Standard-Examiner: Weber Commission OKs Roy Library Contract

All's well that ends well, we guess

Good news for Weber County Library expansion proponents this morning, as Standard-Examiner reporter Cathy McKitrick delivers this morning's encouraging story. Despite earlier murmurings to the contrary, it appears the the voter-approved Weber County Library project is now back on track. Here's the lede:

Weber County commissioners unanimously approved a $16.4 million contract Tuesday with R&O Construction for the building of a new headquarters library branch in Roy.
But not without getting an earful first.
For over an hour, residents from all over the county filed to the microphone to either urge their elected officials to proceed with the Library’s $45 million five-year capital plan approved by voters last June or to limit spending and dilute the planned projects in scope and purpose.
That flood of fired-up folks stemmed from recent unfounded rumors, Commissioner Matthew Bell told those in attendance Tuesday.
“Never once were we against building libraries, never once did we try to slow the process up,” said Bell, who has been a vocal opponent of the $45 million bond for more than a year.
Bell told the audience that the “third-space” Roy project will move forward.

Read the full story here:

• Weber commission OKs Roy library contract

A Weber County Forum Tip of the Hat to Commissioners Gibson and Zogmeister for their wisdom in arguing and voting in favor of the will of the voters of Weber County:

“I think I speak for members of the Library Board of Trustees, Friends of the Library and others, that we have had a lot of debate over a lot of these projects,” [Weber County Commissioner] Gibson told Friday’s crowd. “But I think it has been good, positive debate, and I’m happy today to announce that it’s my belief that we are of one vision as we move forward in completing and finishing these projects.”
During Tuesday’s session, Gibson said “it’s wise for an elected body to do what the public tells us to do. It’s a good thing . . . and we’re elected by that same majority.”
At Tuesday’s session, Commissioner Jan Zogmaister, who serves on the Library Board and recently lost her re-election bid for the GOP nomination when 67 percent of about 600 Republican delegates voted against her at their April convention, credited her commission colleagues with negotiating successfully to move the Roy project forward.
“I too fully respect and intend to honor the vote that’s been taken,” Zogmaister said, adding that she expects everyone to come together with that same respect for the process.
“If you don’t like a process, change the process — but until it’s changed, respect it,” Zogmaister said.

And kudos to Commissioner Bell, for (belatedly at least) listening to the voices of reason.

All's well that ends well, we guess.

Standard-Examiner Out-Take: Weber County Commission Takes the Tried and True "Bait and Switch" Tactic to a Whole New Level

And let's hear no complainin', Weber County lumpencitizens.  Remember, it's you folks who elected these devious fellers

In the midst of a news week which has so far been more than a mite slow, we'll put the spotlight on a couple of new Standard-Examiner stories, which beg to be placed into juxtaposion.

First, S-E reporter Cathy McKitrick reports about how "50 Weber County Library supporters gathered this week to  discuss how to battle back against two county commissioners who seem  intent on shrinking the size of a voter-approved $45 million ["Taj Mahal"] bond and  altering the vision of what those dollars were intended to fund":

•  Weber library supporters strategize to save $45 million bond plan

"We collectively voted for this library overhaul, new libraries and  other improvements. How can they take it away? Can they legally deny  these funds?" Ogden resident Richard Bush asks.

The answer's really quite straightforward, folks, once you factor in Ms. McKitrick's second new story... and connect the dots:

• State lawmakers granted Weber County's $1.5 million gun range request

Yep.  With $1.5 million already pledged by the legislature to be applied to our Weber County Commission's proposed $3.8 million "Taj Mahal" gun range purchase, take a wild guess where the other $2.3 million will be coming from.

Cute, ainnit?  Congrats to the Weber County Commission majority, for taking the tried and true 'bait and switch" tactic to a whole new level, heretofore never experienced in our semi-bucolic Weber County.

And let's hear no complainin', Weber County lumpencitizens.  Remember, it's you folks who elected these devious fellers.

Standard-Examiner: Bell Puts Brakes on Library Plan

"Looking forward to the 2016 elections, when voters will have a chance again to exercise their option to not renew their subscription to arrogant politicians"

By: Ray

I continue to be amazed at the hubris of Weber County Commissioners Gibson and Bell. As the Standard-Examiner states this morning, “Bell puts breaks on library plan.” Mr. Bell justifies his opposition by stating, “As this library plan was moving forward, there was absolutely no opposition to it and there should have been someone out there, including myself letting the public know a little more about it.”

• Bell puts brakes on Library Plan

"As Commissioner Matthew Bell sees it, the [2013 Library Bond] victory actually translates into only 17 percent of Weber's registered voters giving their thumbs up to the plan."

What arrogance! After months of planning, public input, discussion, and a democratic vote, Mr. Bell decides everybody is ignorant except himself.

I look forward to the 2016 elections, when voters will have a chance again to exercise their option to not renew their subscription to arrogant politicians. Perhaps, “someone out there” will decide to run a recall petition on these holier than thou politicians.

Update 4/4/14 10:20 a.m.: In the interest of "balance," and thanks to a tip from yet another sharp-eyed and alert reader, we'll provide this fascinating counter-argument from Lynda Pipkin, current Weber County GOP Vice-chair, of all people, citing rock-ribbed, conservative Weber County political stalwart and GOP party donor Bert Smith, and additionally throwing in some very interesting "UN conspiracy" theory, for good measure::

• It’s Not Really About “Libraries”

Have at it, O Gentle Ones.

Standard-Examiner: Weber County Library Bond May Not Cover All items Approved by Voters

Bait and switch? Ogden and North Ogden branches have a lot of unknowns

By: Smaatguy

Surprise, surprise... talk about bait and switch... all that info for the bond election and now they say two of the projects have "unknowns"!!!

