First, we find a guest commentary by one David D. Griffiths, alleging, among other things, that the now notorious Bootjack stealth transaction had actually been conducted under some sort of informal bidding process. Surely as the night follows the day, it was predictable that the administration would drag some poor soul out of the woodwork to claim (cross his heart) that he had been a low bidder prior to Chris Peterson's secret acquisition. Well... David Griffiths is that guy:
The city needed to come up with some additional funds to pay for the parking plaza in The Junction development on the old mall site. Part of the plan to raise these funds, approved by the RDA Board, was to sell some excess RDA properties. Properties are considered excess if they have no planned current or future use by the city or the RDA. The property in question is about one acre located between 21st and 22nd streets on the west of Wall Avenue. The RDA Board was asked to approve the sale of this property to an entity by the name of Bootjack LLC for fair market value to be determined by an independent appraisal. The board unanimously approved the transaction. I wanted to buy the same property, but was only willing to pay $240,000.But Mr. Griffiths does not stop there. The rest of Mr. Griffiths' article spirals into yet another lame Std-Ex anti Garcia/Wicks/Jeske broadside, (the third of these within a week's time,) accusing these three members of the RDA board of playing politics. Rather than recognizing that the ENTIRE RDA board's recent foray into sound business practices is a good thing, designed to ferret out insider transactions and assure disposition of RDA properties at the highest possible price, Mr. Griffiths amazingly characterises the new RDA policy, requiring full disclosure of purchaser identify and intended use, as political gamesmanship.
We'll note in passing, by the way, that we spoke with a gentleman yesterday, who informed us that he had made a backup offer to the Emerald City Economic Development Department, for the subject Bloom Recycling properties, at a cash price well in excess of the $270,000 price embodied in Chris Peterson's option contract. He indicated he would have readily made a similar offer prior to the grant of the option to Mr. Peterson, had he been aware that the property was available for purchase. There really is no telling, of course, just how much the Bloom properties might have fetched, had the properties been properly placed on the open market.
Secondly, we find this strange Scott Schwebke "expose/confession," in which the beleaguered Emerald City Business Development Scott Brown bares his soul, and inexplicably plasters certain recent "job related allegations of impropriety" all over the Standard-Examiner front page.
And for readers who've been carefully following developments in the Emerald City Planning Commission, in connection with the ongoing Mixed Use ordinance topic, gentle reader Ogden iii provides a brief summary of last nights' Planning Commission action.
The floor is open. Avid readers all over the blogosphere eagerly await the latest thoughts and comments of our gentle readers.
Have at it.
Update 3/8/07 10:30 a.m. MT: We have just received word, and are pleased to announce that one of our very favorite sites -- Grift Ogden --- is back for its second season. Be sure to check it out. You''ll also find a link in our right sidebar.
75 comments:
Well, I thought the Brown article was unfortunate. I know why it was there, and yes, he put himself in the spotlight with his intemperate emotional rant at Tuesday night's Council meeting, but it was still unfortunate. It does the city no good to have that kind of headline on the front pages. I thought the much maligned Councilwoman Jeske's take on the matter was the right one: Mr. Browns tirade was unfortunate, it may be related to his health, and she regrests that it happened. That about sums up my view on the matter too. By the end of Mr. Brown's tirade, I too felt embarassed for him.
Mr. Griffith's screed is really quite funny. In the midst of a long campaign tract urging the reelection of Mayor Godfrey and the election of council members who will support his policies, Mr. Griffiths complains that Councilmembers are being political.
Then there is Mr. Griffiths... how to put this delicately?... selective approach to the "facts" of the Bootjack matter, which he claims he recounts in his screed. Somehow, he managed to leave out the fact that the Council acting as RDA Board asked Mr. Harmer who was buying the property, who was behind Bootjack, and Mr. Harmer refused to supply that information. [How could Mr. Griffiths have left that minor fact out of his account? Must have been an inadvertant oversight, I'm sure.]
Mr. Griffiths also manages not to mention that the entire Council last Tuesday, voted to alter RDA land sale procedures so that the Bootjack problem [administration refusing to supply the RDA Board with infomation about a pending sale that it requested] could not happen again. The vote was unanimous, and included in it the vote of Councilman Stephenson, perhaps the most reliable administrative supporter on the Council. In fact, he's the member who moved that the new procedures be adopted, to help solve, he said, "trust issues" between the Administration and the Council. Mr. Griffith's screed included none of that. Another inadvertant oversight, I'm sure.
Mr. Griffiths also revealed that he wanted to buy the same property that was sold to Mr. Peterson, but Mr. Griffiths offer 40 thousand less than Peterson. So, says Griffiths, the city actually sold to "the highest bidder." That implies that the land was put up for auction. It was not. Who, except Peterson and Griffiths [both FOMs] knew the property had been declared surplus? Was it publicly listed as such? Or was it information only known to FOMs? [I don't know the answer to that question, but it seems a reasonable one to me.]
The extent to which FOMs [close business and political associates of Mayor Godfrey] apparently believe that they are specially privilged in Ogden and ought to receive special benefits unavailable to others was made clear at the Council meeting by an FOM who told the Council that denying Mr. Peterson what he wanted was unconstitutional and unAmerican. Why, Mr. Peterson is a well known FOM. How dare the Council ask questions involving sale of public land to him? How dare the Council presume to ask the Administration who it wanted to sell public land to? The Mayor wanted it done, and for FOMs, that should have been enough. Imagine, the Council wanting more information and daring to ask for it. The nerve of those people.
