Eye popping front page story in this morning's Standard-Examiner, reporting that Boss Godfrey's once ballyhooed Ogden River Project, which the administration brokered into the hands of the now missing-in-action Gadi Leshem (Boss Godfrey's #1 2007 election campaign donor), has now descended from the status of Ogden's most ignominious firetrap, to Ogden City's unofficial no-fee landfill, aka Boss Godfrey's Downtown Garbage Dump:
• Desolate Ogden River Project area becoming a dumping groundIt's quite a long downward road we've travelled since December of 2007, when Leshem was treading the trail alongside the Ogden River with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in tow, boasting of his pie-in-the-sky Renaissance Village project, which "envisioned" that trendy 200-unit development, featuring trendy lofts, trendy restaurants and trendy boutiques. The idea of course was to repopulate the riverfront area with new residents; and in that respect we suppose we can concede that this goal has been at least partially achieved, inasmuch as this morning's story does report the the area is now the home of an apparently thriving population of feral cats.
It's been six long months since we reported that Ogden City appeared to be on the verge of calling out the code enforcement dogs. And where exactly have we gotten in the interim? Exactly nowhere, according to this morning's Scott Schwebke story:
The city's Building Inspection Department recently completed an inventory to determine the condition of properties and boarded-up homes in the project area, Morey said.That's right, folks... after all this time, Ogden City's code enforcement folks haven't even gotten as far as issuing a single citation.
Efforts to keep the area free of litter have been hampered because Ogden Riverfront Development has had four property maintenance companies quit in the last two years, said John Patterson, the city's chief administrative officer.
"You would think someone who has a contract would want to keep it because there isn't an overabundance of work out there," Patterson said Friday.
It would cost the city $142 per house just to mow each lawn, making it far too expensive for the city to clean up the entire project area, Evans said. "If the city had to pay, it couldn't do it."
Morey said the city hasn't levied any code enforcement penalties against Ogden Riverfront Development because the company plans to hire a new property maintenance firm in the next few weeks.
And that's how it works (and will continue to work) with Ogden City government, so long as Boss Godfrey remains at the mayoral helm.
And the beat goes on... as the situation continues to deteriorate on the Ogden Riverfront... and Boss Godfrey persists in dreaming about more numbskull "visionary projects," like icicles, velodromes and bulldozers on Ogden's East Bench... and so on and so forth, ad nauseum.
Take it away, O Gentle Ones.
51 comments:
The headline pretty much says it all: Desolate Ogden River Project area becoming a dumping ground
The story, by Scott Schwebke, details how the blighted River Project area, with its derelict and collapsing homes and trash strewn lawns, is now attracting trash dumpers from outside the area. And has Ogden's code enforcement office acted to either force the property owners [a shadowy group called Ogden Riverfront Development, which the article delicately describes as "a company with ties to developer Gadi Leshem"] to clean up the site? Well, no, though the "city's Building Inspection Department recently completed an inventory to determine the condition of properties and boarded-up homes in the project area."
Recently? Months ago, the Standard Examiner ran a story, as I recall, on the dilapidated condition of the properties and on how the properties and their grounds were not being maintained. I believe it reported that the City was "working with" the owners to get the properties cleaned up, and that if nothing was done, the city might do the necessary clean up and bill the owners [as the city will cut your lawn and weeds and bill you for the work if you don't keep your property up to code.] Months ago.
And why, you might ask, has the city done nothing so far to force a cleanup? Mr. Schwebke asked, and here's the answer he got: "... the city hasn't levied any code enforcement penalties against Ogden Riverfront Development because the company plans to hire a new property maintenance firm in the next few weeks."
I'm sure people living on the edge of the Leshamville Slum District will take great comfort from that promise, since, as the article also reports, "Ogden Riverfront Development has had four property maintenance companies quit in the last two years..."
In the midst of the greatest business downturn since the Great Depression, four maintenance companies have walked away from working for Riverfront Development? Four? I can't help wondering why. I wish the story had told us why. [I wonder if the SE contacted the companies that walked away and ask them why.]
The story includes a picture of a derelict boat --- a boat! --- someone dropped off as trash at the River Project site and some wag named it "The Minnow." Good choice, since it seems under the Godfrey administration, it will take about as long to get the properties cleaned up as it did to get Gilligan off the island.
