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.And there's more:
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.
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.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.
“We wished the relationship wasn’t there, but his (proposal) was the best one,” she said.
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.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:
“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.
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?
37 comments:
67-16-9. Conflict of interests prohibited.
No public officer or public employee shall have personal investments in any business entity which will create a substantial conflict between his private interests and his public duties.
Two words: cronyism and incest.
Who couldnt see this situstion coming when the contest was announced? This is more blatant rub it in the face of taxpayers.
The judges are part of the amen chorus and staunch followers of the Godfrey marching the goose-step.
What a sham!
Ogden City Code
2-7-3: PROHIBITED ACTS DESIGNATED:
No appointed or elected officer or employee shall:
A. Improper Disclosure: Improperly disclose private, controlled or protected information acquired by reason of the officer's official position or in the course of official duties in order to further substantially the officer's or employee's personal economic interest or improperly use such information to secure special privileges or exemptions for the officer or others.
B. Use Position For Privileges: Use or attempt to use the officer's official position to further substantially the officer's or employee's personal economic interest or secure special privileges for the officer or others.
(1979 Code § 3.50.030; Ord. 94-56, 11-1-1994; amd. Ord. 97-82, 10-30-1997)
After two terms of Godfrey, what did we expect?
See footage just after 4:00 to see Brad Geiger break his back.
Raw footage of the wreck
Well, I think it's just and appropriate that a Geiger win this sham "retail" challenge, since their fleet of decal-ridden vehicles descended upon an OTown that was entirely boarded-up to save us with THE GONDOLA and other magical "ski industry" totems. I suspect this onion-reeking Yabjibjab indoor ski bench complex and "retail" outlet proposal is backed by significant Japanese clothier capital; it seems as though everyone who works for Daddy has piles of dough, and God bless them for leveraging these vast, THE SKI IS BEAUTIFUL BLUE-provided resources in efforts to save our poor boarded-up town from itself. Also, watch for another brave, THE GONDOLA-loving soldier in Wayne Peterson's famed Squirrel Patrol -- think progenitor of giant ice dildo or perhaps a potential operator of a high-adventure Ferris wheel and accompanying Lying Little Matty Gondola Godfrey bobble-FOURhead doll kiosk -- to walk away with the top prize in the Mountain-to-Metro challenge.
THE SKI IS BEAUTIFUL BLUE
How easy it is for all of you to form an assumption without even seeing the Proposals that were submitted. It is so interesting that you have concluded this contest a "sham" because a contender's last name is Geiger. Now who is bias?
*I am, indeed, bias.
1. Mono's post: conflict of interest would require Ms. Geiger to have a "personal investment" [financial] in the younger Geiger's proposed business. No one has shown that she has. If she does not own part of the business or stand to benefit directly and personally from its operation, it does not seem that that ordinance applies.
2. Same applies to the city code item posted by Althepal. No one has yet offered any evidence that Ms. Geiger stood to benefit financially from Mr. Geiger's winning the award. Nor has anyone offered any evidence that she acted in any way to provide for him "special privileges."
2. Let us grant, for the sake of argument, that Ms. Geiger played no role whatever in the judging, as she alleges, and as the judges agree. Let us grant as well, for the sake of argument, that Mr. Geiger's proposal is in fact, on the merits, the lead proposal in the contest. Nevertheless, Mr. Geiger's entry should have been returned to him immediately upon its submission, without its having been judged at all. It is important... very important... that City operations not only not involve cronyism and special considerations for the relatives of city officeholders, it is important that even the appearance of nepotism and cronyism be avoided. That is why in most contests, relatives and employees of the company running the contest are excluded from taking part. That standard should have applied here as well.
3. The SE recently noted that Mayor Godfrey seemed to have a "tin ear" when it comes to understanding how his actions will be perceived by the public. This incident provides yet more evidence that the SE got it right.
4. What should happen now? Mr. Geiger should withdraw his entry. That will resolve the problem, and get the Administration off the horns of an ethical dilemma it managed --- as it so often has --- to create for itself. Somebody should have said, long ago, "this will look very bad. It will undermine public confidence in this administration. We can't permit this." The Mayor should have said it. His advisers should have told him. Ms. Geiger should have said it. The judges should have said it. Sadly, it must now be left up to Mr. Geiger himself to say it. And he should.