It will be interesting to see how Mr. Griffiths and his follow FOMs spin the unanimous vote of the Council to change RDA land sale procedures. Clearly all the Council members --- not just Wicks, Jeske and Garcia --- thought there was a problem in the way the Bootjack sale was handled. Just as clearly all the Council members did not think it was their function to meekly roll over and rubber-stamp whatever the Administration proposed, unexamined and unquestioned. It's going to be fun to watch FOM's like Griffiths tap dance around that one.
Scott Browns illness is not the excuse for what has happened or not happened. This is Scott in his full glory. This is how he has operated for many years. It is unfortunate that this had happened, both the sexual harrassment case and the tirade in city council chambers but it is still the facts and it is news and the public has the right to know. If the Standard sat on this news we would be accusing them of pandering to the administration. I think it was courageous and bold to tell the truth. This is what Dean Martinez lost his job over. This is what the RDA and Mayor have been covering up for years and why the city council has been pushed to create ethics policies. This is not the first and only offense on the sexual harrassment by Scott, those in the inside know this but are staying very quiet in fear for their jobs. I will say in many ways Scott Brown and the RDA have done much good in Ogden. But when you operate where nobody can touch you then it is an entirely different matter. Truth is what we are all seeking and even though this kind of news is not good news, it is still the truth and what everyone has been asking for on this blog. The Tribune has been alluding to this story for quite sometime and we applauded them now the SE finally opens the can of worms and we wonder if the news is good news. It is not but it is factual. It is not about gloating for bad news, it is about truth and it being revealed by the free press. Thats what the Standard Examiner gets blamed constantly here for NOT doing. Now they did. Curm, we/I/you did not create this story but it has been hanging over Ogden for years. Ask Dean Martinez. The irony of the story is that Brown accuses members of the city council for unethical behavior yet has this issue over his head, and many others in his dealings. It is not a small thing and has taken down Mayors in other cities. But the biggest part is that the dealing with Bootjack LLC is only the tip of the iceberg. There has been so much wheeling and dealing and double dancing and secret meetings to get where we are with Brown and the entire dept that it would make our heads spin if we really knew what was going on. But things have gotten done so it begs for the question, and answer, is it good or is it bad?
ogden iii
Curm,
I think you bring up excellent points in rebuttal to Mr. Griffith's comments in the paper. I also think you have a very good way of expressing the thoughts that a lot of us have into words.
It would be good to see you provide a version of this rebuttal to the SE in responce to Mr. Griffith comments.
There still is a large group of people that don't read the blog, that depend on the SE, that aren't aware of a lot of the info that you bring out. Their awareness to these facts will allow them to acurately evaluate the facts and come to their own conclusions.
The administration is starting to launching a spring offensive against any politician that opposes him or his gondola project.
We need to equalize the battle field on the public opinion field in the press. I can think of no better than you to fire the first shot with your command of words and sense of fairness. I'm sure several others will follow.
Warning Warning!!!! There is a gondola up in the air on 23rd and Washington!! Grab your torches and pitch forks!!!
I believe the COUNCIL has the authority to NOT exercise Bootjack's option on the Bloom property.
Then, as Harmer has agreed, the parcels shall be publically posted for sale.
We know the mayor is fond of telling everyone that the way HE does business is the way all cities conduct business...but that just ain't so.
Other cities are ethical, and when one or more of the admin/employees aren't....they are fired!
So, posting those properties publically is the proper way to conduct business.
And, you may vote on Mr. Brown's removal or not....on the SE's "net"
I vote yes...he must go.
Stand back!
I just called in an air strike from HAFB.
.
Scott Schwebke:
Regarding my comment several days ago that a little digging and hard work never hurt anybody, and in view of today's article about Scott Brown, I just wanted to say,
“Now that’s what I’m talkin’ about brother!”
Fun. Interesting. Pressed all the buttons. Nice work.
News alert. This is off the subject and may not be that big of a deal but thought the WC Forum blogmeister and/or readers would like to know that there is a large picketing going on right now in front of the construction site near 22nd and Washington. I drove by this morning and it was raining and they were out there in the rain and being very vocal of their complaints. I could not read the signs nor sure if it was directed to the project on 22nd/Washington. Just thought you would like a heads up in case there is a roaming wc forum reporter out there on the beat.
ogden iii
IS THE TRUTH NOT IN THESE PEOPLE???
Who, besides the Amen Choir, could possibly believe the claptrap Brown is quoted as spouting in the SE today? Standing with Curt Geiger, of course.
"Supporting WSU"...after the mayor's incredibly insulting faux pas about 'posturing'?
This is not the way to 'make up'....Brown has to go. He seems to be taking the public credit for this obvious salvo from the admin to get the yokels to ohh and ahhh over that goofdola. Yokels that haven't been rounded up and taken to the 'campus' on 12th St, that is.
This is nauseating. The machinations of the Lift Ogden groupies are totally without shame.
How much has this cost our overburdened taxpayers? Who owns the crane? Who paid the crane operators to get the thing up there? Who paid to have the logo painted on it?
Scwebke...keep up the good work and get on this story too.
Anon 8:45
Hey, I think the gondola car hanging from a crane is a very good symbol for Mayor Godfrey's downtown flatland gondola scheme. That gondola car isn't going anywhere. Neither is the Mayor's gondola.
Anon: 8:35am
Thanks for the suggestion. I'm working up an op-ed reply and when it's done, I'll send it to the SE. Thanks for the feedback.
The Std Ex poll concerning Scott Brown's censure is interesting. The question is "Do you think Scott Brown should be disciplined for questioning the ethics of the Ogden City Council?
