Monday, November 07, 2011

Big Fight at Last Tuesday's City Council Meeting -- Boss Godfrey Blows His Top

Councilman Stephenson, a candidate in tomorrow's 2011 Ogden mayoral election, once again demonstrates his absolute disregard for his fiduciary obligations as a sitting Ogden City Council member, and his continuing willingness to issue the Mayoral Administration another "blank check."

Following up on a tip from another sharp-eyed and alert Weber County Forum reader, we've just listened to (and watched) the full video of last Tuesday's Ogden City Council meeting.

Godfrey wanted a little over $1 million for undisclosed projects in the east central neighborhood, but he refused to reveal (at least in public--we get the sense that the council might have heard more in closed meetings) exactly what the projects are.

The Council majority gave him $550,000 for projects which had been specifically identified, but withheld the rest, and Boss Godfrey then went pretty much ballistic and accused the Council majority of being dishonest about their rationale.

Take a look at the video yourself, to follow the pertinent City Council discussion. The main appropriation item discussion begins at 1:15:25, and you can fast forward to 1:58:30 to watch the ever-petulant Boss Godfrey blow his top:


The vote was 5-2, with the encouragingly conscientious council majority voting to defer appropriating the entire one million dollars until the matter could be re-calendered for the public discussion of specific projects. Stephens and Stephenson voted, sheep-like, in favor of just trusting Boss Godfrey, of course.

Godfrey protege Councilman Brandon "Sockpuppet" Stephenson, a candidate in tomorrow's 2011 Ogden Mayoral Election, once again demonstrates his absolute disregard for his fiduciary obligations as a sitting Ogden City Council member, and his continuing willingness to issue the Mayoral Administration what would essentially amount to yet another "blank check."

If the beleaguered Emerald City Taxpayers are unfortunate enough to have Stephenson elected to fill Boss Godfrey's soon-to-be vacated mayoral seat, by the way, they can most certainly expect much more of the same.

Our Weber County Forum tipster helpfully provides this closing editorial comment, by the way: "It's pretty clear that he (Godfrey) intends to go out with a bang."

Update 11/7/11 7:15 a.m.: In our never ending quest for complete thoroughness, and for the benefit of any WCF readers who'd like to delve a little more deeply into the Godfrey Administration proposals precipitating Tuesday night's Mayor/Council kerfluffle, we accordingly link the full Council packet for last Tuesday's meeting:
Don't let the cat get your tongues! It's been a mite too quiet around here of late.

22 comments:

althepal said...

Councilman Brandon "Sockpuppet" Stephenson, a candidate in tomorrow's 2011 Ogden Mayoral Election, once again demonstrates his absolute disregard for his fiduciary obligations as a sitting Ogden City Council member, and his continuing willingness to issue the Mayoral Administration what would essentially amount to another 'blank check.'"Well... at least he's not a flip-flopper.

althepal said...

Councilman Brandon "Sockpuppet" Stephenson, a candidate in tomorrow's 2011 Ogden
Mayoral Election, once again demonstrates his absolute disregard for his
fiduciary obligations as a sitting Ogden City Council member, and his continuing
willingness to issue the Mayoral Administration what would essentially amount to
another 'blank check.'"

Well... at least he's not a flip-flopper.

althepal said...

Councilman Brandon "Sockpuppet" Stephenson, a candidate in tomorrow's 2011 Ogden Mayoral Election, once again demonstrates his absolute disregard for his fiduciary obligations as a sitting Ogden City Council member, and his continuing willingness to issue the Mayoral Administration what would essentially amount to another 'blank check.'"

Well... at least he's not a flip-flopper.

Ogden Lover said...

So which of Godfrey's developer/construction buddies were in line to walk off with all that money?

blackrulon said...

Mayor Godfreys desire for more undisclosed and unspecified spending and Schwebkes fawning newspaper articles are just examples of Godfeys trying to leave office with some sense of so called positive accomplishments. There will be many more newspaper stories touting his admininstration to appear. Prepare to seeo guest editorials and letters to the editor praising the Mayor in a last ditch effort to make his reign seem positive  despite of the fact of what truly happened.

Waffle lover said...

He sure has flip-flopped on the Chris Peterson Malan's Basin Gondola project!

Bob Becker said...

I don't know the details, the projects he wanted funded that the Council refused to fund without further study, how informed the Council was, the need for a public comment period, etc.   But it seems to me any mayor with a sound grasp of public policy procedures, and with the maturity we expect in adults, should be able to understand that  a 5-2 vote to slow things down on half the spending is itself evidence that something was not handled as well as it should have been vis a vis Mayor/Council relations, communications.  The intelligent way to have handled the Council's reluctance [I might also say the adult way] would have been for the Mayor to reply: "Thank you for approving more than half the expenditures I asked for. I'm convinced funding the rest of the projects is also a good idea, and I'm convinced you will think so too when you've examined the requests more closely. If you think we need a period of public discussion first, fine by me.  And I will make a point of getting any information you want regarding these projects  to you as rapidly as I can  so  they can be approved and funded quickly and the people of Ogden can begin benefiting from them. "  

Instead, we seem to have gotten vintage Godfrey play ground snit fit: "Wah! Wah! Wah!  I want it!  I want it!  I want it!"  [insert smileys for "stamping foot" and "holding breath til I turn blue" here].

CantWaitForJanuary said...

Get ready for his next tantrum, over the unfairness of the water rates that he approved four years ago.

Grandmomb said...

I would say that this man "59 tics" and more. His antagonistic response is certainly not diplomatic. He doesn't have much time left to learn how to win friends and influence others. Maybe it is beyond his ability. Too bad. 

