Standard-Examiner: St. Anne's in Search of $7M for New Shelter

No doubt about it; we crack ourself up! Are we funny as hell... or what?

Okay, after significant dunning, and by popular request, we're putting up this Standard-Examiner story, which reports that no-holds-barred fundraising will soon occur in connection with BOSS Godfrey's St. Anne's Shelter Project:

• St. Anne's in search of $7M for new shelter

It's reported that "Allan and Kay Lipman, of Ogden," "are heading up a capital campaign to raise the rest of the funds."

Just to be helpful, we'll post this important info, just in case "the Lipmans" are reading this. Here's by far Ogden City's most reliable project donor list, AFAWC:

• Breaking News: Godfrey Releases List of Potential Fieldhouse Donors - UPDATED

No doubt about it; we crack ourself up... and so what say you about "all dat"?

Added Bonus Query: Are we funny as hell... or what?

Emerald City Monday Morning News Roundup

Plenty to talk about this morning; so don't hesitate to chime in with your own 2¢.

Several interesting pieces online this morning via the Northern Utah print media:

1) Here's an informative Cathy McKitrick story this morning from the Salt Lake Tribune, reporting in detail some of the planned improvements on the slate for the new St. Anne's Shelter:

• Current Ogden shelter too cramped, new digs in the works

Once again the Tribune is the johnny on the spot to report the more interesting developments in our town.

2) For those readers who don't subscribe to the Standard-Examiner, here's David Smith's letter to the Standard, which was published in the hard copy edition this morning on the editorial page:

• Envision Ogden antics resemble money laundering

It's encouraging, we think, for the Standard to accept and publish public criticism for its dawdling on the Envision Ogden story. Kudos to David Smith for helping to keep the story in public view.

3) And last but not least we'll shine the spotlight on this Stephen M. Cook letter (available online only), which will provide regular WCF readers a strong sense of deja vu:

• Downtown trolley doesn't run as advertised

Another of our gentle readers had urged Livin' Downtown to submit his disappointing faux trolley experience to the Standard; and we're delighted to see WCF regular Stephen ditched his anonymous handle and followed up on this.

That's it for now gentle readers.

Plenty to talk about this morning. Don't hesitate to chime in with your own 2¢.

Important Council/RDA Sessions Set For This Evening - UPDATED

A full slate of important items are on the various agendas

Here's a heads up concerning this evening's RDA and city council sessions, wherein the Council/RDA has a full slate of important items on the various agendas:

The council will first meet at 5:00 p.m. for a study session, followed by a 6:00 RDA meeting and a City Council session following immediately thereafter. Among the items to be considered by the Council/RDA bodies will be these matters, which have been extensively discussed on Weber County Forum at various times in the recent past:

1) Proposed Property Conveyance by Donation to St. Anne’s Center, Inc. Proposed Resolution 2010-14, determining the adequacy of consideration to be received for City Property at 3300 South and Pacific Avenue. (Adopt/not adopt resolution.
2) East Washington Urban Renewal Project Area Plan. Proposed Ordinance 2010-30, Adopting the Urban Renewal Project Area Plan dated June 21, 2010 and entitled East Washington Urban Renewal Project Area Plan. (Adopt/not adopt ordinance.
3) Fiscal Year 2010-2011 Budget and Capital Improvement Plan Amendment. Proposed Ordinance 2010-29, amending the budget and Capital Improvement Plan for the Fiscal Year July 1, 2010 to June 30, 2011 by increasing the anticipated revenues and transfers for gross increases of $3,321,379 from sources as detailed in the body of this ordinance; increasing the appropriations for a gross increase of $3,321,379 as detailed in the body of this ordinance; reallocating Capital Improvement Funds for improvements to the Union Station.

The pertinent Council/RDA packets are available for viewing here:

• City Council Study Session Public Meeting Agenda Packet
• Redevelopment Agency Agenda Packet

Pertinent WCF background information for Item #1 can be found here; and our discussion of item #3, which involves (among other things) allocation of $564,000 for the Leshemville demolition, can be reviewed here.

