Here's a brief heads-up concerning a couple of Weber County Forum-topical matters which appear on the agenda for tonight's Ogden City Council Regular Meeting:
1) The City Council is ready to calender the certification of the November 8 Ogden Municipal Election results in what appears to be record time, by our book:
*** 6. Common Consent:Hopefully the Council will be able to have the process all wrapped up by November 22d.
*** c. Board of Canvass for the 2011 Municipal General Election. Consideration of the certification of the results of the 2011 Municipal General Election. (Set Board of Canvass for November 22, 2011 – voice vote)
2) We've had some earlier WCF discussion regarding lame-duck Mayor Godfrey's last-minute effort to convince the Council "to address his proposal to lower Ogden's water rates." Whereas Godfrey had earlier announced his intention to "employ a rarely used executive privilege to call the city council into a special session, forcing them to address his proposal to lower Ogden's water rates," it seems that he's now hustled the matter onto tonight's Regular Council Meeting calender instead:
7. New Business:In essence, Godfrey's proposed adjusted rate structure would "charge all users the same rate for the first 10,000 gallons of water, the amount the average home needs for indoor household use. It then proposes a tiered structure that provides for those without secondary water to pay less than those with secondary water."
a. Revision to Water Utility Service Fees. Proposed Ordinance 2011-55 amending the Ogden Municipal Code by amending Subsection 9-1-6.A to revise water utility service fees; and by providing that this ordinance shall become effective September 1, 2011.
Although Godfrey's stated object in seeking these rate revisions is to "create parity between those with and without secondary water," we're scratching our head wondering why Boss Godfrey believes it's fair to gouge those property owners who had the foresight to purchase properties with secondary water, and thereby in effect force them to subsidise those property owners without that amenity. Perhaps one of our Gentle Readers can enlighten us about that. It makes no sense to us.
You can review the full details concerning the above two Council agenda items by clicking on the Ogden City Council packet link below:
We'll dedicate this thread to any readers who'd like to comment about any of the items appearing on tonight's Council agenda, and will of course cordially invite anyone who attends tonight's meeting to report back with their post-meeting remarks after tonight's Council Session adjourns.
That's it for now, WCF Readers.
The floor's open for your ever-enlightening comments.
Update 11/16/11 5:10 a.m.: The Standard partially reports on the results of last night's Council Meeting. To Boss Godfrey's "extreme disappointment," "[i]nstead of adopting Godfrey's [half-baked] proposal, the city council [wisely] approved a resolution to begin a comprehensive effort starting next month to establish new water rates":
The new rates are scheduled to be in place by May 1, 2012, in time for the annual watering season.
A WCF Hat Tip to City Council Grownup Chairwoman Caitlin K. Gochnour who said, "the council is committed to embarking on a thorough public process to ensure the new water rates are in the best interest of residents and the municipality."
Update 11/19/11 8:57 a.m.: The video recording of Tuesday's regular Council Session is now online. Discussion of proposed water rate ordinance revisions begin at 12:00 minutes; the Council's voice vote rejecting Godfrey's knee-jerk proposal and instead approving a new comprehensive water rate study starts at 34:45; Mayor Godfrey's comments (wherein he expresses his "extreme disappointment," can be found at 39:01:
