Today's Salt Lake Tribune story confirms that the Godfrey administration is attempting to turn up the heat on former Emerald City Human Resources Director Dean Martinez, who first blew the public whistle on Business Development Manager Scott Brown.
OGDEN - Ogden police are investigating whether the city's former human resources manager, Dean Martinez, stole the city's personnel file on Scott Brown, the business development manager.Whistleblowers like Mr. Martinez have a tough time of it in our Brave New MattGodfreyWorld, where Boss Godfrey rules with a fist of iron. If any of our gentle readers are doubtful about this, simply ask Matt Jones about it.
The investigation - based on a complaint by Brown - will be conducted by Detective Rick Childress, Lt. Tony Fox said Monday.
Brown did not return calls to his office and cell phone on Monday.
Martinez acknowledged taking Brown's personnel file to his home, but said he was within his rights because Ogden managers frequently take work home.
Martinez was fired in December, the same week that city attorney Gary Williams retrieved Brown's file from Martinez's home in Roy.
City officials said Martinez was fired for taking city property - Brown's file - and for dishonesty, but Martinez claimed he was fired because he was about to blow the whistle on Mayor Matthew Godfrey's tolerance of alleged misbehavior by Brown.
Martinez previously told The Salt Lake Tribune that he had learned in his two years at the city that pornography allegedly had been found on Brown's computer and that Brown had been accused several times over the years of sexually harassing female employees and verbally abusing subordinates.
Rather than discipline or fire Brown, Martinez said, Ogden administrators rewarded him. City officials, including Williams, have refused to discuss the allegations because they involve personnel matters.
And buried midway through Reporter Kristen Moulton's article we find these very interesting revelations:
"Martinez previously told The Salt Lake Tribune that he had learned in his two years at the city that pornography allegedly had been found on Brown's computer and that Brown had been accused several times over the years of sexually harassing female employees and verbally abusing subordinates;"Whereas it had been previously reported by the Standard-Examiner that Mr. Brown had been involved in a only single sexual harassment complaint, today's Kristen Moulton article suggests multiple such alleged offenses, possibly as many as three.
and,
"Three former Brown subordinates contacted by the Tribune in January substantiated Martinez's allegations about Brown's behavior toward them."
This new information of course corroborates the most recent Dean Martinez statement, which we posted here yesterday.
It was a nice news lull, while it lasted.
Let's hear from our gentle readers.
Update 3/13/07 1:23 p.m. MT: Per the request of Gentle Reader Marv, we link here two articles from this morning's Standard-Examiner, which pertain to Emerald City politics:
Utah may loosen restrictions - Ogden was example of how eminent domain shouldn’t be used
Ogden councilman denies allegations of dirty politics
Have at it, outta town readers.
31 comments:
Martinez also reported that not only Brown was known to have porn on his city computer, but another person in accounting had been FIRED for the same offense!
I wish that Neil (or whomever) is an actual, serious candidate for mayor would come out now!
Godfrey and minions have fired their ugly salvos. We need a strong, aurthoritative figure to lead out now.
This town is like like a wilting plant...dying for water...we are dying on the vine searching for a LEADER.
This leader must ooze confidence and capture the imagination and loyalty of the voters.
Come on Neil...come on (whomever)...where are you? Get your campaign off the ground.
Show the folks that you are the honest, experienced, knowledgable 'clean it up' person who will restore dignity,INTEGRITY and honor to Ogden once again.
Do not be 'afraid' of the mayor and his relatives who are known to fight 'dirty' and are sneaky in their attacks. Don't be afraid of the bad-mouthing of the FOM's...they are twits.
We aren't the 'ski capitol' of the ocuntry....we are the 'ski cap' capitol of Weber County.
We are known outside Utah....and not as the recreation hub of the West. MANY know that Ogden is a laughing stock because of the machinations of the little man on the 9th floor.
A gondola to nowhere? Give it up.
Ogden has real concerns to be addressed by a real LEADER.
We are waiting for you to come forward NOW!
Do any of your really smart people know how to access the Og Dity Website in order to hear the CC meeting of last Tu, the 6th?
I can't get anything but one page.
