By Dan Schroeder
Despite the light drizzle, about 100 riders showed up at the Ogden Rodeo Grounds this morning for the start of Ogden’s “Tour de Drome” bike ride.
The ride began at 9:00 a.m. and continues throughout the day, following designated routes through Weber and Davis Counties. Riders choose one of three distance options, from 27 miles up to 104 miles. In addition, about six children participated in a two-mile “Fun Ride” along the Ogden River Parkway.
Ogden Chief Administrative Officer John Patterson was among the riders. He said he and his wife Cindy intended to do the 27-mile ride, but they had gotten a few funny looks from the other riders because they had brought their fat-tired mountain bikes instead of the customary road bikes with skinny tires.
Aid stations along the Tour de Drome route are being sponsored by Costco, Roosters, Subway, and Taggart’s Grill. Three local bike shops are providing additional support.
The purpose of the event is to raise money and awareness for Ogden’s planned Velodrome, an indoor bike racing track. The city contracted with Cindy Yorgason, a experienced bike racing enthusiast, to organize the event. Two weeks ago, Yorgason took Patterson and Mayor Matthew Godfrey on a trip to see the nearest comparable facility, in Los Angeles. This morning, Yorgason expressed excitement about Ogden’s planned Velodrome and said she is confident that it will be built. She said the next event to promote the Velodrome will be held in the fall.
Registration for the Tour de Drome was handled by Carolyn Brierley, Ogden City Events Coordinator, with help from other city employees and volunteers. Brierley said that 90 riders had pre-registered for the event, not including the six children who did the Fun Ride. Although registration was scheduled to end Thursday night at midnight, the deadline was extended to allow on-site registration which brought in another 15 riders.
The cost of registration was $50, so the event apparently raised $5250 in registration fees, plus small additional amounts from Fun Ride participants, merchandise sales, and donations. According to Brierley, the proceeds from the event are being “run through the Ogden Community Foundation” because the city needs a 501(c)(3) charity for that purpose.
Patterson also confirmed that the Ogden Community Foundation (OCF) would receive the proceeds from the event. He said there was no contract between Ogden City and OCF to ensure that the funds would be spent on the Velodrome, but that OCF is run by good people. Patterson declined to name any of the individuals who have control over OCF.
Another of the Tour de Drome riders was Charles Trentelman, an avid cyclist and reporter for the Standard-Examiner. When asked if he knew where his money was going, he answered, “for the t-shirt”.
Update 5/2/10 10:00 a.m.: Here's Schwebke's writeup in this morning's Standard-Examiner:
Don't let the cat get your tongues.
Update 5/2/10 10:00 a.m.: Here's Schwebke's writeup in this morning's Standard-Examiner:
• Bike race aims to create buzz for downtown velodrome
51 comments:
"OCF is run by good people."
I'm laughing my ass off right now!
Hilarious!
OK. We now learn that Ogden City employees like Carolyn Brierley, Ogden City Events Coordinator, and other city employees, have expended considerable time, working on this event.
When it comes to reimbursing the Ogden Taxpayers for contributing city employees' time, will the Ogden City taxpayers be reimbursed for this?
I want to know where the Ogden City Council stands on this ridiculous boondoggle.
So far on this issue, and with the exceptions of councilwomen Wicks and Van Hooser, it appears the rest of the council is totally "out to lunch."
I'm not exactly sure why the city would need a 501(c)(3) organization to handle the money for this event. It's possible that the organizations that handled the web registration (Active.com and/or RideMyBike.com) have such a requirement. Or there could be some legal restrictions on the city that I'm not aware of. But another possibility is simply that the mayor didn't want the city council to have any control over how the proceeds were spent. Since it appears that the net proceeds were negligible, this may turn out to be a non-issue (this time).
Yorgason also told me it's her understanding that Easton Sports Development Foundation is "ready to break ground" on the archery portion of the Field House. I pointed out that the city would at least have to purchase the property first, and she said she thought they already had. But I just checked the county web site and it says the property is still owned by an entity in Chatsworth, CA. It's assessed at about a million dollars, and I would hope such a purchase couldn't sneak through under the radar.
When Patterson refused to tell me who controls OCF, told him I was covering the event on behalf of this blog, and asked if that was really what he wanted the article to say. He said he didn't care about the blog, he doesn't read it, and "it's poison".