To think he can sit there and scold the City Council for HIS lack for presenting specifics in a budget is incomprehensible. He certainly can't expect to behave this way in a business. When you ask a bank for money to fund a building you don't give them half the plan. You would them the fully detailed plan.

The "travesty" is his half-done job blamed on others.

blackrulon said...

It is interesting to note that Godfrey speaking of the Junction vote failed to mention his promise that the Junction wwould be self sustaining and not require any taxpayer money to fund bond payments. a easy way to obtain the additional monies godfreey requested would be to fire Jon Greiner and stop spending taxpayer money on endless and apparently futile appeals f the Hatch Act ruling. Excatally what public process was followed in selling property to Bootjack LTD or giving away the 21st pond to someone?

rudizink said...

Interestingly The Godfreyites who claim victory for this fiscally disastrous Ogden Ogden City "Junction" boondoggle still claim victory,  even though Godfrey's Junction costs Ogden City taxpayers upward of of 2/3 of a million dollars each and every year.

BikerBabe said...

for the next 11 - 1/2 years ... even

js

BB

Dorrene Jeske said...

Anyway that's what he would like you to think.  Godfrey has taught him well:  Say what is necessary to get elected.  Until this campaign, I thought Brandon was pretty honest, but he told numerous lies about Susie and then lied about it in the Primary campaign. 

Dorrene Jeske said...

Giving only partial or no information to the Council is Godfrey's method of doing business.  I couldn't help remembering when three new council members asked for information about the Ernst Rehabilation Center in January 2006? Two top administrators told Bill Glasmann and me that Godfrey had told them not to give us any information, so we went digging for the info and found things that caused us concern. Things we never would have known had Godfrey behaved like an adult. We were pretty well ridiculed by an SE editorial and I was called into Godfrey's office the next morning so he could yell at me. I didn't "cower" or back down to him then, but calmly told him we had tried to arrange to have our concerns addressed before the City Council Meeting so we felt it our responsibility to ask questions because we felt safeguarding the taxpayers was our job..Ernest backed out of coming to Ogden, which we were blamed for, then later said they were  still  interested if they could buy  the land they needed at the 2006  price quoted to them by the  administration (which was a fantastic deal).   They still couldn’t get their act together and eventually pulled their offer due to financial trouble.  It was pointed out to me a short time ago, that we were not given credit or even acknowledged  for saving the City from a big embarrassment and costly mistake or even thanked by those who had been so critical of our concerns.  I never could see Godfrey being man enough to admit that he was wrong, so no surprise.  We were just doing our job as public servants which Godfrey has never figured out or not confident enough to admit  that he  is a public servant, too. Giving only partial or no information to the Council is Godfrey's method of doing business.  Remember when the three new council members asked for information aabout the Ernst Rehabilation Center in January 2006?  Two top administrators told Bill Glasmann and me that Godfrey had told them not to give us any information, so we went digging for the info and found things that caused us concern.  Things we never would have known had Godfrey behaved like an adult.  We were pretty well ridiculed by an SE editorial and I was called into Godfrey's office the next morning so he could yell at me.  I didn't "cower" or back down to him then, but calmly told him we had tried to arrange to have our concerns addressed by  

Dorrenesmemorylapse said...

Nice try at rewriting history, Dorrene.  You and Bill Glasmann ran off Ernest Health by your rude public comments.  Bill regretted it.  You still seem to be proud of it.  Ernest has built several facilities since that time, just not in Ogden.  That was your fault.  Live with it, but don"'t lie about it.

 

rudizink said...

You're mistaken, DML.  It's Ms. Jeske who's telling the truth, and YOU who's misstating the facts.  We reported on that story extensively on WCF, BTW.

WCF posts with label Ernest Health

We'd suggest that you read up and then come back with your much-needed apology, DML.

It's clear that it's YOU who doesn't know what he's talking about.

blackrulon said...

Where has Ernest built it facilities? What were the lease/sale terms? What concessions did it demand in order to build? Until specifics are given it is impossible to knpw the valodoty of your claims.

Danny said...

Dorrene's mistake, as people like her often make, is treating diabolical persons like human beings.  If somebody wants to take you for a ride, take them for a ride.  Words to live by.

Danny said...

It would be  hard, so very hard, to be as corrupt and dishonest as Godfrey and his supporters, parasites, and handlers, to be as stupid as Doug Stephens, to be as useless as Godfrey's staff, and to be as clueless as Brandon Stephenson.

Be grateful people.  See all this crap, and be grateful. 

Danny said...

Godfrey says it's not fair and not honest to pull last minute shenanigans.  Tattoo it on his head.  Those are his MO.

Danny said...

He says the river project and the downtown fun house were resisted at first but are now heralded by all.

By all?  They are crap.  They are financial black holes.  They are stupidity writ large.  This is Godfrey's try at historical revisionism.

He claims council members who did what he told them to do, and were voted out, still support him.  Kent Jorgenson sent a letter the last time Godfrey ran, saying he did not support Godfrey.  Godfrey knows this, therefore, Godfrey is a liar.

He wanted the money he asked for at this meeting for one thing - to pass it to his cronies as his final act of service.  We will be so glad to be rid of this elfin demon.

Danny said...

When Godfrey goes on like this, they need to cut him off.  His steady, visible lying is sickening.  And it is soooooo repetitive and long winded.

Gochnour's comment after Godfrey's diatribe was mature, thoughtful, and true.  It was nice to see how a thoughtful adult acts.

No wonder even Godfrey's friends have deserted him.

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