This helpful early announcement should thankfully help other qualified Ogden City civic-minded grownups to plan their own council campaigns
This morning's Standard-Examiner provides another tickler for the upcoming 2009 municipal election , following up on our earlier WCF reminder article, announcing once again that the filing period for Ogden City council seats opened up today.
And "lo and behold" here's another bockbuster news story, hot off the press from the Standard-Examiner within the last hour, indicating that Susie Van Hooser won't be shy about this, and intends to mercifully but forcefully pry the At Large seat "A" from the bumbling current incumbent (and frequent council session non-attendee), Blain Johnson.
A Weber County Forum Tip O' The Hat this morning to the highly-electable Ms. Van Hooser. With her early announcement, other civic minded grownups will have the opporunity to throw their hats into the ring for other contested council seats.
Special thanks to regular reader OgdenLover, by the way, who provided our first scoop about Van Hooser's announcement, in the comments section under a previous WCF article.
As we've always said... we can't do whatever we do here at Weber County Forum, without the robust participation and input from our ever-alert and attentive gentle readers.
And what say our gentle readers about this?
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34 comments:
Yay Susie!
Boo Blaine!
TLJ
During her run for mayor, I took the time to spend a hour or so at Grounds For Coffee at 30th and Harrison, speaking with Ms. Van Hooser regarding issues that affect.
I came away from the conversation convinced that she would make an acceptable mayor; she was certainly a good city council-person.
If Godfrey had not pulled, temporarily, his plans for a urine soaked, bullet-ridden, and mostly empty gondola, complete with the golf course McMansion giveaway, she would be our mayor this afternoon.
And, that would be: acceptable.
Bulldozing open spaces as a gift to wealthy landowners: not acceptable.
I look forward to hearing her speak on her vision for !AdventureCityOgden!
Go Suzie!
I think this makes the second announced candidate for At Large Seat A, doesn't it? [Not counting Mr. Johnson, who has not yet announced his plans.] Went looking for the other candidate's announcement on lower threads but couldn't find it in a quick search. Anyone has it, post a link pls.
Mrs. Van H. did good work in her short appointed stint on the Council, and I supported her mayoral campaign once she won the primary. I would be happy to see her elected to a full Council term.
But the filing period is still open and two candidates already announced to challenge Mr. Johnson should he run again. I wonder how much fuller the field will get before closing date.
I worked for Susie's mayoral campaign. She insisted on running a clean, honest campaign and I have tremendous respect for her.
Those who want to see her, and like-minded candidates, elected need to get out and work. Most evenings, there were only 4-6 of us out canvassing for Susie. That was for the entire city. On weekends, more people were able to help, but it was still a skeleton crew. If you can't spare a few hours, donate money that can be spent on ads and mailings.
This is YOUR chance to do something for Ogden. It's easy to sit and blog or just complain about how awful things are, but it will mean more to donate your skills, time, and or money to candidates who will truly represent you.
If you don't do anything, you will be part of the problem.
OL:
In re: If you don't do anything, you will be part of the problem.
Sorry, OL, but vetting the candidates who ask for your vote, digging a little into issues --- becoming an informed voter and voting accordingly ---- is doing something. If folks want to do more and campaign, good on 'em. But no way would I ever dismiss someone who cast an informed vote as "part of the problem" because they didn't actively do more than that.
So Susan is once again use a short-term stint on the Council so that she can run for Mayor again?
Hum. I guess I would rather see candidates who are committed to fulfilling what they signed up for, not use the Council as a means to an end.
"committed": Van Hooser completed the entire term that she signed up for in 2006-07.
What makes you think she wouldn't complete the term she's running for now?
Curm,
In this situation we have the chance to have a City Council that either stands up for the citizens and for law or one that lets Godfrey continue to run Ogden as his personal playground at our expense.
Sitting around reading blogs and playing "how awful" is NOT enough. Casting one informed vote is not enough. Godfrey is our Mayor because of 452 votes. Sheila Aardema lost by 12. How many of those 452 or 12 considered themselves "informed"?
If people want change, they need to do something concrete about it, not just wait for someone else to contribute their time and shoe-leather or for the Honest Candidate Fairy to wave a magic wand.
While Godfrey's candidates may have a more difficult time raising money and influencing voters this time because of the economy, they still have an organization and financial edge. Who do you think might be promised the construction contract for a hotel built on the current golf course? Do you think they might find ways to contribute a lot of cash to specific campaigns despite the recently-passed ethics code. They sure will!
This is not an even contest in which pure democracy prevails. As in all politics, money and influence hold sway. Many Ogdenites say "Godfrey seems to have done a lot for Ogden." Being an informed voter yourself isn't enough, we need to do more than inform ourselves and sit back.
Interestingly, Ogdenlover and Curm are both right.
It became fairly obvious that Susie was not "Mayoral material" during the 2007 municipal elections.
Nevertheless she demonstrated during her "short term stint" on the city council that she's fit for that job; and as a result I believe she's the one to beat for the At Large council "A" seat.
With this in mind, I intend to fully support Ms. Van Hooser this time around, both with my volunteer effort and my treasure, in the hope that fed up Ogden citizens will finally elect what Rudi rightfully calls a veto-proof council of "Ogden City Council Grownups."
OL:
In every election in which I have ever voted [and in which you have voted I suspect] and in every election in which I got involved campaigning [and in every one you did too I imagine], I'd wager that the huge majority of voters who voted the way I wanted them to [or you wanted them to] did not become involved other than as voters.
Dismissing them as "part of the problem" is, then, I think, both factually inaccurate and tactically ill-advised.
