We'll lead off today with a three more excellent election-oriented citizen letters in this morning's Standard-Examiner, each of them offering analysis based on Boss Godfrey's proven performance, during his last four-year mayoral term. We'll then follow up briefly with a few other items.
Marian Evans puts the spotlight upon Godfrey's cronyism, reciting a list of incidences where Boss Godfrey has given special treatment to his special friends, then summarizing Godfrey's litany of publicly-observed misdeeds in her final paragraph: "It appears that Ogden is for sale to the highest bidder, as long as they are friends of the mayor."
Long-time civic activist Rulon Yorgason scores a two-bagger, drilling down on the mayor's thoroughly bogus "Godfrey the Crime-fighter" theme, and then picking up on the Friends of Matt (FOM) topic where Ms. Evans left off, noting the strong correlation between FOMs who have received special favors from Boss Godfrey, and the names appearing on his campaign
Jackie Piper Slaughter takes us back to Boss Godfrey's secret gondola study debacle, which ultimately became the subject of a scathing Standard-Examiner editorial, strongly criticizing Boss Godfrey and his administration for the secretive and dishonorable behavior revealed in the 29-page series of GRAMA-produced emails, originally obtained by the Ogden Sierra Club's Dan Schroeder and later posted right here on this blog.
It's always a pleasure to read the letters from Std-Ex readers around election time, when thoughtful Emerald City citizens demonstrate themselves not to be the dumb and forgetful pack of sheep that Boss Godfrey and his pack of henchmen and cronies presume them to be.
On the other side of the coin, we find this Godfrey Campaign Letter Mill knock-off, where another Godfrey shill once again thoughtlessly hammers out the preposterous Godfreyite "debt is not debt" theme, with the once again repeated assertion that the Ogden City's Redevelopment Agency debt is really not Ogden City's responsibility.
In that connection we invite the sadly misinformed Mr. Ricardo Robles to read the material in Ogden City's own "Comprehensive Annual Financial Report," which reveals Emerald City's true level of debt, as of June of 2006. This material is of course written by Ogden City's "bean counters," and not Godfrey's paid campaign management team, leaving no doubt which information source we'll choose to believe. Within that report Mr. Robles will find this highly instructive language:
"OGDEN CITY, UTAH NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - Year Ended June 30, 2006 - NOTE 1. SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES - "The accompanying financial statements include all activities of the City and Ogden Redevelopment Agency (RDA)....We suppose Mr. Robles's letter reveals something about certain less thoughtful other Ogden City folks: Godfreyite lemmings will attach their good names to dang near anything Boss Godfrey sticks under their noses for signature, so long as they can remain within the Godfrey inner circle.
"The RDA was included because the separate governing bodies of both entities are comprised of the same individuals and the City is financially accountable for the RDA."....
"C. Other organizations that, because of the nature and significance of their relationship with the primary government, exclusion from the reporting entity would render the financial statements misleading or incomplete... (Page 50) .
"Total Ogden City Outstanding Debt Last Three Fiscal Years (2004-06): $52,489,706, $56,467,598, $93,029,566" (Page 124) [emphasis added].
In another letter, Boss Godfrey's Mt. Ogden Golf Course manager does an obvious campaign favor for his Boss, and reports that Boss Godfrey promises (scout's honor) NOT to sell the golf course. What he doesn't talk about, of course, is the acreage surrounding the course perimeter.
And we'll close up today's letters segment with an outstanding missive from mayoral candidate Neil Hansen's son Trever, who offers real life insight into why recently-reported lawn sign vandalism is not a trivial matter, at least from the point of view of campaign workers who expend great amounts of volunteer time and effort to help their candidates participate in our system of democratic elections.
There's also a Std-Ex campaign 2007 article of note. Thanks to the efforts of Dorothy Littrell (and Weber County Forum,) Boss Godfrey has apparently become aware of the legal requirement that he account for the $37 thousand and change left over from his 2003 campaign. His already-bloated $100,000 campaign war chest has thus swelled to an obscene $138 thousand -- three times greater than all other candidates combined -- which no doubt explains the forest of lawnsigns which are cluttering up neighborhoods from Harrisville to South Ogden. Enough with the lawnsigns already, Boss Godfrey. We get the point that you think you can buy this election.
Don't let the cat get yer tongues.
32 comments:
Rudi hit all the highlights on the editorial page. So I'll limit myself to a few short notes:
(1) The SE letters page today does not seem to have tilted its content [as has often been alleged here] in the direction of the Mayor and his advocates. Seems a fairly representative sampling of letters across the political spectrum, with [if anything] a column-inch-tilt toward the opposition.
