The battle against government doing its business in the shadows is relentless and never-ending. We will continue to fight for your right to know, but we need your help to win. Make sure your candidates for office know that open government is high on your list of priorities.
Standard-Examiner
Eliminate Government Secrecy
March 15, 2007
As regular readers already know, we at Weber County Forum often fundamentally differ in editorial philosophy with the Standard-Examiner publisher on numerous issues which directly effect our community.
Whereas the Std-Ex is generally a strong proponent of a preponderantly strong mayor in our city government, we strenuously argue for the vigorous exercise by our city council of its coequal legislative authority, as a check and balance against executive excesses. Whereas the Std-Ex is a staunch proponent of gondolas and gondola-related landgrabs, we argue that such schemes are financially imprudent, contrary to the public interest -- and in the case of flatland gondolas -- flat out silly. And so on.
There is however one circumstance in which we do march in lockstep with the Std-Ex's editorial position. When it comes to elimination of secrecy in government, we are 100% with the Standard-Examiner.
Read today's excellent Std-Ex editorial on the subject. We wholeheartedly agree with its every word.
We would also like to highlight this top-notch guest commentary, also appearing on today's Std-Ex opinion pages. WSU adjunct history professor Robert A. Becker adeptly rebuts and dismantles David D. Griffith's earlier opinion page screed. So excellent is Professor Becker's article, it looks like something which could have been yanked straight from one of our own Weber County Forum pages.
Comments, anyone?
Don't let the cat get your tongues.
Update 3/16/07 8:57 a.m.: We've scoured today's news for Weber County Forum relevant articles and came up dry. We thus invite our readers to treat this as an open thread, and open their own "pet topics."
34 comments:
Dan S
If you're on here this very minute....Jeff Goldblum is on Ch 4...hurry!
we don't need sunshine on our government, me have matt godfrey elected to do the job for us, and what ever he does is the right thing to do, just ask him, he'll tell you so.
Speaking of "openness in government," what is it with Bill Cook? Why is EVERYTHING "confidential?" Is he part of Godfrey's team or the city council's? I guess when you lie with dogs, you get up with fleas.
Try slipping one of those flea and tick collars around Cook's neck.Come to think of it, there are some others on there who could use one.
Just WHAT is Cook supposed to do for his money?
Who the h#ll is Bill Cook? If this is the same person as Bill C., who posts here, then I'd say he's had some pretty good critical insight and I'd want him in my organization any time.
A better question is what does Chris Peterson do for his money? You think maybe he's looking to save some of it these days and maybe NOT pay some engineering firm thousands of dollars to produce a concept development plan that isn't going to happen. Where do you get all that money Chris? You holding down a lot casework these days?
Hmmm...
-ANON2
Excellent guest commentary from one of our own...it would appear...so erudite. Could be mistaken??
I hope this flap that Brown and his bosses have instigated against Garcia, Wicks and Jeske will work for the Council's good.
It is my fervent hope that the Council will stand united as a legislative body with one purpose. That purpose is to forge ahead with the ethics code they are initiating.
Council, please be a cohesive unit and demand 'openness' from the administration.
Be prepared for more attacks. They may not be as vituperative as Brown's and Ball's...but they are sure to come.
Once this administration realizes the 'jig is up', so to speak, I hope you will receive more cooperation from them, Cook and the staff that hasn't always appeared to work with and for you.
Please be alert and on guard for the Ellison/Peterson MU zoning ordinances to come before you. We all recall the Wolf in Sheep's clothing story.
Protect our golf course and adjacent park. Protect and preserve our trails and all open space. Peterson and Godfrey are not retreating on this important issue.
They and the LO Amen Chorus have been rehearsing in the back room, and will be putting on their performance for you very soon.
Thank you, Jesse, for being the courteous gentleman you were after Brown's vulgar tirade.
Now, come together as an immovable vanguard to vanquish these foes who would rape our irreplaceable treasures.
From the UPI 15 Mar 07:
"This has been the world's warmest winter since record-keeping began more than a century ago, says the U.S. government agency that tracks weather reports."
Gee, what a wonderful time to get the tax payers of Ogden to go in hock another $40 million or so to prime the pump on a highly speculative pyramid scheme that after several difficult and expensive steps may lead to us building a new low elevation winter resort on a west facing mountain.
Just a thought.
I’ve been staying away from this forum for the last day or two under the advice of my doctors. Now that I’ve gone back to my medication I’m feeling much better. But I did want to say something to Mike Dowse and the folks at Amer.
A few days ago I supported a boycott of Amer and referred to them indirectly as “jerks”. This reflected my antipathy to their fraternizing and necromancing the political corpse Godfrey, and did not reflect on them directly.
I was excited to have them move here and hope they will be very successful. Now I will go lay back down and contemplate my calming hobbies. Goodbye.
I listen to people like Griffiths, Brown, and Godfrey and I get to feeling that I’m living among rats. I think about the cost overruns that will soon be submitted for the Rec center and how Godfrey’s financial shenanigans will soon start to unravel. I note that after screwing downtown for decades the city bureaucrats keep trying to extend their management expertise to the East Bench as well. And I decide I have to move.