Yes
No
However, the results are shown as
No
Yes
with an overwhelming percentage (75-80%)voting "No".
I think some copyediting and programming help is needed.
Seems to be a problem with the poll on the Standard Examiner website.
The following message is in the place where the poll question should be:
Due to the abuse of a glitch in our poll system our polls will be on hold until further notice
Management
Gadi was there?
Was his ankle bracelet showing?
Does LA County pre-trial services know he is out visiting the properties he may have paid for with money stolen from the State of California?
Does any one have pic's of this band of brothers in black? Were they carrying violin cases? Did anyone check the locks on the city treasury this morning?
Does the golden trio at the top of the Godfreyite Gang now consist of the little mayor who only lies when his lips are moving, a big talker currently indicted for stealing $11 million from California, and the now confessed sexual harasser and un-confessed porn connoisseur Brown?
Wow, with a line up like that at the top how can Ogden miss?
Correction
In my post in re: Mr. Griffith's op ed piece in today's SE, I suggested that he had intentionally withheld the fact that the Council unanimously approved changes to the RDA land sales procedures. It's been pointed out to me [and I should have known this] that Mr. Griffiths all but certainly submitted his op ed piece to the SE before Tuesday's Council meeting. Thus, he could not have intentionally withheld the information about the unanimous Council vote, because it hadn't yet happened.
My apologies to Mr. Griffith for wrongly suggesting he had deliberately withheld that information from his op ed piece. That criticism of his piece was unfair and again, I apologize for the mistake.
That correction, however, in no way alters this fact: the unanimous Council vote refutes, compellingly I think, Mr. Griffiths' suggestion that only the three council members he targeted in his essay had problems with the way the Godfrey administration handled the Bootjack sale .
A suggestion for Mr. Griffith:
Look in the dictionary for the word
Sycophant.
Then look in the mirror for what they look like.
Where does the Mayor get these shameless dissemblers from anyway?
Griffith stresses that he would not pay more for the property than $240,000. What alot of bull. If the property meant anything to him as an investment and he was serious about developing, then 30,000 or 50,000 more is a drop in the bucket when it comes time for development and return on investment for this particular property. Even Peterson's 270k is chump change in these leagues. I do not accept his lame diatribe.
It's now quite clear that the recent attacks on Garcia, Wicks, and Jeske are part of an organized effort by a group that includes both the chairman of Lift Ogden and a high-ranking city official. No doubt we'll see more of the same in the coming weeks and months. It's a sad reflection on our administration when its most visible supporters are regularly resorting to personal attacks of this sort.
Lionel,
Aren't you worried that the big producer "Rupert" is going to be mad at you again?
He and Curt and the other wusses will be posting soon, and Rupert will be stamping his Italian leather shod little feet in a hissy fit.
Dan S.,
Karl Rove would be proud. Always a good move to play politics by accusing your opponents of playing politics. Always a good move if ethics is not your strong suit to accuse others of being unethical. Keep your opponents on defense.
Well now!
The Godfreyites have been taking a whole lot of shots on the ethics issue in the press and on this blog of late.
What's wrong with them making these feeble attempts at a comeback?
If we can attack Bobby Geiger and his midget leader, why can't they retaliate?
Common, fair is fair, or should I say all is fair in love and war!
And we all know how we love to make war on these cartoon characters.
If the Godfrey Gang all just rolled over and played dead, that wouldn't be much fun now would it?
I suppose Scotty either didnt get the memo or he was busy perusing the porno sites when it came out last year.
Notice to Ogden City Employees:
There have been several recent reports of City employees making derogatory or disrespectful comments about the City, including the Administration or City Council, supervisors, managers or co-workers, in the course of performing their employment duties. Please be advised that such statements may be subject to disciplinary action.
Being a public employee does not eliminate your rights as a citizen to comment on matters of public concern, even if such matters involve your employer, the City. Therefore, your status as a city employee does not prevent you from commenting as a citizen on a matter of public concern in city council meetings, letters to the editor, citizen meetings, etc., even though your comments may involve City government. However, the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that when a City employee is speaking in the scope of their employment, the City has the right to discipline the employee for statements that may discredit the City or its management or conflict with the City’s policies, goals or interests.
Derogatory and disrespectful statements made pursuant to your employment in the workplace at Ogden City may be subject to disciplinary action, as described in the following provisions of the Ogden City Employee Policy Manual, section 9-6.B:
§9-6.B. Behavior Resulting In Disciplinary Action: In addition to the policies outlined in this manual, the following behavior or conduct may result in disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment:
3. Violations of applicable departmental rules and procedures. . . .
7. Behavior or activity which reflects an intent to be dishonest or untruthful.
8. Insubordination or disrespectful conduct or language toward members of the public, superiors or other employees.
9. Actions which serve to discredit the name, reputation or public mission or interest of the city. . . .
11. Boisterous or disruptive activity in the workplace; behavior or activity which serves to create disharmony or a disorderly environment without regard for the interest of the city in conducting its business in an efficient, effective and orderly manner. . . .
17. Unsatisfactory performance or conduct.
Please take care that your workplace conduct and statements do not violate the above performance standards.
I request that supervisors provide a copy of this notice to any employee who does not have email access.
Gary R. Williams
Ogden City Attorney
2549 Washington Blvd., Suite 840
So i'm wondering about tonight's transportation open house Rudi.
I couldn't be there, I but would love to hear about it.
Will you be publishing a summary tonight?
Thank you.
Been thinking about the rumors/ suspicions that FOMs recieved information that the properties sold to Bootjack were "surplus" that others who might have been interested in the properties did not receive. I don't know if the suspcions are justified or not. I've got no way to know for certain, one way or the other.
