Budget Matters
By Curmudgeon
[This work session with the Mayor was requested by the Council to have the Administration discuss mostly budget matters involving expenditures from general fund surpluses, RAMP funds and BDO revenues.]
The budget discussion began with Mr. Bill Cook, of the Council staff, summarizing the issues the Council wanted the Mayor to discuss. First up was the surplus in the General Fund... about $4 million. The city is required to keep $2.7 million of that as a reserve fund, leaving $1.2 million available to appropriate at this time. The Administration requests that the $1.2 million be spent as follows: $800K to cover a shortfall in anticipated sales taxes [attributed to the general decline in the overall economy], and $450K to be spent on various capital improvement projects [road projects, Union station repair, etc.]
The city also received $375K in RAMP Funds, allocated to the Ogden Canyon trail project [bridge and overpass], the existing Ogden River Kayak Park [$78 K] and Paddlefest [$13K].
Mr. Patterson reported that the City’s 50% share of BDO revenues came to $2,745,000, which was about $800K more than had been expected. A sign, he said, that things are going very well at BDO. There followed a long involved discussion of several ordinances the city has adopted regarding spending of BDO funds, amendments thereto, all of which ended up this way: half of the BDO money can be used for any purpose, the other half must be used for capital improvement projects --- unless the money is needed for paying interest and principle on the construction bonds issued for The Junction. And, Mr. Patterson noted, the money is needed for that purpose this year, since tax revenues from The Junction have not come in as expected due to construction delays, slowness of Weber County to add finished elements of the project to the tax rolls, etc. So the city must pay, this year, $1,568,850, which is about twice what it anticipated paying.
Read Curmudgeon's full article here.
Comments?
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22 comments:
Fantastic report, Curm.
Thanks!
"I hope not." Where is your fatass, Thorazine-addled, vest-wearing, half-a-billion investing hero, Wayne Peterson, leader of the Famed Squirrel Patrol, at whose stinky sandaled feet the onion-reeking, tough-guy, hairpiece-wearing, idiot Geigers and Mike Gondola Boy Jackass! Dowse worship, Lying Little Matty Gondola Godfrey? You expect a proposal any time between two months and two years, right? You moron teeny, gigantic-foreheaded lunatic dwarf. Furthermore, read today's house editorial in the Gondola Examiner and see if you can spot the G word. Is it any wonder I harbor such disdain for a NEWSPAPER that clings to the same childish fantasy that a GONDOLA will appear and save our town? A newspaper, for Christ's sweet sake; a group of reporters and editors whose one meeting with Wayne Peterson, in which he assured the editorial board that he would gain the WSU property, convinced them that THE URBAN GONDOLA is something to "support." Like it or hate it, THE WAYNE PETERSON PROPOSAL is impressive, writes sellout Godfreyite loser Don Porter. These clowns endorsed Lying Little Matty! Even after all his years of bullshit, a gondola-reeking bunch of morons who publish a newspaper endorse the weency shit. Pull your heads out of your asses, you freaking dolts. When the history of THE GONDOLA wars is written, likely by the rod of fairness and rationale, Good Old (?) Curmudgeon, our town's NEWSPAPER will be firmly rooted in the camp that promotes circus rides and the establishment of Lagoon north. You should be ashamed of yourselves, you jackasses: newspapermen! Those who should approach Godfrey silliness with skepticism and caution; those who should look at Wayne Peterson and Lying Little Matty Gondola Godfrey and their grade-school plan to build a castle without roads and without a sewer, whose waste would be transported via shit orbs underneath Geiger GONDOLA cars with laughable disdain; you and the despotic and short regime you support deeply shame us all. Shame on you GONDOLA freaks.
THE SKI IS BEAUTIFUL BLUE
The editorial Jason W. rants about above can be found here.
It is largely a generic call upon citizens to get involved in the planning process for downtown by letting their views and ideas be known to the committee now drafting up recommendations. For the most part, a garden-variety home-town newspaper call for civic responsibility and citizen engagement.
But there are some curious and even disturbing elements of the proposals now being considered for downtown that the editorial lists, but does not comment on. For example, from the editorial: the committee wants the Salvation Army and St. Anne's Center to mandate high standards of appearance and clientele management. Another suggestion, Schwebke reported, is a zero-tolerance policy for panhandling and loitering.
