Monday, July 13, 2009

2009 Municipal Election Update: Two More Candidates File For City Council Seats - TWICE UPDATED

Only one remaining council incumbent now stands unopposed

This morning's Standard-Examiner graces us with the names of two more Ogden City citizens who have filed to seek city council seats for the November 3, 2009 Municipal Election:
More candidates bid for council seats
With Mr. Dean's filing for the Ward 3 seat, only one reaming incumbent council member, Jesse Garcia, of Municipal Ward 1, now stands unopposed.

We googled both Mr. Dean and Mr. Roma; and pretty much came up dry, except for this: According to an anonymous reader comment under a 2oo7 WCF article, Mr. Dean apparently finished far back in the pack during the 2003 Mayoral primary race, garnering 88 votes, out of 3490 votes cast. Whether we can draw any conclusions from this is anybody's guess, although we'll also suggest that this tidbit of info might support a reasonable inference that there still remains room in the Municipal Ward 3 race for a serious challenger who's committed to running a vigorous campaign in that ward.

As for Mr. Roma's candidacy, Mr. Schwebke's morning story reveals that Mr. Roma is an internet technology professional, which leads us to confidently predict that he'll no doubt be coming out with a formidable campaign website soon.

For the convenience of our gentle readers, by the way, we've also set up this 2009 council candidates list, which has now been added to a new 2oo9 Municipal Elections Module in our right sidebar:
2009 Ogden Municipal Elections - Pre-Primary Candidate Roster
As we've done in the past two municipal elections, we'll liberally augment this page with links and contact information, as the 2009 election race moves into high gear.

That's it for now, gentle readers.

Who will be the first to comment?

Update 7/13/09 11:37 a.m. MT: Per Bill C., from the lower comments section:
There is a good letter to the editor posted last Thursday on the SE website regarding this topic, Council elections. Matt Campbell points out just how critical these seats are and who gains them will be.
It's been a mite slow around here the last couple of days. Perhaps Bill's new submission will help spark some discussion.

Update 7/14/09 8:14 a.m. MT: This morning's Standard-Examiner reports that a new council challenger filed for Jesse Garcia's Municipal Ward 1 seat on Monday, meaning that as of now, no current council incumbent stands unopposed:
Candidate files in bid for Ogden city council seat
We've duly added Travis Pate to our Council Candidate Roster, which appears in the "Election Module" in our right sidebar.

16 comments:

George K said...

Thanks, Rudi, for your service to the community during the past couple of elections. I know that the information that you provide about each of the candidates and the issues is a great help to your readers. Some of the "undecided" voters have used this venue to launch their own investigation of candidates for a wiser vote. In the end this does affect the city in which we live, work and play.

I live in ward 3 said...

You're right, Rudi! all Ward 3 needs is one committed candidate to relieve from duty the hopeless Ward 3 flip-flopper, Doug Stephens.

ozboy said...

CNN/Money just released their list of the best 100 places to live in the USofA. Strangely Ogden was not on the list! Not even an honorable mention!! Is our mayor sleeping on the PR job these days, or is CNN too big a fish to bite the little mayor's little bait?

By the way, good old Farmington was number 14 on the top 100 list and Bountiful was number 71. Neither one has a publicly owned penny arcade and bowling alley as a down town anchor - other wise they just may have scored even higher.

tusk said...

Don't worry Godfrey will pay them to say it!!! With your tax money.

duh said...

ozboy,

It was a top 100 list of small towns. That's why Louisville, CO was #1.

Joyce Wilson said...

Very happy to see that Travis Pate has filed for city council seat in Ward 1, he will be a tremendous asset to the council and he will actually do something!!!

George K said...

I disagree with Ogden Dem's appraisal of Travis Pate. He is a pro-gondola supporter and another Godfreyite!

He will make it diffucult for Mr.Garcia to win because he is an influential businessman.

It is important to know and let everyone else know that Pate's backing is coming from Godfrey.

M.R.S. said...