5. However, Mr. Geiger should be free to apply for whatever small business and new business grants the city ordinarily makes available to such enterprises, provided his application meets all the required standards. Being the son of a city employee and of a close political associate of the Mayor should not preclude Mr. Geiger from taking advantage of whatever regular business incentives are normally available to start-ups in Ogden. But it absolutely should have precluded his entering a competition like this administered by the office his mother directs.
Funny how the theme never changes. Looking at just the last 3 threads there a considerable underlying element. The effort all is getting public money into the hands of lying little matty's hand picked buddies.
I would doubt that a prize of a portion of that $20,000 would make or break the type of business that Geiger is proposing, so it seems the only benefit from dumping on the citizens of Ogden is???
I guess if you can get away with it ....
When I read this article, I want to scream at the OGDEN CITY HATERS CLUB.
If you really loved Ogden, then it wouldn't matter what family tree the proposal gave from.
The "jibyard" or whatever it's called sounds fantastic. All across the country there are lines of kids waiting for a turns at skate parks (which is a similar idea).
People are going to love The Jibyard, regardless if it's in Ogden or a competiting community. Wouldn't you rather have the people and money in Ogden? It sounds like a great way to keep young adults off the street and doing something positive.
SO, stop playing this "ethical" game. It would be more unethical to leave a great opportunity for Ogden City on the table.
So, ebk shiflett, it isn't conflict of interest -- or even the appearance of conflict -- if the desired result is obtained?
So, to take another conflict of interest story off today's front page, if Dept of the Interior officials slept and did drugs with oil company employees, that's okay, as long as our gasoline prices drop?
Interesting ethical framework you've got there. I'd also be interested in seeing how that would play with the judge if you were found to be in violation of the law.
(I agree with Curm that a legal violation may not have occurred here; I'm not a lawyer or judge. Not my call. But the appearance of conflict sure as Hell exists.)
Because I do hold public officials to a (minimal) ethical standard, suddenly I hate Ogden? That's a logical leap of epic proportions, right there.
EBK Shiflett,
You're assuming Mom came up with the idea of a contest, and her son submitted a good entry (bad enough), but what if sonny was planning the business and said "Hey mom, why don't you announce a contest so sonny can get some extra coin?"
To ErnieBoilsKimchi:
No one is criticizing the merits of Mr. Geiger's proposal. It could be the town-saving idea we've all been praying for while we’ve sat idle, surrounded by decaying infrastructure waiting for someone to save us from ourselves.
But the fact that you and the Family Geiger can't see that this presents a serious conflict of interest underlies what we sour old naysayers find most appalling about His Royal Forehead and the inner circle. You either don't understand the role of a representative government and who it should serve, or you just simply choose to ignore minor annoyances such as integrity and honor. Either way you come out smelling of onions.
Hell, Bob's name is in the paper every other day. Did they honestly not think that this would come to light and, at very least, appear to be one more sweetheart deal bestowed upon an FOM? They can't possibly be that dense, can they? So, it must be that they don't care.
And what if young Brad's idea is the very bestest one in the whole darn bunch? He should have tried to secure financing through other methods which do not present such a potential public quagmire. I know it seems unfair that he should not be afforded the opportunity to compete for the big check, but that’s understood when your mommy works for the very entity awarding the dough. Where I’m employed I can’t even enter a drawing for a free cheeseburger because a co-worker in my
department collects the entry forms. $20,000 buys a lot of cheeseburgers.
Anyone for a "game" of ethics?
A 38-year member of the OGDEN CITY HATERS CLUB
Geigerite:
That's what happens when you wear the Scarlet G.
Mono - as it pertains to your first entry about conflict of interest, why don't you tell it to Scott Brown!
The other thing I find particularly interesting is that this apparent sham contest is based on the "best business plan". Well now, I think we can all say, based on several years observation, that a "sound business plan" is just about the most foreign concept in all of Godfrey land. If this kid actually came up with a "sound biz plan" he most likely would be laughed out of the Godfreyite movement!
Just look at the hundred or so million of tax payer dollars that the Little Lord, with insider advice from the senior Geigers, has squandered on projects without the benefit of any sane business plans.
The only basic plan any of this cult ever finds necessary is to come up with a screw ball idea, cook up some phony support for it, establish a smoke screen to keep the citizens in the dark, dole out some contracts to insider buddies, lie to the poor citizens that are going to foot the bill and then start writing checks. Virtually nothing they have ever done has had a real legit biz plan that was based in reality!