Thank you,
What do you mean, "laughing stock?" Why are so many companies locationg here? Why is the value of real estaqte on the rise? Why are houses being built and the cost of older homes going up? Why is 25th Street property being snatched up the day it goes on the market?
Why?
Because we're in the middle of a renaissance in good old Ogden. There's the River Project, the American Can Company that will house DaVinci and Amer, there's the Junction that holds Miller's Theater Complex, the Recreation Center, the Wells Fargo Bldg. and PRI. There's the Earnshaw Bldg, with $300,000 condos that have sold, there's improvement on the city's gateways, the Lowes are grabbing national headlines for ice climbing and there's the Kayak Park coming this way.
Yeah "Observer 1," you should start to live up to your name, OBSERVE instead of screw around with worn out phrases regarding the gondola, which would be a pretty cool deal if it can come together, and quit with the "laughing stock" BS. All that shows is your needle is stuck in THE groove and you can't see the forest because of the trees.
We helpfully provide Gentle Reader Stumped with a link, to the City Council page, where audio files are linked.
Click either the Windows Media Player or MP3 link.
From an out of town reader, could you also please link the latest Schlepke article (and any other's that have to do with Ogden politics)
Thanks, Can't get enough of Ogden pollitics by the way. Ogden has always had a much different and interesting political scene than the rest of Utah. All that rough and tumble outside influence brought in by the railroad. I think it gave the town an attitude, one that is much more interesting than the usual obedient pablum politics of the rest of the State south of Salt Lake.
Ogden has always been a much tougher market for the ill intended politician to operate in. People there just seem to call bull shit a lot faster than our polite neighbors to the south, north, west and east!
Think I'll come back when I retire!
Maybe I can get a part time job greasing the gondola cables for Mr. Peterson.
Well put, Marv. I suggest you (and everybody else for that matter) read Jean Bickmore White, "The Right to Be Different: Ogden and Weber County Politics, 1850-1924," pp. 254-272, Utah Historical Quarterly, Volume 47, 1979 (if you haven't already). A great historical perspective. This latest episode in Ogden is just another lively chapter in the history of Ogden politics. Of course, politics in Ogden have continued to remain interesting over the years. I work in SLC and live in Ogden, so I'm in a position where I get to hear the outsider's perspective on a usual basis. Frankly, I'm tired of having to defend Ogden because of the Mayor's and FOM's actions. At least I'm comforted by the fact that Ogden has always been strange, politically. It never ceases to amaze me.
Thank you, Rudi, for the link.
To hear the mayor tell it, Marv, we're a real dignified town foll of genteel folks. That's why you won't be seeing bums peeing on our streets pretty soon.
Reader:
You wrote: Because we're in the middle of a renaissance in good old Ogden. There's the River Project, the American Can Company that will house DaVinci and Amer, there's the Junction that holds Miller's Theater Complex, the Recreation Center, the Wells Fargo Bldg. and PRI. There's the Earnshaw Bldg, with $300,000 condos that have sold, there's improvement on the city's gateways, the Lowes are grabbing national headlines for ice climbing and there's the Kayak Park coming this way.
Permit me to point out just a few things. Two of the major projects you mention are still unproven. They may be great successes [I hope they will be.] --- the River Project [now five years in the making and nothing, repeat nothing, yet open for business], and the Mall Redevelopment,which is futher along with the Treehouse Center up and running and, as you note, condo development's selling out in advance of construction [though it remains to be seen how many of the purchases were by people intending to live in them, and how many by speculators anticipating increased demand once Frontrunner arrives and hoping to re-sell at a profit. Nothing whatever wrong with that; I just note the possibility to indicate the a residential rush to live in downtown Ogden has not necessarily yet manifested itself. As I hope very much that it will.]
The success of the Rec Center [aka Salmon Center] is still very much to be demonstrated.
Ogden, however, over all, does seem to be entering an upswing in terms of downtown property values and business activity, and we are all familiar with the success so far of the Mayor's efforts to "sell" Ogden as an outdoor activities business hub. For which he should be congratulated.