Zero tolerance for "loitering" is a very bad idea, since no one can or ever has defined what loitering is, and so it's left up to the beat cop, or his superiors, to make the call. Loitering ordinances have been used far too often in the past by city authorities to limit dissent or political opposition, and to harass the unpopular, the poor, or minorities to make me comfortable about Ogden's going to "zero tolerance" for... well, for standing around. I have on occasion of a sunny afternoon between terms found myself wandering slowly down 25th Street, or even standing around for a while, or sitting on a bench watching the street life [such as it was]. Was I loitering? Will the way someone is dressed, or whether someone appears to be a "client" of St. Anne's or the Salvation Army be the factor that turns lingering [legal] into loitering [illegal]? Am I content to leave that decision up to Chief Greiner? No. Nor should anyone be.
Then there is this curious line in the editorial: The committee has listed pedicabs, streetcars, a gondola and trolleys as options in the downtown area.
First, if someone could explain to me, please, the difference between "streetcars" and "trolleys," I'd appreciate it. Second: when, for the love of God, will the Mayor's unhealthy obsession with his flatland gondola tourist ride end? When will what his obsession is costing the city in lost opportunities end? Is there no therapy that will work? No medication that will free him... and us... of his silly obsession?
How long, Oh Lord, how long....?
Godfrey seems to be extremely fixated on making Ogden an outdoor recreation center, yet none of his money spending plans at this meeting referenced environmental initiatives. Why would anyone want to come to Ogden for recreation if they are choking on the polluted, dog food scented air while they are here?
Also, he wants to convert busses (a huge polluter) into faux-trolleys? What the hell is he thinking? Bus emissions contain particulates. THEY CAUSE CANCER!!
The mayor needs to take another look at communities that are designated as outdoor recreation cities. If he did, he would find an environmental presence inside the city administration that is funded by the city. The environment should be at the top of his list. Not a damned ice wall that wastes water (it’s not like we live in a desert or something!).
Millions of dollars in the general fund ready to be allocated and Boss Godfrey doesn't even have an Environmental Office. You know why, because his cronies don’t stand to make money on environmental improvement. Pathetic Godfrey, just pathetic.
This issue is being discussed in terms of dollars but my concern is the environmental issues that a ice tower presents. How many tons of carbon would be produced to keep ice frozen on a hot August day? It is my opinion that many outdoor enthusiasts are very concerned about maintaining a "clean environment" namely air quality. It is hard to be "extreme" when one can't breath!
There was just one glorified moment in last night's work meeting that Curmudgeon missed reporting. It was when Councilwoman Jeske asked the Mayor for a copy of the business plan for the ice tower and the agreement between Jeff Lowe and the City. You should have seen Godfrey's face! I believe Mrs. Jeske caught him in a bald-faced lie. John Patterson rescued him -- he's more savvy and used to covering his butt with more lies. For those who weren't at the meeting, Godfrey told Councilwoman Gochnour that he had an agreement requiring Jeff Lowe to provide liability insurance and that Jeff would provide the maintenance of the ice tower.
It was good to see the Council women standing up to Godfrey and to keep him from bull-dozing over them. They called him on one item that he tried to slip past them, and let him know that they had not received any information on one of his projects.
The days of the "Rubber-Stamp" Council are gone! Keep up the good work, Ladies!
Little Bird,
You are right on the real issue of why this idiotic venture should never happen. I think the Council should require an environmental study be done. Ogden has enough "bad-air" days without adding another concern.
From Curmudgeon's report:
"Much discussion ensued. Councilwoman Wicks asked whether the Junction would be able to pay its expected share next year. Mr. Cook replied that there was “the potential we will have to pay the major portion, if not all of it, again next year,” depending on when portions of Phase One get finished, and go on the tax rolls. Councilman Garcia noted that we, apparently, have no guarantees when the various projects will be finished. Mayor Godfrey said the people building requested changes, all of which delayed construction longer than anyone had anticipated. Another administrative spokesman noted that to go on the tax roles, a project has to be completed by January 1. If it’s completed, say, March 1, Weber County won’t get it onto the tax roles until the following year. In a nutshell: the city has to pay the money to service the bonds, and the ordinances require it to do so."
What's happening here, fellow Ogden citizens: Godfrey, Harmer, Patterson and the rest of Godfrey's high price "A team" have no real world experience in the area of real estate development. Their Rube Goldberg Junction development plan relied upon timely performance in all aspects of the project, and failed to allow for the inevitable delays which occur in any large-scale project. Ogden City taxpayers are now on the hook for some 20% of the payments required by the original Junction 20-year bonding (including the prospective 2009 payments.)