We'd also like to direct particular attention to Item #2, a subject which has also received considerable attention here on WCF. Despite dire national economic conditions, Boss Godfrey's East Washington Urban Renewal Project Area Plan seems to be nevertheless moving forward at full steam; and it appears that the council may be leaning toward taking the crucial step of approving the plan and related budget tonight. As to this latter item, we'll be hoping that the council will act with due caution and prudence. Now is NOT the time, as we've said before, to enter into another risky multi-million dollar urban renewal project. Hopefully, if the Council does take the bait, and approves the East Washington Urban Renewal Project Area Plan, our City Council will have the wisdom to inform Boss Godfrey that plan approval does not provide our eager little borrow-and-spend mayor a green light for another round of reckless bonding.

We'll keep this thread open for any readers who'd like to submit post meeting reports; and we would of course be delighted if any reader might be willing (dare we hope) to live blog.

That's it for now, gentle readers. We'll keep the lights on and wait to see how it all shakes out.

Update 8/25/10 8:15 a.m.: Ace Reporter Schwebke offers this brief post-meeting story, reporting that the RDA/ Council took the bait, and approved the East Washington Urban Renewal Project Area Plan, by a slim 4-3 vote:

• City officials OK urban renewal plan for four-block downtown Ogden area

Curiously, Mr. Schwebke reports that the urban renewal plan "includes language that prevents the RDA from using eminent domain to obtain property in the Project Plan Area;" yet our own examination of enabling ordinance 2010-30 (see City Council Study Session Public Meeting Agenda Packet) reveals these explicit provisions:

Section 6. Acquistion of Property. The condemnation of real property is provided for in the Project Area Plan. The agency may acquire real property within the Project Area by the use of the power of eminent domain, in accordance with the applicable principles of law.

Thus we're left in a condition of extreme cognitive dissonance, wondering whether a) Mr. Schwebke muffed his report, or b) the Council RDA amended the proposed ordinance to remove the power of eminent domain from the final Project Area Plan.

Perhaps one of our readers who attended last night's meeting can set the record straight on this aggravating discrepancy.

The Salt Lake Tribune reports that the Council also approved the donation of the five acre parcel to the St. Anne's Shelter:

• Ogden accepts land for shelter

No word yet on the proposed allocation of funds toward the Leshemville demolition.

Standard-Examiner: Ogden to Decide on Donation of Land for Shelter

A pattern of back room decision-making with our current council which resembles that of the infamous Gang of Six Council of 2005?

The Standard-Examiner reports this morning on the latest development in the St.Anne's Shelter standoff. Here's the story lede:

OGDEN -- The city council may decide Tuesday night whether it's in the public's best interest to donate about five acres of municipal property to St. Anne's Center for construction of a multimillion-dollar homeless shelter.
Last week Mayor Matthew Godfrey agreed to convey land at 33rd Street and Pacific Avenue to St. Anne's, contingent on the city council determination that the donation serves the public.

Read the full story here:

• Ogden to decide on donation of land for shelter

Interesting case of mission creep here. Whereas St. Anne's and the Administration were talking about a "land swap" a little more than a year ago, this project has now morphed into a "land grant," whereby the five acre 33rd Street and Pacific Avenue target property would be transferred free and clear by the Ogden City taxpayers to St. Anne's via a charitable donation. Under terms of the agreement spelled out in this morning's Scott Schwebke story, St. Anne's will hold onto the old Wall Avenue property, and lease it out to provide further St. Anne's revenue.

Gotta hand it to the St. Anne's Board of Directors, who've apparently cut a sweet deal which even puts Friend of Matt Gadi Leshem to shame. Looks like its a done deal with the city council too, if we are to believe council spokesman Janene Eller-Smith:

The City council supports the donation to St. Annes's, said Janene Eller-Smith, a council analyst.

We don't know whether this arrangement is a good idea or not; but we will express our displeasure with the city council, which appears to have signed onto this plan without any public comment or deliberation. Maybe its just us, but we'd like to register our concern that we may be seeing a pattern of back room decision-making with our current council which resembles that of the infamous Gang of Six Council of 2005. That council operated with limited transparency and thus produced results that didn't work out well. We thus hope we're not seeing a true recurrence of that pattern here.

