Friday, November 19, 2010

Standard-Examiner: Money Serves As Ogden's 'Bait'

It's probably easier to just "play along" with our mayoral prima donna than to suffer the inevitable Boss Godfrey temper fits, we guess

Remarkable lead editorial in this morning's Standard-Examiner, in which the SE editorial board offers (rather half-heartedly, we think) "cautious support for the Ogden City Council's decision to reallocate $38,000 in capital improvement funds to study whether it's feasible to build a field house in Junction City's downtown area" :
OUR VIEW: Money serves as Ogden's 'bait'
It's apparent from the editorial board's careful choice of terminology that the Standard clearly recognises this percipient Hotel & Leisure Advisors study for exactly what it will be: a "rigged study," designed solely to serve as public/private investor "bait."

We're still scratching our heads wondering how its possible that our usually level-headed council could possibly be persuaded to play along with such a patently mendacious plan to produce what will no doubt be a glowingly positive feasibility study report.

It's probably easier to just "play along" with our mayoral prima donna than to suffer the inevitable Boss Godfrey temper fits though, we guess.

Added Bonus: There's a fine Grondahl cartoon accompanying today's editorial, by the way, which perfectly captures the "fantasy" aspect of this whole bone-headed project, we do believe:
OG-WARTS
Don't let the cat get your tongues...

22 comments:

Anonymous said...

On a totally unrelated issue.. Did anyone hear the radio this morning about Mayor Godfrey riding the Front Runner with no ticket? He now has the honor of being named Freak of the Week! Upon being discovered he was promptly fined $250.00. Way to go... mini mayor man!! What makes him think he doesn't have to pay?

Bob Becker said...

Anon:

Do you have a source on this?

Anonymous said...

I heard on the radio that Obama is a Muslim and was born in Kenya!

demoqueen said...

The "source" of this info was 101.1 radio station for those that are wondering. I realize that not everything you hear or see is true but none the less funny. I gues the story goes he got on the train with others in his party that did purchase tickets but if I give him the benefit of the doubt... he must have forgotten.

why should he care? said...

Assuming the story is true, he could pay the fine out of his leftover campaign war chest from 2007. He'd only have 99.7% of it left afterwards.

Bob Becker said...

Hesitate to make any comment on this particular incident, if there was one, before knowing what, if anything, happened and whether a fine was assessed.

However, it does seem to be true that some elected officials [all levels, both parties] presume that their offices entitle them to perks the rest of us have to pay for. Comped meals in restaurants, free rides, automatic "go to the head of the line" status at airports, in stores, etc. And I have huge respect for policemen who stop public officials [governors, senators, congressmen, state legislators, mayors, council members, etc. etc.] for speeding, DUI or other infractions, discover who they are [often it seems the official will ask "Do you know who I am?"] and who write the tickets or make the arrests anyway. Not all of them do.

Utah has become national headquarters for that happy band of lightweights who want a constitutional amendment to incorporate every enthusiasm du jour into Jimmy Madison's handiwork. [Think of Sen. Hatch, who voted for every out of balance budget the spend-but-don't-tax Bush administration sent to him, but who says now he wants a constitutional amendment to require a balanced budget.]

But I have to admit there was one proposed a while back I rather liked. It was a proposed constitutional amendment banning Congress from exempting its members from laws or regulations the Congress passes.

Dan Schroeder said...

Curm: Along those lines, the Utah Legislature has mostly exempted itself from GRAMA.

Bob Becker said...

Yup. Exactly.

ozboy said...

The outstanding Grondahl cartoon absolutely nails the essence of the Godfreyite movement and how the wizard so enchants the council on idiotic things like this.

I can save the tax payers of Ogden thirty eight grand by tellin ya right in front that not only is the "field house/veledrome" feasible but it is pure genius and those same Ogden tax payers would be total idiots to pass up on such a world first idea like this.
You won't even have to wait thirty days cause I just gave you the results!

Will the incompetence in Ogden City Government ever end?

viktor said...

"Will the incompetence in Ogden City Government ever end?"