What a train wreck the administration has made of this project by mortgaging so much of downtown Ogden's future to Mr. Lesham and his associates. But hey --- don't despair. The Mayor assures us he has great plans for other projects that are sure fire can't miss propositions: an outdoor year round ice climbing popsicle on a downtown street corner; a multi million dollar velodrome downtown; another massive real estate development to be built on some public, some private bench land; a gondola tourist ride from downtown to WSU; a taxpayer- subsidized five star hotel at The Junction. Sure things, all of them. Can't-miss developments --- just like the River Project.
No wonder Ogden/Weber Chamber of Commerce leaders, who used to be among the loudest public tub-thumpers for Mayor Godfrey's expensive serial obsessions, have become noticeably quieter of late.
And kudos to the SE for staying on top of this story. Nice work.
Has Leshem paid taxes on this property or is he derelict in that duty as well?
And meanwhile, if you are working on your own car in the driveway of a home you own, you will get cited and levied a daily penalty.
Conversely, if you are a FOM, you can park anywhere, even on city-owned landscaped areas downtown, day in and day out, and face no fine at all.
The mayors development schemes have been irresponsibly funded, and it has lead to waste dumps with people pouring who-knows-what into the ground, where there once was potentially viable "low income housing" for the winter.
This fiasco should be thoroughly documented, from the pie-in-the-sky early promises and back room deals, all the way through the mysterious fires and taxpayer-funded bulldozers, and now this eyesore.
It would make a good cautionary documentary, perhaps a good student film project; we could show it at the Egyptian Theater, and invite the world to watch.
S.Cook:
Next time you get cited for working on your car in your driveway, if you have five figures or so to spare [or are an attorney yourself with nothing to do for some months], be fun to challenge the fine on 14th Amendment grounds ["equal protection of the laws"], arguing that very different standards are being used when applying the law to different people.
Or you could just have a card printed up to put in the car window saying "FOM." Be a lot cheaper, true --- but not nearly as much fun.
Once a development that seemed to have so much potential, the River Project has become a total joke. Besides the trash, crime, a slum that is now there, the City seems to be turning its back on resolving the problem. Most, if not all, of the properties are owned be either Leshem or his or family's LLCs. Why he has not been held accountable for maintaining this mess is anyone's guess and he appears to be in deep financial trouble ever since his California fiasco with the State Compensation people.
It appears that his is now our price to pay and a once exciting project has now deteriorated to an inner city, rat infested slum, worse even than what the River Project was once intended to replace.
Quite an ironic dichotomy, isn't it.
Before we just had a typical impoverished neighborhood, and the accompanying social problems one always finds when people are in such dire straights.
Now we have the same ingrained poverty, plus the developers nightmare mess spread out in front of the lower-income homes doorsteps.
Meanwhile, I am guessing the developers are "doing Saturday lunch" at some golf course clubhouse, while they complain about how their lost income and stalled projects are the fault of some nebulous "global economic forces"
No, developer dude, the displaced impoverished were partially the result of global economic forces; your failed developer schemes, and you having to scrimp on Christmas vacation abroad, this is your own damn fault.
Quit your whining and excuses, and clean up your own botched mess.
Or let the city seize the property.
According to the Weber County Tax Assesor's website listing unpaid property taxes for 2008:
Mira and Mori Lesham owed $10,892.
Ogden Riverfront Properties owed $34,890 bringing the grand total to $45,782.
Just how much debt is necessary before property is lost for taxes?
OL:
Put that taxes not paid information up as a comment on the article on the SE site.
Please.
Schwebke writes:
OGDEN -- Even amid the sea of junk that litters the yards of boarded-up homes throughout the Ogden River Project area, the red boat shipwrecked on the front lawn of 1862 Childs Ave. was a duck out of water.
Okay, now I know. Schwebke is bipolar.
He's not just a skilled research reporter, but a talented writer.
But we know he is also a lazy hack writer.
How can someone with Schwebke's apparent talent not put it on display at all times?
Consistency, Scott. That is the one trait that makes the merely good, great.
Why not be great?
C'mon folks, you know exactly why Lesham hasn't been issued a single citation. Just use Rudi's handy election donor's guide and see who donated ten thousand dollars to Mayor Farquaad's 2007 reelection campaign and you'll have your answer.