But I can think of a way that such suspicions could have easily been avoided, and I would think that the Mayor, in fact any mayor, would have in interest in preventing such supcions from arising ever again. The solution, which would cost Ogden nothing, is to establish a "suplus properties list" and post it on the City website. [Or does Ogden have and post such a list already? If so, I haven't been able to find it.]
As soon as the Administration determines that a parcel is "surplus"... meaning the Administration sees no public purpose to which it might profitably be put, or that, as part of an RDA area, there are no specific development plans for it... the parcel would be posted on the "Ogden Surplus Properties Listing." With a notice that the city would not act on any purchase offers for sixty days following the first posting.
That's it. That's all it would take. And it would eliminate any and all suspicions [justified or not] about who learned that a property had been declared surplus and who did not. It will all be a matter of public record, easily available to whoever wants access.
I am not in city government and there may be reasons this would not work in Ogden that I'm unaware of. If so, I'd be glad to learn about them. But this seems like a fast, easy, no-cost fix to any future potential problems [suspicions] emerging in this area.
I wish Mr. Griffith had devoted his energies to thinking about possible solutions instead of attacking Council members who thought differently about the Bootjack sale than he did. And had come up, perhaps, with a suggestion of his own.
Will the one I outlined above work? Is it feasible for Ogden? Comments welcome.
The old Tinkers to Evers to Chance combination (sorry for the Cubs reference, Curmudgeon, couldn't find a Brooklyn double play team) has been replaced by the new Axis of Evil: Garcia, Wicks and Jeske.
It's always in that order. It's always those three. No one of the three acts alone. Two of the three won't do. Jeske, Garcia and Wicks — a non-starter. Gives one pause, doesn't it?
To this old man, it reminds one of the famous "I have here in my hand a list of 205 . . . names". Names of golf course designers. Names of people who were offered jobs by Garcia. Names of people who bid on the Wall Avenue property. Names of people who support the gondola. Lots and lots of names.
The Gondolists have here in their hands a list of infractions committed by Garcia, Wicks and Jeske. Garcia offers people jobs in return for favors. Wicks makes fun of the predominant religion in the area. Jeske just annoys them.
After making his wild and unhinged McCarthyesque rant, to defend himself, Brown said the woman he's accused of being in a relationship with was fired for providing "classified legal documents to an individual". How in the Sam Hill can the City of Ogden have anything like a "classified" document? Are these nuclear secrets, perhaps? CIA reports on Iran? A secret egg salad recipe?
If the property was to be sold as an emergency for the purpose of the mall site, why then did the mayor suggest that the council spend the B and C road money for the parking tarrace instead of the capitol improvement money. by the way can the city spend the B and C road money from state and federal monies. does any one know if that is possible?
More questions: If the city was in such need of cash, why did Godfrey write a 90-day option for Chris?
So far the city is up a full $1,000 bucks as I calculate it, unless Chris has actually exercised his option and paid up the full $270K purchase price.
Curm,
You must have not heard the mayor when he came up with his excuse for not making the sales public. He indicated that sometimes making it a public process actually causes the city to potentially get a lower price, as some buyers don’t want the price that they are willing to pay for a piece of property known.
Has anyone noticed how the NY Stock Exchange, the NYMEX, the NASDAC, E Bay, bank mortgage rates and all MLPs of real estate are not afraid to share the price that their products transact for or at least state in public the asking price and/or offered price?
How many homes are sold in the greater Ogden area via MLPs? If you wanted to sell your house, would you want your house listed with a real estate broker and would you want it listed in the MLP or would you want your broker to call just a few of his favorite friends to come make an offer?
Give me a break mayor, competition is a good thing. Where do you come up with this logic or do the words just flow from your mouth without your brain engaged and you thing that it all makes logical sense? Who do you think you’re kidding other than yourself? We know how you work and this was all about cronyism.
I have a question for Chair Garcia: "At each Council meeting, you read the statement that derogatory remarks aimed at the Council members, Mayor or administration will not be tolerated, and complaints against City personnel should be taken up with the Mayor. So why didn't you stop Mr. Brown and have the police escort him out, as was done to other citizens who were babes compared to Brown's rantings?" Are you or are you not supposed to be the LEADER of the Council?
The city only netted $65,000 from the sale after they finally got around to paying the original owner of the property the amount that they owed them.
Not much gain for the parking structure.
The City can not spend monies from an enterprise fund, or the monies designated for roads IE B&C money for anything other than it's designation.
I personally know the three Council Members that are being attacked by the Godfrey Minions at the prtesent time. They are all upstanding honest people. They all have more integrity in their little fingers than Godfrey can muster up between himself and the groupies that support him. Giegers included.
Dont be fooled by anything that is happening in this city right now. Godfrey is raising money for his upcoming run for Mayor, including the stacking of the deck in favor of his twisted little kingdom.
Here's a scenario for everyone to chew on for a while: Godfrey runs for Mayor, Stephenson runs for Mayor, split the votes so either Godfrey or Stephenson wins, raise a lot of cash (Envision Ogden)so that Godfrey can get another council elected to replace Wicks, and Van Hooser, so that the crooked little twerp can continue the vision of screwing the taxpayers over. Another four years to F*&^ the citizens even more.
Sounds like a nightmare doesnt it?
It's all reality. We need a Mayor who can beat the pants off Matt and Brandon, someone who will return the City to the peolpe who live and work here.
Get involved, kick the little shit and his cronies out of town, at least tar and feather them. Back to the Basics..