I asked both Yorgason and Brierley what would happen to the proceeds if the Velodrome is never built. Both responded by saying they're confident that it will be built. So I pointed out that there have been other big projects, like the ice tower and the gondola, that the administration has promised but never followed through on. Both of them said it's their understanding that the ice tower is merely dormant, not dead. Neither said anything about the gondola.
J. Patterons comment about what his body recognizes as unhealthy, and would reject, is a perfect example of how one individuals poison is another person's medicine.
Citizens dispersing important facts and information about their community, and open and forthright discussions about same in the bright light of day, evidently, are poison to this Pattersen civic appointee who would be the puppet master of all of you.
One can only guess what substances he would find to be nourishing; comforting lies and unquestioned dogmatic nonsense come to mind.
Can anyone provide any information about this Yorgason Idiot?
I very much doubt that Yorgason is an "idiot". She's just someone who loves bicycling and doesn't know Godfrey very well.
Dan, I'm surprised at you.
"Two weeks ago, Yorgason took Patterson and Mayor Matthew Godfrey on a trip to see the nearest comparable facility, in Los Angeles."
You didn't say who paid for this vacation, nor did you say you'd asked.
Otherwise, another fine job.
Hey Patterson, if this blog is poison, may it prove fatal to you very soon, you demon from Hell.
Danny,
I wanted to ask that question, but Yorgason was in a rush to get the Fun Ride started, so my time with her was severely limited. One way or another, I still expect to get the answer.
Cindy Yorgason = $5,000 paid slut = Godfrey Mouthpiece = Idiot
Any questions?
Speaking of trips, Godfrey and his brood are headed for paris later this month.
Unless there are a lot more sources of income in this deal than has been disclosed the whole thing appears to be a total bust. One more example of how profoundly incompetent Godfrey and his sycophants really are.
If they were projecting a $15,000 profit plus all expenses covered that means they were expecting a gross of at least $21,000, probably a lot more when all the expenses are really toted up. That would mean they were expecting 420+ entrees. They got 105. They overestimated their income by 400%!
Not exactly an indication of competence on any level. However, it is most likely in line with virtually every other financial projection they have made in their 10 year long sorry ass record of failure after failure using public money.
No wonder they keep everything secret from their financial backers - the much put upon tax payers of Ogden.
When the final history of Ogden, and Utah, is writ, I believe that Godfrey and his brain trust will rank as the very most incompetent, dishonest and arrogant regimes of all.
To have an immoral phony like that hack Patterson say this blog is "poison" is actually a great compliment considering his sordid past which includes being fired by West Valley City for sexual indiscretions and other moral trespasses.
Does this dismal turn out for the first annual Tour De Dumb show what kind of biking support really exists here in Ogden for a Velodrome? Is this the kind of base a city should gamble $15 million on for a huge biking facility?
On second thought, I guess the answer is actually not important considering that Godfrey and Patterson never let the real world intrude on their fantasies, and they have never let losing millions of citizen money slow them down from coming up with more losing propositions.
With "sucess" like this it is no wonder they are so secretive about how much money they lose and just who handles it.
Patterson claims the Ogden Foundation people are "good people", however he keeps it secret just who they are, thus precluding the public from making up their own minds about such claims. Good but secret people handling public money has always been a recipe for fraud.
Hey! First Mr. Patterson says he doesn't read the blog, then he calls it poison! How can one gentleman such as he form an opinion such as that based on something he doesn't read?
TLJ
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Here is the list of "good people" who are running OCF:
Just looked up information on OCF (Ogden Community Foundation, a corporation, non-profit)
Principals are:
Director: John C. Patterson, 1027 E 4975 S, Ogden
Officer: Mark L. Johnson, 1660 22nd Street, Ogden
Registered Agent: Blan H. Johnson, 2036 Lincoln, Ogden
Trustee: David Harmer, 4337 Bobwhite Ct, Ogden
Trustee: Matthew R. Godfrey, 2549 Washington Blvd, Ogden
The address of record for the entity is 4723 Harrison Blvd, Ste 200, Ogden - which is the listed address of Lincoln Title Insurance Company and Smith Knowles Attorneys, PC;
OCF entity number:5267792-0140, with a Corporation-Domestic-Non-Profit License Type
gotta love the internet!
TLJ
Good work, Jennifer...
But howbout you post the link?
Thanks in advance.