The problem, or potential problem, is that he will over-reach himself [a very frequent failing of administrations long in power nearly anywhere] and in the downtown flatland gondola and the massive investment of public funds it will require, not to mention the selling off of the city's largest public park and adjacent open lands in the benches may be, in fact seems likely to be, exactly that that kind of risky over-reaching.
The extent to which the city's future revenues are already encumbered in various business development projects that private investors refused to undertake on their own [think High Adventure Center] should give us all pause. So should the fact that the success of a downtown flatland gondola will rely on a risky fifteen to twenty year [Mr. Peterson's estimate] real estate development on what is now public land, and mini-resort development in Mason's Basin, and construction of an up mountain gondola from WSU to Malan's. Any one of those three fails, and the city built and owned downtown gondola fails too. As they might put it in Vegas, Mayor Godfrey wants to gamble the city's financial future on hitting a Trifecta. And the likelihood now that WSU will not sell the University benchlands Mr. Peterson say were absolutely essential to his plans makes success overall look even dicier. Whether it is wise for the city to risk future revenues in this way, when it has already encumbered future revenues of many millions to support existing projects is, I think, a reasonable question to ask.
And finally, I note that all of the progress you mention in your post, all the devopment and signs of success and rising property values and arrival of new companies has occuring now... when Ogden does not have a flatland gondola to carry people at about the same speed as the current busses to WSU where, again, no up-mountain gondola exists to lift them to a Malan's Basin resort that doesn't exist either.
Administrations [city, state and national] in power for long periods often over-reach themselves and in the end undercut much of the progress they may have made before. It is not unreasonable or irrational for Ogden residents to ask whether that kind of over-reaching is involved in Mayor Godfrey's obsessive committment to his flatland gondola. At any price. At any cost.
bobby and curt,
people who have actually BEEN outside Utah in the last yr or so are amazed at the stench emanating from the 9th floor. All that crap you two and your Amen Chorus fling around here is seen and smelt outside our little province.
Yeah, we have those companies coming here. Why Ogden is a laughing stock to the OTHER observers is because of the foolish pride and visions of your mayor....his refusal to deal with the real lawbreakers within his administration, his backroom deals, his mean-spiritedness, his revenge on those who dare to have a different idea.
Yes...he's welcomed some big name brands with small outlets to Ogden.
We ALL hope the Junction isn't going to fail. We ALL wish the mayor didn't hide his misdeeds...that he conducted business in the open.
That's why Ogden is a laughing stock among those who know what good leadership really is.
Dear Curm
Is it possible that a contract could be written that requires that the mountain gondola and the mountain village be well underway before any flatland gondola be stated?
ANON
ON the eminent domain story:
I think, periodically, that I've finally seen the limit of Utah Republican legislators' lack of rationality and their extraordinary levels of self-delusion. Then I read articles like this one that has Rep. Curt Bramble [R-Provo] saying of the recently passed "loosening" of restrictions on using eminent domain for private development projects:
Bramble...said property owners shouldn’t worry. “I don’t support condemning grandma’s house to build a Wal-Mart,” he said. “Should a city abuse the very limited authority granted to them this session, it’ll be back and either restricted or we’ll reinstitute the prohibition.”
Perfect. If cities actually use the power we've given back to them to "condemn... grandma's house to build a Wal-Mart," why then we'll take the power we gave them to do that away again. Uh huh. Which raises of course the question that ought to have been obvious to a Utah Republican legislator, even on a bad day: "If you are threatening to take back the power you give cities in this bill if they use it, why give it back to them in the first place?"
Bramble was the Senate sponsor of the bill, now law, returning to cities the right to use eminent domain powers to take by force private property for private commercial development. Here's more of Bramble's [you should excuse the expression] "logic." From the SE story:
This year, however, Bramble was the Senate sponsor of the bill that could allow Ogden to do just what he spoke against two years ago. “I still believe the power of eminent domain should not be used for private development,” he said Monday. “There are some circumstances, however, where there may be a justification.”
Let me take a stab at translating that into plain English. [Much of what Bramble has to say about pretty much everything needs translating into plain English.] "Bramble opposes cities using eminent domain powers to benefit private developments, except when he doesn't." That, I think, about sums it up.
