Council Candidate Forum Set For Tonight - Updated

Post event update: Was Mr. Wallis's sudden departure from the Ward 2 race (and his off-the-cuff endorsement of candidate White) and impromptu thing, or part of a "cheesy" pre-planned "stunt?"

Here's a quick reminder of tonight's (8/31/11) Ogden Ethics Project (OEP)-sponsored Ogden City Council Candidates Forum, which will be held as set forth below:

Time: Wednesday, August 31 · 6:30pm - 8:30pm
Location: Union Station Browning Theater, Wall Ave. at 25th Street, north end of building Ogden, UT
Created By: Ogden Ethics Project

OEP has already demonstrated that it can run a classy and clean non-partisan, ethically-impeccable Mayor Election Forum.

Now that the OEP has gotten into the groove, we'll just say that we're expecting another high-performance public 2011 Ogden City Election event tonite!

As is our usual practice, we'll leave our lower comments section open, and dedicate this thread to anyone who'd like to post comments now, during or after tonight's 2011 municipal election council candidate event.

Whatever you do, don't let the cat get yer tongues.

Update 9/1/11 6:59 a.m.: The Standard-Examiner hard-copy edition provides the post-event story this morning, although the story seems to be unavailable on the SE Online site. Here's a link, however, to the "digital edition" (which mimics the "print" edition):

• Ogden council candidate quits at forum

So what about it, O Gentle Ones? Was Mr. Wallis's sudden departure from the Ward 2 race (and his off-the-cuff endorsement of candidate White) an impromptu thing, or part of a "cheesy" pre-planned "stunt?"

We'll also re-extend our invition to anyone who attended last night's event, to chime in with your own remarks and observations.

Update 9/1/11 8:30 p.m.: Okay, folks, the story is finally up on the SE Live website:

• Ogden council candidate quits at forum

Better late than never, we guess. (Sheesh)

Big Ogden City Mayoral Election Debate Tonite! - Updated

Update: Gov. Gary Herbert makes a surprise visit

Hiya, Folks! We'll let yesterday's SE story serve as the most recent reminder of tonight's (8/30/11) Ogden service club-sponsored 2011 Ogden City Election Mayoral Debate event.

As per usual, we'll leave our lower comments section open, and dedicate this thread to anyone who'd like to post comments now, or during or after tonight's debate.

Update 8/31/11 5:10 a.m.: The Standard-Examiner carries a post-debate story this morning, which includes a report that Governor Gary Herbert "made a surprise visit during the packed event in the Ben Lomond Suites Ballroom":

• Ogden mayoral debate gets surprise visit from governor

Standard-Examiner: Ogden Blimp May Be Patrolling By Christmas

Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night nor public ridicule nor FAA regulations will stay this helium-filled crime fighter from the swift completion of its appointed rounds

For the sake of archival completeness we'll make note of this morning's Tim Gurrister story, which reports that Chief Greiner's crime fighting blimp, (which we've affectionately dubbed "Quiet Earp,") originally intended for an April 2011 launch date, has been held up by infernal federal government red tape; but "could begin patrolling Ogden's airspace in time for Christmas," according to a very sanguine Chief Jon Greiner:

• Ogden blimp may be patrolling by Christmas

As an added bonus, we'll provide a link to the manufacturer's hyperblimp.com website, where you can view a short video clip of the "hyperblimp" in action:

• What is a Hyperblimp?

Pretty cool technology actually, don'tcha think?

City Council Candidates to Participate in August 31 Forum

For Immediate Release -- 29 August 2011
Contact: Dan Schroeder,801-xxx-xxxx

CITY COUNCIL CANDIDATES TO PARTICIPATE IN AUGUST 31 FORUM

All eight of Ogden’s candidates for contested city council seats will
participate in a public forum to be held Wednesday, August 31,
beginning at 6:30 pm in the Browning Auditorium at Ogden’s historic
Union Station. Everyone is invited to attend. After a half hour of
informal mingling with the public, the candidates will address the
assembly and answer moderated questions from 7:00 until 8:30.

The Browning Auditorium is located at the north end of Union Station,
on Wall Avenue at 25th Street.

Kimbal Wheatley, a professional facilitator who lives in Ogden Valley,
will moderate the forum.

The event is sponsored by the Ogden Ethics Project, a nonprofit,
nonpartisan organization that promotes better ethics in Ogden City
government. At the forum, candidates will have a chance to express
their views not only on ethics but also on the full range of issues
that concern Ogden citizens: taxes and fees, debt reduction, downtown
development, job creation, transportation, recreation, land use,
public safety, and more.

The event’s organizers are compiling a list of prepared questions for
the candidates, with input from a wide spectrum of community
organizations and stakeholders. Audience members at the event will
also have a chance to submit questions.

The four candidates for City Council At-Large Seat C are Jacob
Culliton, Landon Halverson, Stephen D. Thompson, and incumbent Amy L. Wicks. The four candidates for the Municipal Ward 2 seat, representing
Ogden’s north side, are Richard Hyer, Jennifer Neil, Todd R. Wallis,
and C. Jon White. Incumbent Caitlin K. Gochnour, who represents
Municipal Ward 4 on the southeast side of Ogden, is running for
reelection unopposed. Gochnour will be present to talk with
constituents but will not participate in the formal questions and
answers, in order to give the other candidates more time.

Ogden’s nonpartisan primary election will be held on Tuesday,
September 13. For each contested council seat, the two candidates who
receive the most votes will proceed on to the general election on
November 8.

To learn more about the Ogden Ethics Project, please visit www.ogdenethics.org

The OEP Mayoral Candidate Forum Videos Are Now Online

Pull up your Barcaloungers and pop some Orville Redenbacker's folks. Viewing these videos is the next best thing to having actually been there, we're sure

Hiya folks! Between tinkering around in the yard and on the computer this afternoon, we've decided to post an update on last Wednesday's most excellent Ogden Ethics Project (OEP)-sponsored Mayoral Candidate Forum event. Here's the latest. The Standard-Examiner now has a series of event-topical videos up on their website, which we've packaged and linked in a form which ought to be convenient to our WCF readership. There's no reason to hunt around folks. Check out these videos right here:

• Mayoral candidates talk about their qualifications and agendas
• Mayoral candidates discuss the role and organization of city government
• Mayoral candidates views on development in Ogden
• Mayoral candidates talk about economics and infrastructure

Pull up your Barcaloungers and pop some Orville Redenbacker's folks. Viewing these videos is the next best thing to having actually been there, we're sure.

And whatever you do... don't let the cat get yer tongues...

Salt Lake Tribune: Ogden City Illegally Spent $434,000 Without Council Approval - Updated

We can't help but wonder whether the knowledge that this audit was in the pipeline could have been a material factor in Boss Godfrey's decision to refrain from running for re-election this year

Updated: This is not a proud moment either for the administration or the council, wethinks

Blockbuster Cathy McKitrick story this morning from the Salt Lake Tribune, smacking Boss Godfrey hard for misappropriating Ogden City Capital Improvement funds. Here's the lede:

A state auditor’s investigation, launched by a complaint from activist Dan Schroeder, found Ogden city administrators improperly spent $434,000 on capital improvement projects without first getting City Council approval.