I bet things wold be different if Godfrey (with his family) were forced to trade living quarters with one of the families in houses facing the "river project" for a month. In fact, trading houses would be a great idea for all the A-team members. We could even video the whole thing and sell it to TV, thus fattening the Ogden City coffers.
We're gratified that feral cats can survive in the Ogden area that Godfrey has totally screwed up.
Viva Feral Cats!
I think Kevin Baumgartner is right.
Should Godfrey should resign right now?
Who knows? Maybe Boss Godfrey can hook up the the Geigers' new company, which plans to reap millions in selling expensive equipment for Godfrey's hopefully soon-to-be approved Ogden $13 million Ogden Velodrome.
And in that context, we got this above info about the Geigers' latest lamebrain business effort from a protected but reliable source who's privy to insider Geiger converastion. Never underestimate the reach of our gentle WCF readership.
November 07, 2009 1:50 PM
When the time comes to address unpaid proerty taxes, whcih is the County's call, there's a list published in the newspaper. Once that's published, with the date that the property can be purchased from the County for the taxes owed, someone can step up to the plate and buy that property for the amount of back taxes owed. The problem is, is there's a time period that the owner can meet those taxes and reclaim the property, and thus the sale is null and void. So, one must be careful....you wouldn't be out the money, but you'd be out the time and cost, etc.
What should happen in this case, and I'm one who likes to give things a chance to come to fruition, is the City could get this property thru Eminent Domain, if that were handled properly. And with the state that the Leshem property is in, and has been for several years now, perhaps it's time. But I doubt we'll see any moves toward that.
It's too bad, for the City is basically being held hostage and meanwhile the feral cats are multiplying, the fires are burning, the transients and thieves have a destination and it's not exactly something that will attract outside investors to come to town and put their money toward the downtown renovation.
I'll bet Dan, over at Bingham's Bikes and Peletones, is pleased. I'm wondering if he's lost much business, especially at his outside tables, because of this atrocity.
I seriously doubt that "Dan' is pleased by the current and obvious River Project outcome. I'm sure Dan, as a serious Ogden City activist, would have hoped for a better outcome.
Conscientious Ogden citizens from Weber County Forum warned you all about the inevitable economic outcome of Boss Godfrey's right-wing socialist intervention for many years.
You called the economically astute members of out Ogden City community "naysayers" when we blew the whistle on Boss Godfrey's insane attempt to use the vehicle of government to build up our city infrastructure.
This was a fool's bet, in retrospect. The Godfrey administration has now plainly revealed its ineptitude; and now we're suffering the consequences of that.
Now the chickens have come home to roost, just as we "naysayers" predicted.
So what have you to say about all that,BQ?
Rudi:
I think BQ's comment about Dan of the Bingham Bikelery was intended to be sardonic.
I've wondered for a long time about how the owner of the Bingham/Peleton's property felt about the River Project, sitting out there isolated, with acres of empty lot and bare dirt stretching away to the south and west instead of the apartments, condos, stores and people-filled walkways that I'm sure expected to be there by now, that Hizzonah and his crack development team assured us would be there by now.
Exactly right, Curm. I'm sure "Dan" of Bingham's cyclery is even now re-evaluating the wisdom of his decision to depend upon Boss Godfrey's slick "promises."
"You would think someone who has a contract would want to keep it because there isn't an overabundance of work out there," Patterson said Friday.
I dont know for sure, but I would bet large amounts of money, that the people contracted to keep Leshams properties cleaned, are not getting paid to do so. Why else would they give up the contract in these hard economic times?
I was at Peletons last week during the evening with my wife. Sat inside and had a couple of beers and a Pizza with some friends. Outside by the fire was a guy who hauled in his own six pack. Looked like he was staying warm. By the time we left he was getting pretty animated. I have to say that if I was walking into a bike store to purchase some of the high end products they have ($6K plus) I don't expect to have to work my way through homeless drunks trying to stay warm to do it.
Didn't the city pay a survey with a consultiong firm to look into code enforcement? What a waste of city monies since they haven't written any fines for these properties. Why are we paying salaries for city employees not doing their sworn duties.
Maybe they need a head hunter to come into the city and indepently evaluate the economic development team, code enforcement, and illegal money transfers from one department to another.