Wednesday Morning Emerald City News Roundup

Four interesting story selections per gentle reader Ray

By Ray

Several interesting items in the Standard this AM. The first, Trentelman's article, in which it would appear St. Anne's has prevailed and rebuffed the Godfrey attempt to make the most political hay out of the proposed relocation. Perhaps we need the St Anne's board members on the city council as they seem to be able to control the Mayor's machine.

In addition, a back page 4B blurb that states the Weber County Commissioners unanimously voted to appeal the the 2nd District Court order regarding appointment of the Powder Mountain Town government.

I may quibbling but:

Is it me or do others notice in the Standard-Ex that Rob Bishop is always "blasting" something when it comes to President Obama? Such as the story with today's inset on the front page, "Bishop blasts Obama's "poor decisions... with our space program" It may be the proper word but seems as though they could come up with a different one from a thesaurus? However, I can conjure up an image of Bishop with that always pained expression on his face with him "blasting" Obama.

And lastly, in the Newsbeat Column the headline reads "WSU to feature former HUD worker" in describing former US HUD director, Henry Cisneros regarding his upcoming visit to WSU. I guess he did work at HUD but by the headline it could be a janitor appearing. If former President Bush was appearing would it say "WSU to feature former White House worker" I doubt it...

Boss Godfrey Again Puts the Cart before the Horse

Godfrey announces St. Anne's Center groundbreaking ceremony; St Anne's Board responds, "Slow Down, Mr. Mayor"

By Curmudgeon

They're at it again! The Godfrey administration is trying to give the St. Anne's Center the bums rush out of downtown, and just as happened before, the St.Anne's Board is not sitting still for it. [Charle's Trentelman's story can be found here:

• Moving time for St. Anne's?

It's quite a tale reporter Trentelman has to tell. Seems Hizzonah, Mayor Godfrey and his gaggle have announced a ground breaking ceremony for a new St. Anne's Center to be built out of downtown. Only problem is, St. Anne's Center says its way too early for a ground breaking ceremony, and they're not going to show until they have a signed agreement with the city about the move, which they don't have yet. From the story:

The city and the directors of St. Anne's Center agree it is time to move the homeless shelter from central Ogden to a location on Pacific Avenue, but St. Anne's officials are resisting a city effort to hold an Oct. 14 groundbreaking until they have details in writing.

The Administration notified the Standard-Examiner that the ground breaking ceremony would take place, that it's inviting the Lt. Governor, and that it has "a major donor" to help build the new St. Anne's --- nameless of course --- "already on board." [We can only hope it's not the same nameless donor who the Administration said was on board with the money for the ice tower, only it turned out, he wasn't.]

It seems the Administration announced the groundbreaking ceremony without bothering to inform, much less invite, the St.Anne's Board. From the story:

Asked about the groundbreaking, several St. Anne's officials, including Graham Lovelady, treasurer of the board of directors, said the board didn't know anything about it.

Mayor Godfrey's CAO, Mr. Patterson, insisted however "it was all still going to happen." [He didn't quite say "Liar! Liar! Pants on fire!" to the St. Anne's Board. Not quite.]

Trentelman reports that the St.Anne Board held "an emergency meeting Wednesday night" and "voted to tell Ogden to slow down." The Board wants "a signed memorandum of understanding before it proceeds." [Seems the St. Anne's Board has learned the hard way, as have the rest of us, that the Mayor's word is no good. We want it in writing, the Board insists. Smart people.] What must the signed agreement include? This, say's St. Annes: "basic stuff like, here's what we're going to do and here's what we expect the city to do. And it will include things about the land swap."

A spokesperson for the St. Anne's Board put the matter so plainly, it's possible even the Mayor and Mr. Patterson [both out of town yesterday] might understand it: "We're not going to be pushed into something if we're not ready."

There is much else in the story about the history of St. Anne's in Ogden, and the history of its relations with the Godfrey Administration. All well worth reading.

But you would think after finally wiping the egg off its face for its last grand announcement of an agreement with St. Anne's about its moving to 12th Street when it hadn't agreed at all, the Administration would have learned something. Apparently not. What it has not learned yet, evidently, is that "agreements" involve the cooperation of all parties involved, not just the Mayor.

Good story. Good work by the SE. Hope we see more of it.