The city had a "significant deficiency" in internal controls — which is considered less severe than a "material weakness," but "important enough to merit attention by those charged with governance," according to an Aug. 18 letter from state auditor Auston Johnson.

Read the full story here:

• Ogden city spent $434,000 without council approval

And here's the eye opening full audit report, which we've uploaded to our storage site:

• State Auditor's Letter and Report

We can't help but wonder whether the knowledge that this audit was in the pipeline could have been a material factor in Boss Godfrey's decision to refrain from running for re-election this year.

And a Weber County Forum Tip O' The Hat to tireless Ogden City political activist Dan Schroeder, for getting the ball rolling on this.

The world-wide blogosphere awaits your ever-savvy comments concerning these latest revelations of Matthew Godfrey misconduct.

Update 8/27/11 7:10 a.m.: The Standard-Examiner is now carrying the story, too:

• Auditors scold Ogden city for lapse

Interestingly, Mr. Schwebke reports that "[t]he administration also said it has since worked jointly with the city council to pass an ordinance to prevent future issues such as those detailed in the audit," which now belatedly explains the Council's motivation for its heretofore inexplicable 4/4/11 "mad dash," to expand Boss Godfrey's discretionary spending authority, through the raising of capital improvement project limits and the establishment of an array of administration-controlled "slush funds."

Plainly, the Council was aware of the State Auditor's pending investigation clear back in April; but the Council coyly refrained from saying anything publicly about it. Instead of putting the over-reachmg Boss Godrey's feet to the fire, the pro-Godfrey Council Chair, Ms. Caitlin G0hnour, just capitulated, and helped usher through an ordinance which is the equivalent of shutting the barn door, after all the livesock have escaped. This is not a proud moment either for the administration or the council, wethinks.

Ogden City Council Candidate Forum Set for Wednesday, 8/31/11

Don't let the mayoral race overshadow the upcoming city council elections for At Large Seat C and Municipal Ward 2

Here's some important and timely Ogden Municipal Election event information which we've shamelessly ripped off the Ogden Ethics Project's Facebook page:

Don't let the mayoral race overshadow the upcoming city council elections for At Large Seat C and Municipal Ward 2. The Ogden Ethics Project is rightfully pleased to sponsor this forum for candidates, similar in format to the recent mayoral candidates forum:

Time: Wednesday, August 31 · 6:30pm - 8:30pm
Location: Union Station Browning Theater, Wall Ave. at 25th Street, north end of building Ogden, UT
Created By: Ogden Ethics Project

The formal event begins at 7:00, but come early to mingle with the candidates.

Wednesday night's Mayoral Candidate Forum, (which was also sponsored by the Ogden Ethics Project organization) was a tremendous success. Be sure to mark your calenders folks, so you don't miss what will no doubt be another top-notch pre-election event.

Ogden Noon Exchange Club and Kiwanis Club Announce an 8/30/11 Ogden Mayor Candidate Debate

Happily, there appears to be an nearly endless array of pre-primary events, where Emerald City lumpencitizens will have the opportunity to put our Ogden mayoral candidates' feet to the fire, and the candidates will have the chance to "strut their stuff"

We received this info via email this morning regarding the scheduling of another 2011 Ogden Municipal Election event:

The Ogden Noon Exchange Club and Kiwanis Club are jointly sponsoring a Mayoral Debate on Tuesday, August 30th at the Ben Lomond Suites from 6 to 8 pm. Max Roth from Fox 13 News will be our moderator. All eight candidates have confirmed they will be there. It is open to the community.

See the attached PDF announcing the event.

Happily, there appears to be a nearly endless array of pre-primary events, where Emerald City lumpencitizens will have the opportunity to put our Ogden mayoral and council candidates' feet to the fire, and the candidates will have the simultaneous chance to "strut their stuff."

Mark your calendars, folks!

Standard-Examiner Editorial: OUR VIEW: Why is Utah in the Liquor Business?

This folks, is a demonstration of an editorial board that's firing on all cylinders (and runnin' on nitro) this morning

Whatever the investigation uncovers, we repeat that the end result needs to be the transfer of liquor business in the state from the public sector to the private sector. The dominant political party in Utah -- which professes through its leaders to be champions of free enterprise -- reveals itself to be hypocritical by its burdensome, heavy-handed overseeing of liquor sales. Religious beliefs are what dictate this practice in Utah, not common sense.

Standard-Examiner Editorial
OUR VIEW: Why is Utah in liquor?
August 25, 2011

Another strong editorial this morning from the Standard-Examiner. This folks, is a demonstration of an editorial board that's firing on all cylinders (and runnin' on nitro) this morning:

• OUR VIEW: Why is Utah in liquor?

Hypocrisy? Thy name is The Utah Churchislature.

Don't let the cat get your tongues...

Beware of Mayoral Candidate Mike Caldwell's Ongoing "Push Poll"

Disappointing campaign conduct from one of our Emerald City mayoral candidates

By Curmudgeon

I am sorry to report that Mayoral candidate Mr. Mike Caldwell apparently has a telephone push poll currently going on. You're asked which of the 8 candidates you would vote for right now, and if you push a number indicating anyone other than Caldwell [as someone in our house did], a string of "candidate specific" questions begins. They take this format: "If you knew Mike Caldwell was president of the Ogden Visitors and Convention Bureau" [or Weber County's], would you be more likely to vote for him or less likely. Push one for more likely. Push two for less likely." There is no "no opinion" or "no difference" option offered. Other alleged "poll questions" go on in the same vein. After a while, our house member hung up and didn't finish out the alleged poll, which the recorded voice promised would take no longer than three minutes.

This is not a poll, I think. It's a campaign robo call evidently designed to parade Mr. Caldwell' s qualifications before those who indicate that at the moment do not intend to vote for him. And as such it's a sleazy business. Candidates with a sound grasp of ethical conduct in re: campaigns should not sink to such tactics.

I am disappointed. Our house is split on candidates for the primary. I'd been, lately, leaning a bit toward Caldwell. The leaning has come to a halt. I'm going to have to reconsider. If you can't campaign straight up, what does that say about the public official you are likely to be if elected?

I am really disappointed.

Reminder of Tonight's OEP-sponsored Ogden Mayoral Candidate Forum - Updated

Here's hoping tonight's event will pack the house

We'll let yesterday's Standard-Examiner story serve as a reminder of tonight's Ogden Ethics Project-sponsored Ogden Mayoral Candidate Forum:

• All mayoral candidates commit to forum

For those readers who haven't already entered the important space/time coordinates onto their calenders, here are the data in a nutshell:

What: Ogden Mayoral Candidate Forum
Where: Ogden’s historic Union Station, Browning Auditorium
When: Tonight (Wednesday, 8/24/11) 7:00 until 8:30 p.m.

Here's hoping tonight's event will pack the house.

We'll now open the floor, of course, for anyone who'd like to lodge their comments, observations, reports OR contemporaneous remarks, before, during or after tonight's blockbuster2011 Ogden Municipal Election event.