Then people like Dr. Becker come along and change my mind. We have a lot of caring, intelligent people who live here and it’s one of the things that keep me here. The mountains are great, but we have much more than that here.
But turning back to the first group, I believe we’re inside of a week before Peterson’s Bootjack option on the Wall Avenue property expires. That deal was rushed through the RDA three months ago as an emergency need for money. The council needs to ask the mayor, “So where’s the dough, Joe?”
If the council really wants to have a second look at this, now is the time to rescind their earlier vote on the basis that the deal has not been closed in the allotted time. I for one would like to know whether Peterson even came up with the lousy $1000 that he was supposed pay for the option in the first place.
What will Godfrey do if his financially invisible friend doesn’t come up with the money he said was needed to finish the Rec. Center? We must ask, as always, “Where’s Chris?”
I have a question- If Ogden City or its Redevelopment Agency does not own the American Can Building, why are there several requests for proposals (general contractor and architect) related to this on the city website?
line up to the trough here
This is just speculation, but it may be the case that Ogden City -- or the RDA -- still has some contractual obligations remaining, as part of the transfer of the project to the current developer.
It would be interesting, however, to hear from anyone with specific knowledge re this subject.
lil' miss sunshine-
It is my understanding that the historic American Can complex has been subdivided by the City. So, they own, lease, and have sold portions of the building (I think--I could be wrong). I've also heard that other tenants (good ones, too) are looking seriously at moving into portions of the complex. American Can has long been overlooked, I'm glad to see that is finally being revitalized.
lil' miss sunshine-
It is my understanding that the historic American Can complex has been subdivided by the City. So, they own, lease, and have sold portions of the building (I think--I could be wrong). I've also heard that other tenants (good ones, too) are looking seriously at moving into portions of the complex. American Can has long been overlooked, I'm glad to see that it is finally being revitalized.
Does anyone know where to find petitions for:
1. effot to get vote on school vouchers on the ballot for voters to have a say ?
2. effort to get vote on the Salt Lake soccer stadium on the ballot for voters to vote on?
lil miss sunshine-
Our own Scott Schwebke had an article January 14, 2007 that American Can had been sold by the Ogden Community Foundation to a developer named Peddie in Colorado for $3 million bucks.
Oh, and Peddie is supposedly a relative of the infamous Scott Brown of Ogden RDA ill repute. Or is it Scott Brown who has ill repute?
If anyone knows the fine print regarding government grants to cities, please step forward and help me understand.
Ogden City received a $2 million dollar grant from the U. S. Department of Commerce in 2003 to buy the American Can building along with $900,000.00 from the State of Utah which Marty Stephens, then speaker of the House, helped Ogden obtain.
Then, in early 2004 Ogden sold the 4.8-acre site to the Riverside Technology Foundation for $1.8 million who then entered into a redevelopment and management agreement with American Can LLC.
And now, again according to a Scott Schwebke news story, the American Can property was sold by the Ogden Community Foundation for more than $3 million to Mr. Peddie in January 0f 2007.
So how did the Ogden Community Foundation get the property to dispose of when there are no public records or tax returns available for the non-profit Ogden Community Foundation which Ogden City officials say has nothing to do with Ogden City government.
So why did Scott Brown of the Ogden RDA handle the sale to Mr. Peddie for the Foundation and is advertising on the official Ogden website for "General Contractor American Can Building" and "Architect American Can Building" if it is not a function of Ogden City government?
And does the U.S. Dept. of Commerce grant have to be accounted for in this transfer of property? Or repaid?
And what about the U. S. Dept. of Commerce grant that Ogden City received to renovate the Ogden's Business Information Center (BIC) on Washington Blvd. that is now going to be sold to Thaine Fischer of Ogden for about $500,000.00. Will that U. S. grant have to be repaid?
We know that Ogden has not been too precise in its dealings with grants from the U. S. Dept. of Commerce in past history if you will recall the parking lot funds that some how wound up in the parking lot for the Rec Center.
Does anyone know how the American Can Building got from the Riverside Foundation to the Ogden Community Foundation to be sold?
I have made requests to the Registered Agent for the Ogden Community Foundation, John Patterson, for information that their By-laws require such as quarterly financial statements and also for the 990 income tax forms for any Non-profit receiving $25,000 or more receipts in any one year. No 990s have ever been filed.
So the big question is how did a $3 million piece of property get into the Ogden Community Foundation?
Even more interesting is why I am being stonewalled by John Patterson on my requests for information on a public non-profit
foundation which he says is not a part of Ogden City government even though to all appearances it is not a separate entity.
The Foundation's own By-laws give the Mayor complete control over all activities of the Foundation and the Registered Principals are all Ogden City employees except for one Bank of Utah principal.
Mayor Godfrey and Mr. City Administrator, this is what gives us all an eerie feeling that you don't want us to know what is going on in City Hall nor what is going on with government grants.