Is a St. Anne's Land Swap In The Works?

Another baby step step forward toward fulfillment of another twisted Boss Godfrey obsession

In the interest of keeping the discussion moving along this morning, we'll direct our readers' attention to an item appearing on page 2B of the Top of Utah section, reporting that the council adopted an ordinance at last night's meeting which could possibly pave the way for that St. Anne's Shelter land swap, which has been a focus of Mayor Matthew "Blessed Whitebread" Godfrey's obsession for the past several years. Scott Schwebke's opening paragraphs provide the gist:

OGDEN — The city council adopted an ordinance Tuesday night that may enable the construction of a $10 million apartment complex in West Ogden for the homeless served by St. Anne’s Center.
The ordinance, which amends the city’s municipal code, allows low-income multiple-unit housing in manufacturing zones provided it’s part of a campus or in the same building as a homeless shelter.
In addition, the ordinance requires that counseling and other lifestyle services be offered at the campus.
The ordinance is tied to a proposal from Mayor Matthew Godfrey calling for the city to give St. Anne’s about 2 1/2 acres at 33rd Street and Pacific Avenue, zoned manufacturing, for the construction of new shelter, said John Patterson, the city’s chief administrative officer.
Under Godfrey’s proposal, St. Anne’s, in exchange for the Pacific Avenue property, would give the city the land that houses its existing shelter at 137 W. Binford St.

Here's the full Scott Schwebke writeup:

• New ordinance clears way for possible St. Anne’s move

Unlike the last unfortunate go-round, Mr. Schweke's story indicates that the St. Anne's board of directors won't be completely blind-sided by a proposal to move St. Anne's and its homeless clients out of sight (and out of mind) this time, although Ogden CAO John "Pureheart" Patterson does frankly admit that this latest effort to whisk St. Anne's off to the Ogden boonies still isn't exactly what you'd call "a done deal":

"St. Anne’s board of directors has not yet agreed to the land swap proposal, said Patterson, who estimated it would cost the organization about $4 million to build a new homeless shelter."

Inasmuch as St. Anne's will need to come up with multi-millions in dollars to build a new facility, logic dictates the query, where will the construction money come from? Sounds like a big nut to crack, for a charitable institution which serves the homeless. But what do we know? We're just a cranky blogger, after all, with a mere 30 years experience in real estate finance. Perhaps St. Anne's has a money tree growing out there somewhere, for all we know.

We''ll therefore continue to watch the St. Anne's story as it develops; but we certainly won't hold our breath waiting for an early upcoming announcement that the City and St. Anne's have entered into a binding agreement.

That's it for now. And yes, we do recognise that yesterday's blockbuster article is "a tough act to follow." But time marches on ineluctably, dunnit?

You're all welcome to chime in with your own 2¢ on the latest manifestion of the St. Anne's topic nevertheless.

Emerald City Saturday News Roundup

A reminder of tonight's Peery's Egyptian Theater birthday bash; and there's word of a new Godfrey scheme to move Ogden's poor folks to "the boondocks"

Once again it's a slow news Saturday, but we believe there are still a couple of local news items in this morning's Standard-Examiner worthy of note.

1) We'd like to once again provide a reminder of tonight's Peery's Egyptian Theater 85th Anniversary event. The Standard-Examiner carries a new story this morning which, among other things, touts tonight's premiere of a Standard-Examiner documentary on the 75-year history of Ogden's Pioneer Days celebrations. Read all about it here:

• Ogden's Pioneer Days video premiere tonight

As an added bonus, this story also reels off a list of other Ogden Pioneer Days-related events which will be happening in and around Ogden today, in which connection we'll highlight one listed civic function which might be interesting for those of you who might be ambling around the Union Station area early in the afternoon:

French Merci Boxcar rededication
1 p.m. at Union Station, 2501 Wall Ave.; free admission; permanent display of boxcar sent by French to the U.S. as a thank-you for aid after World War II.