Good question, Debbie.
I think Godfrey had Garcia neutered.
Awesom post, politcal analyst!
Monotreme:
You wrote: The old Tinkers to Evers to Chance combination (sorry for the Cubs reference, Curmudgeon, couldn't find a Brooklyn double play team)....
That's ok. I forgive you. Not everyone can be fortunate enough to be Brooklyn born and raised. But, should the situation ever arise again, it was Reese to Robinson to Hodges.
Debbie Dew:
I spoke with a Council member tonight [not Mr. Garcia] who said the members were stunned by what Mr. Brown was doing and taken aback, it came so unexpectedly. I suspect as well that --- since Mr. Brown was in a clearly emotional and agitated state --- attempting to stop him straight off would have led to a shouting match which would have been even more unseemly than Brown's unfortunate meltdown. And there was as well the fact that the main target of his rant, Garcia, would have been the one trying to silence him. All things considered, under the circumstances, had I been in the chair I probably would have let him finish his three minutes as well. I did notice that the second the three minute timer rant out, Chariman Garcia stopped him. By then Brown was so agitated he was sputtering into the microphone, and wisely left the podium. I suspect that later, in the light of calm reflection, Mr. Brown came to regret letting his emotions run away with his judgement to his and the Council's [and the city's] embarassment. At least I hope so, for his sake.
Curm:
I have sworn to myself never to use the name "Pee Wee" on this blog.
Pol Analyst
Not so sure about the integrity of Garcia and Wicks....Garcia is lacking many times in leadership of the Council and gives too much of it to Safsten.
Debbie Dew..
Garcia should have had that cop lounging in the chambers summoned to throw the bum Brown out!
I watched Mitch Moyes tossed twice...once for rolling his eyes...and once for handing out papers to the Council before he spoke. THAT important job is only for Zampedri!! Does she get big bucks for that?
But Mitch was told he (or anyone) can't approach the throne and was forcibly removed!
This is Godfrey's republic. Aren't we happy he was elected to make all decisions for the rabble?
I don't see Wicks taking much of a leadership position on the Council. Where are her priorities? What does she stand for?
We KNOW Brandon is in Godfrey's pocket...We see Rick a little less obvious than Brandon, but still champions Matty's visions too much...Doug? Who the *&%$#%^* knows with that guy? Susan? I thought she was going to be a tigress...but I've had my doubts about her lately. Where do her loyalties lie?
So, that leaves Jeske. We KNOW where her loyalties are. To the people of Ogden. She IS Mrs. Integrity on that Council. One never has to wonder which way Jeske will go on any issue. She always chooses the high road and we can depend on her to do what is right.
Except for Brandon, the other five could be redeemed. They just need to remember that they were elected, not anointed.
I implore them to take back their power and put the language back into the ordinances that will keep numbnuts from giving away Mount Ogden Golf Course, park and our open spaces to his crony.
Now that the Geigers are back on the claptrap trail, abettted by their twittering starlets hoping for a bit of celebrity themselves, all the stops are out.
Godfrey know his days are numbered. He's slavering for his legacy. This narcissistic quisling is so deluded that he really can't perceive that he's shivering and blue from his nekkidness. (Shhh...don't tell him....let him continue to parade around showing off his little 'attributes).
Council/RDA...you've taken a correct step in requiring prospective buyers to be known to you and for what purpose the property they purchse will be utilized.
One of you can correct me if I'm wrong, but I beleive ( as posted here earlier) you do have the authority to rescind Peterson's option on the Wall Ave parcels. If so, please do so and post those properties for sale for public bid.
Keep looking out for Ogden and the people's interests .....the voters will remember.
Pee Wee Godfrey had a pretty good run here at WCF a few months back. I think the reference was to his similarities in looks and actions with Pee Wee Herman however, and not Pee Wee Reese.
Look up Pee Wee Herman's (Paul Rubens) pictures and police record and you will see just how strikingly similar our mayor and that Pee Wee are.
Then see how many times you can use "Pee Wee" in your next post Monotreme. Once you get over the sqeamishness of the word it is actually kind of fun to use.
If Gadi is convicted for stealing the $11 million dollars from the State of California like he has been charged with, does that mean that California will then own the multiple properties he bought in Ogden, possibly with the stolen money?
Did Gadi buy any of those properties from the RDA or from the city through collusion with the Mayor?
Is Gadi's funds frozen because of the criminal charges against him, and if so is he paying taxes on these Ogden properties?
Monotreme:
[Grin] I take your point. [grin]
I question the legality of the hanging gondola stunt the other day. Who arranged it? Did they have a permit? Cranes aren't cheap (cheep) who paid for it? Are there safety concerns that should have been considered, that is a very controled access safty zone? Not to mention the total arrogance of such a display. If that could happen with the mayors approval you'd have a hard time convincing me. More insight into a very deluded myopic mind. But if it could happen without the mayors knowlege,what does that say about their assumption of authority that they do not,nor should not have. Not to smart mayor, you look terrible either way.
Early morning posting,waiting on the coffee pot. In that last post I omited a word. Should read "if that could happen without the mayors approval".
Bill C:
Aw, not so bad a thing they did. The Mayor declared a "day" for the WSU Wildcats for winning the tournament and going to the NCAAs. That was a good thing and he'd have been roundly denounced if he had not. He's a WSU alum after all, and WSU is Ogden's U. Cut him a little slack here.
As for the gondola/WSU banner... yes, it was tacky of the Gondolistas to try to hitch a going-nowhere gondola to the going- to-the-NCAA's Wildcats, but hey, no big deal. And their doing it gave Calvin Grondahl an idea... which you will find here. No banner hanging from agondola, no Grondahl cartoon, I bet. And that would have been a shame.