(2) SE managing editor Andy Howell has some good ink for Ogden in his occasional column on SE matters "Behind the Headlines." [Full text here.]
He reports that the SE single copy and subscription numbers are still rising [good news for him, certainly, and I'd say good news for Ogden as well], and that there was a mysterious spike in single sale and hotel copies during the normally slow August period. Howell writes:
The biggest week we had during the month was Aug. 12-18. This was our second-highest count for the year.... But August is usually a slow month, so the jump caught our attention. What gives? The number of visitors.
The Xterra was held during this record-breaking week, which brought a lot of out-of-town visitors. And they bought newspapers. Hotel sales are a reflection of actual occupancy. Coupled with other entertainment opportunities during the month, the number of visitors to the Ogden area skyrocketed, indicating the city’s efforts to promote the community as a recreation destination may be paying off....
Outdoors multimedia reporter Robert Johnson said the buzz about Ogden among members of the outdoor community in the state is off the charts....
Then, in a shameless appeal to the inner Male Chauvinist Pig hidden not too deep within many of us [myself included in that number], Howell added:
If you watch Robert’s video on StandardNet about Ogden’s first paddle festival, held at Pineview Reservoir, you’ll see and hear a ringing endorsement for the city. Robert filmed two bikini-clad women lounging on the beach. They said they were from Connecticut and came to Ogden specifically for the festival. Whether they were kidding or not, it is a good reflection on the community.
I've said it before and will now say it again: the Mayor's idea of repositioning Ogden as an outdoor recreation center and destination was a good one. It has had so far good results for the city. Had he not gone stark raving bonkers over the weird flatland-gondola and associated real estate schemes to turn over the public's benchlands to his cronies for development, he might well be coasting to a third term. But sadly... for the Mayor and for Ogden... his obsession and his cronies got the better of him. Too bad, really.
(3) And last, also from Howell's column, a good example of what the Readers Digest used to call "the perfect squelch" and nicely delivered. I'm still chuckling:
HATS OFF: I had to wear a BYU cap all week after losing an office bet when my alma mater, Arizona, stunk it up in Provo losing to the Cougars in last week’s college football opener for both teams.
I’m proud to say the episode hasn’t had any lingering effects.
Oh fetch! Gotta run, Lawrence Welk reruns are on . . .
So How much is your vote for Sale for? It looks like some of our candidates are trying to buy your vote. Does it go to the highest bidder? or does it go to the one that works the hardest for it.
Think about it and let me know what your IDEAS are.
First, I don't get Curm's comments that Godfrey "positioning" Ogden as a recreation spot was a good idea? What, does Godfrey get credit for the mountains, lakes, streams etc? All he has supported is selling such things to his cronies and bulldozing them. As far as people “noticing” them – I noticed them along time ago. Why do I need for somebody else to notice, so it can be more crowded? Or is smog, water shortages, and traffic the ultimate goal of humanity?
Regarding today's letters – It appears that this election is turning on the issues of Godfrey's debt load, his intention to sell the golf course and surrounding land, and his cronyism, with both sides arguing these primary issues. This is appropriate, since these are the primary features of Godfrey: DEBT, CRONYISM, SELLING OF PUBLIC LANDS. Let the public continue to debate these accomplishments.
Finally, if Godfrey really owns 45 rental homes (or some such number), and if each has appreciated by $50,000 (a reasonable figure for the last 10 years) then wouldn't that give Godfrey capital gains of over two million by now? Or could it be that his own personal finances are in the same morass of endlessly increasing debt into which he has taken the city?
You see, dear souls, Godfrey has squandered a natural increase in the value of his rental properties. What could have been a fortune for himself, he has lost by his own ineptitude and his fascination with ever increasing debt.
Likewise, Godfrey is not responsible for increasing home prices, for companies moving here, for Ogden being a recreation Mecca, for BDO, or for anything else that people seem to like. He has simply taken what was already there, and what was already going to happen, borrowed heavily against it all, and insured a morass of debt for us to bear for generations to come.
All this he did, because it’s just what comes naturally to him. And besides, he could hope some of it, somehow, might add a little juice to his own collapsing personal finances.
Now, are these comments motivated by hatred, by malice, or by a need to carry a “black banner”? Or are they simply observations any reasonable person would make?
Curmudgeon
I agree that the Standard might have tipped the scales toward the "anti" side with their choice of letters in today's edition. However, on balance, especially in their news coverage, they are definately pro Godfrey and very unbalanced to boot.
On the "Robles" letter, it certainly raises the question of why they did not verify the factualness of what this nit wit presented as fact. The Standard has always made a point of verifying the truth of letter writers assertions. They certainly have in letters I have written or been aware of. So why would they let this drivel pass as if it were true. After all, the guy made outrageous claims that even the Little Lord Hisself doesn't make.