Update 8/25/11 7:56 a.m. (Per Dan S.: Here are the writeups in the Standard-Examiner and the Tribune:

• Mayoral candidates pitch platforms
• Ogden mayoral candidates debate transit, other issues

Salt Lake Tribune: Anti-Godfrey Website Factors Into Debate Coverage

No dispute that that WCF might be perceived as hateful and one-sided by some, in other words, by challenging Mayor Godfrey and being truthful

By: Rtcblc

New/Old Subject: According to Cathy McKitrick's article in today's Salt Lake Tribune, the reason the manager of Channel 17 refuses to air the Ogden Ethic Project's debates is he personally distrusts Dan Schroeder, and that Dan is associated with WCF, "a forum that is extremely hateful and one-sided":

• Anti-Godfrey website factors into debate coverage

WOW, guess I won't dispute that WCF might be perceived as hateful and one-sided by some, in other words, by challenging Mayor Godfrey and being truthful.

Salt Lake Tribune: Ogden Homeowner Frustrated Over Ongoing Damage

"It's pretty sad when you have to fight city hall to fix what they messed up."

Interesting Salt Lake Tribune news tidbit for another slow Emerald City news day, reporting on the travails of one Ogden homeowner, who describes his "putrid" backyard swimming pool as "[Mayor Matthew] Godfrey's catchbasin":

• Ogden homeowner frustrated over ongoing damage

"It's pretty sad when you have to fight city hall to fix what they messed up," says one SLTrib reader; and by golly we do believe that "nails it."

Godfrey's Catchbasin - Yuck!!
Pool party anyone?

Don't let the cat get yer tongues...

A Couple of Weber County Forum Topical Items Set For Tomorrow Night's Council Calenders - Updated

Professional Services Contracts and The Streetcar Project Are On The Agendas

In advance of tomorrow night's (August 23, 2011) Ogden City Council sessions we'll provide this heads-up concerning a couple of agenda items which ought to be of particular interest to our WCF readership:

1) Professional Services Contracts. At 6:00 p.m., a regular City Council meeting will convene, to consider the following item, among other things:

7. New Business: ...b. Professional Services Contracts – Timing of Waiver and Notice. Proposed Ordinance 2011-45 amending Section 4-2B-9 to revise exceptions for contract approval. (Adopt/not adopt ordinance – roll call vote)

In a nutshell, council action on this item would result in the amendment of Section 4-2B-9 of the Ogden City Code to require any mayoral waivers of competitive bidding to be signed "on or before the date of execution of a contract and filed with the office of city council within 10 days after execution of a contract."

Rather than launch into an elaborate explanation of the rationale for this ordinance amendment, we'll instead refer our readers to the Ogden Ethics Project (OEP) blog, where OEP Director Dan Schroeder provides a masterful, detailed description of the underlying deficiency in the current ordinance and the reasoning behind this proposed municipal code revision:

• Council Proposes to Ban Retroactive Bidding Waivers

For the full litany of information about this and all other items set for discussion on tomorrow night's regular council meeting calender, check out the full council packet here:

• 08/23 City Council Regular Session

2) Ogden Streetcar Project. Following tomorrow night's above-described regular council meeting, the council will then convene for a work session to receive an update on the Ogden Streetcar Project, and to discuss the report provided to the policy committee and any feedback received from that group:

We tangentially touched upon tomorrow night's streetcar topic discussion in Sunday's WCF article; but for the full lowdown about what's on the table for tomorrow's work session, interested readers should check out tomorrow night's council packet, which includes almost the whole array of summaries, reports and other supporting documents generated for the project to date:

• 08/23 City Council Work Session

That's it for now, Weber County Forum readers. In the interim between now and tomorrow night's council sessions, we'll welcome pre-meeting comments from anyone who'd like to throw in their own 2¢.

And needless to say, we'll also leave the lights on for anyone who wants to report back here (of course), during or after tomorrow night's meetings.

The floor's open. Feel free to let 'er rip.

Update 8/24/11 7:58 a.m.: The Standard reports that "the city council agreed during [last night's] work session that its consultant GB Arrington, who works for PB PlaceMaking Inc., based in Portland, Ore., should determine the viability of federal funding and economic impact of a streetcar system linking downtown, Weber State University and McKay-Dee Hospital."
"We want to take the next step and find out if the project is even feasible," said City Council Chairwoman Caitlin K. Gochnour:

• Godfrey wants to halt streetcar proposal

Oddly enough, our petulant little "naysayer" Mayor, with a mere four months remaining in his final lame-duck tern of office, still drags his feet and complains about the Council's judiciousness in this matter. "The council should wait to pursue the streetcar project when technology becomes less expensive and federal funding is more readily available," he said.

Wall Street Journal: Where the Action Is

Yesiree folks... Ogden City is FINALLY on the map, which is just what some inferiority complex-suffering Emerald City Boosters have been craving for years

Notable story this morning from the U.S. financial sector's #1 journalistic giant... the venerable Wall Street Journal. This uniquely-angled article shines the spotlight on seven U.S. "hotspots" across the country, cities which have become "hubs for specific industries" where "entrepreneurs are moving and flourishing in the teeth of a bleak economy." Lo and Behold, Ogden City comes up as #7 on the WSJ's unranked list. Here's the full story, for those readers who'd like to read up, and vicariously bask in the national media attention:

• Where the Action Is

Yesiree folks... Ogden City is FINALLY on the map, which is just what many inferiority complex-suffering Emerald City Boosters have been craving for years.

Click to Enlarge Image

Don't let the cat get your tongues...

Standard-Examiner Guest Commentary: A New Approach to Crime Reduction

Chief Greiner rationalizes and defends Ogden's new "Real Time Crime Center"

There is a new approach to crime reduction being implemented by the Ogden Police Department. It is patterned after the real time crime centers of a few major city police departments that started about five years ago but is scaled to the size of Ogden's needs and will fulfill an ancillary role of emergency operation capability for all of Ogden's public safety and public works needs with trained technicians in the event of a natural disaster or need to activate the emergency operations center.

John Greiner Guest Commentary
Standard-Examiner: A New Approach to Crime Reduction
August 21, 2011

The only difference between men and boys is the cost of their toys.

Author Unknown
Quote Garden - Quotations about Men
1998-2011

The Standard provides Ogden Top Cop (Chief) Jon Greiner a generous chunk of precious editorial page space this morning, to rationalize and defend Ogden's new "Real Time Crime Center":

• Standard-Examiner Guest Commentary: A New Approach to Crime Reduction

Comments, anyone?

Standard-Examiner: WSU Tells Ogden a Streetcar System is Desired

Added bonus... a further demonstration of the Council's commitment to diligently examine all options regarding the Streetcar matter

Despite the nay-saying posture of the Standard-Examiner editorial board late last month, it looks to us like the Ogden Streetcar Project got a significant shot in the arm during Thursday night's special on-WSU-campus council work session, in which "Weber State University officials" made it clear to the city: "They really (really, really, really) want a streetcar system":

• WSU tells Ogden a streetcar system is desired

We're also particularly impressed by the expressions of commitment from several of our Ogden City Council members. Here's a strong quote from Doug Stephens:

Councilman Doug Stephens suggested that the city and the university need to come together to send a message about how important the project is.
"This is very important to us. We need to say it to Mr. Jones in North Ogden," who may not understand why the city would spend money on a project he would never use, Stephens said.

