Bad News for Boss Godfrey and Jon Greiner, Godfrey's Chief of Police. The Standard-Examiner is now reporting that federal Merit Systems Protection Board has rejected Chief Greiner's Hatch Act appeal. Here's Scott Schwebke's lede:
OGDEN — By a 2 to 1 vote, the federal Merit Systems Protection Board upheld a judge’s 2010 ruling that the city must remove Ogden Police Chief Jon Greiner or forfeit about $215,000 in federal grants because of a violation of the Hatch Act.Read the full story here:
Turns out that the Standard-Examiner was right. And Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff was wrong, of course, (as usual). Clearly, Greiner should have been cut loose and given his "walking papers" long ago.We don't know how much this frivolous appeal has cost Ogden City taxpayers since its filing in 2010, but you can bet the farm that it's a boatload of cash. Upper five figures (at least) would be our educated guess.
First item of business for Mayor-elect Mike Caldwell, once he takes the oath of office on Jan 3, 2012? Firing Chief Greiner, that's what. This Hatch Act litigation nonsense has gone on for WAY too long.
Mayor Caldwell now has an early opportunity to set the tone for his administration by simply doing what's right, and cutting the taxpayers' losses.
We'll obviously be watching closely, folks.
12 comments:
Well now we have an opportunity for a clean slate in Ogden. Getting rid of the Mayor Dip and the Chief/Senator Double Dip in one fell swoop. Hopefully Mayor elect Caldwell lets the Merit Board decision stand and does not waste taxpayer money on another frivolous appeal. It would certainly set the stage for a new tone in Ogden government.
Cleaning house is in order and this is only the tip of the iceberg. Just another one bites the dust! May Mike Caldwell have the smarts to end this once and for all.
The most interesting line from the article appears to have been edited out, to wit.
"The laws do not apply to me, and they never have," Ogden Mayor Godfrey
was quoted as saying. "These judges are all just naysayers. And so is
congress. And so is everyone, pretty much."
Incoming Mayor Caldwell says he has not yet formulated an opinion.
"I'll have to wait and see what my handlers tell me to do," he said. "I
know Greiner was popular with them, so I'm guessing we'll just pay the
fine and move on. I'm pretty much a clone of Godfrey anyway, since the
same people own me as him."
And now, in other news....
This looks like our first chance to see what kind of mayor Caldwell will be. Since it needs to be done by December 30 the right thing would be for Greiner to resign or Godfrey to dismiss him. The likelihood of either occurring is probably pretty small. But I do think we need to let mayor elect Caldwell know that as tax payers we do not want any more tax dollars wasted on this and we do not want to be out $215,000 in federal grant money.
considering the general disdai godfrey has for Ogden taxpayers do not expect Greiner to be relieved of duty. A more likely secenario is for Godfrey to attempt to extend Greiners employment by a administrative decision to make removing Greiner even more expensive than the fines imposed by the feds.
It's plain and Simple. Greiner should be shit-canned, PERIOD.
Bill C, I miss you man. Rock on!
Welcome back Bill C.
Bill died.
Maybe it's another Bill C. Did you think of that:? Probably not.
We know that!!
Speaking of handouts ...whats with John Watson getting rda tax credits...looking at the time frame it looks like he's getting them after he decided to expand...like he's going to bug out of town and buy new real estate and build new eithout 10 to 20k credits? What a waste of taxpayer money....he planned that exoansiinong ago. Now Westland and the rest will want to suck on the teat.
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