Wednesday, August 08, 2012

Wednesday Morning Ogden City News Roundup - Updated

Ogden City weirdly gets set to ban profane language; and Box Elder County "ponies up" for its new "heretofore secret jobs creation weapon"

Amidst what we'd otherwise characterize as yet another slow news day, we'll shine the spotlight on a couple of news interesting items appearing in this morning's Standard-Examiner which nevertheless believe to be at least somewhat worthy of note:

1) Under a banner headline on the S-E front page this morning, we're greeted with this interesting story, indicating that our Ogden Recreation Division, perhaps feeling a mite under-utilized since the January departure of administrative department slave-driver Mayor Boss Godfrey, is setting forth on an ambitious project of its own, i.e., to clean up the "potty mouth" in Ogden City-owned parks, playgrounds or other recreational facilities:
Implementing such an ordinance will be easier said than done of course, inasmuch as any attempt by City Public Services Director Jay Lowder to regulate free speech runs the risk of stepping on the pesky  First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which explicitly "prohibits the making of any law...abridging the freedom of speech."  So in our never ending effort to keep our WCF readers informed of the operative issues, we'll present a couple of background First Amendement legal online resources which frame somewhat neatly what the Ogden City Council might -- and might not be able to lawfully do in the realm of anti-profanity legislation:
We'll be following this story as it develops, and wish the language-prudish  Mr. Lowder luck, noting the broad operative rule in American constitutional jurisprudence, that "[o]n its face, profane language is generally not a punishable form of speech. The exceptions discussed above are narrow in scope."

2) As a followup to Saturday's WCF article, which we characterized a "bad news for the Northern Utah jobs picture," the Standard carries another related story this morning, reporting on the bleak "jobs crisis" in Box Elder County, which had already "lost nearly 1,000 manufacturing jobs and about 300 public-sector jobs," even prior to last week's devastating ATK Space Systems NASA contract snub.

Not to worry, lumpencitizens of  Box Elder County.  Help is on the way.  According to this morning's S-E story, Box Elder County officials have appropriated a fair-sized wad of dough... and to top it all off, they have a heretofore secret jobs creation weapon!  Click the link below to learn all about it:
Yesiree folks! Looks like former Ogden Mayor Boss Godfrey has finally landed a lucrative public sector project, under the moniker Better Cities, now that he's all fully set up as a consultant in the private sector:
Bonus question: Whatever happened to Godfrey's other company, American Municipal Consultants, which he formed a mere six or so months ago? It had an awfully short shelf life, or so it seems to us.

The floor's open for any WCF readers who'd like to help us out with any of the above.

Update 8/9/12 7:48 a.m.: One sharp-eyed reader informs us privately that Godfrey is beefing up his staff, and that he's also taken his his Bozo Act to Provo City:
Plainly said, now that Godfrey's "entered the private sector,"he's not letting any grass grow under his "tiny size 4-aaa feet."

Sodden query: Under what circumstances, if any, would Godfrey's representation of multiple municipalities along the Wasatch Front constitute a conflict of interest?

25 comments:

googlegirl said...

 Demolition Man - All the Swearing and Getting Fined Parts (UPDATED!)

googlegirl said...

Demolition Man - All the Swearing and Getting Fined Parts

Smaatguy said...

Oh for the love of Pete are you F%#&ing  Sh*#%ing me!  What are they gonna come up with a list like this...  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NL3bRyFrrG8 

As for Box Elder County....are you F%#&ing  Sh*#%ing me!

As for old Matty should be interesting to see how he is going to bring all these jobs to all these local communities that pony up for his enlightened use of public money ...what's he going to do get companies to move from Weber County to Box Elder? 
Would love to see thier plan of action on this...without spending MORE taxpayer dollars....

Thought we had a great manufacturing environment here in Weber County...talk about flushing a 100k down the toilet....and as a America First Credit Union Member I'm not all too happy about them chippin' in on this....thought they were "all about the members"  ....

also...as far as this being a "public-private partnership...exactly how much is private money?....more draggin on the govt teat me thinks....

Smaatguy said...

Might want to clean my post up Rudi...I was venting  :)

Smaatguy said...

Ok...the guru website is utterly nausiating...what's funny is that there is NO mention of Ogden City...they refer to a town of 82,000...a run down railroad town....ect ect...but have pics of the city throughout....makes one wonder why.....hmmmmm

FarmBoy said...

What's really apparent here?

