We'll shine some daylight on two items in this morning's news, both from our home-town newspaper.
1) Today's Standard-Examiner breaks the news to the general public about something Weber County Forum readers have known about since Friday. There's been another gang-related murder in Ogden. We incorporate below the lead paragraphs from this morning's story:
OGDEN — A 22-year-old man is dead and a 15-year-old boy has been arrested and accused of killing him, while a community is left reeling over the latest gang-related violent incident as police continue their investigation.100 youths milling around a downtown parking lot late on a Friday night, (an accident waiting to happen), and not a single Ogden Police Department patrol unit in sight? What happened to proactive policing, we ask. And no, we're NOT putting the knock on our sorely understaffed men and women of Ogden's Finest. We know where the responsibility really lies:
The fatal shooting occurred at 11:30 p.m. Friday at the Phillips Kicks 66 gas station and convenience store at 30th Street and Washington Boulevard.
“I always get nervous around this part of town, just for that reason. You could just be an innocent bystander … and you could get shot,” said Joe Bauer, 52, of South Ogden, as he filled his car at the station Saturday.
This is Ogden’s third fatal gang shooting for 2007, according to police reports.
Friday night, when the shooting occurred, about 100 youths were milling around their cars and motorcycles in the parking lot, according to witnesses. The convenience store is a popular stop for people cruising the boulevard, police said.
We got the straight story from OPD Sgt. Troy Arrowsmith in midsummer of 2006, when he informed us, right there on the Std-Ex editorial pages, about Boss Godfrey's twisted, upside-down law enforcement priorities:
"...Mayor Godfrey has chosen to address the crime issue in Ogden by adding more officers to the Traffic Division (officers whose primary mission is to write citations). The mayor effectively doubled the size of the Traffic Division. No addition in personnel has been made to the Patrol Division (those officers who handle your calls and proactively prevent crime), to the Narcotic Unit, Gang Unit or the Detective Division. This is an obvious plan to use the police department as revenue generators and raise money from you, the citizens, to pay for who knows what project....
"Are your elected city officials representing your views on this? Is this fair to you? Why are they trying to raise funds in such an underhanded way? Your elected officials are using the police department as a revenue generating machine instead of the job we were sworn to do: public safety. "
Godfrey's obsession with feeding his Justice Court "Cash Cow," at the expense of real law enforcement, has left the citizens of Ogden in a terribly tight spot. We're now reaping the fruits of Boss Godfrey's revenue generation obsession, and it's costing human lives. And at the rate things are going in Emerald City, it's only a matter of time before an entirely innocent citizen catches a stray bullet.
And the next time Boss Godfrey tells you he's reduced crime 23% during his tenure as mayor, flash this morning's Std-Ex headline under his nose, or better yet, ask him to respond honestly to this.
2) In yesterday's article we linked to our city council's 9/21/07 press report, in which our city council tried to set the record straight, and to alert the general public that, contrary to some published reports, our city council had been cut out of the loop, and was NOT involved in the UTA/Godfrey administration's August 29 written agreement, intended to dispose of the $247 thousand in federal funds that's been sitting in a UTA account for over fourteen months.
Believing this story to be Scott Schwebke's "baby," we deferred to our favorite Ace Reporter, awaiting another blockbuster revelation in this morning's Standard-Examiner, laying out in detail how the city council got royally screwed over. And we got a tiny bit of that, at least at the start of this morning's article, which bore the headline, "Council denies involvement," and the even more accurate sub-headline, "Godfrey, they say, signed UTA-gondola agreement on his own."
And in all fairness to Mr. Schwebke, his article did adopt verbatim a few of the council's press-release paragraphs.
From there, however Mr. Schwebke's article spirals downward toward the mundane. And we just loved this couple of short (and carefully crafted) Schwebke paragraphs:
The urban leg of the gondola project remains in doubt because Godfrey has refused to sell city-owned Mount Ogden Golf Course to developer Chris Peterson, the driving force behind the proposal.We've seen Ace Reporter at his best; and he's certainly nowhere near that level this morning.
The city had initially planned to use proceeds from the golf course sale to help fund an urban leg of the gondola extending from downtown to Weber State University. It was estimated to cost about $20 million, [Emphasis added.]
As one of our readers has already commented in a lower thread:
What's with Scott Schwebke this morning?Take it away, gentle readers.