A little town spirit rah rah for the Wildcats seems fine to me, and if contractors wanted to pitch in with a crane and some tech support, good on 'em, I say.
Go Wildcats!
Go Cats! I thought they might end up with a 15 seed and miss UCLA in the first round. Now it looks like a 15 seed will get them UCLA in the first round. Oh well.
My goodness, the comments you people post are FUN to read. Do you actually get THAT worked up over a crane and the person who authorized hanging the gondola car, complete with WSU banners hanging from it? DO YOU HAVE LIVES?
And then there's Merle, wondering if Gadi's funds have been "frozen." Who could freeze them? And why?
Amazing stuff. Keep it up because it makes my morning coffee taste so much better.
Yes, reader, we do have lives and we would all much rather be going on with them without having to keep a constant watch for malfeasance, improprieties, and corruption at City Hall.
Without all of us giving up parts of our lives during the past two years, Chris Peterson would have already been given the Golf Course, having purchased it for a song, our streets would be dug up for gondola pilings, and Ogden would be even further along the path to total municipal bankruptcy that Godfrey seems intent on persuing. (Not his own private bankruptcy, however.)
If you don't know why Gadi's funds would be frozen, you need to look back at the Std Examiner, the SL Trib, the LA times, or the WCF archives. It's not that hard.
Gondolist Visionary Charged With Felony Fraud and Conspiracy
Anon 9:54
Rumor is, the Wildcats will be placed in the "play in" category, which means they'll have to play another low ranked team just to get into the final 64 NCAA tournament. Bummer. The "play in" category should be limited to teams that have not won conference championships/tournaments to qualify. But it looks like, at the moment, WSU will end up in the "play in" slot.
By god, that would never have happened if the Democrats had won in '04.... [grin]
Dear People.
Gadi Leshem has absolutly nothing to do with Chris Peterson.
He is involved in NO business or personal projects.
Gadi Leshem does however believe that the Gondola and the other visionary projects of the Mayor should be supported.
ANON
Forrest?????
Anyone that has seen the film Citizen Kane has heard the quote that 'the headline makes the story'. Among other things, the film chronicles how William Randolph Hearst successfully used his newspapers to manipulate public opinion and the outcome of situations to his will. All newspaper people know that story placement and headline size influences overall readership opinion. It works- flat out. Because this works so well, newspaper staff need to be honest with themselves and the public about what they are doing.
Case in point: When Scott Brown decides to come forward with allegations that if true are very important, this paper gives a cursory description of the charges, devoting 662 words to it and placing it 27 pages back in the paper. No investigation of Mr. Brown's allegations. Very next day, an article bringing up 6 year old charges that were NOT found actionable by an ANONYMOUS person is FRONT PAGE, with 967 words, and even a poll on whether Brown should be reprimanded. And what does that have to do with whether Garcia, Wicks and Jeske are indeed comitting ethical violations? Why do we have a staff writer employing the common lawyer tactic of attempting to discredit the accuser?
Anon: 11:06
Well, anon, the problem is "the Gondola and the other visionary projects of the Mayor" are kind of joined at the hip with Mr. Peterson's proposal, whatever it may be at this point. No one seems to know, other than the assurances from Mr. Peterson and the Mayor that it is "evolving." No Peterson purchase of the golf course and resulting real estate development, then no downtown to WSU flatland gondola, and no Peterson up-Mt. gondola and no development of a Malan's Basin resort. Or so we have been repeatedly told. So, a supporter of and advocate for the downtown gondola and what you are pleased to call "other visionary projects of the Mayor" like Mr. Leshem is more or less inevitably associated with Mr. Peterson and his plans, because without Peterson's participation, the gondola/gondola plan cannot be completed.
I understand your point that Mr. Lesham and Mr. Peterson are not, at this point, business associates. But Mr. Lesham's strong support for the gondola/gondola proposals does create an association, and the potential down the line for a more direct and close one.
Anon: 11:37
Well, Mr. Brown's unfortunate tirade was so intemperate, so emotional, he seemed so out of control and driven by anger that I'd be skeptical about what he said mid-rant if I were an editor. The few specific charges he made --- the wildest being that Mr. Garcia had offered him a job in a Garcia administration for unspecified favors now --- Garcia flatly and immediately denied. If Mr. Brown had specific allegations that represented more than just his anger at three Council persons, perhaps more would have come of it. Perhaps something more will in the future. But if newspapers took everything alleged in intemperate angry speeches by infuriated citizens seriously, well it wouldn't have much time for anything else.
As for the front page story about Brown.... Sadly, it was Mr. Brown himself who fixed the spotlight on himself when he let his anger run away with his judgment at Tuesday's Council meeting. That made Brown news. Had he kept control of himself, as he should have, I doubt he would have been front page news two days later.
I will give you one thing. The SE poll on whether Brown should be disciplined by the Mayor for his unfortunate and emotional breakdown at the Council meeting was tacky. A classless move and the SE should be ashamed of itself for it. On that much, we can agree.
ANON,
I was told by Bob Geiger directly that Gadi Lesham was the the big money behind Peterson.
Dear Tec
How can you take the word of a liar like Little Bob.
Little Bob
Anonymous at 11:37 said:
And what does that have to do with whether Garcia, Wicks and Jeske are indeed comitting ethical violations?
See what I mean?
Sigh.
"I have here a list with the names of 3 ethical violators..."