My God, these people make our laws... and we have no one to blame but ourselves. We elect them. Again and again and again. The Brambles and the Urquarts [the sponsor of the bill in the House, R -- St. George] and their enablers like Sen. Greiner [Godfrey Administration -- Ogden]. I don't know who said it first, but it's true: we get government no better than we deserve because we elect it.
Anon 2:35
The problem with that plan, Anon, is that it would involve the prior sale of the Mt. Ogden Parklands to Mr. Peterson for real estate development first, since that is where, he says, he will get the development capital to build a gondola and Malan's Basin resort. All your suggestion would accomplish, I think, is that the city would bank the money it got for selling the land until the vacation villa 600 home gated community on the former public parklands was developed and a success, and Mr. Peterson applied the profits to an up-mountain gondola and Malan's development.
If the real estate development fails or doesn't make enough to finance the up-mountain gondola and Malan's development, Ogden will not have sunk $30 to $50 million into a doomed flatland gondola to connect it all up, true... but it will no longer have its largest city park and its open benchlands either. Doesn't sound like a good solution from the public's point of view to me.
I can suggest an alternative if you like. It would go like this. Mr. Peterson would raise in the usual capital markets sufficient funds from investors convinced the Malan's project will work to build the gondola and develop Malan's Basin. Once he has sufficient financial committments from investors, the city can negotiate with him to sell say five acres at the head of 36nd Street for his gondola's base station. He can then build his gondola and develop Malan's Basin as he wishes.
If it succeeds, if it takes off, so to speak, then he can, or whoever is Mayor ten years or so down the road, can look into whether a flatland gondola connection from the base of Mr. Peterson's up-mountain gondola to downtown makes sense for the city. That puts the major risk where it belongs: in the hands of private investors who believe in Malan's Basin's potential as a lift-served all-season mountain retreat/ski resort. And it removes the risk from where it does not belong: on the taxpayers and citizens of Ogden.
If we are looking for compromises, that's the one that seems to me the most attractive. It offers [via the base station land] Mr. Peterson an opportunity to develop his Basin as he would like to, without costing the city its bench parklands or millions in investment in a risky development project.
Scott Brown accusing Jesse Garcia of ethical lapses is like Bill Clinton accusing Mother Teresa of loose morals. It gets even more ridiculous when Brown points fingers at those two paragons of virtue - Wicks and Jeske. (Thank God for the women on the Council, Susan Van what's her name included!)
Jesse is a man of very high moral and ethical character who seems some what limited in his politcal savvy and skills. His life time achievements have been very good and honorable however limited to within the government as an employee and part time legislator.
(as far as I know anyway)
Jesse is just the kind of upstanding guy Ogden needs right where he is at. He certainly adds a much needed human dimension to Ogden city government. Something that is sorely needed in light of the souless Godfrey Gang.
Scott Brown on the other hand seems to be trying to deflect the ethics lights that are being shined on him by those he accuses. Charges of serial sexual harrasment and computer porn, as well as the attendant implications of an official mayorial cover up, are pretty serious accusations that I don't yet hear him or anyone else deny or explain. Hopefully they are not true. It would be sad to see a man with his reported medical condition to go out in a flame of shame.
True or not, the citizens of Ogden certainly deserve to know, especially now that he has opened the public door to the ethics subject with his accusations.
Those accusations incidently seem to in part center around some one on the council disclosing the secret Peterson land option. This of course begs the question - What is un-ethical about that?
Jeske was elected by a large majority in a city wide election because she promised to shine a light on all corners of Ogden city government. The people want that, that is why Jeske was elected.
So it seems to me that what we have here is a public elected official bravely doing exactly what she promised the electorate that she would do, and then we have a known administration insider and high level operator, who is also apparently an accused sexual harraser and porn reviewer, coming out in a desperate and frantic full on frontal assault accusing the good councilwoman of ethical indiscretions for exposing said perfidity.
Am I missing something here?