"Godfrey has refused to sell city-owned Mount Ogden Golf Course"
Makes it sound like Godrey's the man to protect us from those crazy gondolistas!
Let us all know what you think. Do it now, or after you get back from church.
22 comments:
What's with Scott Schwebke this morning?
"Godfrey has refused to sell city-owned Mount Ogden Golf Course"
Makes it sound like Godrey's the man to protect us from those crazy gondolistas!
Banner headlines about the the City Council not being on the same page as Mayor Godfrey regarding the UTA funds. What a missed opportunity for Councilmember VanHooser to debate and/or discuss this, while the news is HOT, at the Chamber of Commerce debate, which she declined to participate in.
Gives me pause as to her sense of political timing and her willingness to take on a tough task. After all, if she won't step into the Chamber debate furnace, due to what this blog refers to as being highly weighted in Godfrey's behalf, what will she do when she faced with tough issues that assault the Mayor's Office? This doesn't bode well and just shows her lack of experience and a shallow platform.
The other day a cop posted here that he doesn't want his fsmily driving around Ogden in the DAYtime cuz of all the crime and shootings.
Guess this shoots another hole in Godfrey's crime fighting stats.
How can a station owner and the police allow a hundred or more persons to hang around that station? That's a riot waiting to ignite. And it did.
I've seen signs in some stores that only two or three teens can be inside at a time...and in others that no teens will be served or allowed in during certain hours.
What is Greiner doing about these loungers who keep decent people from patronizing these gas/convenience stores? Are the owners totally impotent and cannot protect their businesses?
To Hornet,
From what I can tell, Godfrey has aligned himself with ever initative that Van Hooser has mentioned, i.e. infrastucture, crime, etc.
Why would she offer him any more opportunity's to say me too!
I would counter and suggest that Godfrey needs go into more details with regards to his going forward plans for the next 4 more years(understanding that may limit his wiggle room after the election if he got into office). All I've heard is more of the same as to what we've seen for the last 7 years.
Sharon, it is my understanding that the station owner (Kicks 66) likes the crowds at his parking lot. I have been told that the police have asked him to call the police when they crowd up there and he refuses because he wants their business. Problem for the police is that business owners need to have signs posted (no trespassing after closing) and sign a "letter of agency" which allows police to charge trespassers criminally without having the owner come down at 3am (or whatever time) to charge them each time. Even then the kids up and down Washington Blvd just go into parking lots and hang out until police come to kick them out. A big hangout is the Dennys/Sizzler/Office Max parking lot. The lots are signed but the kids dont really care.
ON this morning's Article by Mr. Schwebke:
Southsider, your point is a good one. Certainly at least the article could have mentioned, if it was going to highlight the Mayor's "refusal" to sell Peterson the golf course, the fact that the Mayor has been loudly advocating selling the golf course and more to him for the past two years. Context matters.
There's another unfortunate slip of the editorial pen in the article. He wrote: "The city had initially planned to use proceeds from the golf course sale to help fund an urban leg of the gondola extending from downtown to Weber State University." [Emphasis added.]
Well, actually, no, the mayor had intended to do that. Which raises exactly the question currently being disputed between Mayor Godfrey and the City Council, on which issue unfortunately Mr. Inglish and the UTA he administers have sided with the Mayor. Who represents Ogden City? The Mayor? The Council? Or is the concurrence of both required before someone or group can legitimately claim that "the city" has decided something?
Mr. Schwebke's sentence implies that only Mayor Godfrey speaks definitively for Ogden City. And certainly in some sense he speaks for the City, since he is its elected Mayor. But the Council is an elected body as well, that speaks for "the city." We have a "Mayor/Council" form of government. Seems evident to me that when both concur on a matter of policy, then they collectively speak for "the city." But neither the Mayor nor the Council can claim to speak for "the city" when they disagree on matters. Mr. Schewebke should have written instead "Mayor Godfrey had initially planned to use...."
The slip is not a small matter, since, again, it lies at the heart of disagreement between the Council and Mayor with respect to their proper roles in Ogden government. [Given that, I have to wonder, where were Mr. Schwebke's copy editors on this one?]
The article goes on to quote Councilman Stephens on the Council's wanting to work with the Administration for the good of the city, and on the importance of cooperation between the Council and Administration. He is absolutely right. And I've watched him work consistently, again and again, to try to improve Council/Administration relations and to preserve a healthy level of civility at Council sessions. And I've watched his efforts sunk, again and again, by Administration intransigence, arrogance and uncivility. [Recall the personal attacks on Mr. Garcia by Mr. Brown and Patterson, Administration spokesmen both? By the Administrations flat "no" when asked to inform the Council who was attempting to buy the Bootjack properties?]