Link to Business Entity Search
Business Entity Search
type in business name, click on the button for Details
To get the Principals, it cost a buck
TLJ
So, the usual suspects, plus a couple of open-wallet ringers.
Could you imagine the board meetings?
"All in favor of the Mayors proposal, unzip your pants"
Laughable.
It seems to me that if a city mayor conducts a private fund raising affair using city resources and funds to organize it, then has any proceeds go into a separate but private organization that is not accountable to the public, and with himself and other city officials as the controlling interests, then it certainly must be illegal. It sure doesn't pass the smell test.
Is it possible for city residents to ask for an investigation from State or Federal authorities?
Trust me, Bonnie. This is illegal as hell. The real question is whether the council or anyone else has the sack to do anything about it.
Not to worry all you naysayers, for Producer Rupert has promised that he will be paying the mayor a million dollars for the exclusive movie rights to the first annual Tour de Drome. Producer Rupert, or Ruppie the Groupie as he is known in Hollywood, will be making a major motion picture of the event and hopes to cast Don Knots as Mayor Godfrey and Lou Farrigno as the antagonist Dan. Pureheart Patterson will be played by Clay Aiken in his first major movie role and Mark Johnson will be acted by Rosie O'Donnell in drag. The script will written by newcomer Mathew Godfree who up to this point has been best known as the author of numerous short form pieces of fiction.
The working title will be "Droming for Dollars"
@ prod oz -- um, Don Knotts is dead. PeeWee Herman might be available, though.
js.
BB
My client, Verne Troyer might also be available to play the Godfrey role for the right price.
Have your people call my people, Rupie.
Ciao
Verne would never stoop so low.
After writing this article, I emailed Cindy Yorgason with two follow-up questions. First, I asked about the upcoming fall fundraiser that I'd her her mention briefly. Second, I asked if she knew who had paid for her trip to L.A. with the mayor and John Patterson two weeks ago. Here's her response:
We will have another bigger fundraider in the fall - 9 Oct - that has not yet been defined. We wanted this one to get done more as an awareness event and I think we were very successful with that. We are looking at options as to "come ride with XXX" or do the tours again or... along with a dinner/auction similar to the one GOAL put on several years ago when Bob Roll came to town. That one will be the real fundraiser as this was the "get the word out". As for the trip I really do not know "who" paid for the trip but it was my suggestion since even the local SLVelodrome Association are a group of people that have never actually seen a track in person and I've worked many around the country. They had basketball and volleyball going on in the infield to help everyone see that this could truly be a multisports complex beside having a new facility for the boys and girls club.
Hope that helps! I think it would be another jewel to add to the city & state and bring more world class sports to Ogden besides add significally to the Grass Roots Programs in ways most here don't yet understand.
I seem to have missed some fun here. I apologize for my lack of participation, but I was on an extended vacation with some family in Draper. They don't have too much internet access for visitors there.
Great to be back, but I see nothing has changed.
Hey, can I still camp down by the river? I need a place for a while.
"We wanted this one to get done more as an awareness event and I think we were very successful with that"
Yep, they were sure successful at making us aware of how un-successful they really are.
They are also quite successful at lame excuses as to why they busted out on this one as well as avoiding answering the question about who paid for the trip.
Velodromes are very cool. Like bowling alleys, tennis courts and golf courses, and numerous trendy individual sports, they would attract a fairly narrow segment of the Ogden population.
Perhaps if the people who would use them regularly would form clubs, raised money, and built them on their own dime?
Or someone with vision could just open one up, for profit?
I still cant believe the city supplies golf courses to its citizens, while teachers and police go begging.
Here's Schwebke's write-up in today's Standard-Examiner:
Bike race aims to create buzz for downtown velodrome
Curmudgeon's valuable voice is strangely absent here. He on his annual trek to D.C.?
Meanwhile, this whole Velodrome notion is just more evidence of Elder Godfrey's chronic delusion that a downtown can be revived as a G-rated, alcohol-free, squeaky-clean, family-friendly (repellent as that concept is), recommend-holding Moral Safe House.
The many riders to be sponsored by the Washington Boulevard outlet stores, Chinese import stores and Mexican import stores seemed to be absent. Did the race finish up at the ice tower?
MM
Interesting observation about Godfrey attempting to build a "moral safe house" out of inner city Ogden. I also find it interesting that he has been attempting this feat with a very long series of immoral actions.
Let me see if I got this straight.
