Wednesday, October 26, 7:00 p.m.: Weber County League of Women Voters will host a debate for the General Election candidates for Ogden City Council seats. The debate will be held in the auditorium of the Weber County Main Library. The public is invited and encouraged to attend in order to make an informative choice on Election Day.
The WCLOWV website provides no information on the debate format -- whether it will follow a list of pre-submitted questions, audience-submitted queries, or a combination of the two. I'll sleuth around a little bit today to see what I can find out about this. Whatever the format, however, this will be the last time we'll be able to see all the candidates performing in the flesh prior to the November 8 election in an adversarial setting, so it might be a good idea to put this event on your calendars.
Thursday, October 27, 5:30 p.m.: Ogden City Mayor Matthew R. Godfrey will be appearing in a televised Call-in Show on Channel 17, Thursday, October 27 from 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. The show will also be aired on Weber State University's student radio station, KWCR, 88.1. Channel 17 can also be viewed over the internet here, courtesy of the Ogden City website.
Mayor Godfrey has taken recent criticism over the alleged use of Channel 17 for crass political purposes. It will be interesting to observe whether he plays it straight in this broadcast, or whether he allows this program to devolve into an hour-long political ad for the nefarious Ogden Gang-of-Six. Either way, this program is a local "must see," for Ogden political junkies, I think.
Update 10/25/05 12:05 p.m. MT: This Call in show may prove to be a continuing gig for our politically-beleaguered Mayor, judging from the press release that I received this morning.
I'll add that I've long thought that a Channel 17 call in show could be useful to both the townsfolk and the government, if it were to follow a true two-way input-output format, and not to serve as a one-way propaganda outlet. I was actually urging mayor Godfrey to do the former six or eight months ago.
And what do our gentle readers think about this?
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18 comments:
In addition to the host of other questionable dealings by the current administration, I hope someone can look into this Channel 17 policy.
This:
Channel 17 costs the city about $20,000 yearly, about half of which comes from a 10-cent monthly fee charged to cable subscribers.
is why.
I think that if transmission over the airways is being paid for with tax dollars and also by cable subscribers' fees, it has to be non-partisan. A station with this type of funding should not be used to promote a single political agenda, and there may be an FCC regulation about it somewhere.
A different example would be KBYU, which, funded by LDS dollars, would be perfectly correct in running only LDS pointed programming.
But since Channel 17 is not funded privately by a citizens group that is totally pro the mayoral agenda, I view the one-sided programming there as an abuse of how publicly funded programming should work.
Good job to Amy Wicks, et al, for taking a look at this!
OGDENITES IN SEARCH OF INFORMATION are in the process of putting together a candidates meeting for November 3 at 6:30 P.M. at the Marshall White Center at 222 28th Street.
OGDENITES IN SEARCH OF INFORMATION have become very interested in learning why the 2 million HUD grant was not used for low-income housing but went into Ogden City's other projects. Another HUD grant is supposed to be forthcoming so keep your eyes on that one.
There are a few questions that need to be asked:
1. Is there a reserve fund to cover potential liability in the lawsuit in Federal Court by OK3AIR vs. the Ogden Airport RDA which will bankrupt Ogden when the City loses?
2. Is there a reserve fund to cover Ogden's exposure in the 70 million to 100 million requirement to upgrade the Central Weber Sewer Improvement District according to the 5-year survey finally presented on October 17, 2005 by MWH?
3. Is there a reserve fund to cover repairing Ogden's water system problems which are critical?
DL- you should worry about electric signs on the side of a street, if you can get a beer at winger's, if a chocolate sign is too big, and if your new flashy brigham city wannabe pool is making money and leave those of us down here alone. And don't gimme that I own property in Ogden line. Everybody knows why you purchased it and that you don't live there.
Well the latest chicken shit "anonymous" herein has sure shown his ass on this lame comment!
For starters Dorothy does not have any thing to do with Brigham City or its pool! You ought to know what your talking about before you make such a fool of yourself!!
Dorothy has the guts to put her money and her mouth where her heart is, and that is Ogden! She has done more for Ogden than all the naysayers, Godfreyites, and wanna be intellectuals out there combined.
She is above all else a true hero of Ogden and I salute her and encourage her further efforts on behalf of all tax payers of Ogden.
Dear Mr. Anonymous
I won't stay out of Ogden politics. I practiced in Ogden for 30 years and I love and respect my old clients and they need help to fight the neo-con thinking of the present city administration.
You don't have a clue about this fight. It is about personal rights and constitutional rights.
I will fight for any one who is being mislead by their elected officials. So just get used to my comments, Mr. Anonymous!
Tell us who you really are and let's slug it out.
The citizens of Ogden should pin a medal on you, Dorothy.
The adults of Ogden thank you for your lifetime of contributions to this city.
Anonymous is obviously short-sighted and politically unsophisticated.
He's also probably posting from mommy's computer.
Kudos to Amy Wicks on her tough questions about Channel 17. More points of view would certainly peak interest of the station.
