tearing down the downtown mall.
Kent Jorgensen - 2001 Council Candidate
October, 2001
Kiss the Ogden City Mall goodbye.It's dead,
to be buried, hauled off actually, by a 4-3 vote
of the City Council Tuesday night.
[T]he self-described "new kids," newly-elected
members Kent Jorgensen and Mark Johnson,
swung the vote, even taking the lead to make
and second, respectively, the demolition motion.Standard-Examiner
January 16, 2002.
We've been elected to make good, bold, daring decisions.
I think we need to move ahead.Kent Jorgenson, newly sworn-in City Council Member
Reneging on his earlier campaign promise and taunting
"dumb" voters like me, who gullibly took him for his word
Standard-Examiner
January 16, 2002.
We're in control of our own destiny for the first time
on this mall site.Mark Johnson, newly sworn-in City Council Member
Standard-Examiner
January 16, 2002.
"The longer we wait, sitting on our thumbs, wondering and worrying, the worse it gets," Safsten said. "we've got to keep moving."
Standard-Examiner
January 16, 2002.
[Councilman]Filiaga spoke strongly against the demolition, saying, "I feel like we're riding a train going too fast that's going to crash, and we have no insurance. And we own the train."
Standard-Examiner
January 16, 2002.
[Mary] Hall, council vice-chairman, proposed delaying the vote until April until the design team the city administration is currently assembling can put together more detail on the open air "multi-use lifestyle center" officials plan to replace the mall. Hall said she talked to three architects who were responding to the administration's request for proposals regarding the new project and said they all seemed surprised the city was moving so quickly to raze the site. "They said 'Demolish? Before you have a plan?Standard-Examiner
January 16, 2002.
Donna Burdett was appointed in February 2004 to the Ogden City Council. She filled Mark Johnson’s vacancy after he accepted a full-time employment opportunity with Ogden City. The appointment is for the remaining time of Mr. Johnson’s term.
Ogden City Website
February 2004
The mall site 3 years and 8 months after
Councilman Jorgensen flip-flopped on his
2001 campaign pledge, and became the swing
vote on the council's rushed decision to
demolish the old downtown mall, a mere two
weeks after he was first sworn in.
September 30, 2005.
8 comments:
It's a beautiful site, isn't it? It helps contribute to that "Gaza Strip" feel of Washington Boulevard.
Hopefully, this coming Tuesday, the 4th of October, the voters will remember what Jorgenson's role was in this $30,000,000 debacle. He made these bold and daring decisions, without having or understanding the consequences, and here we are, 4 years later, mired in a financial quaqmire. He's the last person who should receive a vote. He constanly votes for Administrative proposals, backing Godfrey on any and everything. If truth be known, he'd be hard pressed to vote for a severance return from Reid, now that the Mayor has issued his "verbal agreement" release.
Interesting that two guys, behind closed doors, can agree to spending the public money that way, with no witmesses. If the contract were between two individuals, a bilateral contract, and did not effect the public trust or dollars, then fine, a verbal is definitely legal. But in this instance, when there were only the two of them, questions need to be answered. But we all know what those answers would be, don't we.
Remember, Jorgensen is going to "educate" the State Legislature to the ways of eminent domain so that he and Godfrey can take our citizens homes for WalMart, the River Walk, and now "tower space" for the gondola, if that thing gets that far. Jorgensen is definitely not deserving of another term as a council person who has been elected to serve the people. He only serves the Mayor, twisting his words to disquise his immoral position.
Very nice, Rudi. It's refreshing in this day and age to see credit given where it is due.
For all those out there who defend eminent domain, here is an interesting article which shows what a slippery slope eminent domain is. In this case, 6000 people will be displaced. Can you imagine a community roughly half the size of Brigham City losing thier homes for "the better good"?
http://www.washtimes.com/national/20051003-122623-2136r.htm
Outstanding, "Proper." I wonder how quick all these people, especially Kent Jorgensen, eminent domain Ogden City Council advocate king, would turn tail and run the other way if a developer wanted to take their private residence for a project, through eminent domain, that would pay more taxes, and thus be "in the better interests of the community?"
I can see the stampede now and hear the roar of their voices.
Sick and Tired sure nailed it, in Rudi's post"Think Its Your Future" Rudi's middle name is hypocrite.
That was not my post, sick&tired.
But thanks for playing...
Bye-bye, Mr. President.
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