Council Chair Gochnour's quote ain't half bad either:

Gochnour assured the WSU higher-ups at the meeting that the council, at least, is unified in wanting to see the streetcar system materialize.
"There's a point where we have to just get moving," she said.

And as an added bonus... and a further demonstration of the Council's commitment to diligently examine all options regarding the Streetcar matter, check out this Standard-Examiner online guest editorial piece, signed by ALL SEVEN Ogden Council Members:

• Response to streetcar editorial

Too funny. First time within memory that our council has been unanimous on anything, yes?

That's it for now O Gentle Ones.

Who'll be the first to chime in on this topic?

Godfrey Administration-controlled Channel 17 Plays it Fast and Loose - Part II

We hope all Mayoral candidates will have the good sense and prudence to get all this in writing, not only from Channel 17's Bill Francis, but from Bill's "handler," Boss Godfrey

Despite a worse-than-starvation-level ration of Emerald City red meat political news from the Utah print media this morning, we're delighted to now report that we've just now received (mercifully) some new 2011 Ogden Municipal Election material about which we believe we should devote a little Friday afternoon electronic ink. Specifically, we received a gracious email transmission from one of our 2011 Ogden City Muni Election mayoral candidates this a.m., which we'll post here as a followup to last Tuesday's WCF article, in which we announced that the "Godfrey Administration-controlled Channel 17 Plays it Fast and Loose With Upcoming Ogden Municipal Election Debates." Moving onward, here's a faithfully accurate WCF Archives cut/paste copy of this morning's most recent email missive, which we've entitled thusly:

• Channel 17 Command Performance "Invitation"

We'll invite you all to lodge your own savvy comments in just a minute; but we'll offer a few of our own off-the-cuff WCF observations first:

1) First, the red flags:

"The show’s usual host and former KUTV Anchor and reporter Doug Jardine, will be prepared with generic questions for all candidates," (it says in passive voice.) Here's so here's our query: exactly WHO will prepare these "generic" questions? Boss Godfrey? Godfrey's Loyal "Sockpuppet" Brandon Stephenson? We'd advise all non-Godfreyite Mayoral candidates to firmly pin down Mr. Francis's answers to these questions before they commit to a venue in which the mendacious folks on the Ninth Floor, and Ogden's Slavish Godfrey Propaganda Channel, may or may not be working feverishly behind the scenes to hammer out what most people would label "loaded questions" into what Boss Godfrey, Bill Francis and Brandon Stephenson laughably call "generic questions" for these future events:

We also are planning for two debates following the primary election. These debates are planned for Sept 22 and Oct. 6. We hope you will mark these dates on your calendar" ... "blah, blah blah, etc."

What seems obvious here is that this is could be another series of Boss Godfrey-controlled events wherein the departing Little Lord wishes to stamp his grubby stamp, even as Boss Godfrey prepares to let the Ogden City Hall Screen Door slap him hard on the backside one last time in January, and the little arrogant twit oozes off into "the private sector. Added bonus... notice that the language says "we are planning...." No indication at all is there, that any of the Mayoral candidates will be in any way involved in the "planning" process, right?

2) Secondly, the not-so-quite red banners:

And on the bright side, we find this encouraging language in the above-linked email text:

At present we plan on taping the show and replaying it up until the general election as well as making the complete production available on the internet, other than adding titles, an intro and music the program will be shown in its entirety and will be just under 90 min. "

We hope all Mayoral candidates will have the good sense and prudence to get all this all in writing, not only from Bill Francis, but from Bill's "handler," Boss Godfrey, too.

All Eight Ogden Mayoral Candidates To Participate In August 24 Forum

For Immediate Release -- 18 August 2011
Contact: Dan Schroeder 801-xxx-xxxx

ALL EIGHT OGDEN MAYORAL CANDIDATES TO PARTICIPATE IN AUGUST 24 FORUM

All eight of Ogden’s candidates for mayor will participate in a public forum to be held Wednesday, August 24, beginning at 6:30 pm in the Browning Auditorium at Ogden’s historic Union Station. Everyone is invited to attend. After a half hour of informal mingling with the public, the candidates will address the assembly and answer moderated questions from 7:00 until 8:30.

The Browning Auditorium is located at the north end of Union Station, on Wall Avenue at 25th Street.

Kimbal Wheatley, a professional facilitator who lives in Ogden Valley, will moderate the forum.

The event is sponsored by the Ogden Ethics Project, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that promotes better ethics in Ogden City government. At the forum, candidates will have a chance to express their views not only on ethics but also on the full range of issues that concern Ogden citizens: taxes and fees, debt reduction, downtown development, job creation, transportation, recreation, land use, public safety, and more.

The event’s organizers are compiling a list of prepared questions for the candidates, with input from a wide spectrum of community organizations and stakeholders. Audience members at the event will also have a chance to submit questions.

The eight candidates for Mayor of Ogden are Jonny Ballard, Mike Caldwell, Jason Goddard, Neil Hansen, Brandon Stephenson, John H. Thompson, Susan "Susie" Van Hooser, and Steven Van Wagoner. Basic information about the candidates is summarized in the program for Wednesday's forum, available at http://ogdenethics.org/campaign2011/MayorForumProgram.pdf

A similar forum for Ogden city council candidates will be held one week later, August 31, at the same place and time.

To learn more about the Ogden Ethics Project, please visit www.ogdenethics.org

Ogden Ethics Project Candidate Checklist Clarification

At risk of over-simplifying the issues here, we've boiled it all down

We received the following missive this morning from Ogden Ethics Project Director Dan Schroeder, augmenting the info provided in Monday's Ogden Ethics Project press release:

On Monday I sent a press release summarizing candidate responses to inquiries from the Ogden Ethics Project, Regarding our Voluntary Contribution Limitations Checklist. The press release gave only a general summary of the range of responses, without using candidates' names. We waited to release the details for a variety of reasons, but they're available now, linked from the "resources" page on our web site:

http://ogdenethics.org/resources.html

Be sure to read the disclaimers!

Dan Schroeder, director

At risk of over-simplifying the issues here, we've boiled it all down; and here are the checklists from the 11 candidates who "neither hemmed nor hawed" (on the ethics issues set forth in what your blogmeister considers to be five fairly straightforward queries), and who in apparent honesty and good faith returned the checklists with the appropriate boxes filled in:

Mayor's Race:
Mike Caldwell
Brandon Stephenson
Susan Van Hooser
Steven Van Wagoner*

Council At Large Seat "C"
Jacob Culliton*
Landon Halverson
Stephen D. Thompson
Amy L. Wicks*

Council Ward 2
Jennifer Neil*
C. Jon White*

Council Ward 4
Caitlin Gochnour*

Within the above group of eleven, only six of them however, namely candidates Culliton, Wicks, Neil, White, Gochnour and Van Wagoner, were willing to check all the boxes and pledge to adopt the highest ethical standards. The bulk of the rest either bristled at the concept of refusing corporate or other non-individual campaign donations, or otherwise and in separate "position statements" obfuscated and/or found philosophical "angels on the heads of pins" with regard to these issues... as far as we're concerned. Of course candidates Hyer, Hansen and Wallis didn't even bother to respond in any manner at all, a course of non-action which some cynics might interpret as indicative of the low level of attention which they might also devote to their public offices, if elected to the respective Mayoral and Council seats which they seek.

