Although he [Bobby G.] is supportive of the proposal by developer Chris Peterson, as a City Council member, he wouldn't hesitate to oppose the plan if it turned out to be a bad deal for Ogden.
When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro.
Hunter S. Thompson
The Great Shark Hunt:
Strange Tales from a Strange Time
1979Somebody posted it yesterday in a comment to the previous article thread: "Did you hear Bob Geiger put in for the city council?" We passed it off at the time as just another sarcastic reader wisecrack, consistent with the light-hearted banter that typically permeates Weber County Forum comments threads.
This morning, however, we're startled by this truly strange Standard-Examiner Section B headline story: Lift Ogden head wants council seat. We incorporate Ace Reporter Schwebke's lead paragraphs here:
The Great Shark Hunt:
Strange Tales from a Strange Time
1979Somebody posted it yesterday in a comment to the previous article thread: "Did you hear Bob Geiger put in for the city council?" We passed it off at the time as just another sarcastic reader wisecrack, consistent with the light-hearted banter that typically permeates Weber County Forum comments threads.
This morning, however, we're startled by this truly strange Standard-Examiner Section B headline story: Lift Ogden head wants council seat. We incorporate Ace Reporter Schwebke's lead paragraphs here:
OGDEN - The head of an organization in support of a controversial multimillion-dollar mountain resort east of Ogden and a downtown gondola has applied for a vacant City Council seat.On a more story-abundant news day, it's possible that we would merely file this story under "web oddities," or ignore it altogether. Having said that however, we do believe there are elements of this report that are worthy of some comment.
Bob Geiger, chairman of Lift Ogden and chief operating officer of Descente North America, has little chance of being selected due to his favoritism for the project, said his father, Curt Geiger.
However, he still wants the council to consider his qualifications which include a bachelor's degree in economics from the U.S. Naval Academy and a master's degree in business administration from Boston University, his dad said.
First, we believe Mr. Geiger's obvious bad-faith filing demonstrates once again the tendency of these people to abuse formal processes for the purpose of accomplishing ulterior motives. Even while recognizing that his chances of actually receiving a council appointment are virtually nil, Mr. Geiger nevertheless clogs the process with his own application (and grabs a Std-Ex headline article,) in an obviously self-serving effort plainly calculated to increase public credibility "down the road." Mr. Geiger hasn't always been a mind-numbed gondola zombie, he intends to remind us. At some recent point in his young life, credible academic institutions actually accorded him enough respect to award him a pair of academic degrees, after all... Bob Geiger should thus not be simply dismissed as just another raving gondolist lunatic.
Secondly, we believe proud papa Curt's above-cited fuzzy assurances concerning his son (Bobby's) potential open-minded judiciousness reflect clearly the very nature of the Lift Ogden modus operandi which leaves the townsfolk feeling queazy. Although he seems to suggest that his beloved son could conceivably nix the Peterson plan in a proper case, Curt nevertheless hedges with the phrase, "...if it turned out to be a bad deal for Ogden" -- as if such a set of facts could ever penetrate the gondolist mind of Bob Geiger, even in this inverted corner of the universe that is lovingly known as Emerald City.
Reporter Schwebke's story also reports that eleven other presumably-serious applicants (other than Bob Geiger) also applied for the vacant council seat prior to yesterday's application cut-off. We will attempt to obtain this list from the City Council Office as soon as possible, and will post it here as an update as soon as it is available.
In the meantime, what say our gentle readers about today's tempest in a teapot?
Update 9/12/06 6:04 p.m. MT: Just at the point where we were beginning to believe that the Emerald City Council Applicants List would remain a state secret over night, we receive the official list, together with today's council press release, from three different sources within five minutes:
Council Press Release
Council Applicants List (39 names - Yoiks!)
Let the games begin!
39 comments:
much a do about nothing
It's called delusional.
How the HELL did Bob Geiger earn a Masters let alone a Bachelors degree? This guy is the most bi-polar person I've ever met!
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Dem Geigers sure are funny.
How did the potty mouth kid rate a headline and feature story? Cuz of daddy or Godfrey?
Will the other 11 receive the same treatment?
