Standard-Examiner: Ogden Sheds Image as Murder Capital as Homicide Tally Drops

Eye popping headline; faulty data and conclusions

Utah Murder Capital? NOT

Uplifting Tim Gurrister "puff piece" in yesterday's Standard-Examiner, gleefully announcing that Ogden City "no longer" "enjoys" special Utah eminence in the field of intentional homicide:

• Ogden sheds image as murder capital as homicide tally drops

Mr. Gurrister has done some fancy research, it seems, gleaning theories from all the Ogden City Leading Lights, each of whom offers his own explanation for Ogden's precipitous fall from "felonious grace":

1. Ogden City law enforcement authorities: a) increased manpower and funding; b) the Trece gang injunction.
2. Veteran Ogden defense attorney Bernie Allen: a) Roe v. Wade; b) Urban renewal.

Thanks to Ogden City watchdog Dan Schroeder, however, we'll cut to the chase. Via yesterday's email, the Good Professor puts this story in context. The problem with Mr. Gurrister's story? Faulty data:

According to the official FBI tally, Ogden had only six murders in 1987, not 23. The online data go back only to 1985, but six was a typical number for the "murderous" late 1980s. Ogden had more than four murders in 2002 and 2005, and the only year since 1985 when Ogden had more murders than Salt Lake City (four vs. three) was actually 2009.

The minor discrepancies between the FBI data and the sources used for this article are probably due to inconsistencies in the classification of some homicides. (For one thing, the FBI data include "non negligent manslaughter".) The explanation for the discrepancy in 1987 must lie elsewhere, but I'm inclined to trust the FBI data over an anecdote attributed to Mayor Goff.

The bottom line is that the murder rate has steadily declined in both Ogden and Salt Lake City in recent years. Statistically, the decline in Ogden hasn't been any faster than that in Salt Lake. The national murder rate has also been declining over this time period. There's no statistical basis for attributing the decline to the gang injunction, or to the number of police officers, or even to urban renewal.

Dan also provides this illuminating graphic, gleaned from official FBI statistics, which illustrates that Ogden City has never been, at least within the time frames mentioned, "Utah's Murder Capital":

Eye-popping headline? Yes.

Reliable conclusions and data? No.

Yep. It's that old "Garbage in; garbage out thing," folks:

Comments, anyone? Ferris?

Weber State Wildcats Game Day Thread: WSU Faces Off Against Utah at Noon - Updated

Although we suppose we could simply "write this game off," we'll be keeping our fingers crossed, bearing in mind that collegiate football upsets do happen.

Here we go, college football fans. Get ready for this afternoon's "big" intra-state "rivalry" game, where our home-town underdog Big Sky Conference Weber State Wildcats (1-0) valiantly square off against the Pac-12's Utah Utes (1-0)  in a classic mis-match(?) set for kickoff in Rice-Eccles Stadium at noon.

There's not much in the way of pre-game hype this week folks, but here's the pre-game skinny, wherein the Standard-Examiner's Roy Burton talks about dang near everything but the teams' comparative strengths :

• Cats-Utes may be special-teams duel
• Sears to coach against mentor on Ute sidelines

Here is the "live" morning "line" via Yahoo Sports, not the kind of stuff to "gladden" Wildcats fans' hearts:

Click to enlarge image

Ouch!

Although we suppose we could "write this this game off" as a typical (dare we say "grubby?") pre-conference schedule "business transaction," wherein Utah has merely scheduled a "win," and Weber State stands to "bank" a giant wad of that Pac-12 cash, we'll be keeping our fingers crossed, bearing in mind that collegiate football upsets do happen.

The game will be broadcast on the Pac-12 network, lending WSU some hopefully respectable "national" exposure.

And here are the two "live" online audio feeds, for 'Cats and Utes fans who refuse to be "glued to the tube." The "home" team broadcast, with Carl Arkey, is now back at KLO radio (where it belongs) and please take note that KALL radio's ever-excellent pre-game "game kickoff" broadcast is even now in progress:

• KLO 1430 AM/103.1 FM
• KALL AM 700

The floor's open, O Rabid Wildcats fans, for your remarks and snarky comments before, during and after today's "big" intra-state gridiron clash.

Update 9/7/13 5:00 p.m.:  Final score, Utes 70, Wildcats 7.  The Standard has the story:

• Utes overwhelm young Wildcats 70-7

Update 9/8/13 6:30 a.m.:  More navel-gazing from the Standard's Jim Burton:

• Who's to blame for blowout? Everyone in purple

Update 9/9/13 5:30 a.m.:  Still more soul-searching from the Standard's Jim Burton:

• Wildcats realistic about loss, but still see some 'what-ifs'

Utah Public School Grading Falls Under the Microscope - Updated

Critics and skeptics say failing grades speak to flaws in the system

The Standard-Examiner reports that "[t]wo Top of Utah high schools received failing grades overall from the state in the first-ever release of ratings for public schools."