Rupert, are you listening? This could be your next and first great hit my man. Come on buddy, catch the wave. Maybe Gadi can dig up some of those moldy hundreds in the California insurance fund bags that he has buried in the back yard and finance this epic adventure. Put you on the map a whole lot faster than doing a pile of those industrials that you are trying to get. What do you want Rupert buddy, you want the chicken shit or do you want the chicken salad?
Ozboy:
I don't pretend to know much about the inner workings of the Ogden Council, and I don't know that the Bootjack matter brouhaha was triggered by a revalation by Councilwoman Jeske [who I didn't vote for last time but almost certainly will vote for, if she runs again, next time, at least in part for precisely the reasons you note: a publically stated --- and loud --- committment to the principles of open government for Ogden city.] And I don't know, and I certainly don't think, that knowledge of Mr. Peterson's involvement in Bootjack was under the seal of Executive Session. I would be astonished to learn that it was.
That said, on your more general point, the Council does hold Executive Sessions, and it is important for all members of the Council, to be effective, to construct a good working relationship with other Council members, because they all must cooperate on a great many things for Ogden's government to work as it should. Part of that involves, I think, respecting Executive Sessions as Executive Sessions and not revealing what occcurs in them [always excepting of course, knowledge of criminal conduct, which I am absolutely not alleging has occured in any Council Executive Session meeting.]
If I sat on a Council, I would feel myself obliged not to reveal what occured in Executive Session. Councils do, sometimes, need the opportunity to discuss matters without the press and public peering over their shoulders, and the occasional Executive Session [justifications for which are spelled out by Utah and City law] provide for that. If something were occuring within an Executive Session that I thought I could not be part of, I'd walk out. But that would be it, until the matters involved became public information on the record.
Here's a question for any Ogden City employees who may be lurking (anonymously, I hope!) out there: Does the city have a sexual harassment policy? Does the policy include appropriate training for all employees? How long has the policy and/or training been in effect?
The reason I ask is because Brown has offered the excuse that, at least before his first offense, he basically didn't know that sexual harassment of subordinates wasn't allowed.
Perhaps I'm naive due to my academic background. When I first came to work at Weber State in 1993, I was required to attend a training session in which we were presented with the university's sexual harassment policy and asked to discuss how it would apply in several fictitious scenarios. Every few years we go through a follow-up training session. The WSU policy outlines several forms of sexual harassment, some of which are admittedly matters of degree, but the most clear-cut is when the harasser has a supervisory role over the harassee. In these cases it doesn't even matter if the harassee "consents" to the treatment because a subordinate cannot freely withhold consent; any sort of sexual relationship or even suggestion is strictly prohibited.
I should think that the city would have a similar policy and put employees through similar training. Does it? If so, how long has the policy been in effect? Was the policy or its implementation modified in any way as a result of the Brown case?
MANY years ago when I was a young lass, I worked with a group of 'inside salesmen'.
The ledger books on my desk were HUGE and HEAVY. The co-worker in front of my desk made a crude remark to me one day.
Without running to the bathroom to cry, cringing in a corner, reporting to this clown's supervisor...I handled it myself.
I picked up one of those HEAVY ledgers and brought it down on this jerk's head while remarking, "what a dirty thing to say!"
Too bad the City women employees who were 'victims of harrassment by Brown or any other jerk didn't handle it themselves! Swiftly and effectively.
It brought things to a head you might say.
FROM THE OGDEN CITY POLICY MANUAL
9-2: SEXUAL HARASSMENT:
A. Prohibited: The city is committed to providing a work environment that is free of discrimination and unlawful sexual harassment. Actions, words, jokes or comments based on an individual's sex will not be tolerated. As a unique form of illegal discrimination, sexual harassment (both overt and subtle) is a form of employee misconduct that is demeaning to another person, undermines the integrity of the employment relationship and is strictly prohibited.
B. Forms Of Harassment:
1. Sexual harassment can take many forms. When a supervisor propositions a subordinate, or suggests or makes clear that the acceptance or granting of sexual favors are conditions of employment or future employment, including promotional opportunities, such behavior can constitute sexual harassment and is strictly prohibited by Ogden City.