That's our take and we're stickin' with it.

So who will be the first to comment about these most recent developments?
-----------
*Candidates who checked all five boxes.

Godfrey Administration-controlled Channel 17 Plays it Fast and Loose With Upcoming Ogden Municipal Election Debates

Time for more outside media scrutiny of Ogden's government-controlled broadcast monopoly

By Dan Schroeder

Folks, you're all aware of the recent disagreement among mayoral candidates over the debates organized and run by Van Wagoner.

But the story doesn't stop there. On August 8 I learned from Bill Francis, who runs Channel 17 under contract from the city, that someone has already scheduled two debates for after the primary, on September 22 and October 6. Bill hasn't told me who is sponsoring those events but I'm reminded of two years ago, when the mayor's office and Channel 17 invited the city council candidates to hold debates on the ninth floor, on predetermined dates, moderated by the same guy who does the mayor's weekly call-in show. (And when one candidate refused to participate, the mayor used this opportunity to attack that candidate on his official blog.) It sounds like few, if any, candidates were consulted regarding these planned events, but Bill has asked them to mark their calendars. Of course, only two of the eight will still be in the race by then. Seems to me that anyone wanting to sponsor a post-primary debate should wait to see who the two candidates are and then consult them on scheduling and other details.

Meanwhile, Bill has refused to tape or broadcast the August 24 candidates forum that the Ogden Ethics Project is sponsoring, citing concerns about my personal "agenda" and the fact that I also write for the "slanderous" Weber County Forum. This despite the fact that all eight candidates have agreed to participate and that the moderator, Kim Wheatley, is a highly respected professional. Of course, Bill works under contract from the city so the city is ultimately responsible for his decisions.

I think it's time for more outside media scrutiny of Ogden's government-controlled broadcast monopoly. Whether you spin it that way of not, there's definitely a story here.

Ogden Ethics Project Press Release: Ogden Candidates Weigh In On Ethics

For Immediate Release -- 15 August 2011
Contact: Dan Schroeder, 801-xxx-xxxx

OGDEN CANDIDATES WEIGH IN ON ETHICS

Nearly all of Ogden’s candidates for mayor and city council have expressed their views on ethics in municipal elections and government, in response to inquiries from the Ogden Ethics Project, a nonpartisan organization formed in May. Overall, the Ogden Ethics Project is encouraged by these responses and the ongoing discussions that they ave generated.

As the campaign was getting underway in July, the Ogden Ethics Project sent each candidate a letter and questionnaire.

The questionnaire asked candidates whether they would agree to five specific voluntary limitations on funding their campaigns, provided that all of their opponents similarly agreed. Of the 17 candidates, 11 igned and returned this questionnaire, while three others responded to it in general terms without returning the actual document.

Nearly all of those who responded endorsed three limitations that would avoid certain loopholes in Ogden’s existing campaign finance disclosure rules:

* Accepting contributions from political action committees only if they are in compliance with all laws and are not being used to circumvent contribution limits or disclosure requirements;

* Not accepting contributions made indirectly through third parties;

* Not encouraging others to make independent expenditures, bypassing their campaign treasury, on their behalf or in opposition to any opponent.

The most controversial item on the questionnaire asked candidates not to accept contributions from corporations, business entities, unions, or other organizations, with the exception of registered political action committees (which are subject to disclosure laws). As explained in a Guest Commentary that appeared in the Ogden Standard-Examiner on August 4, this request is intended to remove any appearance of impropriety in the awarding of city contracts, incentives, and permits, and to prevent business entities from being used to circumvent contribution limits and disclosure requirements.

Of the eleven candidates who signed the questionnaire, six endorsed the item that would restrict contributions from businesses and organizations. The Ogden Ethics Project values the diversity of opinion on this issue and understands that it takes time to update a community’s views about such a long-established custom.

The final item on the questionnaire asked candidates to report the name of the employer of any individual who contributes more than $250. This suggestion mirrors a similar requirement in federal campaigns, intended to give voters more information about the special interests that might be backing a candidate. Seven candidates endorsed this proposal.

Because some candidates did not respond, the Ogden Ethics Project will not treat the questionnaires as firm commitments from the candidates who returned them. Some candidates have said they will voluntarily respect the limitations even if their opponents do not similarly agree, and that is their choice. Most importantly, the questionnaire has accomplished the goal of raising awareness of campaign ethics and generating ongoing discussions.

Along with the questionnaire, the Ogden Ethics Project invited each candidate to submit a position statement on ethics in Ogden City Government. Nine candidates took us up on this invitation, and their statements are now posted at http://ogdenethics.org/resources.html. Among the responses there were relatively few that addressed specific elements of the Ogden Ethics Project platform pertaining to open government, conflicts of interest, and fairness in city contracting, communications, and personnel matters. This is probably because candidates are unfamiliar with existing ethics laws pertaining to municipal government, and are therefore unsure of how those laws might need modification.

The public is invited to join the discussion of ethics in city government at the Ogden Ethics Blog, http://ogdenethics.blogspot.com.

Update 8/17/11 9:48 a.m. (per Dan S. ): The candidates' detailed responses are now finally posted on the Ogden Ethics Project web site:

http://ogdenethics.org/campaign2011/ChecklistResponses.html

Better late than never, no?

Standard-Examiner Letter: Don't Vote Simply for 'Anti-Godfrey-ites'

We're happy to observe that one familiar Brandon "Sockpuppet" Stephenson supporter is apparently back on the public bandwagon again, supporting her favorite right-wing socialist candidate, this time as he campaigns for the Ogden City Mayor's slot

Although your blogmeister had initially decided to take the day off, we've now decided to come indoors to beat the heat and devote a little electronic ink to one of the 2011 Municipal campaign topical letters appearing in this morning's Standard-Examiner. Specifically, we'd like to direct our readers' attention to the below-linked letter from Ogden resident Monalisa Wald, who urges Ogden voters to "get passed (sic) any "anti-Godfreyite" biases they may have toward any of the candidates , thoroughly do their research, and to vote for the best qualified candidate for the next Ogden City Mayor":

• Don't vote simply for 'anti-Godfrey-ites'

Ms. Wald's truly unique moniker struck a vaguely familiar note with us, and with a little Googling early this morning, Lo and Behold, we stumbled upon a four-year-old 2007 SE Ogden City Election story, announcing that Ms. Wald had, in early July 2007, "filed to [ostensibly] unseat [Ogden Ward 2 Council] incumbent Brandon Stephenson":

• Candidates filling election slots - Filing deadline is July 16

That's right, gentle readers. Ms. Wald appears to be the same individual who stood in as a bogus place-holding Ward 2 "Stalking Horse" candidate in an obvious effort to discourage other contenders from challenging Boss Godfrey's loyal brown-noser Brandon "Sockpuppet" Stephenson in the 2007 Ogden Municipal Elections race. Ogden City political wonks, (especially those of us who oppose the "Godfreyite" formula of corporate welfare, multi-million dollar borrowing and spending , and the financing of crackpot, Stalinesque public projects on the taxpayers' backs), will of course also well remember what happened after the lapse of the July 16, 2007 candidate filing deadline... when Ms. Wald promptly dropped out of the 2007 Ward 2 council race, leaving "The Sockpuppet" unopposed in the both the ensuing 2007 primary and general election balloting.