********SOMETHING ROTTEN*********
************HERE!****************
There's something rotten happening in the Ogden political scene. Beginning with the Garcia SLAM by whomever (most think it was perpetuated by the Mayor through Dori Mosher), to the way the Wreck Center and Gondola are being shoved down our throats, to today's Letter to the Editor by former council candidate Steven Prisbrey, slamming Doug Stephens over virtually NOTHING in his laughable attempt to support the Mayor's hand picked sychophant Steven Larsen.
Prisbrey's letter, and when compared to his blog posts and public speaking appearances I doubt this letter was written by him as it's crafted beyond Prisbrey's abilities and reads not unlike the Mayor's works, is a vile, demeaning piece aimed not at the issues but at soiling a good man's reputation and position.
To begin, Prisbrey heaps on the praise of one Fasi Filiaga, telling the readers what a great Statesman Filiaga is. Now, I know that Filiag is well intentioned, but his position and quotes basically tell it like it is-it's time the guy retired. He whole-heartedly supports the Mayor, regardless of the issue, chastises the public for speaking out during Public Input sessions, and fails to give credit to any former administration, saying that nothing was accomplished by them (it seems he forgets about the BDO, Lindquist Field, and many other notable and more importantly "SOLVENT" projects that were completed under the Mecham Administration). Anyway, a big thanks for serving, Fasi, but it's definitely retirement time.
To continue, Prisbrey then delves into the honesty and integrity of one Steve Larsen, Filiaga's and the Mayor's hand picked replacement. It's obvious that Larsen will vote any damned way the Mayor tells him to. And as far as being "a man of impeccable honesty and integrity," there are some things out there that I'm sure would be of interest to the citizens of Ogden. This writer will not be the one to lower himself or herself and expose Larsen's shortcomings, as this writer feels that campaigns should be run on the issues which further the cause of Ogden rather than on slanderous debasements that the Downtowners feel is appropriate.
Sadly, Prisbrey wraps up his letter with this earthshaking pronouncement of Doug Stephens: "Do we really want to elect someone who is willing to breaks simple election rules to get our vote?" These rules Stephens is accused of breaking are the "campaign sign placement rules." Prisbrey claims that Stephens has been "repeatedly warned by the city recorder's office to take down signs that have been "unlawfully placed." "UNLAWFULLY PLACED!" What a crock! What candidate, Larsen as much or more than any of them, hasn't put their signs in places that might be questionable. They're ALL guilty of this horrible CRIME!
How does Prisbrey know about the "repeated" contacts from the City Recorder? Does Gloria Berrett call him and tell him another call was made to Stephens? Or is someone Downtown somehow involved in this little, weak-assed set-up?
Statements of this nature are meant only to sulley a candidate and shows the complete lack of dignity and ethics of the person making these insinuations. This garbage is meant to take away the people's "choice," not to further a probative look at the candidate's position on the issues. Prisbrey, and those of his same ilk, do nothing positive with this type of character assassination and negative, unsupported inferences of a person's character. Prisbrey only shows his complete lack of comprehension and dignity when it comes to the political process and has no place in a true value system. It's no wonder this kid only received about 300 Primary votes. He has much to learn, about dignity and respect and who to follow.
Dian,
Since channel 17 doesn't use the "public airwaves" it would not be regulated by the FCC in the same way that KBYU or KSL or any other user of the "public airwaves" would.
Though I don't disagree with you about the fact that its use of taxpayers funds as well as subscriber fees would seem to make it more open to the public.
Virtually every candidate using signs in this election has had to be reprimanded for improper placement. Gloria sent out reminders via mail, and verbally warned several. To call out only ONE candidate is just an attempt to push your pro-administration agenda. I never understood why you were running when it was apparent to me that you were in favor of how things are going. If I supported this city’s direction, I’d never want to go against Burdett.
To Steve’s credit, however, he is one of few candidates in this election who always abided by the sign placement rules. Also, it's a cheap shot to gripe about the city, not have the courage to put your name and opinions out there for public scrutiny, and then condescend someone because they ONLY received 300+ votes. It ain't easy running a campaign on a shoestring budget, trying to get as much support as you can in a short time. For someone just 30 years old going against a bigger brand name in Burdett, 300 votes is pretty decent, especially when you don't have any significant difference in your views.
Where's your name, former candidate? I agree, though, Prisbrey did OK for a young man and without much of a political machine behind him.
But really, "unlawfull campaign sign placement" is all he's got against Doug Stephens? That's absolutely meaningless....you guys all do that. I've watched Burdett bury Jeske, Jorgenson and Glasmann spare over position, and Steve Larsen, who put his signs out in June, had the damn things all over the place.
If you guys are going to come at someone, then come at them with SOMETHING, not campaign signs and where they're placed. People aren't criminals, for gawd sakes, for slapping a sign down here or there.
Like one famous campaign once asked:
"Where's the beef?"
I've known Doug Stephens for almost 30 years, Steve, since the time he and I worked together in the ZCMI Ogden store.
I can say categorically that Doug is without a doubt the straightest straight-arrow in the entire race, and any suggestion to the contrary is pure B.S.