Keep trying, Mr. Stephens. You're fighting a battle worth fighting. But cooperation presumes that both parties involved want to cooperate, just as negotiations presumes that both parties want to negotiate. Sadly, that is not the case we face in Ogden. Here, the Administration approach to negotiating some middle way for the public good when it disagrees with the Council is "what's mine is mine; what's yours is negotiable." Mayor Godfrey's idea of cooperation is "I tell you what I want you to do, and you do it."
Life on the Council for a member of good intent who understands the important role both the administration and the Council play and must play if Ogden is to be well-governed cannot be easy these days. Mr. Stephen's has my sympathy.
just incase anyone has forgotten, shorty has been trying to bring a gondola to Emerald Ctiy since his election in 1999 here's 2 links that are quite interesting.
http://utah.sierraclub.org/ogden/OgdenFront/GodfreyQuotes.html
http://utah.sierraclub.org/ogden/OgdenFront/TramHistory.html
Here are working links [I hope] to the two websites "I'm To Short" listed just above.
The first one.
And the second one.
In an article written by Charles Trentleman for the Standard Examiner May 5, 2005 Godfrey is quoted as saying "I am not advocating a tram. I only want an opportunity to see if one is feasible. If it can’t work, or if the people of Ogden don’t Support it, I will jump off.” So why then has he not jumped off? A study was done during Mechams term and the people opposed it then, so why does matty believe that the people want it now? Godfrey is in your face feudalism: I am your master, you are the Serf. I can lie to you and you have to take it.
A respected friend told me today that, "Im for Godfrey". I was shocked. I thought he was more intelliget and savvy than that. When I pointed out all his corruptible actions...it didn't faze my friend. "Look what he's doing downtown".
He did ask..." what's our choice? (About SVH) what's her platform? What does she stand for?"
We hear that about Susan. I hope she comes back from her family emergency loaded for bear and shoots holes in all of Godfrey's posturings.
What do you make of this pile of horse shit that our peckerwood mayor is trying to mold into a golden statue of hisself? You know, the one about him a being some kind of defender of the faith against them gondola backing boys led by the desparado Peterson! Ye gods man, the only thing between us with a free Mount Ogden park -versus- the evil empire of Chris Peterson is Gondola boy hisself!
I mean, how damn dumb do these dimm witted dick heads at the Standard and in the little feller's office think we are?
Does this Schlepke fellow really think the public is going to buy that crap, or is he too damn laid up with a bad case of numbskulledness to see the simple truth hisself?
No siree bob, I don't think for a minute that the big naybobs at the Standard didn't know full well what they were doing by letting their stooge reporter Moe misrepresent something this blatantly. Those boys are way to smart to just let horse pucky like this slip on through!
Just one more example of the Standard's blatant pandering to the little feller in the stuffed suit. Or as my buddy Jimmy Lee would say: "Big suits from Sandusky benden over kissin the butt of a little stuffed suit from Ogden"
Sharon, I know what you mean about the misconception of people that things "look better" downtown therefore things must be better. I had a family member ask me (because I am a city employee) if I thought Godfrey was a good Mayor. I told her "hell no". She was shocked by my reply. She then went onto tell me that she thought he was doing a good job because the area around 23rd and Wall looks much better and that the downtown looked better. I pointed out to her that looks are definately deceiving. I asked her to tell me how many mid to large retail (tax generating) stores Godfrey has brought in during his term. ??? I can only think of Home Depot. How many mid to large retail stores have left??? Too many that have not been replaced. ZCMI (now Meyer & Frank) to Riverdale, SAMS Club also to Riverdale, Fred Meyer shut down. J.C.Penney building in Riverdale (along with TJ Maxx). He is turning Ogden into a ghost town which will have only expensive ski clothing for sale.
Sure those area's look better. But at what cost? He still has NOT effectively addressed the crime issues. Even though he has inflated his numbers (inaccurately) to make him look better. Another murder in Ogden over the weekend, a stabbing (actually 2 people stabbed, but was one incident) and likely other major crimes. But that is OK. At least the traffic division is at full staff and writing those citations for profit. Also don't forget that the police department is paying overtime to officers to have 24/7 coverage at the junction. They are scheduled to have 2 officers at the junction at all times. This is in addition to their regular duties, thus paying the officers overtime wages.