When Rudi publishes the other candidates' names.....I suggest we do NOT write about the best among 'em for fear of jinxing their chances of real consideration. And, if we diss the worst...they will get the nod.
The sidebar teensy story about the guy driving off the embankment at Riverdale and the freeway would've been a really interesting piece with pictures. But, WE saw Bob's smiling face and proud daddy's comments. Ah, well. That's the SE. Whether or not to return a shopping cart and leave children at the mercy of kidnappers a few feet away from mama has gotten a lot of space in the Letters section recently. THAT makes me more secure and informed about my city.
I didn't know annapolus and BC sold mail order degrees
Ted
Delusional is imprinted in the Geiger DNA, they all seem to have it.
Even Godfrey wouldn't be so stupid as to think this dumb shit would actually get appointed, especially after the recent Chapman fiasco. Or is he?
My guess is that this is a diversionary tactic to keep people's eyes off the real dark horse that Godfrey surely has in the race. Just another sleazy little attempt to tax the limited brain power on the sitting council. It is the same kind of trick carnival barkers use with the famous shell game. Keep the suckers looking at the wrong shell.
Shell game is right. Godfrey never does anything IMHO that isn't disengenuous or downright corrupt. And, Curm, I know you're dying to jump in here and give both sides to Godfrey's character or lack thereof...but restrain yourself. (only partially kidding)
How in the world did the stanard get the scoop on this, when the names have not even been released as of last night. I think that there is a leak in the council executive office that is leaking info and I wonder if the city council even cares that that info had been leaked. how about it Mr Chair Garcia and Vice Chair Wicks, I called around 4:30 p.m. yesterday and was told that now one was getting any information about the candidates until to day. I wonder how compentant Bill Cook is in handling this whole bit. does he really know what he is doing? Why doesn't the council take care of this situation themselve. are they all so inept that they can't even lead the way. That they have turned all of their power over to Bill Cook. and that he is going to run things his way and not theirs. Looks like to me that the tail is wagging the dog. Who is in charge of the this City anyway.
Boy, If I knew that someone was leaking some info. I would be looking to plug the leak, or replace the leak, this whole thing of someone leaking the name really needs to be looked into.
I guess that there is alot of things that can happen and the people in power will just look the other way. there is no accountibility, no check and balance here, no responiblility. lets just look the other way. unless your a cop that likes to speak out. free matt jones
I think the first anon. and Sharon got it right. Much ado about nothing, and why in the world was this a news story? Particularly since we don't know of anyone else who applied, [Sometimes, I have to wonder about the SE's judgement about what is newsworthy and what isn't.]
If the Council releases a list of all the applicants, it might rate part of a sentence: "Applicants included X, Y, Z and Mr. Robert Geiger, head of Lift Ogden." But surely no more than that and absolutely not a stand-alone article. And if, for some unfathomable reason, the SE was going to go with the story, then it certainly should have included how the information was developed... did Mr. Geiger call them and announce that he had applied? Did someone on the Council tell the SE or did Council staff do it? Did Mr. Schwebke read it on men's room walls in three different places [making it practically an official announcement]? As I recall, I don't think the SE sourced this story. Why not?
This would have been newsworthy, and will be, if Mr. Geiger's name turns up [as I hope it will not] among the five finalists from which the Council will make the interim appointment. But at this point? The fact that Mr. Geiger nominated himself for the open Council seat is news, worthy of a full story, bylined and headlined? No. I think the SE got played here to provide a little free PR to the Geiger clan.
I know there are in the trade things called "slow news days," but it would have to be practically a "comotose news day" for Mr. Geiger's self-nomination to rate full story treatment.
I hope some applicants are former counclpersons who could hit the ground running. Takes a while for new Councilpersons to learn the ropes and become efficient, effective members, as a rule. An ex-councilperson would not have to go through that for such a short term appointment. If I were on the Council, I'd tend to look favorably on former council persons who applied, and who made it clear they did not intend, if appointed, to run for the office on their own 14 months from now. [NB: I have no idea if any former councilpersons have applied for the post.]
Righto, Curm.
It could be that Curt, Bob, Godfrey or Bill Cook told Scott Schwebke. Don't you think a smart reporter or editor with a gnat's brain of curiosity would want to know from whence this info was coming?