I don't think many would consider Travis Pate to be an "influential businessman". His position at OWATC seems quite marginal according to the salary information supplied at utahsright.com. He has provided many hours of volunteer service on various committees and worked for Ogden City at one time.

I cannot find any reference to Mr. Pate supporting a gondola. According to an April 12, 2006 article in the Standard Examiner,
April 12, 2006 article in the Standard Examiner, it appears that he simply worked for the chamber around the time when public open houses were being held to unveil Chris Peterson's "grandiose gondola plans" and served in some sort of organizational capacity for an event that was held in April 2006. If memory serves correct, Dan S. may have been in attendance at this event that was filmed by Rupert the Producer, who will be spending some time in Ogden this week with his bff Gadi Leshem I hear. The footage was reported to be the start of some sort of Ogden marketing piece. I wonder what ever happened with that project.

It still wouldn't hurt to ask Mr. Pate about his views regarding preserving open space and selling city assets as well as his take on the possible streetcar project. I've heard that he lives in his mother's home in the Jefferson Historic District and has been active with a citizen group in the neighborhood.

Joyce Wilson said...

Well according to Schwebke's March 25, SE article, Travis IS a supporter of streetcars for Ogden. I chatted with him a few times over the years at various community meetings, political and non-political. I found him to be an individual that truly cares about the future of Ogden; and very involved and dedicated to his city.
If you think Travis is an influential businessman, you must have him confused with someone else, read the article, he has three part time jobs.

George K said...

O.K., I'll say one might think that he is an influential businessman when he dons a suit/sport jacket, dress shirt and tie. That was the circumstances under which I met him.
Apparently he doesn't quite measure up to his potential. But then I know other big guys who had a lot going for them, but didn't quite make VIP in the real world.

When you're asking him questions, also ask him if he is a big supporter of Matt Godfrey and the gondola.

Al said...

George,

Pegging someone as an "influential businessman" and publicly posting it when your only reasoning was based upon the fact that person wore a jacket, dress shirt and tie in public??? Seriously?

I guess you automatically assume all those leaving certain buildings on Sundays in nice closes are all influential and wildly successful as well.

Your impression and subsequent public labeling is ridiculous. I know of grocery store clerks who wear nice suits to public events and millionaires with successful businesses who don a seemingly perpetual uniform of vintage well worn t-shirts, Gap khakis and Converse All Star sneakers.

Judging ones accomplishments and achievement of potential based upon the fact that they work hard at 3 jobs is ridiculous as well.

Joyce Wilson said...

Al - who is judging Travis based on working three jobs? No One!

Bill C. said...

I've got three good reasons to be wary of this Travis Pate.
1. He's challenging Jessie and filed late for a seat Jessie has commanded for years. And at this time the mayor and his lackeys are ramping up all kinds of false and very misleading attaks against Jessie.
2. In his interview with Schwebke he is quoted as having ecconomic developement as his priority. This coupled with the fact that he's g-train's neighbor is very suspicious.
3. Consider the first two, and ask yourself why, if we have a proven time tested good representative of the people in Jessie, would we take a chance on a clandestine gondola worshipping godfreite?

sleepy said...

G-train's neighbor, big deal. You're grasping for straws Bill C. Travis knows more about Ogden and what Ogden needs than anybody else who is running for any seat on the council this year, including Jesse. I've known Travis for a long time and he is committed to Ogden and what is right for Ogden. He is not an FOM as some have indicated. He would be an incredible voice on the Council. Also, why the hell wouldn't economic development be a priority for someone running for City Council? He also said community development is a priority, which is his true passion. Jesse has been good to have on the Council, but it's time for a change (I don't like long-term politicians at any level no matter who they are and how successful they may be), and Travis is the right person.

sleepy said...

Rudi's suspicious because he's the Mayor's neighbor - I'm done w/ this blog!

blackrulon said...

Please trust me Rudi, I live nearly 2 blocks away from the mayor. I just hope that is far enough away to be free of his sphere of influence.

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