Anybody wanna take a wild guess whom Ms. Wald believes to be "the best qualified candidate for the next Ogden City Mayor?"

It's great to hear from the ever-sly and mendacious Ms. Wad again; and we're happy to observe that she's apparently back on the public bandwagon again, supporting her favorite right-wing socialist candidate, this time as he campaigns for the Ogden City Mayor's slot.

So who will be the first to throw in their own $.02 this toasty Sunday afternoon? We do believe we'll now go station ourself beside the nearest air conditioning vent.

Update From Our Good WCF Friends at Utahns for Ethical Government

Get ready in November 2012 to vote in favor of the most significant improvement in Utah ethics/election law EVER!

News is a mite slow again today, so we'll fill up the info gap with an update from our good WCF friends at the completely awesome Utahns for Ethical Government (UEG) website:

• August: End of Summer update

The UEG definitely has the very most top-notch litigation lawyers in Utah, so poor ole Gary Herbert and his crooked neoCON buddy Greg Bell will be definitely screwed, if they continue to try to thwart the "Will of the People."

Get ready in Novenber 2012, people, to vote in favor of the most significant improvement in Utah ethics/election law EVER!

As an added bonus, check out this eye-opening YouTube video:

• Utahns for Ethical Government - The Fight isn't Over

Don't be sleepy schmucks, Utah voters!

Put our sleazy current so-called Utah GOP legislative "leadership's" feet to the fire!

Keep on fighting!

Salt Lake Tribune: Campbell: Watchdog’s ‘Hobby’ Keeps Ogden On Its Toes

Let your ever-humble blogmeister be the first to say (once again) how extremely proud we native "homeboys (and gals)" are of our adopted "Ogden home town boy," Dan Schroeder!!!

In the aftermath of today' earlier WCF story, here's a fantastic Salt Lake Tribune Op-ed follow-up tribute to WCF's own frequent contributor Dan Schroeder, written by yet another Utah political commentary heavyweight, Former DNews reporter and editor and current BYU Communications Professor Joel Campbell!

• Campbell: Watchdog’s ‘hobby’ keeps Ogden on its toes

Let your ever-humble blogmeister be the first to say (once again) how extremely how proud we native "homeboys (and gals)" are of our adopted "Ogden City home town boy," Dan Schroeder!!!

Salt Lake Tribune: Ogden Watchdog Scores a Win in Envision Ogden Probe

Perhaps Dan S. will chime in here some time soon and mercifully provide the whole lowdown on his future tactics in re this matter

In a comment beneath Wednesday's WCF article, which touched upon the Envision Ogden scandal and the bogus shadow entity Friends of Utah Real Esate (FNURE), Dan Schroeder mentioned that he'd be appearing before the State Records Board for a Thursday hearing:

But we may soon learn more about FNURE. Tomorrow I will appear before the State Records Committee to argue for the release of the last of the records of the Attorney General's investigation into Envision Ogden and FNURE. Among those records should be the canceled checks from the former to the latter. The signatures on the backs of those canceled checks should tell us who controlled FNURE. Will the committee order the release of these records? I don't know.

Sure enough, the Salt Lake Tribune carries a Cathy McKitrick story this morning, reporting on the result of yesterday's hearing, in which Dr. Schroeder reportedly "scored a weak win... in his fight to obtain records from the state Attorney General’s office regarding a closed investigation into Envision Ogden":

• Ogden watchdog scores a win in Envision Ogden probe

Unfortunately, The Records Board didn't order production of everything that Dan had asked for; the Board instead specifically declined to order release of the cancelled check(s) which might have revealed the signatures of the mysterious persons behind the bogus FNURE entity. So it's now unclear whether this is the end of the road for Dan's GRAMA document discovery effort, or whether his next stop will be the local Utah District Courthouse. In that connection however, Professor Schroeder does provide a comment beneath this morning's Trib story which is quite tantalizing:

The hearing was fascinating. The members of the State Records Committee are sharp, and they know GRAMA law far better than the assistant attorney general who argued for withholding the records. The committee correctly rejected every one of his arguments for secrecy. But then, during their deliberations, they found other GRAMA provisions that were more applicable to some of the records. Unfortunately, by then it was too late for me to respond.

Where we disagree is over the scope of the privacy protections for the financial records. I would agree that many parts of these records should be redacted to protect the privacy of Envision Ogden's small donors (such as those who bought tickets to the Salomon Center grand opening). But the large checks from Envision Ogden to FNURE should be released, because GRAMA's privacy provisions apply only to individuals (not organizations or business entities), and federal tax law requires that 527 organizations disclose the recipients of large expenditures. I suspect that if the committee had taken five more minutes to deliberate this issue, they would have realized their error. But they were already way over their allotted time.

Knowing Dan's history of tenacity, particularly with regard to the Envision Ogden matter, we're betting that Dan will soon be off to the local Utah District Courthouse to successfully seek further legal relief.

But with a little luck, and for the time being at least, we're keeping our fingers crossed that Dan will chime in within the lower comments section to provide the lowdown on his future tactics in this matter.

Suffice it to say we'll be standing by for additional Dan S. comments, regarding this legal situation.

Update 9/5/11 12:45 p.m.: Here's the text of the State Records Committee's August 22, 2011 written decision:

• State Records Committee Appeal Decision 2011-12

NPR: Utah Criticized For Limiting Liquor Licenses

Anyone thinking about investing in Utah should think twice with the tight control the legislature has over a legal adult choice

By Good Reader 1

NPR had a great story this morning about Utah and Liquor control and being sued by the Hospitality Assoc.

It had business owners being assured that could get a liquor license which encouraged them to invest in their business then told it would be years since it was based on population.

Another Hotel wanting to build at a ski resort had pulled their 23M investment and not build because they couldn't get a license.

Greg Hughes stated they weren't against business and Utah has the best business environment. They also mentioned the LDS Church being involved and being against drinking and the influence it has. SLC Mayor Becker was also interviewed and shared his views that it hurts business.

My point is that NPR is a National News source and anyone thinking about investing in Utah should think twice with the tight control the legislature has over a legal adult choice. They also applauded the law suit in Federal Court against the state.

Remember Folks! Big (Or Maybe Not So Big) Emerald City Debate Tonite! - UPDATED

A pox on the other five mayoral candidates who dodged this initial Emerald City debate event.

Kudos to candidates Hansen and Thompson and Van Wagoner, for standing tall, and striving to get their message out

Mssrs. Hansen, Thompson and Van Wagoner will reportedly and apparently be the onlv Emerald City mayor candidates with an actual "set"... who'll be hammering each other publicly tonite, over at the ATP Center.

A pox on the other Mayoral Candidates, who've voted with their feet, and dodged and/or otherwise ducked out of this initial Ogden City debate event; and kudos to candidates Hansen and Thompson and Van Wagoner, for standing tall, and striving at least, to get their message out .

Update 8/12/11 8:51 a.m.: The Trib carries a fairly detailed Cathy McKitrick story this morning about last night's three-person mayoral debate:

• Ogden mayor’s race debate draws three candidates

Ironically, the absence of the other five candidates resulted in a strong story focus on the platforms of the three who did attend and participate. There's also something quite appealing about the two candidates who were willing to take a little risk in a potentially hostile environment, and who exhibited the confidence and courage to throw caution to the wind... and just "wing it," wethinks.