We're singling out this because we received some interesting background info on the subject, via an email from one of our alert and gentle readers:

Council Chair Amy Wicks will accept for the from the Union Station Foundation an old refurbished box car. Look for two U.S. flags flying and you will find the box car. The Foundation has received a couple of grants to help with refurbishing and placing the box car (the oldest railroad car at Union Station). RAMP Funds have been received for a roof to cover and protect it from the weather. A program and ceremony have been planned for the occasion. The public is invited.
(Note: The Mayor flatly turned down the offer to accept the box car for the City, and said that none of his staff were available either.)

We'd like to offer Councilwoman Wicks a hearty Weber County Forum Tip O' The Hat, for stepping up on behalf of Ogden City, to mitigate what appears to have been another hubris-filled Godfrey snub. While good manners are in apparent short supply up on the ninth floor of City Hall, we're always delighted to observe the constant graciousness of City Council members such as Amy.

If you make over to the Union Station ceremony at 1:00, be sure to give Amy the thumbs up.

2) Once again, the Standard-Examiner announces the latest news in re Boss Godfrey's obsession to rid the downtown Ogden area of "unsightly poor folks. " Yes, Ace Reporter Schwebke reports that once again, Boss Godfrey is working on a scheme to move the St. Anne's Center to the "boonies." Unlike the last go-round however, it appears that at least one member of St. Anne's management team may actually be "on board," at least in concept. Here's Mr. Schwebke's full story, for those who'd like to read up. Strangely, this is the top front page story in the Std-Ex hardcopy edition; but it somehow didn't make it to the Std-Ex "Live" website:

• Ogden, shelter deal in works

And yes... Boss Godfrey's crackpot velodrome scheme is also mentioned by Mr. Schwebke:

That's it for now, gentle readers.

Don't let the cat get your tongues.

The Continuing Adventures of the Bumbling Boss Godfrey

Emerald City administration shoots itself in the foot again

By Curmudgeon

The Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight [aka The Godfrey Administration] draws its weapon yet again, and shoots itself in the foot yet again. The Standard Examiner reports this morning on yet another series of Administration bungles. Here is Mr. Schwebke's lede:

OGDEN -- The head of St. Anne's Center says she's been informed by a city official that the block housing the homeless shelter is being considered for a proposed $15.2 million velodrome. "I wasn't surprised," Jennifer Canter, executive director of St. Anne's, said Wednesday. She declined to identify the official.

How did we learn that the city is looking at St. Anne's and thinking "Velodrome!"? Good question. Mr. Schwebke answers it:

A clue that the city is considering property in the vicinity of St. Anne's for the velodrome is found in its Jan. 30 application for $2 million over four years in Weber County RAMP funds....
The city's original RAMP application lists the proposed location for the velodrome as 2675 Wall Ave., which Canter said is the block where St. Anne's is located.

Then we learn that the address the city included in its RAMP application... ah... well, it doesn't exist. From the story:

Patterson said the address doesn't exist and shouldn't have been included in the RAMP application, since the city is considering three locations for the velodrome within walking distance of the intermodal hub at 23rd Street and Wall Avenue. Some people have associated the address in the original RAMP grant application with St. Anne's Center even though it's different from the shelter's address, Patterson said.
"It's regrettable that there was a listing of any address before property was acquired," he said while declining to disclose whether St. Anne's land is being considered for the velodrome. "It makes it difficult to acquire property at a reasonable price."

And what has Hizzonah to say about hot the address [which doesn't exist but seems, his staff agrees, to target St. Anne's anyway], got into the RAMP application in the first place? Well, Hizzonah hasn't a clue, he says, what his staff did on the matter or why. Again from Mr. Schwebke's story:

Godfrey said he's unsure why the 2675 Wall Ave. address was included in the RAMP grant application.

The story is well worth reading in full. It calls to mind Casey Stengel's woeful lament as he tried to manage the hapless first year New York Mets: "Can't anybody here play this game?"

Good question.