As to poor Robles, it is apparent from his letter that he, or whoever actually wrote it, doesn't have the remotest clue about economics, finance or the city's books. I guess this pretty much makes him your average Godfreyite.
Ozboy:
I did not know the SE fact checked letters. [Many papers do not.] If that is their policy, they have a much bigger problem than the Robles letter: they have the problem of the Mark Johnson letter yesterday in which Mr. Johnson [writing in his capacity as director of Ogden's Management Services Department] insisted the city's debt was only $20 million dollars. The city's annual financial report, however, lists the city's debt at $93 million dollars. Mr. Johnson's wildly inaccurate figure [off by about $73 million according to the city's own annual financial report] was allowed to stand, by the SE editorial page staff, uncorrected.
If they SE is going to fact check letters, it would seem to me the highest priority for fact-checking would be letters by government officials like Mr. Johnson making easily checkable assertions . Apparently, at the SE, nobody bothered to check at Johnson's claim at all.
Not good editing, in my book, if the paper's policy is to fact check letters.
Amidst all the sturm and drang of the closing primary campaigning, the Ogden Farmers Market this morning was fun. Perfect weather. Lots of produce available at beat-the-chains prices [and quality]. Some good toe-tappin' music in the background. Lots of meetin' and greetin' and conversing going on up and down the walkways. One of the Budweiser Clydesdales on display on the grass [and if you can get one of the handlers talking about mishaps trying to film Christmas commercials with them, don't pass up the chance. Funny stuff.] Just an all-round pleasant morning downtown in Junction City.
We picked a good place to move to and live five years ago I think. Well managed and well-governed, it could be an even better one.
A little looking and I found that Setpoint on Commerce Way which contributed $1500.00 to Matthew Godfrey's campaign chest is owned by Joe Cornwell.
There is interesting history re Joe Cornwell.
Joe Cornwell has been involved with the Da Vinci Academy/Riverside Technology High School with the Riverside Technology High School part of that name becoming the Riverside Technology Non-Profit Foundation.
Joe Cornwell was the Chairman of Riverside Technology Non-Profit Foundation.
That is the same organization that Curt Geiger signed a transfer deed for as Chairman on December 29, 2006.
The recorded deed bears Curt Geiger's signature as the Chairman of Riverside Technology Non-Profit Foundation transferring their interest in the American Can property to the Ogden Community Foundation on that date.
And, at the same time Curt Geiger signed the deed as Chair of Riverside Technology Non-Profit Foundation, Joe Cornwell also signed documents as the Chair of Riverside Technology Non-Profit Foundation.
There are no records of a special Board meeting electing Curt Geiger to the office of Chair.
The question then becomes how legal is the deed that Curt Geiger signed for the Riverside Technology Non-Profit Foundation transferring their interest in the American Can Properties LLC to the Ogden Community Foundation.......
Congrats to Little Napoleon on his crime-figting crusades. I offer three instances that illustrate what an outstanding job he's done in my neighborhood alone.
Last week, my buddy had his work tools stolen from his truck. Thursday night, the lock on my kindly neighbor's trailer was broken in attempt to steal his gas cans. Too bad for the filthly dirtbags they were empty.
And as I type this I'm waiting for the cops so I can make a report of the fact that last night my truck was liberated of its stereo, half the dash, and the spare change in the ashtray.
Kudos Mayor! I hope all the money you've spent on traffic tickets and gondola dreams helps you and your kids sleep soundly each night.
There's a reason some Arabic countries sever the hands of thieves. I'll volunteer to do the surgery, though my hatchet is a bit dull. Maybe we can make that the newest Junksion attraction-along with severing the heads of tyrants and liars.
See you on Tuesday, Matty. I'll bring the beer.
to nit-piky:
Thanks for bringing our attention to the large contributions to the Godfrey Campaign from Board Members of the Ogden Community Foundation.
Keith Hanchett who is also a Board member gave $2 grand.
You can bet Godfrey knows how to be compensated for appointments.
Blain Johnson is on the Board of Directors of the Ogden Community Foundation.
Who is Blain Johnson?
Jenny,
Blain Johnson is a godfreyite running to take Susie VanHooser's old at-large council seat.
The better candidates in that race are Dirk Youngberg and Sheila Ardema.
It's interesting how all these Godfrey people are tied together, by money and mutual fat cat back scratching, and how they all seem to view the city as their personal fiefdom to do with as they will.
Somehow, I'd think most regular folks wouldn't like that.
In defense of Todd Brenkman over at the Mt Ogden golf course. His letter was really mis-titled by the SE editorial staff. One line of his letter mentioned Godfrey's promise not to sell the golf course (after 2+ years of trying to do just that). The letter was really a thank you to the golfers who played there this summer and a promise to continue making improvements to the course in the years to come. My guess is the SE folks wanted the letters page to look more balanced and so they gave his letter a misleading title.
Mt Golfer:
Or they wanted a headline to focus on what was most likely to be of interest to the majority of letter readers. "Thanks to golfers for playing here this summer" wasn't it. I read the letter as a "thanks to all you golfers for helping save the course".
SOS! MAYDAY!
I rec'd am automatic dialer phone call a short time ago. A woman's dead disembodied voice said something like: "If you are interested in what is going on in Ogden go to GARBLED GARBLED GAARBLED/
and then "citizens for good gov't...paid for by citizens for good gov't".
Since I couldn't understand her garbled sentence about the website....I couldn't bring it up.
Did anyone else get a call? Whose in "Citizens for Good Gov't"?
The SE does not verify statements made by the Godfreyite UNcreative Writing Club...but Porter turned my letter over to Andy Howell and Dave Greiling....none of these guys accepted my verification nor did they call Tom Owens personally about the Bootjack/Wall AVE?/Tom Owens sale.
So much for fairness.
"Twenty Million...Forty Million"...who cares which is correct? Neither of course, but Godfrey likes to tell us "Twwenty Million". It's laffable that these two clowns couldn't get their 'facts' straight....and the SE doesn't care.
So much for serving their readership.
But, kudos to Rulon, and Marian Evans!
BTW...Hansen's sign and Youngberg's sign which we placed in the vicinity of Van Hooser sign on Country Hills Drive last evening were gone..nowhere to be seen this am! So much for clean campaigning.
What is the significance of the term "black banner" that Stephanie Moore used in her Letter to the Editor about another Letter to the Editor?
Well, have to tell you, I'm chuckling a little at Sharon and some others in this thread and the one below who are shocked... shocked!... that a Republican candidate who has hired a Republican political consultant to run his campaign is engaging in what they think are underhanded and downright dirty tactics. [We Democrats simply call all that "the Carl Rove playbook."]
Dear dear Sharon: what did you expect? It's how your party campaigns. The only difference now is your favored candidate is on the receiving end. I would be very surprised if our Republican Mayor and his Republican handlers, who now think he's in some trouble with the electorate, do not get a great deal dirtier before all is said and done.
Just means, to win, those opposing him have to work harder, and longer, and organize better and campaign more effectively to counter the sleeze. Will that work? Not necessarily. But it can.
BTW..."7 DEFENDANTS AND 6 ATTORNEYS AT OGDEN HEARING", blares the headline in the Top of Utah section of today's SE.
How utterling disconcerting that must be to the caped crime crusader when he's keeping Ogden crime stats so low! Attmepted murders, murders, rioting...how many are illegals?
Kid in a coma...now going to have a hard life.
Ah, but I still feel so safe driving around town. Do y'all?
Curm...are all bad acts committed by Republicans? Are those gang felons Republicans too? Wow!
Didn't mean to overlook Trevor Hansen's fine letter today!
Curm and Mt. Ogden Golfer, your take on Brenkman's letter ain't exactly right. Here's some little details that may or may not clarify things a little.
Todd has never written any letters to the paper before this one.
Despite common sense regarding the golf season, the golf couses financial year started, July 1st.We have yet to reach the halfway point of the fiscal year, and the season is just getting prime for avid golfers. Kids back in school, no more 100 degree days and such.
Todd spends 99.9% of his time at El Monte, not Mt. Ogden, many of the newer faces don't know him, or he them.
When faced with the death of Ogden as far as golf in northern Utah is concerned, the inconspicuous silence from those that should have been the most vocal,was deafening.
Now for some reason a letter appears in the paper, just prior to the primary, with an obvious lean to credit the mayors assurances as valid. I must believe that the same forces that caused the mysterious silence over the last 2 plus years, has stimulated a sudden vocalization of gratitude and concern.
Sadly, if one voter falls for this BS, it hurts us all. In defense of Todd, job security under the rule of lying little matty gondola pukefrey is only a myth, sometimes dead silence is golden.
I wonder how many times Todd hurled while penning that thing.
I suspect that the SE will publish, for the next couple of days, letters in favor of Godfrey. And nothing against for the last two days until the primary. Just a hunch on my part.