Victor:
If you've ever written on deadline, you might be a little more believing of the possibility of haste at times accounting more for careless word choice than malevolent intention.
I'd like to say, that for Susan VanHooser to decline to debate Godfrey in front of the Chamber of Commerce, who are rabidly pro-Godfrey and are liars when they imply they are not, and for her to say that part of the reason was that they are basically a totally biased group, was for me, her finest hour.
It was courageous and truthful - a very rare combination in the political realm.
We are fortunate to have Susan as a choice for mayor.
danny...
I think if Susie had any idea of what she stood for she should have debated the little guy and put him is place, but the fact remains she doesn't know what is going on in the city and she is running away from what she should be doing which is telling how she would run things differently than what is being done now.
Van Hooser isn't Godfrey. That's all anyone needs to know.
November can't come fast enough!
Make,
If you've seen how Curt Geiger acts toward people who don't see things his way, especially women, then you'd know why it is pointless for anybody but like-minded persons to go before the people at the Chamber of Commerce.
There will be debates. But they will be held in reasonable forums.
Does anyone know of a ski shuttle for Ogden? If there is one, it seems like it is not advertised. Someone else had the same question
on a travel website
Danny:
There are Chamber members who are for Susan Van Hooser. It's the Chamber leadership, and in particular, Mr. Hardman who are in Godfrey's camp. Hardman, remember, is the man who led the Chamber over the cliff on the Peterson Proposal, causing them to endorse if fully and completely, including the parklands sale, only to have Godfrey recently announce that the Peterson Proposal had not been feasible from the very start. Rumor has it, a number of Chamber members --- and not only spear carriers --- were embarrassed by that and not happy with Mr. Hardman's enthusiastic support of a plan whose major proponent now says could never have worked.
So, it would be not only wise but accurate, I think, to distinguish between the Chamber leadership and the Chamber's general membership. Not all of the latter support the former on either the Mayor's race or the gondola nonsense.
Ogden Fan:
There is an Ogden ski area shuttle, serving I believe Snow Basin, Wolf Mountain and Powder Mountain. I'd call the Sheraton and ask about it. It stops at the hotels to pick up and drop off passengers. Or call the Ogden Visitors and Convention Bureau. Sorry, I don't have a link for the info. In fact, if you give the Visitors and Convention Bureau the link on the travel website, they can take it from there.
Crum:
I figured you out. You don't care about democrats. I think your an editor for the s e.
You just want to sell newspapers.
Anon:
If I am an editor for the SE, then somebody in Accounting needs to get fired, since I haven't gotten a pay check since.... well, I've never gotten one. In fact, they keep cashing the subscription checks I send them every few months. The bastards!
It's pretty simple, Anon. If you're going to be a credible critic of a newspaper, magazine, columnist or whatever, you need to be willing both to pound on 'em when they screw up [and I do], and praise them for good work when they do that [and I do]. Doing only the first generally means you're criticisms will be dismissed as cranky endless complaining. Doing only the second means your praise will be dismissed and mindless sycophancy.
Now, beyond that, I'd still be arguing that anyone who lives in Ogden and wants to stay up on public affairs ought to subscribe to the SE if they can, no matter how angry it might make them. Even presuming [what I don't think is true on the evidence] that the SE editors are, lock, stock and barrel a wholly owned and operated subsidiary of Matthew Godfrey Inc., I'd still subscribe and urge others to as well.
Why? Because Ogden exists in the news shadow of SLC. We have no TV station that reports Ogden news. The SL Trib does only intermittently. The SE is important for providing the city a good part of its identity, important as one of the tools for preventing Ogden from sliding into simply a bedroom suburb of SLC. Having a home town daily matters, particularly to small cities located close to and in the news-shadow of major metropolitan areas.
There's an old joke about a gambler who stops overnight in a town, and asks the hotel desk clerk where he can find a poker game. The clerk tells him the one game there is is in the back room of the hotel bar, but it's a crooked game. The players cheat. The desk clerk is surprised later on to see the traveling gambler playing in the game. Next morning, he asks him why, since the game was fixed. The gambler replies: "I know it's a crooked game. But it's the only game in town."
That applies to the SE, even if you think [as I don't] that it's nothing more than an administration rag. It's the only game in town.
Post a Comment