Boss Godfrey Caught Red-handed in Another Mayoral Administration Whopper

GRAMA-obtained documents reveal Godfrey's central role in Ogden City's purportedly "independent" Golf Course Committee

By Dan S.

On August 22 I submitted a GRAMA request to the city for all records pertaining to the golf course advisory committee. On September 10 the city provided me with these records, which consist of meeting minutes and agendas, plus a few email messages. Here is a summary of some of the information in these documents. (I apologize for not getting this posted sooner; yesterday was a busy day.)

In an email sent on April 21, Mayor Godfrey asked the city council to provide names of suggested committee members. The email says that he had already asked for names at an earlier work session but hadn't received any names yet. He says names should be sent to Todd Brenkman. The next day, council member Jeske sent an email with a list of names to city council staff, asking staff to submit the names to the mayor. Alan Franke forwarded Jeske's email to Todd Brenkman on June 8, explaining that the list wasn't sent earlier because "the Council was still deliberating regarding the committee."

On May 21, Godfrey sent an email to Kent Petersen, discussing committee logistics and suggesting agenda items for the first meeting. Petersen sent a reply the next day with more detail on these topics as well as a list of committee members and their qualifications.

The committee's first meeting was May 28, in the ninth floor conference room. Members present included Brenkman (by speaker phone), Godfrey, Heiner, Kusina, Mathieu, Nichols, Opheikens, Petersen, Sorenson, and Wadman; Lindquist was excused. Godfrey opened the meeting by saying the golf course "has lost money every year since it opened.... All of the experts we have consulted about Mt. Ogden agree that there are only half as many rounds being played there as are needed and a complete redesign of the golf course will be necessary to attract this number of golfers." Godfrey later reported that the city has consulted with five different experts. Brenkman spoke to the committee by speaker phone, listing the physical shortcomings of the course as well as the need for an upgraded irrigation system (estimated to cost $1 to $1.5 million), more golf carts, and an improved club house. The committee also discussed the concept of having a nonprofit organization operate the course.

The second meeting was June 11, at the golf course. All members were present except Godfrey, Lindquist, and Wadman, who were excused. Brenkman and McFarland took the committee on a tour of the course, pointing out the problems.

The third meeting was June 25, at the golf course. All members were present except Lindquist and Opheikens (but Brenkman is no longer listed as a member). Godfrey named four different golf course consultants that have visited the course (but the names aren't in the minutes), saying that all recommended a complete redesign and all but one recommended relocating the clubhouse.

A tour of the course with Jon Garner took place July 3. There are no minutes from this event.

The fourth meeting was July 9, on the ninth floor. Only five members were present: Kusina, Nichols, Petersen, Sorenson, and Wadman. After discussing the July 3 tour, the committee agrees that its job is to provide the mayor and city council with multiple alternatives; Hoyle Sorenson agrees to put together a subcommittee to develop an alternative to the total redesign.

The fifth meeting was August 6, on the ninth floor. Only four members were present: Heiner, Nichols (acting as chair), Opheikens, and Sorenson. Sorenson reported that on July 11 he organized a subcommittee consisting of Nan Nalder, Larry Nalder, Jeff Smith, Gary Kapp, Mike Vause, Ron Kusina, Don Wilson, and himself. The minutes also include a detailed report of an August 5 phone call between Petersen and Garner. Among the ideas discussed in the call were a land transaction with Weber State, using some of the soccer field for a driving range, and renaming the course.

The emails and meeting minutes summarized above should put all questions to rest regarding Mayor Godfrey's role in organizing this committee and largely controlling its agenda and the flow of information to it. He and Petersen together planned out the committee's membership and agenda. He is listed as a committee member (either present or excused) in all five sets of meeting minutes. The committee's regular meeting place was the conference room immediately outside his office, and the committee was given access to city staff as well as one of the city's supposedly secret golf course consultants.

And yet on August 21, Godfrey told the Standard-Examiner that "the committee operates independently of the city's administration" and "it's unusual for elected officials to serve on such a committee."