Standard-Examiner Editorial: Our View: Clumsy Commission Power Play - Updated

 Weber County Commission politics... clumsy grade-school GOP Party drama at its very worst?

We'll put the spotlight on the strong editorial in this morning's Standard-Examiner, zeroing in on the still simmering Weber County Commission "leadership" controversy, wherein Republican Commissioners  Kerry Gibson and Matthew Bell ditched a 20-year County Commission tradition, and inexplicably nixed their GOP colleague Jan Zogmeister's normal "rotation" to her reasonably anticipated 2014 commission chairmanship slot.  Here's the SE Editorial Board lede:

Weber County is witnessing a bit of political comedy, a power play in the Weber County Commission that is more bumbling than Machiavellian.
Two commissioners, Chairman Kerry Gibson and Commissioner Matt Bell, have rejected the tradition of allowing the current vice chairperson, Jan Zogmaister, to be the next chairman. By a 2-1 vote, Gibson was retained as commission chairman.
There was nothing illegal in the procedure. A tradition is not a law. However, this political drama between Republicans has the appearance of being an effort by Gibson and Bell to push Zogmaister out of the commission....
Frankly, the power play seems to have backfired. Zogmaister has received lots of support from the community, and Gibson and Bell are receiving heavy criticism for their move, which broke the chair-rotation tradition.

 Read the full editorial here:

• Our View: Clumsy commission power play

"[I]t was a ham-handed power play by Gibson and Bell, which frankly makes Zogmaister appear the most capable pol of the trio," opines the Standard-Examiner. Once again the Standard-Examiner "nails it."

Added bonus: Yes, as previously reported on Weber County Forum, veteran SE Cartoonist Cal Grondahl is back in harness, after a mercifully short hiatus, demonstrating the incalculable journalistic value of keeping our talented hometown graphic illustrator onboard to augment purely local SE stories and editorials.  This is the kind of hard-hitting "custom" material the SE editors definitely ain't gonna pluck off some national news-wire, folks:

Weber County Commission politics... clumsy grade-school GOP Party drama at its very worst?

Update 1/19/14 10:00 a.m.:  Even the Standard's boffo humor columnist is getting in on the act. "... if Weber County voters have a lick of sense, they'll see this Gibson-Bell gambit for what it is -- a cheap political power play -- and find a smart, capable woman to replace him this fall," says the suddenly saturnine Mark Saal:

• Boorish Weber commissioners are clumsy too

Don't let the cat get your tongues, O Gentle Readers.

Standard-Examiner: Weber Residents Prod for Motives Behind Commissioners' Power Play

Expect the fur to fly, folks, as we approach the 2014 General Election

Chewy morning story from the Standard-Examiner, concerning the arguably "bully-like" behavior of the "Good Ole Boy" faction of the Weber County Commission, as veteran reporter Cathy McKitrick digs in and reports how "[s]ome area residents took notice when Weber County Commissioners Matt Bell and Kerry Gibson bucked tradition last week and kept Gibson as chairman for one more year instead of giving Commissioner Jan Zogmaister her expected rotation." As always, Ms. McKitrick has done her homework:

• Weber residents prod for motives behind commissioners' power play

Also, as per usual, Gentle reader Bob Becker provides a savvy nutshell overview of the current status of the political firestorm that's erupted in the wake of this unfortunate "boys will be boys" incident:

"Why, how DARE you suggest I voted on gender grounds! I won't dignify that by replying." --- Bell and Gibson. Yeah. Right. That'll work.

Added bonus:  Here's a thumbnail collection of irate letters which have already been lodged on the Standard-Examiner website, authored by some of the folks interviewed by Ms. McKitrick in advance of  her above-linked story.:

• Power in the hands of two at commission seems dangerous
• We need an explanation for commissioners' behavior
• Commissioners' behavior not representative of citizens
• Commissioners Bell, Gibson may have own agendas
• Commissioners Bell, Gibson display bully behavior

And we're getting a "psychic vibe" that this is merely the "tip o' the iceberg."

Yep. Expect the fur to fly, as we approach the 2014 General Election, folks, inasmuch as "neoCON" Gibson and Bell have apparently already hand-picked another "Good Ole'Boy" to "fill" Ms. Zogmaister's Commission slot next November.

Ironically, Gibson will also stand for re-election in November, thus raising the question whether his domineering strategy will backfire, particularly if he's faced with a female challenger.

We would have been entirely spared this current political unpleasantness, of course, if Ms. Zogmaister had meekly "done as she was told," [wink,wink].

Suffice it to say we haven't witnessed such disarray and excitement concerning Weber County Commission politics since... well... forever.

Comments anyone? Eh, Ferris?

Standard-Examiner: Political Candidates' Workshop Tonight at Weber State

For those Utah lumpencitizens who do NOT believe that "women should be at home raising children in righteousness, and not prancing about the state capitol providing a different point of view to the old white males in suits who know what's best for us," we'd call this a "must-attend" event

We're delighted to provide a quick heads-up about tonight's Weber State University campus event, wherein WSU's Walker institute will host Real Women Run, Tuesday from 7 to 9 pm at the Hurst Center for Lifelong Learning Dumke Legacy Hall. The event is open to women and men interested in politics:

• Political candidates' workshop Tuesday night at Weber State

Among tonight's featured guest panelists will be Weber County Commissioner Jan Zogmaister, who's recently been subjcected to serious bullying behavior from the Weber County Gimmint "Good Ole Boys" Club.

Here's more from the WSU website:

• WSU Targets Women to Offer Election Training

As we should all be painfully aware, elected female leadership is in dismally short supply in our laughably patriarchal Utah body politik.

For those Utah lumpencitizens who do NOT believe that "[w]omen should be at home raising children in righteousness, not prancing about the state capitol providing a different point of view to the old white males in suits who know what's best for us," we'd call this a "must-attend" event.

We urge you to mark your calenders, plan to attend, and begin the task of leveling the playing field, folks.

Standard-Examiner: Weber County Breaks Tradition, Gibson Returns As Commission Chair

Gotta love all things Republican in Utah

By Ray

Looks like the Weber County "Good Ol' Boys" are alive and well as they deny Commissioner Jan Zogmeister her rotation as chairperson of the Commission.

• Weber County breaks tradition, Gibson returns as commission chair

That'll teach this "uppity" woman to try thinking for herself.

The more things change in Utah the more they remain the same.

Gotta love all things Republican in Utah.