Of course, the SE editors may have already been apprised of that from SOMEONE at City Hall. Which floor?
At any rate, talk about self-aggrandizement, eh? Nominate yourself (as all the council candidates must), and then get yourself a headline. Sickening.
Well, I say, give ALL the candidates their own space with a nice write-up about THEIR qualifications. Let us not soon forget that Godfrey managed to keep Chapman's name before us in several editions.
I've got it! After we kick the king off the throne...he can either be a PR guy for inept candidates or work at the SE in the Features Dep't..2nd section..either job suits his talents.
Curm,
If the rumor is true that Ken Alford is applying for the seat we should all be very concerned. He is a former council retread that voted for virtually all of the mayor's proposals during the years he was on the council. He is not one that we should have on the council.
The City Council has released a full listing of those who applied. Just received an email from the council with the list. Mr. Alford is on it. Mr. Alford is on the list.
Hey, let's not talk about any of the candidates by name, eh? We'll only jinx the good ones, and put the worst ones toward the top.
Let's be very generalized in our comments. There are a couple on there that I'm happy to see, and some I didn't see, but had hoped would apply. But I will not name them cuz I want them to have a FAIR hearing.
Anyone agree? Didn't see Geiger's name on there...verrrry in ter esting.
Well, I didn't scroll down far enuf...Geiger's name is on there, and one I am very pleased to see.
Interesting process. With 39 people, if each one gets 5 minutes, we're looking at about 3 hours. With a 10 minute interview, it's 6 hours. And these times are with no time in between, like for walking around or sitting down.
Lots of questions, here. I imagine, since it is a public process, all may be in the room at the same time.
Maybe not, though. Maybe applicants will wear two hats, so to speak, and may not be a member of the public while being an applicant, and will be asked to wait outside until the interview time.
Wild speculation ensues, as usual.
Well, Dian, I suspect that between now and interview date, there will be some withdrawls.
And of course in many, if not most cases as the Council interviews and deliberates, the elephant in the room will be the Peterson/Gondola matter.
The Glassman resignation makes me think, again, that when the Council finally decides something essential in re: transit and/or the gondola and Peterson proposals, it should be put up for a public vote. It would not be good for Ogden if the matter was decided 4-3 and an appointed [not elected] Council member voted with the majority [on either side.]
I was very interested to see Gloria Berrett's name on the list of candidates.
I think we should talk about anyone by name that we want to. Half the people I've never heard of so I would like some input.
The Council can't know all of them either.
does anyone recognize any of the names as LO supporters?
I think Dian Woodhouse is a LO supporter
The Weird turns pro?
Did any one else pick up on the Secretary of the United States Air Force advocating that they test new microwave weapons on US civilians before they are used in war?
Is there no end to the idiocy of these NeoCons?
I would expect this from the Godfreyites, but from the National Government? Yikes. Fascism revisited?
yes, I know some of them to be LO people...and no, Georgina, I still say..jinx your good candidate, and push forward a bad one with too many personal comments.
Annonymous! Please speak the truth or keep your mouth shut! Who are you? Godfrey? He's the only one I know that lies as much as you! Ken Alford OPPOSED THE MAYOR ON JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING!! Dian Woodhouse is NOT a member of Lift Ogden.
You are as evil as the Mayor! You take two of the strongest applicants and try to discredit them by telling lies about them. Are you and the Mayor afraid of them?!
one other benefit that will come of this process...maybe one or two of these candidates might be interested and qualified to fill a planning commission seat. perhaps we can get the mayor to stop whining about not being able to find anyone qualified!
Criticizing, supporting anyone on the Big List won't matter much. The Council will make whatever decision it makes based on the written submissions, the interviews and whatever back channel evaluations they get [individually] from sources they trust. The point at which public input might have some effect is when they narrow the list to five finalists. We can all chime in then. But I suspect concerns, hymns of praise, or anything in between before that will have no impact at all. Unless you know a councilperson and the one you know has some reason to trust your judgement and to take your comments seriously.
Be interesting to see who the final five are.
It doesn't matter who the final five are.
Godfrey has this appointment wired. If he didn't he wouldn't have lured Glasman away with this phony job he created for him.