Also, this ten grand they are about to dole out to the younger Geiger is peanuts compared to the $70 grand or so momma has been raking up thanks to the tax payers. She has held a featherbedding job with the Little Lord for several years now where she supposedly is "overseeing" the Junktion building. This position puts her
"overseeing" all the engineers and professional construction people involved inspite of her having not one single qualification to do so - other than being the wife and mother of the punks best buddies.
This is whole vile era in Ogden politics and greed is going to be great reading someday. Decent people will have a real hard time believing any of it is true.
Got that one right Lionel.
When the history is written the Boss Tweed administration will have nothing over the Boss Godfrey gang.
The punk is driven to put Ogden as first on the map. At the rate he is going he is sure to succeed. At a minimum he will put Ogden as number one in Utah history in the major fiasco category, and Boss Godfrey will have his name enshrined with the likes of Wayne Ogden and Val Southwick.
Ya also just gotta love the above poster - eb shitleff - in labeling folks that don't agree with them as "Ogden Haters", as if they are the only Ogdenites. Pretty arrogant stuff, but then they are the Godfreyites and arrogance and hubris is their calling card.
EBK, "All across the country there are lines of kids waiting for a turns at skate parks"
Is this another pie and the sky statement without any data to back it up. What Ogden needs are more venues to keep the older folks downtown, food and drinks. I hope Iggy's has a steady clientele and I support them on Sunday where I can have a beer and good food.
How much money do these kids standing in line have to spend, what do the financials look like for the kiddyland at the junction.
I talk up Ogden every chance I get and 25th street is unique in Utah.
EBK:
You wrote: SO, stop playing this "ethical" game.
Some of us don't consider requiring ethical standards of public officials to be a game. I am saddened that you do. Dismissing ethical standards as unimportant trivia is, sadly, an attitude that seems to prevail all too often in the Godfrey administration, and among its supporters.
You need to keep in mind as well that this Administration has a history of providing special favors to its cronies. Recall the special under the table separation pay arrangements for Mr. Reid, a practice so stinky the Council had to amend the ordinances to make sure Hizzonah didn't do it again. Recall the Bootjack matter in which Hizzonah wanted to sell city land to a crony and refused to tell the Council who he wanted to sell the land to. Recall the city acting [secretly so far as I can see] as purchasing agent for Mr. Lesham, acquiring for him options on the land he wanted for his river project. And so on and so on and so on.
Given that history, it should have been particularly important that any hint of favoritism or conflict of interest or nepotism be eliminated from the contest.
I am sorry Mr. Geiger got caught up in this. I am sorry that the two banks that are contributing to the contest are now associated with a tainted contest. None of this should have happened. None of it would have happened had the Administration that took seriously the need to have its actions avoid event the appearance of favoritism.
I would like to point out that the very generous tax payers of Ogden are also sponsoring another "contest". This one will have $40,000 in prize money attached. $20,000 for the "winner" (wink, wink) and $10,000 for each of the runner ups.
It is called "Concept to Company" and the "winners" will be announced on 27 September. The idea is to "spur new product ideas and attract new companies to Ogden's "burgeoning" outdoor recreation business environment".
Anybody want to place bets that still another Godfreyite will win this one also?
Geez - from and unbiased perspective, the article seems inflammatory and biased! Perhaps the author has an axe to grind with the applicant? It's "MSNBC Keith Olbermann-like" reporting as opposed to fair and balanced... You've gone overboard Rudizink in your comments!
Since there obviously is a need for redevelopment in the area, all who have a prudent business plan should be able to take part. Brad Geiger obviously worked hard on his entry and should not be excluded provided there is impartial judging.
I think what is most important to quell the distrusting and "sham-minded" people is to prove to them, the contestants, and the general public that the panel that is judging the contest is made up of unbiased, non-family members - such as the local Planning Commission or City Council. Hopefully, that is the case. As one of the panel members stated, ..'Brad's was the best plan..regardless of his relationship..'
It needs to be reaffirmed to the doubting public that Brad's submittal was judged as "Contestant Number 3" rather than the submittal of "Brad Geiger - son of Kamie Geiger".
If there still seems to be an overwhelming outcry of perceived injustice by the general public as well as other contestants, than perhaps the top three choices should be put to public vote. That should stand the test of providing a level playing field.
If not already in place, at a minimum, top applicants should receive permit and licensing credits.
ebk, binhb, and others:
The ethical obligations are clear, not just from the law, but in common sense. See, for example, this recent column by the NY Times' Ethicist, Randy Cohen, in which he discusses an amazingly similar situation.