Strangely, Godfrey and his "A Team" (dopes and corporate rejects who've been "canned" from the Governors's office and West Valley City) argue that these additional taxpayer costs were "unanticipated."
"On the job training" is fine in areas where substantial taxpayer dollars are not put at risk. It's OK to allow the guys who change the sprinklers at Ogden City parks to learn the nuances of their jobs while on the job.
When it comes to the so-called "experts" who do the BIG GOVERNEMENT PLANNING AND SCHEMING, however, I believe we should expect a tad more.
Godfrey and his "A team" have seriously blundered with respect to the economic viability of the Junction project. This has obviously happened because they're all "learning on the job."
This motley collection of so-called "experts" have obviously failed to do their "due diligence," resulting in a situation where the taxpayers will be picking up the tab on the Junction project for long into the foreseeable future.
Time to "clean house" in the top-heavy Ogden administration, we say.
Perhaps smart and prudent folks like Dorrene Jeske and Caitlin Gochnour will be able to pick up the ball as Ogden City funding gatekeepers, rally other council members and act to limit the administrative budget for Boss Godfrey's administration payroll this year.
Are you listening, Amy???
Isn't it nice that the city council has the mayor to tell them what they do and don't want to do? Move forward with the next step on the downtown-WSU-McKay-Dee transit corridor? "You really don't want to do that," he says.
Instead, the mayor proposes what he's calling a "transit corridor study". This is what Wasatch Front Regional Council already does for us, every four years. The most recent was just one year ago. During that study, the mayor lobbied WFRC to take the WSU line out of the picture (since his gondola would have it covered), and elevate two other projects in priority: a transit line along Washington Blvd. that continues into Riverdale and Roy, and a downtown "circulator" line making loops around downtown Ogden. Guess what? WFRC found that neither of these projects was as urgently needed, or was as likely to succeed, as the WSU line. So they kept the WSU line in the top-priority spot. They also determined that the line out to Roy doesn't have enough ridership potential to justify more than an "enhanced" bus. The downtown circulator didn't make it into the plan at all, because it doesn't serve a discernible regional transportation need. The only transit project that has a decent chances of bringing in federal matching funds is the WSU line.
Naturally, our mayor didn't like the outcome of that study. So now he's proposing to spend $200,000 of our money on another similar study, in the hopes that it will give him the answer he wants. What a waste.
I wanna know why short deck and potato nose aren't flooding the SE editorial pages with pleas to fund the "ice tower" with taxpayer funds.
Could it be that even the Gondolists in Ogden concede that the "Ice Tower Project" is a blatently lame idea?
Where, exactly, do Ogden's Japanese ski haberdashers stand on the delusional 24/7/365 giant icicle project?
Their silence on this issue is deafening.
Thank you, Curmudgeon, for your complete and wonderful report on the City Counsel meeting. The Standard certainly fell short on the information we were looking for. The women members were great, with insightful statements from Dorrene and Amy. Doug Stephens asked a good question that many have wondered about, too, as to why they don't spend some of that money on the Mount Ogden Golf Course? The Mayor's response was what you"d expect from one with a one- track Ice Tower mind. Even though golfers on the course he's crossing off his list would far outnumber the few odd-ball souls who would want to climb ice in any season. And only on Curm's link did we hear anything about the quid pro quo deal discussion.
Once again Godfrey asks for money, promising private funding waits in the wings and will pay, pay, pay if only the city kicks in.
And once again, the private source cannot be named or known.
Remember council, the man lies, time and time again. Don't trust him this time, or any other time.
Table the issue until he gives you all the details and signed documents guaranteeing all his promises. Tell him to start treating you like the governing body of the city rather than like riff raff.
I took great delight in this passage, presumably originating with Mayor Godfrey:
"That Mr. Lowe expected to organize four major and four local fests or tourneys a year using the tower, and that he anticipated significant numbers of prominent climbers would attend those events.
HAHAHA!
"Prominent climbers?"
Thanks to Godfrey, we're able to add another wonderful self-cancelling euphemism to the litany of of delicious American oxymorons.
The phrase "prominent climbers" fits nicely among others, such as "military intelligence," "business ethics," slightly pregnant" and "friendly takeover."
Just a quick comment before I go feed and water the animals.