The Box Elder County "Elders" are blindly buying Godfrey's story that he's a "job creator."

Of course what every diligent WCF reader already knows by now, looking at the stats,  is  that Godfrey was NEVER  a "net" job creator" when he was the Mayor of Ogden.

Our sincere sympathies go out to Box Elder County officials, and the lumpencitizens there, who apparently didn't do their due diligence  research, and are ready to gulp the Godfrey  KoolAide.

rudizink said...

 No way, Samaatguy!  Once again you "hit the nail"squarely on the head, as always...

OneWhoKnows2 said...

I would have bet Godfrey would head south to Utah County after fleecing the fine citizens of Ogden.  But the tricky little buggar, headed north.  I didn't see that one coming.  Give me $100 grand and I'll teach you Grant Writing 101.  The only way this guy will ever leave is to receive a calling on a church mission, or join his buddies in the State pen.  Eithet is acceptable.

blackrulon said...

It  does see  that the only job "Job creator" Matthew Godfrey creates is one for himself. I fear for the continued publication of the Standard Examiner. It appears that there are no subscribers in Box Elder County.

Smaatguy said...

HOLD THE PHONE FOLKS!!!!

Here's whats going on in Morgan County.... "we have a developer ready to go.,..we can't tell you who, but we need you to put in all the infrastructure...ect ect ect....Groundhog day no?



http://morgannewspaper.com/article/como-springs-hotel

Smaatguy said...

The river restoration project carries a price tag of $3 million, most of which will be paid for by a grant secured by Godfrey from the EDA.  Ummm...and the cost of "securing" that is????

Smaatguy said...

Now where have we heard this????

“I have two people who will build the hotel, people willing to invest in the community,” said Godfrey, who is not at liberty to release the names.  “They need to see the county’s commitment.”

Jen Philion said...

From the bettercity website:

"During his time as mayor the city of 82,000 they recruited over $1.2
billion of investment, revitalized more than 130 acres of the downtown
and built nearly 1 million square feet of new office space, revitalized
many neighborhoods and reduced crime by 33% in a ten year span"

Perhaps I can convince them that they need to add a high-priced editor to their team of "the best from around the country" ...

Smaatguy said...

Looks like Provo is in on the action....just look at all that money the City is going to rake in...we shoudl do this in Ogden!  oh....wait....

http://provo.org/userfiles/downloads/council/2012_06_05_work_session_final.pdf

blackrulon said...

Is this the same Matthew Godfrey who in the fal of 2010 came down from his office to speak to a Tea party rally being held at the Municipal building? The same matthew Godfrey who spoke to the assembled group about the need to control the expanding federal deficit and getting federal spending controlled? The same Matthew Godfrey who now makes his living advising local governments on how to qualify for federal funds?

BikerBabe said...

The before/after pics on the one website don't exactly match each other either.

JS

BB

BikerBabe said...

What in the Hell does Grow the Pie mean?

Anybody?

Grow the Pie?

BB

BikerBabe said...

"For those of us who have actually baked pies ..."

HAH!

BB

Ogden Res said...

I say let surrounding cities dump all the money they want on Godfrey.  It will impede growth in the long run, as it always has in Ogden.

On the swearing ordnance, I'm for it.  I do not allow swearing in my rentals.  If you want to swear, live somewhere else.  If you want to go the the park, control your language.  Solomon had a lot to say about controlling the tongue.

Ogden Res said...

I can't help but say one more thing.

I am on a first name basis with both former Ogden Mayor Matt Godfrey, and with current Brigham City Mayor Dennis Fife.

I have this personal comment to make.

"Hey Matt, you're a freaking genius nailing Dennis like this.  After you take him for his $100,000 ride, take him for another one!"

Smaatguy said...

With you on the swearing...just not some government control of it....where does the line get drawn...is "heck" "jeez" going to be part of it and what will be next to control, what we have for breakfast?

Smaatguy said...

Conflicts of interest?..hmmmmm.....how about the "we have a developer or whoever" waiting in the wings, but we cannot tell you who it is..."   might those same entities that cannot be spoken of be used for multiple cities?....might this put cities in a bidding war to attrach said mystery entities...might said entities be FOM???  just some Saturday morning musings....

rudizink said...

 Exactly...

Smaatguy said...

Ponzi?

rudizink said...

Ya think, LOL?

Post a Comment

© 2005 - 2014 Weber County Forum™ -- All Rights Reserved