For those who don't want to read the whole thing, here's the upshot:
Conflicts of interest cannot be averted simply by having a potential beneficiary put his head down on his desk and close his eyes or leave the room for two minutes, or via some other elementary-school methodology. (And then you all get cupcakes. That someone’s mom baked from scratch.) The interconnectedness of town life demands more stringent safeguards.
Binjb:
Here's how the perception that the fix was in, that cronyism was at work, might have been at least alleviated [though the Godfrey administration's history of doing special favors for its friends would I think inevitably raise some suspicions anyway]:
As soon as the judges and/or Ms. Geiger and/or any of the mayor's staff learned that Mr. Geiger was submitting an entry in the contest, Ms. Geiger should have immediately been removed from the loop on all contest matters as should all subordinates of hers. It is claimed her responsibilities vis-a-vis the contest were purely secretarial in nature. In that case there is no reason the paper that went up from the judges to her could not have gone elsewhere, to someone wholly unconnected to Mr. Geiger, someone for whom Ms. Geiger was not a superior.
Yes, Bin, I know. The mere fact that Brad's last name was Geiger would have some immediately claiming the fix was in, no matter how the judging and contest paper was handled. But that claim would have had much traction had his mother been immediately taken out of the loop on all contest proceedings. That's what should have happened if Mr. Geiger insisted on entering the contest. That's what I suspect any administration other than the Godfrey administration would have recognized immediately and acted on.
Just step back for a moment, Bin, and think how this looks... must look... to John Q. Citizen out there, who doesn't pay a whole lot of attention to city government matters, but who reads the papers.
"The contest was being run by the mother of the guy who won it? "
How could Ms. Geiger and the Administration not have seen a potential problem there? Has the Mayor no competent PR people or political advisers? Did they all disappear after the election? Maybe he needs to keep the political consultants who ran his campaign on permanent retainer.
The nepotism ordinances are designed to prevent the relatives of city employees from gaining special advantages when dealing with the city. But they should not be so construed as to place the relative of a city employee at a special disadvantage when dealing with the city. So Mr. Geiger should be free to apply for, and get, whatever subsidies and help the city generally provides to start-up businesses.
But the contest was something different. It didn't require judges just to see if an applicant met the criteria for a grant or other aid. It required them to make a qualitative judgment: which entry was best. That is, inevitably, to some extent a subject judgment. Given that fact, Mr. Geiger should not have entered a contest to be run by the office his mother directs... or, once he did, Ms. Geiger should have been immediately and completely removed from contest matters. I'm surprised that didn't happen. It certainly should have.
Line in para 3 of my post above should be "But that claim would have had much less traction...." I inadvertently left out the word "less" when I typed it. Mea culpa.
It is unethical no matter how you look at it. Any contest that I have ever seen or entered always states family members of organizers are not allowed to enter. Perhaps his idea is best, who knows. But the fact he is the son of the city employee or manager who is running the contest for the city is a violation of ethics, even if it is just appearances. And you cannot tell me that Janith Wright who is a loyal gondolist and loyal to the gondolist lift ogden guru messiahs Curt and Bob Geiger and our beloved Mayor did not think in her mind that she was throwing one to the boss. She was at least aware that they were of the same name and family as she claims yet did not find it a problem. Her biases extend well into her position as city planning commission. Watch how she votes. Out of 25 entries surely there are others that would make the grade. One other noticeable points of interest is that all of the winners other then the Geiger boy are women. One of them, Carey Van Wagoner is next door neighbor to Jane of Ume with another business called Little Cherry Blossom. That is next door neighbor. And her idea is a paint it yourself ceramics? Oh my, I know there has to be better ideas then that. And one of the other contestants is a friend of Kamie's. Yes, this contest smells of total This contest reeks of cronyism and favoritism. It is a good idea in that it is intended to stimulate small businesses in our downtown area and that is good. But why cant even a simple contest the city promotes feel right? That's because the city puts their biased judges to determine it and it is in line with how everything else seems to work in this administration. Favoritism and cronyism.
The Gieger's real estate speculations are not coming in.
They told Matt they needed some coin. Been here awhile. Not getting the coin they thought they would. Mayor gotta fix it.
Matt came up with a contest for Geiger's dissolute son Brad to win. Brad's suggestion was . . . wait . . . wait . . . a store to sell daddy's ski stuff. Wow! What an idea! No wonder it came in #1.
Just one thing. Other Geiger son Bob will need to bash WSU to help earn the money. No problem, Bob said.