The City Council should mandate these audits to bring the city back into the black, without raising taxes or wter bills.
One might hope that with VanHooser and Blair there might be enough impetus for audits of the Godfrey Administration and the funds they have squandered - both legally and illegally.
Dorrene would have pushed for such things but I don't feel the other council members had the sand for it.
Perhaps VanHooser and Blair will be able to get that ball rolling. I suspect Wicks and Gochnour would support it, if it had strong impetus from two other council members.
In the end, Godfrey might resign, rather than having to face this.
Gosh, I love the rumblings about Godfrey resigning.
Danny:
Resignation: not very likely, I'm afraid. Fun to think about, but so is winning the lottery. The odds, however...
Code enforcement employees don't get to decide who is cited and who isn't. Word is that city code enforcement employees are understandably not happy being told to go after specific people and ignore infractions by others. They are just trying to keep their sanity and their jobs to feed their families.
It's the executives at the top telling them what to do who should be hunted down.
Well, OL, you know what they say: a fish rots from the head down.
Two things
Internal audits initiated by the Council are a joke. Godfrey doesnt follow any recommendations. Look at the Fire Department audit. He hates the Firefighters, even more now because they dared to endorse Council Candidates who oppose him.
And yes code enforcement employees do the rounds looking to write chicken shit violations to those people who the Mayor thinks are a pain in his ass.
I am living proof.
Well, despite the fact that for years now the public has been asking just who this mysterious Riverfront Developement is, Patterson seems to know them intimately, enough to become their spokesman to the gondola examiner. Strangely I'm reminded of the more than shakey origins of the Ogden Community Foundation/ Riverside Technology Foundation (which was never a legitimate entity)/American Can Complex, that involved the transfer of City assets to private hands with many questions about insider benefits.
I wonder if the old rumor isn't true that included in the undisclosed list of principals are some administration personel and family members. This would explain the very hands off code enforcement and preferential treatment.
Comment bumped to front page
I know a person who works in code enforcement - and they told me once that they are often and emphatically told to NOT give code enforcement citations on ANY of the Leshamville properties. And that this has been going on since he disappeared from the scene.
they may have a fear of losing their job, which happens when one in the city's employ crosses the Farquaardt's wishes ...
But you get a lady with one tire propped up in an otherwise immaculate yard and driveway, she gets a citation right away, with no grace period (in which to move it in the next few weeks) ...
An email sent by me to the mayor himself received the reply we are working with the developers on the problem ... why won't he do that with the homeowners?
TLJ
JN:
You are so judgmental. It's the homeowner's fault she got cited. She brought it on herself by not donating a few thousand to the Mayor's re-election campaign. If she had, I'm guessing the Mayor would be more than willing to have Code Enforcement "work with her." Why, he'd probably even demand it.
So she brought it on herself. And there you go, blaming the Mayor. You are so judgmental....
Good Afternoon Good Citizens,
The articles and the freting over what is right and what is just, lays in the hands of the ones with the most power. I have done extensive research into this issue. The folks at both the Building department and the Code Enforcement Departments are afraid to enforce the cities ordinances.
There is currently an ordinance that states that a property that has either abandoned and or boarded up for future development are required to have a permit from the City. I have requested copies of the permits from the city on such properties. The city could not produce any permits and stated that there has not been any issued. These properties are spread out all over Ogden , you hve seen them from north Washington Blvd. all the way thru the City center, not just in the River Project. The ordinance states that the permit which costs $500.00 per unit, but also has a renewal clause at the cost of $500.00 every six months. The owner and or developer is also required to submit a plan for the use of the property after demolition. Now truly our finacial situation at the city would be quite a bit different if we were to enforce just one more of our many ordinances that they choose to selectively not enforce.
Now you might be more sympthetic to the little old lady that has a spare tire adourning her driveway.
Lets put Gadi Leashem and the others with boarded up properties on notice to either fish or cut bait... or possibly we will need to start a revolution against the present Administration and refuse to clean up our properties and force Mayor Godfrey to allow the building and code enforcement officials to not pick and choose who and when to issue citations..... We can't blame all the unsightly properties on the absentee landlords....
I think it might be time for ust stand up and tell the administration that:
"We are as mad as hell and were not going to take it any more".....
