We don't want this post-mother's Day Monday afternoon to completely slip by without drawing our readers' attention to this morning's Standard-Examiner lead editorial. It seems that the Boss Godfrey House Propaganda Organ is back on track, making excuses for Boss Godfrey's dismal performance during his 2-1/4 mayoral terms:
• OUR VIEW: Recession a development killerWe're going to take a wild guess, and assume that today's editorial mainly represents the views of Std-Ex publisher Lee "Gondola Boy" Carter, and a the majority of the corrupt and mindless pro-Godfrey Chamber of Commerce types who inexplicably sit on the Std-Ex editorial board, and NOT the opinions of the professional journalists who are SE editorial board members. We doubt that sensible and objective professional journalists like editors Doug Gibson and Andy Howell would publish tripe like this, without a good solid nudge from the Godfreyite people who are REALLY in charge at the Standard. Godfrey's latest Std-Ex editorial board excuse for Godfrey's continuing years-long business incompetence? What else: the current recession.
And just to keep it all in perspective, and for those who are keeping track of Godfrey's offrail projects, here's the short list of Boss Godfrey's failed projects, most of which were already failures before the advent of the current recession:
The River Project, which has been Godfrey's flaky pet project for something like eight of his nine years at the mayoral helm, and it has now completely launched off-rail. - DOA, as a practical matter.
The Windsor Hotel Project - DOA.
The Larry Myler Hotel and Wading Pool Project - DOA.
Stuart Reid's Ashton Square - DOA.
The Junction Profect - Not technically DOA, but bleeding taxpayer dollars at a rate of $3/4 million per year minimum. This year, with the Flowrider Repair, this boneheaded money-pit project cost the taxpayers a cool $1 million plus.
As we all know, there are many more of these moribund, failing and DOA Godfrey projects, some of which the little twit hasn't even mentioned to the City Council or the press.
Frankly, there's only so much energy that any reasonably well-intentioned Ogden citizen/blogger can practically devote toward putting together into a story like this.
Consider this a brief and incomplete list of failed and DOA Boss Godfrey projects.
Let's hear it from our gentle readers about the many other failed Boss Godfrey projects which we omitted in our haste to post this article.
There's a municipal election coming up.
Most of these projects were in failure mode even in the "good" times, but aren't doing so hot during the current recession, either.
Wethinks we need a complete list.
Don't forget to chime in with your comments and list additions, people.
As a special treat, we'd like to hear from that twisted Cavendish guy, who tries to blackmail people, and still swears, despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary, that Godfrey is a "genius."
20 comments:
Very interesting how the Standard's editorial board is now advising our elected officials to be "prudent" when dealing with new development. This is the same editorial board that jumped on board Little Lord Godfrey's vicious and disingenuous attack on the city council for acting "prudent" when they ask Ernest officials for financial data when they were before said council with their hands out for free tax payer money.
Too Bad Councilman Bill Glasmann didn't have the guts to stick it out, TTBW!
He was the one raising proper questions during the first month of his city council term.
Then the Mayor and the Standard-Examiner hammered him for a whole straight month... and then he turned into friggin' batch of quivering YELLOW JELLO.
Imagine if he'd stuck to his guns. He'd be considered an Ogden hero now (like Councilwoman Jeske), rather than a weakling turncoat who wrecked his reputation and political prospects, by turning like a lily-lipped coward to the dark side.
Sad, very sad.
Okay, the Junction Project has been losing money, at Ogden's resident's expense, since it was built. At least R&O Construction made a profit. No bid contracts rule!
The River Project is a subject worthy of a longer post. I backed Mr. Lesham and the Ogden River Project. Now I feel dirty.
"I backed Mr. Lesham and the Ogden River Project. Now I feel dirty." And you SHOULD feel guilty, taking it all on "faith."
Well that's what you get when you elect an ex-pizza delivery boy to the top executive job in your city, and believe he's suddenly going to become a real estate development genius.
If the city had taken the trouble to "vet" Gadi in 2005, we wouldn't find ourselves in this pickle, would we?
And yes, R&O went to the bank; and so did Boyer.
For these people, it was like taking candy from a baby.