2. Moreover, sexual harassment can take many direct, less obvious forms. Faxing, posting, sending or displaying sexually connotative pictures, literature or material offensive to another and based on one's sex is entirely unacceptable and is strictly prohibited by Ogden City. Less direct, and more subtle forms of sexual harassment may occur when a supervisor or an employer allows a working environment or condition to exist which is intimidating or hostile on account of one's sex. Such a hostile or intimidating work environment is said to exist when a person's sex is the object of ridicule, putdown, derisive and inappropriate behavior, gesture or commentary. Ogling, staring, smirking and other visual and nonverbal behaviors can serve as a basis of complaints of unwanted, sexual harassment. (Eff. 6-1-1996)
C. Unwanted Behavior Or Action: Whenever behavior or action occurs toward another on the basis of one's sex, which is unwanted, unwelcome and unreciprocated, sexual harassment may occur and is strictly prohibited by Ogden City. Moreover, inappropriate or offensive employee conduct as described in this section shall be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination, whether or not the conduct was unwelcome or meets the legal requirements of an actionable sexual harassment claim. (Adm. Order 2005-2, 2-23-2005)
D. Reporting By Employee: Any employee who wants to report an incident of sexual harassment should promptly report the matter to his or her supervisor. If the supervisor is unavailable or the employee believes it would be inappropriate to contact that person, the employee should immediately contact any of the following: the city attorney, the chief administrative officer, the director of management services, the personnel officer or a management member of the city's administration who is of the same sex. Employees can raise concerns and make reports without fear of reprisal.
E. Investigation: Any supervisor or manager who becomes aware of possible sexual harassment should promptly advise the personnel office or any member of management who will report the concern to the equal employment opportunity (EEO) officer of the city, who is the director of management services. The director of management services will conduct a timely and confidential investigation of all claims or reports of sexual harassment. The director of management services may delegate a representative or agent to conduct fact finding on their behalf and in the interests of timeliness and in accordance with this policy. As part of the investigation, the director of management services or their designee shall meet with the employee bringing the complaint to determine the nature of the harassment, make inquiry about what remedy the employee is seeking, and otherwise determine the focus of the investigation.
F. Determination Of Harassment: Should the investigation disclose evidence and record exists on which to determine that sexual harassment has occurred, the individual(s) found engaging in such prohibited activity will be subject to serious disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment. Consideration will be given to the nature of the harassment, the severity of the harassment and the circumstances of the harassment. During an investigation, the department director, with the approval of the director of management services, shall have the authority to temporarily restructure work assignments, change work conditions and separate involved and interested parties in the interest of maintaining a work environment free from any potential threat, hostility or intimidation. While all materials, records and notes about the investigation shall remain confidential, any disciplinary action taken as the result of such investigation shall be made a matter of record in the involved employee's personnel file.
G. Time Frame Of Investigation: Investigations shall include interviews with individuals involved in, or who have knowledge of the events, circumstances or conditions surrounding any complaint of sexual harassment. Investigations shall be conducted and concluded within reasonable time frames generally not to exceed thirty (30) days. Investigations shall report and record findings of fact, conclusions based upon those facts, including reasonable beliefs supported by evidence and record, and shall make recommendations for action to the director of management services.
H. Action Of Director: The director of management services shall, upon the completion of an investigation, act within thirty (30) days on the investigation's findings of fact, conclusions and recommendations to determine what, if any, disciplinary action should be taken. The director of management services shall review the investigation with appropriate city counsel and review what action is contemplated. In addition to disciplinary action, the chief administrative officer has the right to direct an appropriate and reasonable remedy to work conditions, or to direct a change in procedures, and otherwise act to correct, modify or change work environments in order to enforce this policy.
I. Communication Of Conclusion: The director of management services shall communicate the conclusion(s) of the investigation and whatever action is deemed appropriate to the employee bringing the complaint, and shall communicate the same to the employee accused of the harassment. (Eff. 6-1-1996)
I spent an hour with Sheriff Brad Slater asking questions about sexual harrassment law.
I was told that each town and county and sheriff's organization adopts its own sexual harrassment rule manual.
What is illegal by one manual is not nessarily illegal in another jurisdiction.