The Indigo Sage store on the SW corner of 25th and Lincoln routinely parks on landscaping, parks blocking the alley/easement, parks in the crosswalk, parks in the handicapped zone, causing all of the other business owners/tenants of Union Square to go around, and make due.
City parking enforcement says, talk to Code enforcement, City code enforcement says the issue is known and is being handled by the mayors office as phase two of Union Square goes forward. A call to Cristy Shaw sends you back to parking enforcement. By this time, one has given up, and has driven around to another entrance.
Someday though, there will be a fire/emergency vehicle blocked from responding to a crisis, and the owners of Indigo Sage will be solidly to blame.
And now, we have a crappy medium sized restaurant, Jasohs! jockeying for the same 5 legal spaces, and parking the ten to twenty cars of their employees and customers where ever the hell they think they can fit.
Really poor planning.
Its a mess, if you expect to be able to use your driveway when you come home from work, and are confronted with an business owner telling you to wait until his delivery friver unloads the whatever. And if you complain, he makes a call, and has police there in a heartbeat who tell you to leave the owner of the car blocking the driveway alone, saying talk to thew parking enforment, and the owner sits and look like a cat that ate the canary.
Next year, with the completion of the new Union Square development there are going to be about 100 more cars using the easement to the security gate, and the situation will only get worse.
Worse for everyone except the owners of Indigo Sage.
Comon Rudi, Curm's right. Read the whole posting and you should have realized that "Dan's being pleased," was a very facetious statement.
There's a little something going on here, regarding the Mayor's "socialist interventions," that many don't realize, and that is the fact that the City uses plenty of OPM (developers, venture capitalist, etc.) to fund most of the projects put forth. Certainly, the BD has a budget that it can use to gin up and "seed" a new project but then the buck usually stops there. Of course, there's that part of The Junction, and a few of the other smaller developments, that the City has bank-rolled, but the bulk of the financing is done by outside money that is sought after the project has been put on the drawing board.
Why, there's even room for you if you were so inclined to invest some capital in your town.
Dear Mr. Quick,
Some of have put our money where our mouth is... some have even tried to change things from the inside.... Dan is not happy with the way the River Project has been handled and feels very lonely out by the river by himself. Dan even talked to me at one of the meet the candidates nights and asked what I felt about the way the River Project has been left alone for such a long time....? Perhaps you can answer these questions..... Or perhaps we should venture to guess that you have large amonuts of your own money invested in one of the, too many to name projects started by our present administration.....
Isn't it about time we finish one or two of these projects, before we even attempt to look at our open space on the bench. By the way a few of the candidates eluded too... we need to protect our open space because they are not making any more... well it sure seems to me that there is quite a bit of open space between 20th and 18th Washington to Wall. Perhaps we should relocate the golf course to the River Project location... I'm sure we can get some people to play the new course on their lunch hour.... Talk about a winning proposal.... Perhaps we could even rent part of Dan's building for the club house.... we sure would have catering close....
This project was doomed from the beginning, Ogden was over-extending itself. Good times or bad times, this project was way over ambitious and never had legs to stand on. It is not too late to scrap the big plans and instead turn what we have down there into a nice river front PARK (Junction Park, anyone?). In the end, I'm sure it will end up costing us residents less and benefiting us much more. Let's play to that natural asset them that makes Ogden so great.
Sometime, over a year ago, I suggested that the sea of vacant lots near the Bingham Bikelery and the big empty lot at the Junction could be [until something actually was done with them] quick-graded, seeded and turned into soccer fields. Would have brought people down there [that's the idea, isn't it?], provided inner city recreational venues, and looked a hell of a lot better than the barren ground does now. The city would have had to swallow the grading/seeding cost at the Junction, but surely the owners of the vacant land on the River Project could have been... well, let's just say "convinced"... to pony up a few shekels for quick grading, and seeding in consideration of the city not dropping the hammer on them right nowfor code violations and back taxes. Why, we might almost call it an offer they couldn't refuse.
Still think it's a good idea. And that will bring people downtown. [Post game celebratory beer and pizza at Peleton's anyone?]
Mr. Curmudgeon
Your suggestion is just one more reason you will never make it in the Godfreyite movement.
You just make too damn much sense. Next thing you know we will be hearing you advocate for research and analysis before action concerning city financial undertakings.
Where do people like you come from anyway?
Oz:
Brooklyn.