Update 8/12/11 10:00 p.m.: Well Lo and Behold, the Standard is carrying a post-debate story too, contributed by none other than veteran SE reportorial hot-shot Charlie Trentelman:

• 3 Ogden candidates explain their views on the issues

Good to see the SE back in the 2011 Municipal Election coverage game, innit?

No reason at all that the Standard should take a back seat to the Trib on local political reporting, right?

Standard-Examiner Editorial: OUR VIEW: Sleazy Campaign Cash

We can't help grousing that the SE editorial board waited until mid-2011 to fully and finally articulate its apparent anti-corporate campaign contribution epiphany stance

Top-notch editorial in this morning's Standard-Examiner, properly lambasting all parties involved in the recently publicized Edward W. Conard stealth campaign donation scam:

So let's understand this: A former financial services industry executive, Edward W. Conard, starts a company, W Spann LLC, which contributes $1 million to Mitt Romney's presidential campaign without his name being mentioned. Soon after the donation is made, the company, W Spann LLC, is discontinued.

Apparently that's all legal, but it really stinks.

Read the entire editorial here:

• OUR VIEW: Sleazy campaign cash

"Bully to the SE editorial board," we say. They're entirely correct. The Conard/W.Spann LLC campaign contribution scheme is the very definition of "sleazy." And yes, we agree with the Standard. Corporate campaign donations ought to be banned, if not by the force of law... then voluntarily.

But where was the Standard editorial board however, we ask, when many of us on Weber County Forum were screaming our lungs out about another analogous stealth "corporate" campaign donation situation, the Envision Ogden Scandal?

If this phony-baloney fly-by-night W.Spann LLC isn't almost completely analogous to the continuingly mysterious 2007 Ogden municipal election's Friends of Northern Utah Real Estate (FNURE) organizational "shell," we'll invite any and all who are in disagreement with us on this point to step right up and explain why the comparison doesn't fit.

However delighted we may be to praise this morning's strong SE editorial, we can't help grousing that the editorial board waited until mid-2011 to fully and finally articulate its apparent anti-corporate campaign contribution epiphany stance.

Salt Lake Tribune: Some Object to Candidate-sponsored Forums

Five mayoral candidates have said they either cannot or will not attend tomorrow night's candidate debate

By Curmudgeon

The Salt Lake Tribune has a story up this morning reporting that five of the candidates for mayor will not attend tomorrow night's candidate debate, organized by Candidate Wagoner. Who will be there? From the story:

Ogden resident John Thompson, along with former state Rep. Neil Hansen, plans to join Van Wagoner for Thursday’s forum. "Regardless of who’s sponsoring the forum, we have an obligation to be there and speak to the voters," Hansen said.

Link here:

• Some object to candidate-sponsored forums

Another Chance for 2011 Ogden Muni Election Candidates to "Strut Their Stuff"

Send your active campaign online links to your WCF blogmeister right now, folks!

Greetings Ogden City Mayoral and City Council candidates and their friends, political supporters and campaign managers. As is our long-time tradition of Weber County Forum (six years, to be exact), we've once again set up a "2011 Ogden City Municipal Election" module in our right sidebar, in order to provide "one stop political candidate shopping," as our 11/8/11 Emerald City Municipal Election fast approaches.

In that connection, we'll once again issue our invitation to all the folks whose capacities are italicized above, (along with their other un-named candidate allies and fellow travellers) to submit any and all online candidate links, websites, social media links, etc., to highlight any and all 2011 Ogden Municipal Election efforts which may be out there in the webosphere ozone.

Here is the pertinent Weber County Forum campaign data which we have compiled so far. Click on these links to drill down to the individual candidate info which we so far have available for public display:

• 2011 Ogden City Mayoral Candidates
• 2011 Ogden City Council Candidates

Please send your active campaign links to your WCF blogmeister, folks, via our "email us" submission link, which is also available in the upper right sidebar. We'll be delighted, of course, Ogden City Election Candidates, to augment these pages with your own carefully crafted campaign material.

Don't let the cat get yer tongues...

Lame Standard-Examiner Letter Which We Are DEFINITELY NOT Making Up

We've already filed this crackpot letter in our "Alternate Reality Department" file drawer

As the 2011 Ogden City municipal election finally begins to heat up, Pro-Godfrey Emerald City Political Morons are already falling out of the woodwork, even though the little shite isn't even running, this go-round. As an example, here's an online Standard-Examiner letter to the editor which we are not making up, and which we've duly filed in our "Alternate Reality Department" file drawer:

• Ogden needs a qualified candidate for mayor

We already have eight good mayoral candidates, or so it seems to us... in that none of them are named Boss Godfrey, at least... and if for no other reason [grin]. Anyway... we'll now move on:

We loved Gentle WCF Reader Blackrulon's savvy and tongue-in-cheek S-E reader comment, btw:

Ms. Pearson, Wonderful to read your letter of praise for Matthew Godfrey. I take special pride as a Ogden resident telling all of my out of Ogden friends about all of the high paying high tech jobs he brought to Ogden. It is also wonderful to see how quickly the debt obligation for the Junction was paid off. All of the business Godfrey brought to Ogden has made the local schools the envy of Utah with the massive infusion of property tax money from the high end vacation homes built on the east bench. And giving away a golf course to help finance a gondola was a stroke of genius.Nationwide. the speed with which the River Front housing development was built will be studied and envied nationwide. When the mayor selection is voted on I fully expect, as do you obviously, to see Matthew Godfrey reelected by a majority of write in votes.

That's Blackrulon's take, and ours, too.

So now, howbout Vous?

Three Ogden City Mayoral Candidate Debates Coming Up Prior To The 9/13/11 Primary - Updated

Plenty of chances for Ogden political wonks to take a good long look at all eight Ogden City mayoral candidates prior to the September 13 primary

In connection with our ongoing 2011 Ogden City Municipal Election, we're pleased to post this press release, which we received from mayoral candidate Steve Van Wagoner's campaign this morning, concerning the scheduling of three pre-primary election mayoral candidate debates, the first of which is set for Thursday, August 11, 2011:

Ogden City “First Mayoral Debate”

Ogden, Utah (August 03, 2011) –After the success of the last event “Meet your next Mayor”, held on July 28, 2011, a second event was agreed to by the seven candidates in attendance and on August 11th the candidates will meet again. Save the date because you will not want to miss this first election debate.

Thursday August 11, 2011 from 5:30 -7:30 PM the “First Mayoral Debate” will be held in the Lecture Hall in the Business Building, Room #BU162 at OWATC located at 200 North Washington Blvd, Ogden, UT 84404. The candidates will meet again for the “First Mayoral Debate” organized by the Vote Van Wagoner campaign. It will be an informal setting for the citizens to have their questions answered by all of the candidates. Once again we have invited all registered candidates and the community to come and meet the candidate(s) for the Ogden City Mayoral election scheduled for September 13, 2011.