St. Anne's Shelter Back on the Emerald City Discussion Front-burner

Changes are afoot for the Emerald City homeless, according to this morning's Standard-Examiner

Two interesting Charles Trentelman pieces in this morning's Standard-Examiner, concerning Emerald City's St. Anne's Shelter. The first of these deals with administrative changes enacted by new shelter director, Jennifer Canter, which, in a nutshell, represent an abandonment of the shelter's heretofore "traditional flophouse format." We incorporate Mr. Trentelman's lede paragraphs below:

OGDEN — People who hop off a freight and need a place to spend the night can still do so at St. Anne’s Center, but they shouldn’t be surprised if the reception is a bit more bureaucratic than it used to be.
If they want to hang around for a few days, they have to follow more rules, tolerate procedures that are more strict and face a frostier welcome.
That’s intentional, said Jennifer Canter, the executive director of the center since September.
Canter is the third director in as many years at St. Anne’s — the fourth if you count ReAnne Hart, the interim director for most of last year who is still on staff as a case manager.
Canter, a member of the West Haven City Council, took over at St. Anne’s, which is still trying to recover from the confusion and discord inevitable from so many changes in leadership.
In addition to bureaucratic discord, she’s dealing with a massive change in the way homeless people are helped in Utah. Adoption by Utah of a 10-year plan to do away with homelessness means the end of the traditional “flophouse” format of shelter.

Charlie's second article partly reprises last year's Godfrey administration theme, i.e, moving St. Anne operations out of Ogden's downtown to a 12th Street location. Unlike last year's discussion, however, the administration's "vision" now seems to have been substantially pared-down. Whereas Ogden City CEO John Patterson was wild about moving the entire St. Anne's operation last year, Ogden City administration officals are now merely talking about a 12th Street facility for the "chronic homeless."

Last year we called for a full and open discussion of the St. Anne's Shelter dilemma. It appears that discussion has now finally begun.

And what say our gentle readers about all this?

Emerald City Council Hoodwinked Again

SE Scores Scoop on St. Anne's Story

By Curmudgeon

Now this is a newspaper hitting on all eight cylinders. The Standard-Examiner has a front page story by Scott Schwebke revealing that the St. Anne's board is "not on board" with the move, that it has not told the Godfrey administration that it favors the move or even that it can carry it out successfully, and that it has pretty much been caught off guard by the city's asking for a $1 million state subsidy to pay for part of the move.

Two passages are particularly telling. Here's one: "The council placed the request on the list after being assured by Ogden Chief Administrative Officer John Patterson that the St. Anne's board is supportive of the building project."

Here's the other: "City Councilwoman Amy Wicks, who has asked Patterson several times for guarantees that St. Anne's board supports the project, said the proposal may have to be removed from the city's legislative wish list."

One of the St. Anne's people noted that there is as yet nothing for the board to indicate it favors, since there is as yet "no proposal" on the table. [Hmmmm... sound familiar? The administration claiming support for and asking for action on a proposal that does not yet exist...? Imagine that.]

Looks like Mr. Patterson and the Godfrey administration [aka The Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight] has managed to reprise its stirling performance in the Shupe-Williams property sale matter, where it assured the Council the sale was a done deal, the Council approved the sale only to discover the the people the council had approved selling to didn't want to buy the property. And now, the Godfrey administration has assured the Council the St. Anne's board is fully on board and committed to the move, the Council on that assurance adds a million dollar grant to it's lobbyist's want list at the legislature, only to discover that what the administration had told it is not so.

We have to start wondering, and I hope the members of the Council are now wonder, how many times the Godfrey administration is going to hang them out to dry, is going to assure them of "facts" that are not facts, to give them guarantees as a means of urging the council to action that turn out to be worthless. Why would anyone take the Godfrey administration's word, delivered through its spokesmen like Mr. Patterson, as good any more?

Finally, kudos to the SE and Mr. Schwebke for this morning's story. Damn fine work, seems to me. Damn fine work.

Out of Sight; Out of Mind

The Godfrey Administration Offers Emerald City's Homeless a Helping Hand

By Dan S.

Amazing article in today's Standard-Examiner about how the city wants to move St. Anne's homeless shelter out of downtown, to west 12th Street.

It's amazing not because this comes as a surprise, but because they have the audacity to suggest that the homeless should all walk from downtown out to west 12th Street and back every day.

The article (by Scott Schwebke) does a great job pointing out how ridiculous this is (12th Street doesn't even have sidewalks), and includes a terrific quote from John Patterson explaining how the purpose isn't to try to get the homeless out of downtown, it's to give them "a helping hand."

I suppose Patterson will also be offering them rides in his city-subsidized automobile?

Comments?