The city's sexual harassment policy needs to be strengthened. The WSU policies (here and here) are significantly better and perhaps could be used for guidance.
I wonder if Dave Harmer or Greg Montgomery, even Brown himself ever took work home. May just be the first question the cops should ask Godfrey,follwoed by a request for any documentation that would substantiate any written policy that forbids it. If by chance there is one they could show documentation of approval for instances someone has taken work home. Who would sign off on this? The Mayor? That might keep him so busy he would have time to get lost in his myopic dreams of carnivals or the circus or the last time he went to Disneyland or PeeWee Herman or how Ogden could rival Lagoon or,oh yeh, an urban gondola.
Hey what's wrong with a little grab ass with the broads at work? Hell man they all like the attention or they wouldn't be out there in the work place flaunting it!
Dan S.
Just watching Jeff Goldblum on Letterman.
You definitely do not want this guy portraying you in our epic!
He's geeky, but not in a 'good' way. He wears really dopey looking glasses, has his hair slicked back with too much Brillo...his clothes are so tight on his skinny frame that he reminded me of Pee Wee Herman before he was caught being naughty with himself in a porno movie theatre.
Kevin Costner showed great love for the land in "Dances With Loves" and could bring an air of authenticity to his portrayal of the magnificent, but humble Dan. Also, he hasn't been too successful lately, and we could probably get him for scale.
If you don't mind someone 'chubby', Al Gore may be available. He's probably in the market for a good part to restore some celebrity as the NY Times just dissed him today over his "Inconvenient Truth".
Bill C could be played by Wm H. Macy since Curm is holding out for Anthony Hopkins.
Is Jean Stapleton (All in the Family) still with us? She'd be a lovable, snuggly, but very smart Dorrene Jeske!
If granny's house is in the way of one of my big shiny fantasies, then I don't care if the old crow has teeth or not, she can eat dirt as far as I'm concerned!
ED is back big time baby, and I got it!
Matt Godfrey
March 13, 2007
Just listened to the Council meeting of last week, March 6. Thank you for the link, Rudi.
Wow...Rudi, how can you say that Brown is the smartest guy on Godfrey's team? He made a complete arse of himself! He said terrible things about Jesse, Amy and Dorrene.
Then, to have Godfrey 'excuse' Brown's inexcusable behavior because Harmer is Scott's friend makes one wonder what Brown will spew forth about Godfrey next! What does Brown have on him?
If it's true that Brown is leaving April 15, then what does he care if he 'lets it all out of the bag' before he goes?
Just sitting and LISTENING to the Council doings is different that being in chambers.
My gosh! Can Godfrey talk, and talk, and talk? He starts making excuses before he's charged with anything which tells me he must be guilty of everything he protests he never does. Oh yeah, he IS guilty of everything he protests he knows nothing about.
It was gratifying to hear him tell Moyal that the city WANTS to work with Moyal (Indian Restaurant) and only wish him the best. It's on public record.
Stephenson is another one who can talk ad infinitum. Snore.....this guy is a godfrey clone...better looking though....but the smirk is the same.
The more Godfrey told us how surprised he was about Scott's outburst...the more disengenuous he was. BEFORE the accusation was voiced, Godfrey told us that this tirade was not known to him....that it wasn't planned, etc.
Well, as previously noted..the Godfreyites tried to make the meeting a 'love fest'...complete with applause. Such phoniness.
Oh please, will we ever have integrity and honor on the 9th floor again?
Well Curm, we agree and we disagree (at least you come across with a sense of intelligence instead of some of the whacky diatribe that so often shows an individuals intelect.) Remember though, sometimes one must invest in oneself before the others come running to the door. And a City is no different. Take the guy who does the "Grounds for Coffee" businesses.He rolled his own dice, borrowed some money from the local banks, worked his butt off, and now owns two outright PLUS has the frnacise on them. Just an example of self-investment followed, if successful, by OPM (other people's money).
For too long our City sat and waited for private money to come pouring in. But nothing, from about the middle of the Dirk's Administration through Mecham's. Then Matthew Godfrey got elected, put his vision to work, got some stuff built with the help of tax incriment and surrounding himself with some very smart and knowing people, and BANG! Here it comes, the Renaissance of Ogden.
