Ogden City's Biggest Problem -- Its Knuckle-headed Mayor

One gentle reader drops a dime on Boss Godfrey

By George K.

Ogden is faced with numerous problems, but I think that the biggest problem is the Ogden City Administration. We’ve heard about it for years from businesses who have tried to start their business in Ogden, from other victims of Godfrey’s “Yard Nazi Patrol,” and Ogden’s “ticket quota” who are going six miles over the speed limit! The problem is the UNCARING and UNCOOPERATIVE ACTIONS of the City’s administration and personnel who are carrying out Boss Godfrey’s orders because of his constant need for more revenue to fund his pet projects!

He won’t raise property taxes because that would make him look bad, but he has no conscience when it comes to assessing fines and fees! Fining an elderly 83-year old woman because her lawn is brown due to a broken water pipe that causes her basement to flood every time she watered is a perfect example!. There are hundreds of examples – to list a couple of others: The ordinance that the Council passed in 2005 at the administration’s urging that uprooted a handicapped accident victim who was living in a motel because he was unable to take care of a home or apartment and on a limited income so that he couldn’t afford to hire someone to help him. I wonder where he is now – probably had to move out of Ogden altogether because of a stupid, uncaring ordinance that limits the time anyone can live in a motel to 90 days! Also, look how the City treated the owner of the old motel located on the Ogden River and wanted to open a restaurant serving Indian cuisine. Ultimately, they put a moratorium on all properties in the neighborhood until they could change the zoning and redevelopment requirements!

Did you read the article in the Business Section of Sunday’s Standard – “Put your city on the map”? Godfrey has effectively stolen downtown Ogden from long-time residents of Ogden and given it to tourists and young athletes with his “outdoor recreation mecca!” You can’t find one retail store, grocery store or pharmacy in the Junction to accommodate the people who are supposed to buy the condos being built or the renters of the proposed apartments to be built because all Godfrey wants is a recreation center for downtown and the only businesses he pursues are companies that are outdoor recreation oriented or ski companies! Maybe we could get REAL businesses interested in moving to Ogden instead of to Layton and Riverdale if Ogden’s administration took a hint from Washington Terrace’s and Roy’s philosophies for attracting businesses, i.e., selling quality of life, and helping businesses to get up and running as quickly and easily as possible. Instead, Godfrey is always putting down Mt. Ogden Golf Course – he’s too blind to see that businesses look for quality of life amenities such as good, affordable golf courses, open spaces and trails along with good schools and transportation system – the things that Godfrey has opposed except for the schools possibly (his children attend private schools, so who knows?)

There is a letter to the editor in this morning's paper that indicates that it was the mean-spirited code patrol that was to blame for the mistreatment of Mrs. Williams. What he doesn't realize is that the code enforcers do Godfrey's bidding or lose their job. I do agree that Mr. Sant could be better mannered, but then why would he want to be the only one of Godfrey's goons that treated the residents of Ogden with respect?