I have noticed that there are few campaign signs on the northern end of Ogden compared to the southern end for the Godfrey. Guess there is not enough money for him north of 20th Street to make the effort. Not that I am complaining mind you. Every time I see one of his I want to vomit. I see plenty of Hansen and VH signs on the north end. I would estimate that I see 1 Godfrey sign for every 5 Hansen and or VH sign. This tells me that these two are out there meeting and greeting the citizens. I have seen Hansen campaigning on 1100 N in recent weeks. More to support my theory that Godfrey holds little regard to those he would deem "beneath him" (like city employees and residents on the north end).
Apparently city employees are not the only victims of the rath of lying little matty.
I just read the deposition of a police officer, he relates how lying little matty slapped his wife in the squad car while leaving the pioneer days parade. The officer was so concerned for her safety that he pulled over and asked the mayors wife to join him in the front seat so as to be out of the mayors reach and futher abuse. Nice guy, lying little matty, Bernie should have beat you to a bloody pulp for that one.
Bill
What police report or deposition? Can you post it here? Can you give us the story, at least more than this cryptic little teaser? Who's wife did the Mayor slap, his or the cops? How come none of this has ever been reported before? Who is Bernie?
A deposition is part of a legal action. Is there some sort of legal action going on over this supposed incident?
Common Bill, your acting like you work for the Standard with this brief little incomplete report.
Sharon:
You wrote: Curm...are all bad acts committed by Republicans? Are those gang felons Republicans too?
I suggested no such thing, as you well know. However, turning sleezy campaigning into the norm has been a marked characteristic of Republican campaigning since Richard Nixon's days, refined and polished and taken to new depths by Rove and DeLay. It has to no small extent cheapened and debased the national conversation that is supposed to take place in republics during elections. And we have all of us paid a price for that, and continue to pay it.
Matthew Godfrey, a Republican candidate in trouble, having hired a Republican campaign consultant and manager can, therefor, naturally be expected to resort to sleeze as a matter of course. I've been expecting it. You should have been too. If he gets through the primary and thinks he losing the general election, it will get worse. You can bet on that.
Bill C:
I defer to your far greater knowledge of Ogden golf matters. Particularly since I don't play and haven't since I was a teen. [When I worked as a caddy at Bethpage in New York as a teenager, I came to the conclusion that golfers, with some exceptions, but generally, as a class, were stone bats crazy people. I saw golfers bend clubs around trees out of frustration; tell me [in the woods] to take a ball, throw it down and yell that I'd "found" it so they wouldn't have to take a penalty stroke; and one threw his whole bag of clubs into a pond on the back nine one day --- frustration again. And then asked me to wade in and get them. And of course there were the ones who offered extra money if I'd keep caddying for them through a lightning storm. Like I said, stone bats crazy. [Before you ask, no, I didn't. Leaving a party on the course at Bethpage was an immediate firing offense for caddies except when the lightning started. In that case only, we were told if our party wanted to play on to "drop the bags where ever you are, and walk off. You will not be fired." And they meant it.]
So, as I said, I defer to your greater golfing knowledge on the the right way to read the letter in the SE.
Although Utah campaign law imposes no restrictions as to the disposition of these moneys, we believe that applicable statutes do impose upon Boss Godfrey the obligation to account for these moneys.
Fact is Democrats when in power in Utah did have more transparency and laws governing campaigns. Republicans have changed those laws, and call it “LESS GOVERNMENT.”
The courts are very reluctant to overturn elections and remove people from office for relatively minor campaign finance reporting violations. Because the REPUBLICANS are the law makers and law enforcers and judges are appointed by republicans.
Obviously now the REPUBLICANS control the STANDARD EXAMINER. Otherwise they would have written at least one small line on Bob Geiger’s theft of Godfrey’s political opponents sign. My guess, part of the reason the S E doesn’t report on these things is because the republicans have been very generous to the S E with our tax dollars and tax incentives.
You do the math!!!
Having said that. I know, not all republicans have that way of thinking. Thanks to many of you, who are strong republicans don’t like what the republican elected officials are doing. But we Democrats and a few Republicans have been instrumental bringing these corrupt acts and way of thinking, to light.
There is nothing more important than what you few republicans and we few democrats working side by side on this “SO IMPORTATNT MATTER.” Lets keep up the good work.
God bless you all. Republicans and Democrats and Independents.
Democrat
What about Tiny Tim? Isn't he in your prayers?
Let's stick to the "high road," boyz. We have a copy of the document, too, but we're not going to climb down into the gutter, even though it's apparent that the opposition has no such scruples.
Rudi:
Nicely done. Our candidates are running for Mayor, not "Spouse of the Year."
Jenny why don'y you explain what I got out of my donation? I never had or will I ever have a contract with the city. I just got real tires of the dead earth group.
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