This behavior on your part is what creates an antagonist like me when I just want answers that I am entitled to get.
Dorothy
Wasn't there something about two different TIF RDA schemes for $4 million each that are part of the over all American Can deal? Seems like $4 million went into the building, and $4 million went into a parking structure. And just where does this parking structure fit into all these transfers of property ownership?
Thanks Only in Ogden.
From a quick online search, it looks like the sale has been recorded with Weber County according to the Assessor's website. Jon Peddie of Steamboat Springs Colorado is listed as the owner and there were delinquent property taxes paid by Riverside Technology totalling $34,881.53 on February 6, 2007. There is a listing of a payment on January 22, 2007 for $0.00.
Strange.
I'm happy to see restoration of the building, but wonder what taxpayer resources are going into it and under what terms.
Dorothy,
Two million from the U.S...and $900,000 from the state...and then sold for $1.8 million?
Besides all the other suspect deals...was that a smart financial move?
ozboy--
sharon---
I wish I knew the answers to your questions. I can't even get answers to my own.
little miss sunshine, thanks for your input on the $34 thousand in property tax paid by Riverside Foundation in 2007.
Riverside must have then transferred it to the Ogden Community Foundation.
So, does anyone know who is on the Board of Riverside and where did Peddie's $3 million go or did he just give a note?
And what happened to the American Can LLC debts that had to be due because of renovation?
The more tidbits of information, the more the questions pile up.
There have been so many Ogden schemes and deals that Ogden could put Mayor Daley's deals to shame.
These deals didn't just start with Godfrey but he has improved on the finesse.
I guess I will have to put John Arrington on the spot and ask for a conference with him for some answers.
I have held off getting him involved because I don't want to get him fired if he answers me honestly.
I was impressed with the last Ogden City Audit Report of June 30, 2006 which John is responsible for.
The outside auditors incorporated all the RDA debt in the Audit Report with the statement that it was included because Ogden taxpayers are responsible for repayment of that debt. I hope Councilman Safsten reads that comment and finally gets his facts straight.
I'm not sure that anyone has the whole complete picture of finances or all the side deals that have been committed to.
With Scott Brown and Dave Harmer muddying up the works an investigator could spend full time on Ogden's records for a very long time.
And I am saying this as a forensic CPA with decades in the business of tracking the numbers.
Dorothy,
YOU need to heading up a top notch team of forensic CPA's....what a muddle.
How far in debt IS Ogden? $100,000,000, as someone on here recently posted?
Isn't all this enough to have Godfrey ousted for malfeasance? (And a few others in his administration?)
I asked here about ousting Godfrey for malfeasance about a year ago. I was told that ineptitude and malfeasance weren't enough. He could be removed from office only by conviction for criminal wrongdoing.
Every day I wonder just how much more needs to be uncovered before someone does just that.
Utah law provides that mayors and such are covered under Civil Law statutues.
If we can prove that Mayor Godfrey and other city employeees are involved in collusion with hiding all the violations they have committed with intent or that they have persuaded others to commit for them then it becomes a felony.
Let's just keep digging and we can have a Grand Jury investigation before we die.
hey bernie, does the mayor know how much of a embaressment that dean martinez has brought him, how embaressing, how embaressing indeed.
Ha Ha Ha Ha.
There is a law that does say if the mayor is not in compliance of it. he can be arrested and removed from office. There is just someone who knows and will have this implimented and then we will watch the little man turn green, and become a lepercan for today is the st. patty's day.
btw love the music rudi.
I am new to town so I have a few questions.
Doesn't the State Attorney General or the County Attorney have the power to look into civil violations in Ogden?
Yeah...but don't look to THIS County Atty to get off his butt!
A do nothing guy when it involves his 'fiends'.
Hey, Rudi, me laddie
the music is ever so grand!!!
Happy Day to ye.
Here's the...
Was that a typo when you
wrote 'fiends'? Meant to say 'friends?
curious-----
You are new to town if you think the Weber County Attorney is going to act like an elected official.
He is non-opposed every election even though he is a Democrat so he spends his term of office walking right down the middle of everything.
WHAT A WASTE OF TAXPAYER MONEY HE IS!
the web site for the stop the soccer stadium petition:
www.getrealutah.org
Thanks for this website.
This is good information.
The school voucher site petition is www.utahnsforpublicschools.org
I urge everyone to sign these petitions whether you are for or against School Vouchers or the Soccer Stadium.
Your position on either is not the issue.
The issue is that our constitutional right to vote on these very expensive and controversial issues was taken away from us by the last Legislature with bills that Governor Huntman signed into law.
This thinking is exactly why the Ogden RDA and all the other Redevelopment Agencies have come into being because politicans passed the RDA laws taking away citizens' constitutional right to vote on creating debts. And citizens allowed it to happen without protest.
Our laws give the RDAs authority to create debt we are obligated to pay without our having had representation or input into the process of the debt creation.
And we think we have freedom in this country.
If you want to try to regain some of your constitutional rights please go sign the petitions. And then don't forget to vote when it gets on the ballot!
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