If little Matty wants to even be in the running for job(election) one would think he'd have bobby placed back in moth balls, and gadi returned to ca.
My GAWD, Ogdenlover, they freeze funds of Iran, Iraq, and Libia, when it looks like they're going nuke. Then, every once in a great while, someone from organized crime like John the "Teflon Don" Gotti gets some of his assets frozen, if the numbers are too great. But Gadi Leshem?!?
What, you have the spelling of Gotti/Gadi confused because you're wasting so damn much of your time watching for "malfeasance, improprieties, and corruption at city hall?" Or are you just another conspiratorialist, nervous and paranoid over everything and just don't get it?
Like I said, some of you people are REALLY fun. Please, DON'T STOP!
Hey anon, don't you take the paper? Malfeasance,improptieties and corruption at city hall, its all been right there. Doesn't take much looking.
Anonymous 4:41 said:
My GAWD, Ogdenlover, they freeze funds of Iran, Iraq, and Libia, when it looks like they're going nuke. Then, every once in a great while, someone from organized crime like John the "Teflon Don" Gotti gets some of his assets frozen, if the numbers are too great. But Gadi Leshem?!?
You mean like Denise Aughney?
Asking readers of the Standard's internet if Brown should be disciplined/fired is not the point.
BROWN NEEDS TO FIRED POSTHASTE BY THE MAYOR!!!
We don't take polls on whether or not an employee has violated the ethics of his office. Brown is not the subject of a popularity poll.
Brown has committed many offenses. Some are Federal violations..and his crude meltdown Tu night must not be tolerated.
Godfrey doesn't have the b---s to be a leader. Oh, but he can fire a decent man who attempted to halt Brown's offenses. He fired a lovely woman who refused to lie.
But wait!! There's more! Godfrey always stands back from the fray, showing his little hands hanging limply from his wrists while his minions do the actual 'firing'.
Just like the little prig on a school playground. Needling and provoking others into fighting while he holds their coats. "I didn't do anything, teacher, honest".
The other day I heard that should Brandon Stephenson should run for mayor and win, he would then appoint the little matty goofy to the CAO job. Is that wrong to promise someone a job while running for an election?
I know that Rep Neil Hansen would not do that. Where are the ethics in this city anyway. Maybe that is why Neil Hansen is the best for the job. He may not be in the loop of all these yahooes but he diffently has the honesty and the integry to do what is in the best intrest of the public, just look at the bills that he ran in the legislature this year. This is just what we need. Don't you all agree?
Couple of points:
1. There is nothing unethical, necessarily, about seleting an appointed staff in advance of election in case you should win. Not sure why people think that is necessarily an unethical thing to do. I assume that when someone runs for mayor or governor or president for that matter, he or she already has to no small extent their high-level executive appointments picked out, and has already determined if they are willing to accept appointment.
2.As for Mr. Brown's tenure, that is entirely the Mayor's decision, and from the public's POV I don't see why he has to be fired. However, the Mayor has said often that he wants to work closely with the council for the good of the city. I have some doubts about his sincerity in that statement, but presuming it to be truthful, I'm hard put to see how Mr. Brown can continue in an office that requires him to engage with the Council half of whose members he just publically insulted and all of whom he embarassed with his loss of control Tuesday night. For the Mayor's own effectiveness in working with this Council a reassignment for Mr. Brown would seem to be in order, at the least.
But it's the Mayor's call exclusively. He get's to make such appointments, and the people who hold them serve at his pleasure. Doubtless some will draw conclusions not to the Mayor's benefit if he retains Mr. Brown in his present capacity, but if the Mayor believes Mr. Brown is too valuable in that position to remove, despite his public meltdown Tuesday night and his antagonistic relationship with much of the Council, that is the Mayor's call to make.
Curm,
Honestly, you are an intelligent man....how can you say you aren't sure that Brown should be fired?
The Clearfield mayor was only in office for about two months before he was out the door for accessing porn on his 'city' computer!
You think Brown should be moved to a different position for sexual harrassment, porn on his computer AND his tirade againt the elected Council...the CHAIR specifically????
Why the double standard for Brown?
You are right on this: It IS the mayor's call to fire him...and he should have done it years ago.
The only position Brown should be moved to is...UNEMPLOYED.
Mercy:
I was talking about the Mayor perhaps asking for Mr. Brown's resignation because of his unfortunate performance at Tuesday's Council meeting. You are raising a whole raft of other matters, which I understand are now, at least some of them, being addressed in a law suit related to Mr. Martinez's firing.
Mercy, I've heard rumors about some administrative actions in regard to what you're discussing, but I don't have the facts, I haven't seen anything more than has been in the press. And we have so far two very very different accounts of what has happened, one by the SL Trib and one by the SE. Until something more substantive emerges on the record, I'm reluctant to demand someone's firing. You may be absolutely right, but there isn't enough on the record that I've seen to lead me to demand somebody's job. And so I'm limiting my comments about Mr. Brown's tenure to the questions raised by his emotional meltdown in public on Tuesday.
From all I've posted here on the gondola/gondola scheme and on what I consider the Mayor's less than firm grip on what honorable conduct requires of an elected official, it's clear, or should be, that I am not a particular fan of his administration. Given that, there's always a danger that I might be too eager to accept bad news about him or his team too quickly. Have to guard against that. People are often too quick to accept charges against those they oppose politically, sometimes well before indisputable facts have emerged, and sometimes in the end such facts don't ever emerge. To guard against that, I try to lean a little in the direction of not accepting bad reports about political opponents until very substantial, preferably irrefutable evidence has emerged to support it. Not there yet with respect to the rumors about Mr. Brown in my opinion. So, pending further developments, I'll limit my comments to what I can ground on his public performance before the Council, which was on the record and about where there can be no question.
An excess of caution on my part? Perhaps. But in matters like these, I'd rather lean too far in the direction of caution than the other way. When people's reputations and jobs are on the line, it seems prudent to me to do that. You may, in fact you probably do, disagree, which is fine. Diff'rent strokes for diff'rent folks is what makes life... and politics... interesting.
Not defending Brown but, The multiple allegations of sexual harrasment have yet to be played out. The process for that being stopped by the administration. All appearence would be to protect Brown. Since the firing of Martinez and not replacing his position for more than 3 months,one must wonder. The main point is, Godfrey obviously has tried to cover up the porn,and by all appearance was attempting to do likewise with the sexual harrasment allegations. There is no justification for Browns tirade at the council meeting.
Your viewpoints are understood.
Was it you or someone else on here who thinks having the gondola, with WSU's colors suspended on a crane at the Junction, is a good thing?
Having the team recognized and gathering on the municipal bldg's steps is a lovely tribute. Putting up that gondola is only a political ploy.
AND at the same time that the Transportation meeting was held last night. Hardman's closing remarks touting the gondola and telling us a ride from downtown to WSU will bring in one million visitors a year is vintage Geiger and diluted any credibility Hardman had at the podium.
Most transparent, and IMHO, a shameful act of Godfrey's.
That was no tribute to WSU.
The questions have been asked and so far, gone unanswered. WHO authorized the gondola going up? Who is paying for the crane operators? What about liability in case of injury to life limb and property?
It's a cheap shot and so in keeping with the shoddy practices of the administration, Geigers, et al.
Mercy, I am in complete agreement, that gondola used in conjuntion with a WSU Banner was outlandish,tacky and reflective of the character of the folks behind it. A silly, selfish, egotistical attempt at self-promotion, a disservice to the fine young members of Weber's team.
Mercy:
Noticed how Hardman slipped in the gondola pitch, did you? Notice how he didn't mention the city and the city leaders he said had, just had to give the aerial tramway to the citizens. I suspect it was the teeming metropolis of Teluride, CO.
Also did you notice in the Chamber of Commerce material included in the agenda they gave everyone that the gondola does NOT appear as a transportation option? No where on their list of endorsed project. Nary a cable, nary a car.
So, we now have it, on the record, in print, that the Ogden-Weber Chamber of Commerce does NOT consider the downtown gondola as a transportion project, much less a "mass transit" option. Not a transportation project in any way. Yet he couldn't resist the plug at the end.
So, what was Mr. Hardman on behalf of the Chamber of Commerce recommending the downtown gondola as? Apparently only as an amusement park ride.
If I were the editor of a paper that didn't have to worry about advertising [I know, I know, this is one of my fantasies], I'd have headlined the transportation meeting story this way:
OGDEN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ABANDONS
GONDOLA AS TRANSPORTION OPTION
He he he. I know, I know. I'm not a nice person. But imagine the Maalox consumed Wednesday morning if the business barons of Ogden --- those selfless civic leaders so eager to gamble with our parklands and our public funds --- awoke to a headline like that. Ah, if only....
Why Curm....the very last sentence of Hardman's little presentation in the hard copy said that the Chamber endorsed 'other options' of transportation...and then said almost the same words verbatim while telling us that tall tale of the gondola and all it would do for Ogden!
And, pray tell...why would one million visitors desire to ride a gondola over Harrison Blvd to WSU and Mckay Dee? Heartburn perhaps?
The Brown sexual harrasment allegations and porn on the computer (which he denied being responsible for) was 4 or 5 years ago. Were these charges adjudicated or as some here suspect swept under the rug?
If they were swept under the rug, then it is still possible that Brown is innocent of these charges. The sweeping, if any existed, could have been motivated by things other than his guilt or innocence.
The bottom line is that we wouldn't have these sort of derisive problems and questions if the Godfreyites were practioners of open and honest government. It just seems like everything they do has to be a secret, rather it makes any sense or not. The more a government practices secrecy the more people distrust them. There is very very little in Ogden City government that should be secret from the people whose government it is, yet practically every thing these operators do is behind closed doors and on the QT.
Brown is probably the smartest one in the whole administration and perhaps is the only one that truly knows all the moving parts and how they all relate. It might be pretty dangerous to fire the guy from that point of view. He's also the only non-priest in the whole Godfreyite movement which should account for something.
The accusations of Garcia trying to bribe Brown are down right insane and funny as hell to boot. That would be like Nancy Polosie trying to get Cheney to be her spy and switch sides! Garcia may not be a very dynamic or successful leader of the council, but he aint stupid.
The foregoing is my opinion and I'm stickin to it.
Ozboy:
You wrote: The more a government practices secrecy the more people distrust them. There is very very little in Ogden City government that should be secret from the people whose government it is....
Exactly. On both points.
By the look of this morning's paper, I suspect more damaging news is just around the bend for Godfrey. He seems to have his underlings launching a full-out assault on Garcia. Funny, Jessie's not even running for this Job. One must wonder why the Standard took the bait. Consider the sources and motivation for these attacks, and who they're directed at, this administration appears desperate.
Since little Matty's strategy is based on hearsay and rumor,here's one. Scott Brown was overheard at Rooster's, saying he's out of here April 15th.
Was Brown spotted at the Post Office applying for a passport?
Is he going to the Bahamas to offer his DNA as daddy of Anna Nicole's baby?
Lotsa pretty little women in the Bahamas!
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