Godfrey gave $5,000 of Ogden City resident’s money to an organizer so that the bike race could be put together. Not to mention the man power hours put in by Ogden City employees. Then he is letting the entry fee proceeds be deposited into an account of the Ogden Community Foundation (OCF) that is not part of the city.
Now it comes to light that OCF is controlled Godfrey, his chief of staff Patterson, Mark Johnson the city’s financial officer, Blain Johnson (ex Chairman of the Board of the defunct Centennial Bank and past Ogden City Council Member) and Dave Harmer (the past Ogden City Economic Development employee that left the city of his own will and yet as I recall Godfrey paid him a severance package even though one was not required). Patterson (who refused to tell anyone who controls OCF) claims that OCF was organized as a nonprofit organization to promote the city of Ogden.
Wasn’t this the same organization that came to light as having sponsored a sneak preview of the Salomon Center, an event that still as never been fully explained by the administration as to how this event was put on while the city still owned the property? No contracts, no receipts of income to the city from OCF for the offered up the facility or reimbursement for city employees to work the event.
And wasn’t there a dinner event put together by this organization that later embarrassed several of the attendees when it came to light the true nature of OCF use of funds. In fact some of the corporate sponsors were even in breach of their company’s policies by contributing to the organization once the OCF started funding candidates.
But wasn’t this also the same OCF that shelled out more than $20,000 dollars in an attempt to get two Godfrey cronies elected to the office of City Council, one being none other that Blain Johnson? A revelation that only came to light when a resident was forced to use a GRAMA request to acquire the information because no one associated with the action wanted the information to come to light.
Since when has funding a candidate ever been considered the equivalent of promoting a city?
So my question is; How is it possible or even legal for someone employed by the city (Godfrey and gang in this case) to use city funds to fund an organization’s (non profit or not) activities and then allow that entity to keep all of the profits without even reimbursing the city the original funding when the outside organization is controlled by that employee (Godfrey and gang in this case)? Once the funds are in the hands of the organization they have total control as to how those funds to spend. The OCF can use the funds for political purposes, for the payment of trips and vacations, or even to pay the members all the money out as salaries.
Now that it has come to light who controls OCF, I hope that our City Council consults their legal staff to determine the maximum legal action that they can take against those involved to restore confidence and integrity back into the office of mayor.
Ogden Resident
Very good observations and questions. I hope you don't hold your breath until the Godfrey Gang properly explains all of them to us.
One point however, I am not sure that the city paid the $5,000 to the FOM for organizing this losing event, or rather that payment came out of the proceeds. It certainly would be interesting to find out just how that particular part of the deal worked.
In any event, none of it passes the smell test - which of course is SOP for this criminal cabal that rules Ogden.
OCF is just a way for Godfrey to syphon money out of the city so that he can do with it as he pleases.
Ogden Resident-There will be no criminal or civil action taken as long as Gary Williams is simply able to announce he has cured the problem.
RudiZink: Can you document that this is "illegal as hell"? Code citation, please.
Thanks in advance.
I will break away from consuming still more boiled crawfish [food of the gods!] to wonder if the SE will consider the money question in re: this event [city ' involvement in the overseeing organization, money raised's destination, etc.] to be unworthy of probing as it considered FNURE matters unworthy of probing. Or have the paper's news editors learned to recognize a possible story when they see one and decided to send someone sniffing around? We can always hope....
Nice work, Dan.
As for Ms. Y: no reason to lam into her I can see. Folks who are enthusiastic about bike riding are entitled to hold races, meets etc. until the cows come home to try to build enthusiasm and seed money for a project they want. If they can build substantial public support [which so far seems not to exist], fine with me. The only real problem I can see in events like this one is the city fund involvement and how city financial support ends up raising money for a private foundation. But I see no reason to attack Ms. Y's motives, character, etc.
If the city's involvement raises questions, as it seems too, fair to go after those questions on the merits. Character assasination neither merrited, so far as it can see, nor productive. Takes attention from what should be the main issue: follow the city's money.
In other cities, when capital improvements are proposed, bonds are issued to pay for them. These bonds are put on the ballot for voter approval or disapproval. Want a fancy ice tower? You get to vote to incur the debt.
Imagine if Ogden were run that way?
At the rate Godfrey is going, he is going to tax us into oblivion. No one will be able to afford to live here or want to buy property here.