Here's the lede...

OGDEN — When Weber County voters passed the $45 million library bond in June, they were given a detailed description of how the money would be spent for each planned addition and alteration to the libraries that applied. However, some of those plans might be scaled back if any of the first plans scheduled to go forward exceed the budget originally set for them.

“I do not think that we need to spend quite a bit less than the bond specified. We need to make sure we are going to have the funds to deliver the product and resources that all of the libraries need, and since the Ogden and North Ogden branches have a lot of unknowns as far as what’s needed, I want to make sure we have the budget taken care of,” Commissioner Matthew Bell said.

And here's the full S-E story...

• Weber County library bond may not cover all items approved by voters

This just chaps my hide... how'bout you?

Dan Schroeder Guest Commentary: Not All of New Tax Will Go to Libraries and Pools

Which Utah legislator will be the first to break the bad news to their fat-cat campaign donors?

Tax increment diversions are currently costing the Weber County Library System more than half a million dollars per year.  If it weren’t for these diversions, the library could have funded most of the planned improvements without a tax rate increase.
For the Ogden School District, tax increment diversions reduce revenue by much more: a few million dollars per year. That would be enough to cover not only the maintenance of the two swimming pools, but also the salaries of the recently laid-off school librarians and the rest of the district’s recent budget shortfall.

Standard Examiner - Dan Schroeder Guest Commentary
Not all of new tax will go to libraries and pools
July 2, 2013

The TIF Financing Scam

In the wake of all the hoopla over the passage of  last week's Pool and Library bond measures, we're delighted to put the spotlight on this morning's top-notch and sobering Dan Schroeder guest commentary, which reveals the ugly underbelly of the tax increment financing economic development fad, which has become the darling of Utah crony-capitalist politicians over the course of the past decade or two:

• Not all of new tax will go to libraries and pools

We'll thus enthusiastically join Dr. Schroeder in calling upon the legislature for serious reform of this locally much-abused "welfare for the rich" economic development scam.  Yes, "it’s time for the state Legislature to severely curtail this misuse of tax revenue." 

This of course invokes The Question: Is there anyone amongst our "fiscally conservative" Utah legislative body however who might be willing to break the bad news to their fat-cat campaign donors that they're willing to stop "robbing Peter to pay Paul?"

Nope.  We don't think so either.

The floor's open for your comments, O Gentle Ones.

Standard-Examiner: Weber Residents Say 'Yes' to Libraries, Pools - Updated

As a followup to yesterday's special bond election deadline reminder, the Standard carries two hot-off the-press stories this morning, reporting that Weber County voters approved both the pool and library measures by 57.58% and 54.3%, respectively:

• Officials: Current vote tally shows Weber residents say 'Yes' to libraries, pools
• Most voters back repairs, upgrades of Weber libraries

How happy are Ogden/Weber pool and library boosters this morning?

Update 6/27/13 5:30 a.m.: The Standard reminds us that the "official" vote counts are not yet in, and that the celebrations might therefore be a mite premature; although in truth, the realistic odds of still-uncounted votes upending these preliminary reported tallies are somewhere between "slim to none":

• Election results won’t be ‘official’ until July 9

Standard-Examiner: Residents Voting Today on Bonds for Weber Libraries, Ogden Pools

Don't vote? Don't complain, folks

Here's a quick reminder for Ogden and Weber County residents, who may have forgotten to vote:

OGDEN — Many Weber County voters may have already cast their ballots by mail for today’s bond elections, but officials want to emphasize that people who have not yet voted still have the opportunity to add their votes traditionally at the polls today.
Poll stations are set up in the North Ogden and Marriott-Slaterville city offices; the South Ogden and Roy municipal buildings; the Weber Center; and the Ogden Valley Branch Library, with the voting from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Get the full lowdown here, via the Standard-Examiner:

• Residents voting today on bonds for Weber libraries, Ogden pools

You don't vote? Then don't complain, folks.

Dueling Editorials: Dang Near Everything You Need to Know About The Pending Weber County Library Bonding Measure

Time to make up your minds, O Gentle Ones, as your mail-in ballots must be postmarked by June 24, and individual voting must be done by June 25

We'll put the focus this morning on an important issue looming this month, as Weber County lumpencitizens prepare to vote on proposed renovations and expansion of the Weber County Library system.

In a nutsell, the library bond would enable "changes to the Weber County Library System’s branches, including a larger parking lot for the Huntsville branch and upgrades to Ogden’s historic Main Library. The cost breaks down to $2.63 per month for a $161,000 residence and $4.77 per month on a business property of the same value," according to this June 3, 2013 Standard-Examiner story.

The Standard plays the role of the naysayer regarding this ballot measure, rejecting bond proponents' "all or nothing" approach, while encouraging future efforts to "pass a bond that would allocate money to repair the main library in Ogden."

• Our View: Vote ‘no’ on library bond

Taking on the role of the "yeasayers" this morning are a couple of well-known local commentators whose scribblings have prominently appeared on the pages of the Standard over the years, namely frequent guest editorialist Bob Sawatzki and long-time "Wasatch Rambler" columnist Charlie Trentelman: 

• They’re going to need a really big table
• A Disheartening Editorial

The Weber County Library System also offers its own strong "pro bond" sales-pitch via the below-linked Special Bond Election Information page, which additionally provides you dang near everything you need to know about this pending ballot measure, including details about the deadline for submission of your mail-in ballots and instruction on how to individually vote on this measure by machine at 6 designated Weber County polling places:

• WCLS Special Bond Election Information

Time to make up your minds, O Gentle Ones, as your mail-in ballots must be postmarked by June 24, and in-person machine voting must be done by June 25.

The floor's now open, WCF readers, to anyone who'd like to throw in your own 2¢ on this issue.