When will the people of Ogden "wise up," and realize that Godfrey has no business running our town?
He's a crappy mayor; but I'll bet my bottom dollar that he was a top notch pizza delivery boy.
Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.
you left off your list
the ice tower-doa
the additional irs building-doa
the big 20th street pond development-which seems to be doa
and all of the cost overruns on the few thing he has gotten completed. things that had the actual costs been known would not have been built.
notice the comment threads though with all of these projects.
rather questionable people or companies with inflated visions and minimal personal or company money that they are willing to put at risk.
under capitalized people or companies with limited or unrelated business experience.
city negotiators who are willing to spend city capital up front before they require any up front capital or deposits from any of the developers.
poorly writtten contracts that saddle the city with all the risk and none of the upside.
developments that usually require a deviation from what the residents have expressed as to how they would like to see the city develop per zoning laws and the citys general plan.
projects that always go to fom.
Dont forget the additional floors the the little prick wanted added to the First Security Bank bldg. at 24th and Wash.
Thank God the council nixed that one too.
Almost,
Be prepared to be slandered. If you’re a democrat? They will know everything about you, they will make up things about you and they will send thousands of letters to their ward members and the gossip will be as a tornado.
That's not even half of the scary part. The scary part is when the Standard Examiner gets a hold of you they will make you out to be the laziest most incompetent, inexperienced candidate they've ever seen.
If you’re a Republican the Standard Examiner with blow you kisses and tap your toes while you’re in the men’s room.
what has happened to the smaller and unique shops and stores that were going to rent retail space in the junction?
Wasn't one of them going to sell smoke and mirrors?
Most excellent post, disgusted. Your blogmeister does belive he'll start building a special "DOA Boss Godfrey Projects" page right now.
This might well prove useful as the election approaches, wethinks.
Most excellent, indeed!!!
How's about the Union Condo's on lower two bit street? They seem to be somewhat occupied now and the Godfreyites consider the project a big success. Course now they were calling it a winner when it was empty. The bottom line with the place is that the tax payers of Ogden took it in the shorts for over $2,000,000 - that's two million dollars lost. Big success alright - Godfrey style.
We also lost a pile on on the Times Square bldg on 25th & Lincoln. It was an RDA project that washed more tax payer bucks down the toilet although the ground floor is now occupied by a great furniture store.
In one way of looking at it virtually every RDA project in the city is a loser considering that any potential profit from any and all of them is pledged to cover the down side of the biggest boondoggle of them all - the great white elephant known as the "Junktion" AKA PeeWee Godfrey's playhouse.
Ozboy, thanks for jogging the memory. Remember how Godfrey proposed to house (corral) horses for anyone who bought one of the Union condos? What a horse laugh that turned out to be! Also, don't forget the camping grounds by the rodeo stadium that he tried to sneak past the Council and the residents. His attempts to move St. Anne's to 12th Street and to sell the Shupe Williams property to a company that didn't want to move.
If you ask me, everything he tries is tainted and doomed.
Rudi, if we listed EVERYTHING that Godfrey's failed at would require more space than is available.
David S comment moved to top shelf
For those who keep chiming in that Mayor Godfrey's former employment was as a pizza delivery person: we are guessing that being a good pizza delivery person is harder than being a good small-city mayor.
Let us not disparage pizza delivery people worldwide by associating them with a poorly run city administration.
Nice, very nice RJ.
RJ:
Snark aside, we agree. Calling Hizzonah a "former pizza delivery" guy leads to no sensible conclusion about his ability to run Ogden City. I know very good administrators who were "former burger flippers" and professors from deep south states who moved to Ogden who were "former dishwashers." There's more than enough to be critical of in Godfrey's record in office without resorting to meaningless swipes like "former pizza delivery boy."
Curm
When it comes to the mayor I kind of like the sounds of "Future pizza delivery boy"
Carol:
Works for me!
Godfrey=Growth.
Now there's a non sequitur if I ever saw one.
I can count at least a dozen people of my own acquaintance who've declined to start up business operations in Ogden, and set up their businesses elsewhere, simply because they don't want to have to deal with the tyrannical little dunce.
Post a Comment