for em on a little tape player for his three minute "public input" one night! I fear they are minor league players in a major league game. It is sad to see Ogden in their hands like this but I have faith that our dear town will survive and be better for it regardless of how it all turns out. Oz town has survived a lot of different political calamities in its colorful history and we will get through this one as well.
It will be very interesting come November to see how the people feel about this administration - what with four council seats up for grabs. Does any body know any viable, intelligent, committed, hard working, non-Socialist, non-RDA infected candidates that would be worth supporting?
At least it ain't boring!!!!!
I think I am finally beginning to understand the thoughts and sentiments that move you OzBoy. I was slow to realize that you think of Ogden as Oz, and the Mayor as the wizard. But I was even slower at realizing how real and well grounded your concerns are. My apologies.
I agree with much of what you say. I too, feel there is significant risk in the project. I just feel it is riskier to further delay action.
I have always felt that a useful variation on Edwin Markham's quote would be: "Why build these cities marvelous, if man unbuilded goes? In vain we build the cities unless the builder also grows." I say variation, because I substituted "cities" for "nation".
My first choice would be to lift Ogden from within. But that is a much hareder project, and getting and keeping public support for that, would be harder than nailing Jello to the wall.
I witnessed first hand the signing of some of the petitions, and I confess that I saw much of the antipathy for "city hall" of which you have spoken. But I also saw many people sign the petition who were just being friendly and thought "protecting their right to vote" fell in the same classification as "appreciating motherhood and loving apple pie". They had no idea that their vote could potentially stall and derail mall progress.
You are right about Boyer and Miller. They have both indicated they will sign nothing until the bond issue passes. If the mall site is not going to be spectacular, they don't want to be on board. They don't believe the mall site will draw beyond the boundries of downtown Ogden unless it passes. They have said so clearly.
And the city is laying everything on the line, as least as far as proceeds from previous successful RDAs is concerned. Like you I have my fingers crossed.
Nice chatting with the real you, OzBoy.
Bill, your comments hit me right where it hurts most, in the house of reason. I wish what you have said were not true, or not important, but alas.
I hate seeing the city overextended, and I deplore betting all the marbles on this mall venture.
However, as you said, it doesn't get anything built there. It doesn't render tha fact that we must build a regional mall and not a local mall if it is to succeed. And it doesn't relieve the fact that our city receives only 34% of the tax revenues per citizen, compared with surrounding communities.
What are we going to do? I noticed that the new building going up at the Harrisvile Walmart Center is Hastings. Oh, well, there goes another business that paid both property taxes and brought in salse taxes, out of our city, and into the luxurious arms of our neighbors. Another large retail venue will go vacant, once again.
A few more like that and we will drop from 34% to 30%. How would you guide a city if you were on the city council? What is the answer, please.
So Socrates, just when I was beginning to enjoy your back & forths with that Glasmann guy, you've gone silent on us. What gives? Surely, for someone who is considering a run at the Ward 3 Council Seat, I would have thought that you would have carried on a meaningful dialoge so that we could get a sense of what you're all about. Remember, the election season is but 3 months in length, so you're burning daylight if you're to be a serious candidate.
You haven't been hanging around with that Moyes character, have you? He has the tendancy to start a fire and then disappear.
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