Nothing happens in the Godfrey kingdom by chance.
Why don't you just stop for a moment and take a look at yourselves?Filled with hate, you spend your time undermining those who want to make it better. Undermining a man who was and is a hero in our country's services, the United States Marine Corps. Shame on you for sliming Bob. Shame on you for your divisive attitudes. Shame on you for making our world a more hateful place.
Carolyn C.
Look at what happened in Ogden while Godfrey and Alford were in office at the same time. The final votes will show them in tandem when it came to the final votes on the issues. Did Alford vote to tear down the mall? Takeover the BDO? Create the RDA project areas? Yes, Yes, Yes...etc.... My, my, don't we have short memories? The phrase "inconvenient truth" comes to mind.
Anon:
You wrote Undermining a man who was and is a hero in our country's services, the United States Marine Corps.
What bothers me a little about your post is the apparent assumption you make that because someone served in the military, he or she is, by right of that fact, beyond criticism when he or she becomes an advocate for some public policy or another. Military service does not necessarily make someone qualified to serve in public office, nor does it necessarily mean they are beyond criticism for the positions they advocate. We've had people in office who put their military experience to good use and became good public officials, like I would say Dwight David Eisenhower, and we've had military men who have been disasters as public officials [Ulysses Simpson Grant and "Tailgunner Joe" McCarthy come to mind.]
Mr. Geiger's military service is, seems to me, irrelevent to the question of whether he would make a good city councilman or not. It would make about as much sense to vote for him for that office because he has been a Marine as it would make to vote against him for that office because he was a Marine.
A bit more info on the CC candidates from the Salt Lake Trib.
Anonymous
Please provide details of Mr. Geiger's heroism. Please include any details of medals and awards that would substantiate this alledged heroism.
Also note that being a veteran of the military does not automatically qualify some one as a hero, a patriot, intelligent or sane. If it did, we would have a very long list of heros here abouts, including many critics of the mayor and participants on this blog - like me for instance.
Thanks for the thoughtful above analysis Curmudgeon. I believe your logical argument is entirely valid and on point.
I do believe your argument will probably be wasted on the most recent "anonymous," however, whose utterance was purely emotional, and lacking in any rational content.
Emotion, of course, is the primary ordinance in the gondolist arsenal. Seldom, if ever, do these gondolist folks engage in reasoned discussion.
Two added points:
1) I'm a military veteran myself; but I don't wear my military service on my sleeve; and neither do most veterans I know. When some moron gets around to wrapping his favorite candidate in the flag, most veterans I know realize he's already lost the qualification-based arguments. Ozboy's above post is, of course, further evidence which bolsters this point.
2) The repeated knee-jerk references to "hate" and "hatefulness" is truly one of my top-ranked pet peeves. This is the POS stuff of the Rush Limbos and Bill Reilleys of the world -- glorified talking heads who couldn't differentiate legitimate criticism from hatred if their lives depended on it.
Just my two-bits, and thanx again for the comment. You too, Ozboy.
This really hurts rudi but I have to strongly disagree with you on Oreilly and Limbaugh. They are hardly perveyors of hate. For example, I dont't recall ever hearing either of them comparing us to Nazis - as has a prominent Democrat senator! (Senator Durbin of Illinois)
ARMYSARGE!
Friends don't let friends listen to Limbo & O'Reilly!
sigh...........
I guess you are right Rudi - I need to start watching CNN - now THERE is a real source of factual information!!
CNN..CBS...NBC...ABC...MSBNC....
...ALL paragons of virtue in the news world.............
I almost forgot one of my PERSONAL favorites....Keith Olbermann. Now THERE is a real newsman!!!!!!!!!!!
Rudi, I like your new picture! Can you go crop it a little closer tho?
It is apparent that you used some of that new skin bleach that is all the rage in the Godfrey administration where whitesome is delightsome and there aint no darkies allowed.
Now before ya'll get your shorts in a knot about this being racist, just look around Ogden at our wonderful rainbow of colors in the folks and brown people are most likely in the majority, then look at the city administration and all dem useless high paid geniuses that Godfrey surrounds himself with. Aint one brown person amongst them unless you consider Scott Brown brown.
The only thing dark in this city government is Godfrey's heart.
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