We've just gotten word from a reliable source that there's an important Ogden City event transpiring within the next few minutes. We've received word that the Godfrey administration has scheduled a ground-breaking ceremony at 11;00 a.m., in the vicinity of the Ogden River, presumably to "formalize" the initiation of the Ogden River Restoration Project. Senator Bennett is scheduled to be in attendance, along with a cadre of grinning Emerald City dignitaries, according to riverfront property owner who received a written invitation.
Strangely, this event has received no attention at all from the Northern Utah press, although we're informed that at least one Standard-Examiner reporter was nosing around yesterday for information.
Equally strangely, the administration hadn't even hired a project developer, the last time we addressed this topic. We're also informed that there remain a number of necessary easements which have not been perfected.
We're all aware of course, of Boss Godfrey's peculiar penchant for scheduling ceremonial "ground breaking" events even before the "ducks are all lined up." Perhaps this morning's event is one of these. Nevertheless, we're puzzled that Boss Godfrey hasn't been publicly crowing about this.
We've also calendered a phone appointment early this afternoon with one Emerald City lumpencitizen who's planning to be in attendance. If all goes well, we'll be able to update this story later today.
Update 1/7/10 3:37 p.m: Per Gentle Reader made ch13 news: Fox 13 is now carrying this story:
• Organizers Break Ground for Ogden River Project
18 comments:
Rudi:
I think the River Project involved in this one is the stream bank restoration project [grant funded], and not the River Project Real Estate Development [aka Lesham Project].
That's right Curm. It's the Ogden River Restoration Project, which I linked in the first paragraph.
Senator Bennett is less luminous than RFK Jr., but I'm surprised, given Godfrey's track record, on which the eminent senator has surely been briefed, that even he could be conned into blessing an event that, like all the others, is bound to be a non-starter.
Bennett is looking for R support and endorsements in his campaign for re-nomination. He's being challenged from the winger right. That's the explanation for his turning out for events like this. Picking up chits to cash in at the R state convention.
I have it from your "reliable source" that Mr. Lesham was in attendance of the event this morning. Don't you find it strange that when the topic is the actual development that he "cannot be reached for comment" but not only does he show up but also has a shovel in his hand? Yet the average person in the city hasn't heard about this monumentus occasion!
Godfrey (or one of his assistants) posted about this on Facebook. Yeah I befriended him (keep your friends close, enemies closer). Most of his posts are Ogden cheerleading pablum, but his grammar needs work. I doubt he's the one posting those anyhow.
http://www.fox13now.com/news/kstu-organizers-break-ground-for-ogden-river-proje,0,5245710.story
This is all going way too fast for my poor little Ogdenite brain to absorb. Seems like just the other day the biggest little mayor in these parts was announcin we were getting a new, maybe two, scratch and dent stores to compliment the high adventure Junktion. Yep, a high adventure scratch and sniff store or two was a comin for certain.
So where the hell are they?
First we are promised Prada but get nada. Then it was scratch and dent which now appears to be scratched. Now it is another damn grand announcement about some shit at the river.
When we gonna see more action and less announcin around this place anyway?
Is it possible that the Feds were breathing down Godfrey's neck - stimulus money had to be shown being spent on a real river project, not WalMart drainage?
We all know that turning a few shovels full of dirt does not mean didlysquat in terms of actually doing something.
Who is the contractor who got the project anyway? Were they there?
Speaking of contracts, did they perchance announce the chosen developer the Mayor said they were going to announce "by the end of the week" a month ago? Or is that ball still in the air?
So that's what that was! I saw bleachers being set up this morning as I was driving in that area.
Didn't know a thing about it otherwise.
why set up bleachers for an event that wasn't announced? strange days indeed.
js
BB
Really, Biker Babe, if the river event had been announced, would you have attended?
Uh huh.
Why all the bitching about this. Even Moroni has it wrong....it's a start, a beginning, even though he doesn't think so.
What a pack of pea-brains some of you people are.
JS, I suppose.
ok - For Progress - why spend money to set up bleachers for people who wouldn't attend anyway? Does the bleacher expense fall under federal stimulus grant guidelines for spending the $$$?
js,
BB
BB....
I suppose that you would have the dignitaries, from the local to State level, just stand there or mill around while Suzy VH and her bunch used their golden shovels to dig the first holes in the ground. Then the folks who sent the stimulus money to town, to begin the clean up, could lean against some trees or the burnt out walls of some of the neighboring structures. Sounds like a real nice, professional way to kick off a project that has the potential that the River Project does.
I think the City owns the bleechers and I'm sure that the Parks Department guys who put them up didn't get paid overtime. Not too much was spent on this and why the hell not have a place for some of these participants, etc. to sit.
They can't all stradle their Hondas to watch the show.
Enough with the griping, parsing and grasping at straws. Can't you find something better to protest?
the river project should be all volenteer. Dignataries can all just go to hell. Everyone of them should be back picking up the mess for nothinbg, not getting paid to stand around and anounce that we are a money sink hole because we are slobs. silly.
Ok, how about this: we still don't know the name of the developer -TBA by Godfrey, from 2 (two) S-E artickles - yet they are breaking ground ... cart in front of horse? Hmmm? We knew the developer in another River Project, and look at Leshem-ville ...
js,
BB
oops, methinks I might have been feeding a troll aka for progress, aka little bobbie geiger?
can't tell for sure
BB
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