I am speaking about the people who read this blog regularly and are apparantly interested in local politics. So many complain about Godfrey yet how many actually act. There is so much to be done that those who do act need help.
I couldn't believe how few actually worked for Susie.
So how exactly can we get in touch with Susie, to offer our sweat and material support? Does she have a phone number and/or email address?
I tried to connect with Susie the last time around to offer my support; but it seemed to me at the time that she was way too detached for that.
Did anyone wish Little Matty a happy birthday yesterday???
Anyway...I am personally very thrilled that Susie VH is doing this. I've talked with her a few times, and each time I walk away feeling that she really does care about the city, and would do a fantastic job in whatever role she took on. And do so with integrity and honesty.
Thanks for running, Susie!
Susie had a website set up last time that gave info on her views as well as contact info. If that doesn't come about in a reasonable time, I'll post information here about how to reach her.
Susan Van Hooser contact info from an old Ogden City webpage:
Don't forget, there will be other candidates running who will also need support.
Ah, found it. The other announced candidate for At Large -- A is Mr. Justin Morris. Bio info provided by Danny several threads down.
I filed for B today, contrary to my post the other day.
JM:
Ah, thank you for the update.
Information for River Parkway dog walking people: all the Mutt Mitt dispensers between Big D park and Washington Blvd along the River Parkway were empty this AM. And for some inexplicable reason [since flows in the Ogden River are way off their peak of a few weeks ago], the underpass under Washington Blvd. was flooded again this morning.
Check your fact Dan.
I personally cannot support a candidate whose only service was to allow Godfrey to run rough all over her.
Back to the girl scouts with you.
committed: I've checked. Have you?
Michael:
In re: Ms. Hooser. You say her "only service was to allow Godfrey to run rough all over her."
Two points: first, Ms. Hooser served out a term on the Council [replacing a Councilman who resigned to work in the Godfrey administration]. In her time on the Council, she manifestly did not "allow Godfrey to run rough all over her."
Second: Nor did she in the Mayoral campaign. Running her first campaign, with a small volunteer staff, and little funding, she took on a two term very well funded incumbent, and damn near beat him. [He had to abandon, during the campaign, his obsession with flatland gondolas financed by selling Ogden's largest park to his real estate developer buddy to save his election.] I don't think anyone who has had much experience in electoral campaigns could reasonably describe that as "allowing Godfrey to run rough all over her."
This is not the time for any candidate for the Ogden City Council to announce their support for a gondola.
This country is in the financial crisis of our lifetime and no idiot should be talking about building a gondola we don't need and certainly can't afford....otherwise she should certainly be running for Congress where all the idiots have gone.
Old Timer:
I don't think Ms. Van H. has announced her support of the Mayor's fantasy --- a city-owned flatland gondola between downtown and WSU. In fact, her campaign helped force Hizzonah to abandon his support for the gondola/park sale plan in order to save his election.
SVH was very antagonistic toward Bruce Edwards in his fight with lying little matty. She said that she supported the city code to clean up businesses storefronts, and asked Bruce to remove his LEGAL signs making a mockery of the little twerp.
She also said that the city cannot help but enforce the clean city ordeances haphazardly, as the budget was tight, and that the city had no choice but to go after blatent and repeat public offenders.
She should read the constitution again before she attwempts to run.
Bruce Edwards was right, the little dictators henchmen were wrong.
I think she may be the wrong person at the wrong time. The city needs someone who will stand up to the mayor, like Bruce did, not just roll over like a lap dog.
No way she has my vote.
Michael:
Those are at least understandable reasons for not voting for her. "Godfrey ran rough all over her" was not.
As for the issues you raise this time: I'll merely note that she asked Mr. Edwards to remove his signs. Nothing wrong with that. Asking. Many people did. A first amendment problem only arises when government attempts to force removal. [Perhaps you should review the constitution too.] The Godfrey administration did try to force Mr. Edwards to remove the signs, and it lost in court, as it should have. But people asking Edwards to remove the signs I see nothing wrong with. Certainly nothing constitutional or legal.
As for this: "She also said... that the city had no choice but to go after blatant and repeat public offenders." Sorry, Michael, but I really don't see a problem with that. If I were in city government, I'd think it my responsibility to "go after blatant and repeat public offenders" too.
So, Michael Tanner, you are an actor this week, not a "freelance journalist"? I'm sure Ms. Van Hooser was just trying to get Bruce to take care of his unpleasant blight on our historic district. I would assume most decent free speech loving people would do the same if afforded the same opportunity bend Bruce "F%*K OGD" Edwards' ear.
Last sentence should read "opportunity to bend". Lazy fingers today.
Sorry, my last sentence should have said go take a hike, twit.
Michael:
Suggested reading.
Just a minute. The worst looking most delapidated buildings in Ogden are those owned by the mayors ardent supporters, Provident Partners. Any fool witheyes can see that. As for other residential properties they come in close at second behind gadi and his unnamed cabal that seems to be made up of some Ogden City employees including one related to the mayor.
What hurt Ms Van Hooser in the mayoral race was her lack of a full platform or any platform. I sat through a couple of meetings when she spent so much time telling us the negatives about Godfrey (and there are plenty) and less about what her platform or intentions she turned off many of the voters.
You cannot win an election by simply bashing the opponent, tell us what you want to do to help our city and then ask for our support.
ODem:
I think you're right. Being not Godfrey brought the "anybody but Godfrey" voters into her column, but she had them anyway. It was not enough to bring enough of the undecideds in, or to flip the "soft leaning to Godfrey" voters her way.
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