Conflict of Interest? You Bet!

Has Boss Godfrey's "Ogden Retail Challenge Contest" been rigged?

Interesting story in this morning's Standard-Examiner, focusing on one of our favorite topics: ethics in government. Regular readers of the Standard-Examiner will remember the August 5, 2008 story, wherein Ace Reporter Schwebke announced Ogden City's Ogden "Retail Challenge Contest," which offers a $20 thousand dollar purse (and other goodies,) to be split between the three contest entrants judged to have the best schemes for establishment of a new retail business to be located in central Ogden.

According to this morning's Scott Schwebke story, the contest has developed a glitch. One of the six contest finalist selections is burdened with multiple potential conflicts of interest. We'll incorporate Mr. Schwebke's pertinent paragraphs to provide the gist:

OGDEN — Some unsuccessful contestants in a city sponsored retail revitalization contest are questioning the selection of a finalist whose mother works for the municipality and is coordinating the competition.
Brad Geiger, who is proposing to open a retail snowsports shop and indoor snowless terrain park dubbed The Jibyard, is among six finalists in the Ogden Retail Challenge.
He is the son of Kamie Geiger, a senior project coordinator for the city who is also coordinating the contest that will pay as much as $20,000 for the three best business plans leading to the opening of new and unique retail establishments downtown.

And there's more:

Brad Geiger is also the son of Curt Geiger and the brother of Bob Geiger, executives with Descente North America.

So factually, Brad Geiger turns out to be the son of the city employee who is running the contest, and a son and sibling of two of the most prominent members of Boss Godfrey's "kitchen cabinet".

Brad Geiger of course takes the preposterous position that there's no actual conflict here. His mom isn't judging the contest, after all. What he doesn't bother to mention, either, is his familial connection with his father and brother, two highly influential members of the Godfrey (gondolist) brain-trust.

Interesting offhand comment from contest judge Janith Wright:

Wright said the committee fretted over choosing Brad Geiger as a finalist because of his relationship to Kamie Geiger, but she considers his business plan the top entry.
“We wished the relationship wasn’t there, but his (proposal) was the best one,” she said.

On that point we believe Ms. Wright and the other contest judges ought to have trusted their gut instincts. Rather than "wishing and hoping," Ms. Wright and the others ought to have simply taken the ethical high road and stricken Mr. Geiger's name from the list. The selection of Brad Geiger as a contest finalist stinks to high heaven, in our never-humble opinion.

And we believe Mssrs. Socwell and Mitchell got it exactly right:

Jeff Socwell, an unsuccessful contestant in the challenge who hoped to receive funds to expand The Wine Cellar, a nightclub at 2550 Washington Blvd., said the relationship between Brad and Kamie Geiger in connection with the competition is troubling.
“I definitely think there can be bias,” Socwell said Wednesday.
Usually, employees and family members of organizations sponsoring a contest are prohibited from competing, said Walter Mitchell, who is Socwell’s partner.

Whether there exists an actual conflict of interest in this circumstance we do not know. One thing is blatantly apparent in this situation however. Brad Geiger's selection fails to conform even to the most minimal ethical standards:

Mr. Geiger's selection raises questions about conflicts both apparent and potential. If Brad Geiger walks out of this contest with the top jackpot, we believe the Emerald City lumpencitizens will perceive this contest for what it appears to be... rigged.

If Mr. Geiger had a lick of sense, he'd withdraw his entry from the contest, thus sheltering family members, the Retail Advisory Board and our ethically-challenged mayor from further political heat down the road.

That's our opinion; and we're sticking to it.

Great reporting by Scott Schwebke this morning, we'll add.

And what say our gentle readers about all this?