Monday, January 11, 2010

Boss Godfrey Gets Back Into Eminent Domain Mode

Eminent Domain still remains in Boss Godfrey's "Socialist Bag of Tricks"

For those gullible and politically-unsavvy ones amongst us who seem to believe that Boss Godfrey may have possibly abandoned his grand socialist tendencies, and is softening his iron-handed tyrannical approach, we have news for you all:

During the last month, Boss Godfrey, (coincidentally the winner of the Ogden Joe Stalin Lookalike Contest), has been notifying building owners along Washington Boulevard, in the area between 23d and 24th, that he's about to "take" their land by eminent domain. Godfrey wants to have the RDA Board declare that area "blighted," according to property owner reports which we've received.

The "Blighted" designation, of course means that Godfrey could now exercise the once-banned government Utah power of Municipal Eminent Domain, which evil power his thoroughly-twisted GOP NeoCON cousin, Scott Jenkins (R-Plain City), helped resurrect in Utah in 2007.

Thankfully, the matter regarding the preposterous 23d-24th Street "blight matter" has now been taken off the RDA calender by the Smart People on the Council/RDA Board, apparently:
6. Notice: (No Action)
a. Ogden East Washington Urban Renewal Area within the East Central Survey Area. The previously scheduled public hearing regarding the proposed East Washington Urban Renewal Project Area for January 12, 2010 has been cancelled. Public notice will be provided again 30 days in advance of the rescheduled public hearing.
Nevertheless, don't ever think that property owners in the area weren't sweating bullets for several weeks about this Big Godfrey Socialist Land-grab, thanks to our Big-Time Socialist Mayor, Boss Godfrey. And don't think for a moment that they won't be even more righteously ticked off, once our tyrannical right-wing socialist mayor gets the matter back on the RDA calender, which he reportedly will do.

We've heard several property owners in that area who severely complained about this, and we'll add that these properties are objectively not "blighted" under even fuzzy definitions of that legalistic term. Details like that don't seem to effect the little socialist shite, however, when he's planning to take properties away from Ogden property owners, and re-distribute them to his crony "friends."

We dunno about the rest of you people; but we at WCF don't believe any of these admittedly vacant, but high-quality properties qualify to be absorbed into another Godfrey-driven "blighted" RDA Project.

Watch out for Boss Godfrey! He'll again have his Washington Blvd. land-grab up again on the RDA calender very soon!

We already believe he's moved into "bunker mentality", BTW, now that his Godfrey-rubber-Stamp-Council WASN'T elected in November 2009.

Gotta say it's sad to see the little fellow now "melting down."

Until we find him "vacationing" down there in
"Scenic Draper," (along with his pal Val Southwick) however, we don't think he should be under-estimated.

So what say our gentle readers about all this?

14 comments:

blackrulon said...

Would the blighted label apply to the buildings that obtained federal stimulus fund for remodeling?

RudiZink said...

Good question, Blackrulon. That's one of the questions federal funds non-recipients in the area are also asking even now.

Bob Becker said...

Weren't those buildings... announced soon-to-be-homes of outlet stores that have not, as yet, materialized... between 25th and 24th Streets, not between 24th and 23?

Bob Becker said...

Looks to me, in any case, like this is a story the SE should be on: what was envisioned for the property if it was seized? Why was it pulled from the agenda? What do the current property owners have to say about the pending-now-withdrawn seizure attempt? Has yet another Godfrey-proposed combination hotel-and-indoor-wading-pool project spanning Washington Blvd come a-cropper?

This one needs some follow up.

Jennifer Neil said...

Curm: I found this one:
WCF artickle on Fed $$$ and "blighted buildings

TLJ

ozboy said...

The punk cannot just unilaterally "take" these, or any other, properties. Under "ED" the "taking" authority has to pay "fair market value", whatever the hell that is, to the owners of the property. That of course begs the question of where he would get the money to "take" these properties. Plenty of room for more outrageous and sneaky maneuvering by the dishonest and incompetent little crook for sure.

I'm still wondering what Geiger was doing in the shovel picture at the river. Any one have any idea if Godfrey has put him on the public dole?

Monotreme said...

Curm says:
Looks to me, in any case, like this is a story the SE should be on...

What?!?! How can they find time to do a story about this, when they are busy writing hard-hitting, front-page-above-the-fold articles like "Don't Ignore Jury Notice or You May Get a Summons".

Neil Hansen said...

Godfrey and his people are such smokers and like to blow it in people faces. I was courted by all the Godfrey people, I had more lunches and dinners with them all. They all wanted to win me over to the Godfrey campaign and they all wanted me on there team. They all said how we should be partners in promoting Ogden. They said they, would all like me to be in loop, and help make things happen when it comes to the promoting of the mayors office. Though all of this, I thought it was a little hard to see though all the smoke that was in the air. They all said that I should be at the forefront of any announcement that happened in my legislative district, since my district covers a good portion of the city, and especially since the downtown area being in my district, All this because I was the State Representative after all. Should this just be simple respect? Well their true colors have come out.
I have not ever had one phone call from the mayor in the 10 years that he has been in office, yet, let's give 50,000 dollars to a lobbyist and I could have saved the taxpayers that money just by picking up the phone to me. Well Since the election, when I did not endorse him, All those great Ideas of me helping the city was nothing more than blowing smoke in my face. I'm still waiting for the mayor to call.

city firefighter said...

P.S Neil, If anyone doesnt play, they stab you in the back.

Sheriff not running for re-election said...

BIG NEWS TODAY!!!!

Sheriff Brad Slater is not running for re-election this year...

Good news he has groomed a field of men and women to replace him...I for one will miss Sheriff Slater!

Waffle said...

No wonder why the community development manager recently quit. How can any fair-minded person work for this man? The damage Godfrey is making of Ogden is going to take generations to repair.

Ogdenite said...

We get these little tidbids here and there, like the one from Neil above.

Another is that Mr. Waterfall quit the mayor's office because he was unwilling to perform the unethical acts Godfrey wanted. This, from someone very close to him.

But some don't care, because they think Godfrey "makes the trains run on time."

RudiZink said...

Interesting news, snrfre...

That would explain this, I suppose:

Vote Brett Haycock for Weber County Sheriff

AWM said...

Anybody find out yet what Geiger was doing in the picture of the kick-off to the River Restoration Project? I'm having a hard time making the connection between this project and an unemployed Ski company exec. Anybody?

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