I believe it was Envision Ogden not Ogden Community Foundation that held the Salomon Center and Ben Lomond fundraisers.
OgdenLover,
The mayor would respond, of course, that he has actually lowered the Ogden City property tax rate during his ten years in office. So let me try to provide a fuller picture of what's happened to our taxes.
First, I know that the Ogden City portion of my property tax has gone up, even after allowing for inflation, over the last ten years. Perhaps this is because the value of my house has appreciated more than average. I dunno.
Second, by expanding the use of redevelopment areas that collect tax increment, Ogden has taken revenue from other taxing entities such as the school district, the county, and so on. This may or may not have resulted in higher taxes from those entities than we would otherwise have. The other possibility is that they've cut services.
Third, there has been a shift of our tax burden away from property, gasoline, and income taxes and onto sales tax. Ironically, though, the voters do get to approve these sales tax increases and we have approved them. Recently we approved a 0.25% increase for transportation (which really should have come from a higher gasoline tax), and we approved a 0.1% increase for RAMP (which funds a lot of projects that used to be funded by municipal general funds, i.e., from property taxes).
Fourth and probably most important, Ogden City utility rates have skyrocketed during the Godfrey administration. Although I disagree with some of the details of how this revenue is being spent, I actually prefer charging utility customers for the full cost of their service, rather than subsidizing the service with other revenues. In any case, it is dishonest of the mayor to continually brag about lowering property taxes when this reduction (if it even is a reduction) has been offset many times over by increased utility rates.
He's supplementing the tax base through fines and fees. Wait until the letters hit those who own houses and rent them without having a license. The firefighters did a grand job of covering the city in a few short months under the guise of checking the homes for smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors.
I have to agree with Dan when he questions the Mayors statements about reducing taxes, the mayor has lied in the past, and as long as his lips are moving I am sure he is still lying.
Godfrey is a piece of work little tyrrant, and he is positioning himself for another run at office.
Yesterday was not soon enought to find a candidate who can whip his power hungrey ass.
One other thing, Pureheart Pattersons comments about the WC Forum Blog, only a snake of his nature would know poison when he sees it, and it is poison to the crooked Godfrey bunch who have been in power way too long.
If someone has an unlicensed rental, they should be driven out of town on a rail, their property seized as an illegal enterprise, and the house burned to the ground, as an example to others who would act like idiots towards their neighbors.
I agree, but why lie about what you are doing to accomplish the mission of a liar?
WV
You would have really succeeded in Germany in the late 30's and early 40's. Unfortunately my guess is that in 2010 America you are a loser and a bitter one at that.
Follow the law. Expect others to do so. Simple.
When someone brings up Nazi Germany in an online discussion about firefighters checking for smoke detectors, the discussion is over, and the one that invokes Mr. Hitler loses.
Godwin's Law
Those who resort to quoting "Godwin's" law are losers who don't have a counter argument to the subject at hand.
Incidentally, Marv's comment didn't say anything about Hitler or the Nazi's. I guess that means that any reference to that time in history now qualifies for the silly "Goodwin's" law escape.
Right on Marv, you made your point about the very stupid comment about burning people's houses if they don't comply with Godfrey's money raising edicts. Definitely a Nazi mentality position. Whoops, I guess I just lost the argument and nothing I wrote is any longer valid because of that reference.
"Goodwin's" law is nothing more than a haven for dumb asses who can't come up with any other counter arguments. That, for you who arelame brained, is "Ozboy's" law.
@ozboy: I think those how resort to bringing Hitler or Nazi's into the argument don't have a justifiable counter argument to the subject at hand.
except maybe for the requirement to carry papers with you at all times - even when naked - in the state of AZ
Otherwise, Hitler & Nazis are underrated if they are being used in comparative arguments these days.
Besides this thread was about the good people in charge of the Ogden Community Foundation and how they take such good care of the city's monies ...
js
BB
There are two indoor velodromes in the U.S.- Boulder and LA. From the LA site: "Welcome to the Home Depot Center Velodrome located on 125-acre Home Depot Center Complex in Carson, California,near Los Angeles, CA. The Home Depot Center Velodrome is a 100,000 square foot, $15 million specially designed 250 meter indoor wood bicycle racing track. The Home Depot Center Velodrome is also a part of the United States Olympic training centers.The velodrome is open to the public during specified hours."http://www.lavelodrome.org/
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