Yes Ozboy, the incompetence will end - starting the day after the dishonesty that is rampant in the Godfrey Administration ends!

However, I would point out that it is not a good idea to hold your finger in your butt until that happens as it might just grow there!

Incompetence and dishonesty is the creed and code of the mayor, and dumb & willing is the plan that the council follows.

Hagrid said...

Cal Grondhal missed the point on Godfreys methodology.

He prays for advice from his god of choice; he does not use self-realization items such as crystal balls, magick wands, turbans of power, etc.

I did recognize a few local political notables in the cartoon other than Bumbling Mayor Matt; is that Amy Wicks wielding a wand in the background?

Unknown said...

What is the big deal?

The only thing $38,000 buys nowadays is support for three fraudulent political campaigns. Blain Johnson FNURE and Envision Ogden proceeds X 3 = $37,200. At least the feasibility study has the possibility of providing a return on investment........or not!

Danny said...

Let's remember that there was a "study" that showed that the (later admitted as non viable) Ice Tower was a financial winner.

Double counting of revenue and projected use pulled out of the air works wonders.

Yes, pay the "study" prostitutes, and they'll give you what you want, just like the "regular kind".

But usually don't leave you with the clap.

Dan Schroeder said...

Danny, I don't recall there ever being a study for the ice tower. Are you sure? Have you seen it?

Disgusted said...

Dan,
There was a proforma provided with the ice tower paperwork but I think it was put together by Mr. Lowe ( I think). Not put together by a third party provider but the proforma was never vetted or questioned as to it's accuracy by the city yet it was used by the adminisration to state that the ice tower would be financially viable.

Danny said...

Disgusted is right - that's what I remember.

As I remember the study that showed a train to Thiokol would be viable, and that a gondola would be viable.

A few minutes with these studies show that they are entirely based on the initial estimates.

In other words, they make estimate, then do calculations. Anybody that knows anything about math can tell you in that case you might as well just make the final estimate and skip the calculations.

Estimates times N equals estimates.

ozboy said...

Dan

These phony bastards got a study for ever friggen thing they blow big wads of public money on!

Take the Junktion fer instance - Godfrey did a very serious study on the idear to turn the heart of Ogden into a big Lagoon lite. That is what the basis of the bull shit idear came from to begin with!

He had some people go around the old mall that was there and ask people what they would like in any new mall to by built.

Well, at that point in time the old mall was still pretty popular with the oldsters who liked to go down there and walk from one end to the other in a wonderful little exercise of socializing and exercising while the winds blew and the snow swirled outside.

When these people were asked what they would like to see in any new replacement, they all were very uniform and firm in their opinions that that the "new mall" contain an exercise feature like the one they were currently enjoying.

Believe it or not, that was all the justification that Godfrey ever put forth to justify his crusade to turn that site into the current money losing venture that it is. He was able to steer the old rubber stamp council into approving this folly based on this very lame "study" and the rest is a very sad version of history!

Wondering? said...

If a downtown waterpark is such a great idea why did the waterslides at the Newgate Mall shut down?

Fireman Joe said...

Here's the story around the city-Mr Integrity loads up the kids on Frontrunner, enroute to SLC checked for tickets and they have none. He tells the cop "the machine in Ogden was broken, I was going to pay when I got to Salt Lake". The officer watches him get off the train and walk past the ticket booth without paying, stops him and writes him a $250 ticket.

Biker Babe said...

Seems someone wants to build Archery Facility in Ogden, without incentives ... but doesn't want it to be part of the Godfrey-Field-House

Foundation targets Ogden for archery facility

If I had the wherewithal and vision, I wouldn't sign up for the Field House either.

just sayin,
BB

tises - what a three year old does with his shooses ...

bobdabuilder said...

Its the scott brown school of mathematics ....put down what real construction costs should be and multiply by 69 percent and whaaalaa....numbas work....then blame the construction company for overuns

Bee in my Bonnet said...

just wish there was a "like" button on the individual comments, cuz I really LIKE the one above by Fireman Joe!

still LMAO!!

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