Our City is attracting many of the outdoors and recreational companies, REAL real estate investors, airplane companies, businesses that are "huge" by national standards and are located in the Ogden Industrial Park and the BDO.
But we all seem to be stuck on a couple of ideas that some find controversial instead of extoling our virtues that already exist and that this Administration has brought to town.
That airplane Co isn't here because of Godfrey. It's here because a home town investor convinced the principals to locate here.
The airplane company is here because that home town investor that talked them into it also talked the mayor and old council into giving him $2.5 million dollars in RDA increments (free money) to pay him back for a building that he had already built and retroactively claimed as an RDA qualified blight clean-up. Perhaps the first in history, and a very questionable deal to say the least!
Any body know how the airplane company is doing by the way? Haven't seen any press on it for quite a while. With the Godfrey crowd that usualy means they don't want you to know. If it is good news then they would be broadcasting from the ninth floor with bull horns and press conferences and taking full credit.
Being an old airplane guy myself, I very much hope that Adams company succeeds here in the land of Oz. It seems that they are definately a high class well financed and for real company. The Adams guy himself is a regular force of nature with a background that would make any Mormon momma proud. It is interesting that you never hear himself interjecting, or allowing his company to be used, in any in this gondola debate. Apparently Adams didn't get the memo and come to Ogden because of that particular far fetched dream!
Interesting that you would mention Danny (Grounds for Coffee) he's one Ogden Business man that is definately opposed to the gondola.
Hey Reader guy,
You don't think we didn't get a shot in the arm by receiving for free the BDO. Thats been a major source if funding and attraction to the city.
That shot in the Ogden arm came from the US government, not visionary godfrey. Once again an example of someone being at the right place at the right time.
Mecham was 10 times the mayor and man that godfrey will ever be.
Oh, but you forgot to add that the Godfrey Admin is squandering the revenues from BDO to guarantee the loans against the REC CENTER. therefore making the monies unavailable to use for General fund peuposes. There is a portion that was committed to go towards infrastructure, that money is still tagged and should be used for the streets, sewer, and water systems. But he has managed to screw up a good deal by incumbering the rest of the money to fund a shakey business deal at best.
Godfrey is the WORST mayor Ogden has EVER had!! He is out of control, and if the council can't keep in check with the budget, then Ogden will face bankruptcy because of his arrogant "my way or no way" attitude about his wild schemes to give "special" deals to his FOMs. The few good things that Ogden residents are seeing now, were started before he ever took office. The only things that he has done is drive businesses that don't meet his elitist standards out of town, tear the mall down, give special deals to Fat Cats and Gold's Gym and erect the recreation center, which need to be completed and time to determine their success.
But in other matters we have had our eyes opened to the "real" Matt Godfrey. I think it is disgusting that Godfrey doesn't put an end to Scott Brown’s rantings. I would be willing to wager that any other mayor along the Wasatch front would have fired Brown for his outrageous behavior, and direct violation of the directions set forth in the letter from the legal department last summer. This incident has shown Godfrey’s TRUE CHARACTER! He is even a smaller person than his physical size! He is letting Brown embarrass all the residents of Ogden and degrade the City with his public tirades. It is revolting that Godfrey would allow, and even excuse, a public employee to attack another person, let alone the City’s leaders, in a week-long barrage starting with a City Council meeting and in the newspaper. He has definitely shown the world and the citizens of Ogden exactly what he thinks of Ogden – nothing but contempt! He has let Brown run wild for a whole week -- holding Ogden up for ridicule! No respectable resident with one iota of love for his city/town would allow what Godfrey did last week to happen to his town when he had the power and authority to stop it. He doesn't care about Ogden, only what he can gain for himself while he’s mayor. Officer Hammond gave Ogden a few shining moments with his unselfish and brave acts of heroism, but Brown and Godfrey, by condoning Brown, have undone all the good press that Officer Hammond brought to Ogden. Ogden deserves better leadership from public employees and the mayor! I understand that Godfrey plans to run again for mayor, be sure to let him that his little, demeaning and immature actions will not be tolerated any longer.
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