So easy. Thanks for trusting Matt again, city council.
BTW, loved the video posted above by, More Sack then Brains.
land of og:
While I agree that this has been bungled, and that there is unquestionably an appearance of a cronyism and favoritism, you set up way too high a standard for people doing business with the city to reasonably meet.
You want to eliminate from competitions for city funds not only immediate family of city employees involved in the matter, but also people who happen to live on the same block? People who are friends? People who serve... at no pay by the way... on volunteer citizen advisory committees? And, presumably, their immediate relatives too? No, Og. That would eliminate, and unfairly, way too many people from having a chance to compete for public money their taxes help raise. What's next? Eliminating people who attend the same church as those involved in the contest?
In this instance, the connection is, as you note, on its face, way too close [son of a city employee responsible for conducting the competition]. But when you get down to "neighbors of" and "friends of," you're setting too draconian exclusion standard.
I wonder if it might not have been better to have let the two sponsoring banks have supplied the judges... after all, banks evaluate business plans [from those seeking loans] all the time. Keeping the judging a good stiff arms length from the Administration [any administration, not just this one], would probably have, in retrospect, been a good idea.
To "Land of Og"
The problem with you nay-sayers is that you just don't have any imagination. Take for instance your apparent jab at the ditz who proposed "paint it yourself ceramics". Really pal, this could end up being the rage of America and put us here in the Land Of Oz as numero uno. I can see it now - Ogden, home of high adventure paint it yourself ceramics!
Curm...you posted:
"You need to keep in mind as well that this Administration has a history of providing special favors to its cronies. Recall the special under the table separation pay arrangements for Mr. Reid, a practice so stinky the Council had to amend the ordinances to make sure Hizzonah didn't do it again. Recall the Bootjack matter in which Hizzonah wanted to sell city land to a crony and refused to tell the Council who he wanted to sell the land to. Recall the city acting [secretly so far as I can see] as purchasing agent for Mr. Lesham, acquiring for him options on the land he wanted for his river project. And so on and so on and so on."
I just wanted to add to your "and so on list" to be sure it included the fact that the city's CAO, Patterson's wife coincidentally got on right away at AmerSports working as Mr. Dowse's secretary, and they both are frequently seen wearing that VERY expensive Spider, Solomon, Suunto attire that the majority of Ogdenites can not afford anyway. But I guess the fact that neither of the Patterson's are related to His Majesty...it probably doesn't fit into this discussion. Pardon me for going on about it. Besides, I've heard through the grapevine that Mrs. P hates her boss, is worked to the bone. So the grass apparently isn't always greener for the neppies, cronies, god-FREE-ites, etc. But I wish I could get some free gear. But I don't have anyone that works for The Forehead that could get me a secured deal. Oh well...
Oz:
Ah... don't know how to tell you this, Oz, but I've seen little ceramic craft shops like the one proposed succeed. Grandma Curmudgeon used to trade at one back on Long Island. And Zion is a women's craft crazed world. [I didn't know something called "scrap-booking" even existed as an indoor sport for women until I moved here, or that such things as scrapbooking stores existed. But they do.]
So I don't think that the idea is necessarily a loser or that whoever proposed it is necessarily a ditz. Would it succeed here? Who knows? Probably not, if only because most small businesses fail within 24 months of being launched, so the odds are against it. But then, the same odds are against every one of the six final entries.
Get with the program Curm. Around here they are known as world class high adventure scrap bookers, and you're right about their popularity although it is a bit fadish. Unfortunately for those paying the bills the fad is fading as evidenced by the recent failure of one of the biggest suppliers in the game. That won't slow down Mr. Godfrey and his brain trust however. They seem to have a knack for investing large amounts of public money at the tail end of passing fads. I think it is called the high adventure losers strategy for squandering the peoples tax money. Here in Ogden we can be proud of being number one in the country at practicing it.
Stanley:
High Adventure scrapbooking! Damn, now there's an idea. Is it too late? Can you and I put together an entry and still get into the contest? We'd have a sure winner, no doubt about it!
It appears that Geiger the Younger is learning lack of ethics, public trough slopping and tax payer fleecing from the masters of the game. My what a great family heritage those Geiger and Godfrey's are building.
Regarding the quote "All across the country there are lines of kids waiting for a turns at skate parks" I want to point out that skate parks (at least the outdoor parks in Utah) are FREE!!! Paying money to stand in line sounds like no fun to me.
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