Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Emerald City 5/30/12 News Roundup

A couple of Ogden City-related news items which we're linking, just so you won't think we were "goofing off" all morning

 Sorry folks, but we've been bogged down with personal business this morning, but have now found a couple of Ogden City related news items which we're linking, just so you won't think we were "goofing off" all morning:

1) Ogden City's Crack Economic Development Team scores BIG with yet another portion of a federal grant:
We'll suppose that Ogden City officials won't be weeping tears about that old GOP meme: "Get the federal government off our backs."

2) The Ogden City Council ain't all that bad, we say, despite their chickenshit stance in the recent Ogden City water rates debacle.

In that same vein, here's something from the Standard, reporting on something that's been a long time coming, as the Ogden Fire Department sat through Godfrey Administration stinginess (reign of terror) for twelve grueling years:
We'll be keeping our fingers crossed that the Ogden City Council will remember one of its prime objectives: Making our public safety a top flight priority.

The neglect of the Ogden City Fire Department has gone on for far too long, wethinks.

And what say you, O Gentle Ones?

18 comments:

Ray said...

Hey Rudi: Front page news in the Idaho Statesman: " IDAHO WON"T ALLOW FIVE WIVES" Regarding Ogdens Own Distillary and their Vodka "FIVE WIVES" and the fact the "offensive" to Mormans name is banned in Idaho. Sure glad that we're living up to the Utah North handle. Although Five Wives Vodka is legal in Utah. Go fiqure!

rudizink said...

 Here's what I think the real problem is Ray.  Look at the image from today's SE story:

Five ives Label

Silly and Tacky, methinks.

Dan S. said...

Hmmm. "Silly, childish, and tacky" could describe a lot of what goes on around here...

rudizink said...

We take our WCF readers as we find them, Dan.

Surely you must know this.

Dan S. said...

Oops, by "here" I didn't mean WCF--at least not specifically. I meant Ogden, Weber County, Utah, etc. Come to think of it, though, the comment could apply anywhere.

rudizink said...

 Glad to see you recognise, Dan, that WCF ain't the Harvard Debating Society :-)

OneWhoKnows2 said...

News of the day is Ogden needs new Fire Stations and Idaho doesn't need Ogden vodka!  Why I remember when Utah looked at Idaho as a lesser equal state, but now take a look and Idaho is more progressive than Utah.  If I could sell my house in Utah, I'd move to Coeur d' Alene and join the locals.  Thank God we have visionary lawmakers to keep us grounded and on the right track ???  AMEN

Bob Becker said...

Oh, I don't know, Rudi.  If the distiller had posed it, I'd probably agree with you. But it's a historic photo, not a studio shot, and that changes things a bit IMHO.  

In any case, like what the distiller is doing with the  Banned In Idaho matter:  sellting tee shirts saying  "Free the Five Wives" showing the picture with jail bars superimposed over it.  Snarky, and appropriate. 

rudizink said...

Good first point, Bob... and imagine how risque  and outrageous this illustration must have come off, back in the Victorian Era. Whoa!

JR Raskob said...

You know where the Ogden City could pick up some easy cash. Collect all the delinquent property taxes owed in the city by big business. These scofflaws don't pay their property taxes like the rest of us because the penalty and interest is so low. Have them pony up the money, and guess what?  We get new Fire Stations. 

Ogden Res said...

Ogden needs to close 3 of 6 fire stations, not upgrade them.

We have that many more fire stations than other cities of comparable size.

Ogden is a basket case because of wasteful, over-sized government.  This is one very costly example.

Firemanjoe said...

There are lots of cities that compare in size, show me one that runs 20,000 calls a year.

What is the proper staffing levels for this city?

When you start closing stations, what do you eliminate first-engines, ambulances or ladder trucks?

How much more are you willing to pay for insurance when the city's ISO rating drops?

rudizink said...

 Good to see you back Posting On WCF, Fireman Joe.  In the interim since Boss Godfrey exited stage left, we've witnessed a high degree of political apathy on WCF.

Thanks for logging in again and offering your enlightening comment.

The lumpencitizens of Ogden City must remain ever-vigilant, wethinks>/i>.

Thanks for chiming in on this!

Firemanjoe said...

re the neglect-just the increase in the OPD budget during the Godfrey years is bigger than the entire OFD budget, which never changed a penny.  They are both still training grounds for other agencies.

Ogden Res said...

 Somebody I knew took an ambulance ride.  Not life threatening - it was something like $1500, from a taxpayer funded service.

For that kind of money, it should be privatized and competitively bid.  Get rid of ambulance, and the calls you cite will be far less.

Then, close three stations and surplus the equipment. 

You asked.

But not to worry.  The chickens on the city council and the absentee mayor will never do any of it.  They need your votes.  It's politics at its worst.

I'm sure you are all nice guys.  But the staffing levels everywhere in this city are absurd and have been for decades.  Nobody has the sand to do anything about it. 

Sleep well.  It will not change.

Firemanjoe said...

Res-Ambulance rates are set by the state, there are three levels, BLS, ALS and Gold Cross rates.  Guess which one is most expensive?  Which one is also private?  Godfrey tried for 12 years  to privatize the fire department but every bid was far more than the $9,000,000 the city pays now.

blackrulon said...

You do realize that by responding to Ogden Res with facts and true costs you are hurting his rant induced feelings

OneWhoKnows2 said...

News of the day is Ogden needs new Fire Stations and Idaho doesn't need Ogden vodka!  Why I remember when Utah looked at Idaho as a lesser equal state, but now take a look and Idaho is more progressive than Utah.  If I could sell my house in Utah, I'd move to Coeur d' Alene and join the locals.  Thank God we have visionary lawmakers to keep us grounded and on the right track ???  AMEN

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