It's the end of an era in Emerald City, fellow lumpencitizens. This morning's Ace Reporter Schwebke story reports that Boss Godfrey's financial brain has jumped ship:
OGDEN — Scott Brown, Ogden’s sometimes controversial business development manager, has resigned.During the short period during 2005-06 (when Boss Godfrey permitted Scott to take and return our phone calls,) we had a fine and candid dialogue with Mr. Brown; and to a very large extent we share Mr. Harmer's assessment. Scott is an extremely talented guy -- so long as his activities are confined to the finance arena, at least. As we all know, Scott's not so hot, when it comes to political commentary.
Brown’s last day on the job was Monday, said John Patterson, the city’s chief administrative officer. Brown could not be reached for comment Wednesday.
However, he has said he informed his bosses, Director of Community and Economic Development Dave Harmer and Mayor Matthew Godfrey, more than a year ago that he would stay with the city long enough to oversee completion of the Salomon Center, a $19.5 million, high-adventure recreation facility slated to open in June at the former Ogden City Mall site.
A replacement for Brown could be hired within a month, Patterson said.
Brown began working for Ogden in 1999 and was being paid $85,991 annually when he left. He didn’t receive a severance package from the city, Harmer said.
“He’s a talented guy who has contributed a lot to the city,” Harmer said. “I’m sorry to see him go.”
And there is absolutely no doubt in our minds that Mr. Brown will be missed by Boss Godfrey, and some of the "suits" on his "A" team. The entire $multi-million borrow-and-spend edifice which surrounds our Emerald City RDA is Scott Brown's "creative" handiwork. It will be interesting to see whether Boss Godfrey (or anyone else who is hired as his replacement) will have the brains and cajones to keep it propped up.
It comes as no surprise, of course, that Mr. Brown's voluntary departure was NOT accompanied by a severance bonus. Even authoritarian blockheads like Boss Godfrey are minimally capable of learning their lessons -- especially in a municipal election year.
And we look forward down the road to the prospective early announcement of Mr. Brown's "retention," under some anticipated future "consulting contract" -- or other lucrative "retirement arrangement." We know that Boss Godfrey always "takes care" of his "friends";" and that it's highly unlikely that Mr. Brown will be necessarily cut out in the future from the fruits of Boss Godfrey's municipal "spoils system."
Have at it, gentle readers. It's time to indulge in reminiscence about Scott's past accomplishments, we think, and to contemplate the future of Emerald City, assuming, in a "worst case scenario," that Scott Brown has actually exited the stage permanently.
Don't let the cat get your tongues.
Update 5/3/07 5:27 p.m. MT: Speaking of bonuses, I can think of ONE Ogden guy who deserves one. OPD officer Ken Hammond has just been awarded a very prestigious national law enforcement award. Read all about it here.
