Interesting story in the morning's Standard-Examiner, reporting on an item on last night's council agenda, whereby "members of a newly formed nonprofit organization" pitched the City Council for a chunk of Ogden City's "annual federal Community Development Block Grant funds":
• Nonprofit seeks some of Ogden's CDBG funding to help stabilize struggling familiesWe received this story tip via email from one gentle WCF reader who also offered this:
You really gotta wonder to what extent Godfrey is siphoning this grant money into projects that have nothing to do with the intended purpose. Someone oughta audit the whole program.So what say our gentle readers about this novel reader suggestion? Is it time for the Council to more closely examine the Godfrey Administration's books and records, at least with respect to CDBG funds? It's not as if we believe Boss Godfrey would ever engage in any hanky-panky, mind you... but $1.1 million is nevertheless a sizable chunk of dough.
11 comments:
The pitch was made by "get a different fancy job every six months" Robert Hunter.
" . . .homebuyer education courses, asset-building strategies and training aimed at preventing home foreclosure . . ."
What, there isn't enough of this already?
Here's the education: Spend only cash, no check, no credit card. Don't blow all your money. Be thrifty. Live within your means.
Class dismissed.
I say ignore Hunter's proposal. Better to waste the money the way it is being wasted now.
But not to worry. The city council will take NO ACTION ON ANYTHING unless the administration tells it to.
"Here's the education: Spend only cash, no check, no credit card. Don't blow all your money. Be thrifty. Live within your means. Class dismissed."
Don't Buy Stuff You Can't Afford?
There are really two issues here, and they are not necessarily closely connected. First, this: "Is it time for the Council to more closely examine the Godfrey Administration's books and records, at least with respect to CDBG funds? " Answer: sure. Yes.
Second, should the Council make significant portions of its block-grant federal community development funds available to NGO's. Answer: don't know. Have to think on that some. Maybe yes, maybe no. If doing so can be/would be a more efficient way for the city to use the funds [i.e. get more bang for the buck], probably yes. If not, then no. But have to think on this some first.
The City Council seems to be in bed with the administration when they fail to independently audit any of the cities departments.
After so many lies and half-truths for city staff when will the City Council step up and answer the real questions, where is all the money collected in fees really going?
Lets start with the Junction real costs, HUD home programs, demolition of Leshaim own homes, water department, money to fix up the information rail car, RAMP funds mis-appropiated, the list goes on and on.
Blackrulon
I think he is also the same Robert Hunter who applied for the council seat vacated by Bill Glassman, but lost out to Suzi VanHoser. He was one of about twenty who wanted the seat that Glassman didn't.
I also think he goes way back in the Ogden political scene.
As I believe I've said in the past: there Needs to be an independent office/officer to not only audit, but consistently track and approve how Any Grant Monies that are received by the city are spent. Just because the Mayor scores the money, doesn't mean he can go ahead and spend as he wishes - the approved funding is based on guidelines the applicant agreed to and on detailed budgets describing how the money would be spent - remember the RAMP funding that had to be returned because the guidelines were thrown out and Administration spent the $$$ in a way that was contradictory to the conditions of receiving the funding. When you do that to the Feds, you stand a really good chance of NOT receiving funding in the future.
Blackrulon
Bob Hunter has owned a home at 36th and Van Buren since 1994. Don't know if he's lived there the whole time, but that appears to be his current residence. As I recall he serves on the UTA board of directors.
Interesting angle, Al. Is it possible that Hunter, if he's indeed a member of the UTA Board of Directors, may have an ax to grind with regard to a 36th Street Streetcar route?
I don't have this morning to google for the UTA Board membership list. Perhaps one of our readers will be able to help us out with this.
Thanks.
Yep, Hunter's on the UTA Board alright:
Utah Transit Authority Board of Trustees
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