The last time the City "quick-seeded" some vacant ground (actually, the City put in sod) was for some western concert presented by Mr. John Gallo, held between 4 July and the Pioneer Days. Two or three days of C&W music, if memory serves correct, and the thing went bust. Gallo lost about 500K between a not to savy job of promotion and putting on a show between those two dates. It also rained like hell.
Now, I don't think I can say that because of that fiasco a soccer field complex would fail near the River Project, but, even though it makes sense, one should look really hard at what borders those lots. Plus, they are for sale and much of the local soccer is played at Mt. Ogden Park. I'd be hesitant to remove ANY activity fro the Mt. Ogden area, due to all that encompasses that, if you catch my drift.
And Pat Dean, I think you too missed my point when I posted my words about the River Project, Leshem and Bingham's Bike. I was refering to Dan McAfee, the owner, not Dan S. the writer of that fine piece (which I agree with) and was being facetious when I mentioned his being "pleased."
The "socialist intervention" was tossed back to Rudi, wherein I brought out that not every Ogden City project and/or development is being funded by our tax dollars, only a few. The majority are funded by developers or venture capitalists, and I'm sure you and some of your friends have put your money where your mouths are.
Peace.
The first things that come to mind as regards Gallo's duffed festival attempt: poor bastard; and, everyone should have bonded against acts of Gods, and inclement weather.
Live and learn; or get out of the business.
To soccer fields at that location? Because it involve Godfrey's hypertrophied ego: non starter.
No need to watch the squall line, Ben, as your factious humor was plain in your text; funny.
Dan at the bike shop doubtless has near-infinite compassion towards those who just simply cannot do it; sometimes this includes telling the hard truth to a person not of your acquaintance.
He deals.
A lot of persons have risked much to realize their dreams and profits, and finding persons of charecter who will to such activity should dominate a mayors day in any area that wishes to progress.
If the city can afford the infrastructure to assist effort, better.
This is one of the chips Godfrey has earned; he really lies like crazy to get business here; we just wish he was a fiscal conservative. Oh well.
Mayor Godfrey has been a dual edge sword, in our opinion, even if one whole side is near-dull from hacking at stupid shit like a red-headed-bastard-son with his dads precious knife.
Go !Adventure Ogden!
Stop Godfrey.
"The "socialist intervention" was tossed back to Rudi, wherein I brought out that not every Ogden City project and/or development is being funded by our tax dollars, only a few."
LOL, Mr. Quick...
It's the socialist "few" Godfrey beneficiaries that we complain about here.
More power to self-funded entrepreneurs and developers who can and should make it here in Ogden.
More of them would probably invest here, except for the deterrent of our our right wing socialist mayor.
If you set up any business in Ogden with your own dough, you never know whether Ogden Government will show up the next day to subsidize a new competitor.
Good Morning Mr. Quick,
The gentleman that I was referring to is Dan McEntee, not Dan McAfee that you referenced. Believe me I get your attempt at humor. I have known Mr. McEntee for most of my life. In fact we graduated grade school and high school together. I assure you that his concerns to me were genuine and very heartfelt.
I agree with you and Rudi that our Mayor has probably deterred more potential investors than he has brought to the table. More importantly we need to take a closer look at the high paid staffers that don't seem to be earning their keep. The future of the Emerald City is dependent on these folks.
Are we all hoping that the River Clean-up and floodway restoration project will bring more developers to the table...? Will the present Administration take off the gloves when it comes to enforcing the existing ordinances..? Short of Legal action, how can we motivate the public servants to stop discriminating against the citizens of Our Community? Let’s treat all property owners the same.... simple homeowner and developer alike....
um .. dunno how relevant this is: I spent quite a bit of time yesterday attempting to obtain contact information for the City's Community / Economic Development and/or Business Development office staff ... Business Development is on the City website, with one staffer listed: Tom Christopulos. A phone call reaped some names from BD: (which you readers probably already kow) Cami Geiger, Shawn Beus, Brandon Cooper; and from CED: Scott Waterfall & Richard McConkie. Further search did not turn up any connection to the city for Ms. Geiger or Shawn Beus - Cami simply nothing, Shawn former employer information: He used to work for a law firm in Roy as a corporate/business lawyer. Brandon Cooper is City Construction Project Manager.