This campaign has taken a decidely negative tone of late; and I confess I'm disappointed to observe that you seem to have joined in with the pack of gang-of-six big-government incumbents, who seem at this point unable to run on their own shameful records alone.
Sign placement is a non-issue in this campaign, as far as most sensible people are concerned.
As for injecting party politics into this race, it seems to me that Mr. Stephens' opponent, Steve Larsen, opened discussion of this issue, when he announced, in a John Wright article, that he was a former Weber County Republican Party Chair.
And now that the issue has been raised, perhaps you'll ask Mr. Larsen exactly when he served as the Weber County Party Chair? While you're at it, maybe either you or he can tell us who his vice chair was at the time...along with his secretary and trearurer. I've been inquiring around about this in local Republican Party circles, and so far have been unable to find anyone who even remembers the guy.
Maybe you can help us out on this?
Thanks in advance.
Maybe ask the Mayor and Jorgenson and Safsten and Burdett and Stevenson about breaking the rules and their word. Haven't they all along told us that we, the people, would not be on the hook for this damn wreck center? And didn't they just pass by a vote of 5-2 (thank God for Jesse and Amy) all the resolutions that're necessary to put the people of Ogden in "bondage" for the next 25 years? If these two business giants, Fat Katz and Gold's Gym, fail to make their lease payments, then our city gets to make them, or work out a deal with the lenders to give them the property for 50 cents on the dollar.
All of the TIF and BDO money is now commited for the next 25 years. How's that for breaking your word?
Does anyone really think that this thing will be able to put enough money into the till to allow Fatz and Gold's to make a lease pmt of $70,000 to $90,000 A MONTH?!? Operating costs, labor, goods, utilities, etc., are added to the lease cost and we're probably close to 100-125K a month. How many lines of bowling? How many Layton residents to come here for the Flo-rider, the Air-tunnel? It staggers the imagination.
We are hocked up to our respective asses with this thing. And now there's a sewer project that needs 70 million dollars, infrastructure that needs another 148 million dollars (maybe back out the 70 mil), and our revenue streams are all tied up in Godfrey's foley.
And the Gang of Six absolutely broke their word to us by voting for this financial package. I hope you folks who support this have a back-up plan. It's quite obvious that these implications are soaring way over many of your heads.
Think I'll sell out, close down my business and move to South Ogden or Layton. Hell, I'd be in that "new and exciting 30 mile radius" that the wreck center has just established. Godfrey has shown us how to increase the city's drawing power from 5 miles to 30 miles with his project. And it's only costing us every friggin cent that BDO and 13-15 RDA projects are currently generating. Does anyone comprehend this? Hello.
The reality is that we are hocked to the gills and if this doesn't work, Ogden will be flat broke and owned by a bank called Wells Fargo.
PRAY that the challengers get in and that somehow there's a moritorium put on proceeding with Godfrey's foley. Ogden has just been financially "nuked!"
And Prisbrey is concerned with yard signs. Gawd-a mighty, Steve, what's happened to you?
arcritic, you are so right. It's cable, isn't it. So out goes the FCC.
But still, using part of everybody's Comcast bill to push one specific political agenda is not, shall we say, representative.
On another subject, just returned from the candidates' debate. There were quite a few people there, and it was very well run by the League of Women Voters. Each candidate had three minutes to state a platform, and then there were questions from the floor, either asked verbally or passed up to the front on cards and delivered by the moderator. Very informative.
A high point for me was Jeske getting up and pulling no punches, stating exactly what she was for and what she was against. Very refreshing, since politicians usually manage to talk all around things without committing themselves either way.
All candidates present, when asked if the land should be sold to the Episcopal Church, said yes, with the exception of Jorgensen, who said something about revenue producing capabilities of that land.
It was brought up that there are 34 other projects for which the money currently under consideration for the rec center could be used. Burdett said to this that those projects were not revenue producing and the rec center would be. When later the question was asked as to how much revenue the rec center would produce, there was discussion, but I really don't think anyone answered it. As in a projected dollar figure.
What came through very strongly for me, at least, was the fact that Jorgensen and Burdett seem to honestly believe that the responsibility for revenue producing ventures in Ogden is the city's responsibility. (This I do not agree with, as there has to be a bit of room for private enterprise to function freely.) Perhaps they do not think the citizens of Ogden are capable of generating revenue producing enterprises and therefore the city has to do it, or maybe they look at their positions as mandating that they do. In other words, it seems that they look at these projects as a part of their job description.
Those were my impressions, at least. I think it was great that the League of Women Voters hosted this. Perhaps others were there and will give their impressions--hope so.
Prisbrey, man of PRINCIPLE, what the hell about all of your signs left in people's yards. Isn't there something UNLAWFUL about that? Is it up to the guy who owns the property and ALLOWED you to place a sign there, to remove it? Or is it MAYBE YOUR RESPONSIBILITY?!?
Get your ACT together before you start GRANDSTANDING about a really good, descent man who will kick Comrade Larsen's ass!
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