This downtown committee, just what , pray tell, does a gondola do for downtown? Will it wind around and service local pedestrians? I thought lying little matty's plan was to have it sail right up 23rd st., Wall to Harrison. We know the potential gondola hotel guys were BS, so, who's the idiot promoting a gondola to enhance the downtown?
Seems to me this committee needs purging.
It seems that the mayor has lined up the money to build the ice tower, and the annual maintenance costs.
All he needs is $200,000 from the city - a small portion of the total cost and all the other money will step forward.
Does this remind you of the Nigerian email scam? They will pay you $1 million if you will send them $1500 in "clerical fees."
Some people were dumb enough to do it!
Pray tell, if Godfrey has raised 90% of the money, why doesn't he just raise the last 10% as well, or cut the price tag that much, and proceed?
Could it be he is playing the Nigerian email scam?
Godfrey is offering hot air, nothing in writing, no money on the table, just empty promises.
And this, on a day when he is telling the city council that last year's promises have come up $1.5 million short.
Can the city council possibly be dumb enough to buy this?
Just what does a stupid indoor artificial icecicle bring to an urban setting as far as enhancing the false illusion that being home to a few ski warehouses creates an outdoor recreation hub?
Has this whole town gone bonkers?
How many geeks flocked to Silicon Valley (San Jose) to see all the high tech warehouses owned by IBM and the lot? Climbers as a market is a dumb idea, write Royal Robbins. His success came from selling his Name and clothing to the broader mainstream market. Climbers are a boring frugal lot that spend very few dollars. They pay nothing to do their past time except for their gear. Robbins can attest that they dress to impress no one.
By the way, nice way to begin this thread Jason, well said.
In case you didn't see the minute two-line announcement in the newspaper today, THE COUNCIL'S WORK MEETING WILL BE ON THE GOLF COURSE. It will begin at 5:15 PM in the 3rd floor conference room. Mayor Godfrey will try to sell the Council another bad bill of goods. Tell the Council members your ideas for making the golf course more profitable and they will present them to the negative, single-minded Mayor. He may tell them that nothing will work, but remember they hold the purse strings, and they are more willing to listen to suggestions and open-minded than the Mayor!
SEE YOU AT THE WORK MEETING THURSDAY NIGHT AT 5:15 PM!!
Oh, but the Ice Tower is going to be like the Eiffel Tower. Except shorter. And with a big refrigerator compressor running 24/7. And not an open iron lattice. And a huge icicle inside. Other than that, just like the Eiffel Tower.
The golf course is just a dirty, sodded field with holes in it at the base of a beautiful mountain.
Brett,
We'll see you there!
Rudizink hit the nail on the head when he said, "Godfrey and his 'A team' have seriously blundered with respect to the economic viability of the Junction project. This has obviously happened because they're all 'learning on the job.'"
These wanna-be city big-wheels really blew it with the contract with Boyer! Councilwoman Jeske asked Godfrey last night why development of the mall was so far behind, he gave her a bunch of lame excuses, and she asked if there were any penalty clauses in that contract, and he said that there weren't any. This is the kind of leadership we have at the helm. This year, we taxpayers are making the $1.5 million payment on the mall because we have jokers who are running (ruining?) the City! And we have the probability of doing it again next year!! I've had doubts about Godfrey's and Harmer's leadership abilities, but no longer!! Doesn't their inappititude make you feel compfortable with their spend-spend-spend philosophy especially in this economic down turn? Not very! Let the little spendthrift know how you feel about his "ice tower" and a second kayak park at Lorin Farr Park, etc.
If the indoor climbing wall at the Soloman center isn't working, why in the hell would an outdoor ice climbing contraption? Anyone remember Chode Nielson complaining that Irock wasn't doing well and that Weber State also had a publicly funded climbing wall? Apparently Ogdenites don't learn from their mistakes. This is also supported by the fact that they re-elected Godfrey. If there is private money that is already waiting to go, let them pony up first, not the other way around.
Check out the strip mall in Riverdale where J C Penny is located. It would have fit into where the Junction is, and I bet that it will generate twice what the Junction does in sales taxes for the city.
Instead we have condos, and offices that are not filling up. And a gym owned and leased at a discount to a fat slob.
ANd the RDA bonds that the city is not on the hook for?
Didnt the city pay off some RDA debt to the tune of around 6 million out of the general fund recently also?
Godfrey is a piece.
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