Scott Waterfall turned up an article from Utah Pulse, introducing him as the new CED Director and WCF articles, no other City related information; McConkie turns up in minutes from RDA meeting and WCF articles, no other City related information.
If these people are so important to the City, why are they making it so difficult to contact any of them -- why are the departments completely missing from the City website?
makes one want to go "hmmm ... "
TLJ
Pat Dean
You sure aren't sounding like the dyed in the wool Godfreyite that some folks labeled you as during the election. Too bad you didn't get elected. I'm sure that the "Godfreyite" label cost you some votes. I think the notion of you being a stealth stooge for the mayor gained legs because of the placement of some of your signs. It was a guilt by association sort of thing. I think the result might have been different had you taken a stronger stance regarding the multitude of idiotic Godfreyite scams and schemes that the voters are suffering a great fatigue over.
Better luck next time, and I do hope there is a next time for you and Ogden politics.
Bewlieve it or not, Rudi, I pretty much agree with what you just posted. Remember, though, I was just posting myself when I wrote my first piece basically agreeing with the main thread. A facetious sentence here and there, but much of what you say is true and should be complained about. However, much of what my retort says is also true, and should be noted.
Jennifer, there's really no conspiracy to hide things in the CED. If you have to contact anyone of the above, just give them a call. If you can't find their personal desk ohone number, try 801-629-8910 and ask for any one of them. This isn't rocket science and you don't need Sherlock Holmes to get to any of these guys.
Glad Winter's coming on....I'm tired of all the fires raging in that area. And Pat, it is McEntee, not McAfee....sorry for the mistake. Actually a damn good guy, a pioneer, a gambler and running a successful business, regarless of the environment around him. Let's hope someone can come in, inject some funding into the River Project and get that thing up and running with shops, residences and a clean river to enjoy.
B Quick -- did you not read my post? You say "just give them a call" -- well hardly possible if they are nowhere to be found in the City Employee Directory. I can go to the website and find John Patterson or Cindi Mansell etc.
If there is no "conspiracy" (your word, not mine) to hide the CED / BD why why why why is it not on the website like the other City Departments? You look at the archived [old] City website, it is there, along with a listing of staff, including contact information.
I looked up Shawn Beus online to find his number for the City and only got his former employer, called them and they told me he was the same Shawn Beus who is now working with Ogden City -- but they didn't know his number either.
Be careful about assuming I am stupid ...
TLJ
Nobody assumed you were stupid nor did I imply or say that. I did read your post and it seemed to me you went to great lengths regarding your "attempting to contain contact information." I merely gave you some directions on how to find these people and you should be able to follow that lead. As to why the City website doesn't have your sought after information, you're asking the wrong person in you're above response. I'm not the one who does the City website nor the City phone directory (which, I agree, sometimes leaves one wondering). So climb off my butt and contact those people through the aforementioned number. I think if you were smart enough to figure out how to run for the City Council you should be smart enough to figure this out. As I said, it ain't rocket science. It only takes a couple of phone calls to the right people. Here's another number (City info) and the operator will get you in touch with anyone: 801-629-8000
B Quick -- I wasn't addressing you in the first place ... in asking why those people are so difficult to find. O - and I'm about as far away from climbing ON your butt as I can be, so no need to climb down off it.
I know how to call around the city to find anyone I need to talk to. I have the City information number and all that ... I didn't need directions on how to get hold of anyone in the City Offices ... thank you very much ...
It's just a puzzle to me why they make it so hard, e.g. only giving the information for the Manager of Business Development on the website.
I know it doesn't take a rocket scientist - I was just planting the seed of wonder for those who maybe didn't have the foresight to find out if the website did/did not indeed contain information about these departments.
Now, see if you can get your little fly self out of my ointment and let the wondering and debatements begin.
TLJ
Good Evening Ms. Neil
Could it be that the personnel have a way of changing out every two to three year's or could it be that the Administration does not want them to feel too comfortable in their positions ??
Wondering Minds Want to Know.....
I think the administration doesn't want the citizens to feel too comfortable with who they think is responsible for certain CED/BD happenings ...
or it could be what you said ... but it only takes an IT person a couple minutes to change a person's name etc. in a directory ...
TLJ
No mystery why you took 3rd in a 2 horse race....
Mr. Quik - whatever.
TLJ
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