Questions will be presented by the community and asked through a neutral moderator from out of the area. Each candidate will be given a one minute opportunity to answer the questions. The goal is for the citizens to ask the important questions that they want to know about and the focus will be on every aspect of Ogden City.

We look forward to full participation with the community, the candidates, and the press. The following candidates confirmed on July 28 that they would be willing to participate: Brandon Stephenson, Neil Hansen, Mike Caldwell, Susan Van Hooser, Jason Goddard, John Thompson, and Steven Van Wagoner.

You will also want to save the date of August 24, 2011 for the second debate organized by the Ogden Ethics Project. This debate will be held in the Browning Theater at Union Station from 6:30-8:30 PM.

We would also like to ask any willing organizations and citizens within Ogden City to help by sponsoring and/or hosting the third debate tentatively scheduled for September 01, 2011. We seek public input. The date may change but we hope this will help make all candidates feel comfortable and get everyone in Ogden City involved in our democracy.

Once again join the candidates on August 11, 2011 for the first Ogden City mayoral debate.

Steven Van Wagoner
Candidate for Mayor of Ogden City
(801)414-5773
www.voteVanWagoner.com

Be sure to mark your calenders, folks. It appears that Ogden City political wonks will have plenty of chances prior to the September 13 primary election to take a good long look at all eight Ogden City mayoral candidates.
Update 8/6/11 10:21 a.m.: Oops! Looks like it might be "back to the drawing board" for Steve Van Wagoner's August 11 debate event. Per the ever-alert Dan S.: "Looks like only half the candidates will be at the August 11 debate:

• Ogden mayoral candidates object to debate

Of course candidate squabbles over Ogden Municipal Election debate sponsorship, rules and format are really nothing new. In the interest of maximizing the number of opportunities for Emerald City voters to observe mayoral candidates to "strut their stuff" however, we'd hoped all candidates would ignore any irregularities and just go along with a sponsorship which candidate Neil Hansen rightly refers to as "unusual." Alas, it appears Ogden voters will have no such luck, and that at least four candidates will "play it by the standard candidate strategy book."

Update 8/10/11 9:00 a.m.: the SL Trib has a story up this reporting that five of the candidates for mayor will not attend the candidate forum organized by Candidate Waggoner. Who will be there? here's the story:

• Some object to candidate-sponsored forums

Standard-Examiner Guest Commentary: Political Contributions From Businesses Raise Ethical Questions

In short, the OEP pledge is merely about providing a healthy political campaign environment wherein all Ogden Municipal Election candidates will be able to cooperatively and uniformly adhere to the highest possible ethical standards, and to thus avoid any potential appearances of impropriety

We're pleased to shine the spotlight this morning on the Standard-Examiner's editorial page guest commentary, wherein regular WCF contributor and Ogden Ethics Project (OEP) Director Dan Schroeder responds to one Ogden mayoral candidate's highly public refusal to sign aboard the OEP's 2011 Ogden Muni Elections pledge to forswear campaign contributions from "corporations, other business entities, or unions." Dr. Schroeder's well-crafted essay speaks for itself, as it methodically sets forth some of the potential ethical pitfalls involved when campaign donations are paid over to the same public officials who award and administer public contracts and regulate local businesses. So we'll resist cluttering up the discussion with our own long-winded commentary, but instead merely recommend that you go directly to the source, and check out this highly informative brief essay itself:

• Political contributions from businesses raise ethical questions

In short, the OEP pledge is merely about providing a healthy political campaign environment wherein all Ogden Municipal Election candidates will be able to cooperatively and uniformly adhere to the highest possible ethical standards, and to thus avoid any potential appearances of impropriety. We're thus scratching our head wondering how it's possible that even one mayoral candidate refuses to jump aboard the OEP pledge bandwagon with both feet; and by the same token we're also wondering whether a Boss Godfrey-weary Ogden City electorate will settle for anything less.

City Council/RDA Meeting Heads-up: The Council Appears Poised to Tie Together Numerous Administration Loose Ends - Multiple Updates

In the waning days of the Godfrey Administration, it seems that city funds and property are flying out the door to Administration cronies at astonishing bargain basement prices

As a followup to Friday's City Council meeting heads-up, we'll post another reminder of tonight's City Council/RDA sessions, wherein our city legislative body appears poised to consider and/or approve the following actions, among other things:

• Sell developer Kevin Garn 1.75 acres of prime downtown property for $750,000, a significant discount to its actual value.
• Give him $550,000 (in the form of a grant), thereby reducing the developer's cost to only $200,000.
• Finance both his purchase price on the property and provide him with some $350,000 of start-up capital, by lending him $550,000 at a low 4% interest.
• Help him secure federal loans to develop the hotel, all at low interest rates and possibly with on-recourse to developer.
• Appoint a new Chief Administrative Officer to replace John Patterson, under circumstances which would entitle the appointee to six months severance pay if the future mayor wants to hire someone else instead.
• Formalize the "sweetheart deal" turnover of the 21st Street pond, under circumstances that reek of cronyism.

Here are the applicable council packets:

• 08/02 City Council Work Session
• 08/02 City Council Regular Session
• 08/02 City Council-RDA Special Session

As Gentle Reader Disgusted opined in an earlier comment, these transactions arguably "represent a wanton disregard for the responsibilities of office to protection of the assets of the city and act in the best interests of the residents."

"Anyone on the City Council that goes along with this deal deserves to be removed from office at the next election and certainly should not be considered for the office of mayor," Gentle Reader Disgusted aptly suggests.

We'll have to concede that regular contributor Disgusted makes a very good point. It seems to us too, that in the waning days of the Godfrey Administration, city funds and property are flying out the door to administration cronies at astonishing bargain basement rates and prices. At the very least, it seems to us, we would hope that all council members will give each of these proposals serious deliberation, in the context of determining whether these proposals are in the best interests of Ogden City.

We'll leave the lights on for any WCF readers who might plan to attend tonight's meetings, of course, to provide our readers a narrative of tonight's Council/RDA antics.

Update 8/3/11 7:40 a.m.: The Standard carries a post-meeting story this morning, focusing upon Goode Ski Company's so-called "stewardship" of the 21st Street Pond:

• Goode Ski Technologies to spend $100K on namesake lake

No word yet on the Kevin Garn "Hot Tub Hotel" development agreement/financing outcome. Perhaps one of our readers can soon provide the low-down on that.

Update 8/3/11 2:00 p.m.: Lo and behold, and in answer to our above question... we just talked with one trusted Emerald City City Hall insider; and we are now informed that the fiscally-conservative Amy Wicks was the only City Council member who drew a line in the sand, and voted against the ridiculous Kevin Garn Hot Tub Hotel "giveaway," which was otherwise approved by the Godfrey-compliant council with an exceedingly disappointing 6-1 vote.

Update 8/4/11 9:18 a.m. (per Dan S.): Here's the S-E's article on the Johnson confirmation:

• Ogden council OKs new chief administrative officer

Of course, the paper made no attempt to determine how much latitude the council had in this decision, e.g., whether an interim appointment would have been possible.

The council vote was unanimous, by the way.

Update 8/4/11 3:25 p.m. (per Bob Becker): "There is an interesting discussion of the CAO appointment going on over on the SE site, with Councilwoman Wicks participating":

• Ogden council OKs new chief administrative officer