• Viewmont, Ben Lomond high schools get F grades from state

Via the Democratic Education Caucus of Weber County, "here is the information from the Ogden School District on the school grades released from the state replete with Mr. Smith's explanations":

• Superintendant Brad Smith Memorandum

 More from the Standard: "Critics and skeptics Utah's grading system for its schools say failing grades for Ben Lomond and Viewmont High Schools speaks to flaws in the system rather than the failings of the individual schools":

• Utah critics: Grading system flawed, schools misrepresented

So what do you think, fellow Utahns?

OSD "Superintendant Smith"

Update 9/5/13 9:15 a.m.: In a dazzling display of political opportunism, and with a neck-snapping 180-degree flip-flop from his remarks contained in the above-linked memorandum, Ogden School District Superintendent Brad Smith now says he supports the grading system that "clobbered" OSD schools earlier this week:

• Ogden educator applauds controversial new grading system

Political chameleon, anyone?

Mr. Smith apparently doesn't subscribe to the philosophy: "The buck stops here," we guess.

Fresh From the Ogden City Recorder's Office: 2013 Ogden City Election Candidate Financial Disclosure Statements (Second Set)

1-2-3-GO! Don't hesitate to offer your own opinions of "what's up" in the ongoing Ogden Council 2013 election campaign finance free-for-all

With a little more that 60 days left to tick down on our right sidebar 2013 Ogden City Municipal General Election clock, we're pleased to present the Second Set of  timely-filed Ogden City Council campaign finance disclosures, which are linked and summarized in the handy table below. Click the highlighted links to see how each of these candidates is doing with his or her fundraising, and perhaps even more importantly to find out which Ogden City "political kingpins" are "voting in advance" with their checkbooks:

Candidate	Contributions	Expenses
Municipal Ward 1
Neil K. Garner	$1500	$80
Pamela Stevens	$0	$0
Municipal Ward 3
Turner C. Bitton	$1505	$355
Doug Stephens	$510	$0
At-Large "A"
Stephen D. Thompson	$100	$702
Marcia L. White	$3118	$2714
At-Large "B"
Bart Blair	$0	$0
Courtney Jon White	$120	$129

Front-runner among the "big-time" fundraisers remains At-large "A" candidate Marcia White, who can now boast of  a cumulative total of $13,133 in contributions to date, which during this reporting period notably includes a whopping $1500 contribution from the Northern Utah Association of Realtors, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Biggest and Baddest PAC in the Land.

On the other end of the campaign finance spectrum is At-large "B" Council incumbent Bart Blair, who's so far raised a grand total of exactly $0 (zero) dollars, and has "expensed" a mere $25 "filing fee" out of his own pocket, it would seem, raising the question of whether Councilman Blair believes his race against second-time council challenger Courtney White is already "in the bag," or whether Blair's just quietly bowing out of the race with a "bag" over his head.

Check out all this this new data, folks; and don't hesitate to offer your own opinions of "what's up" in the ongoing Ogden Council 2013 election campaign finance (not so) free-for-all.

1-2-3-GO!

Powder Mountain Bond: Bad Reporting From Our Ogden Home-town Newspaper?

Sodden Question: Will the Standard-Examiner publish a retraction?

Tastes good - Trust me

As regular Weber County Forum readers will recall, there was a big Standard-Examiner-provoked public relations storm dust-up, going into the three-day Labor Day weekend:

• $17M Powder Mountain project could hit taxpayers

And yeah, we admit it. We naively "took the bait" on this story too.

Within Ms. Beyer's story, she "cherry picked" these 'alleged" Weber County Comptroller Dan Olsen "quotes" (so-called) and conclusions among other things:

“We borrowed enough money so that Weber County can make the bond payments for the first two years”

“In other words, the county, not Summit, will be making payments of just over $1.5 million for the next few years.”

Entirely untrue, says Mr.Weber County Comptroller Dad Olsen in a "viral" email missive which we received from yet another sharp-eyed and alert reader later in the weekend, wherein Mr. Olsen responds thusly:

Specifically, your article quotes me as saying, “We borrowed enough money so that Weber County can make the bond payments for the first two years” (emphasis added). I would never say such a thing because it’s not true.

Again you write, “In other words, the county, not Summit, will be making payments of just over $1.5 million for the next few years.” This sentence is completely false. Weber County is NOT paying any portion of the bond, nor would we have ever agreed to do so. You seem to have misunderstood how “capitalized interest” and “special assessments” work, so let me try again.

Read the Dan Olsen full email here (published with Mr. Olson's explicit permission, after our morning telephone interview):

• Daniel Olsen August 29, 2013 Email

Yep, that's right. The terms of the Weber County Commission-approved $17 million water, sewer and road infrastrucure bonding apparently comports to these terms, as set forth in the link above, wherein we've highlighted the pertinent parts: 

The first two years of bond payments come from cash that was included in the bond amount. So, of the $17.6 million bond, we put approximately $3 million into an account where it will be drawn down as bond payments come due during the first two years. Summit is then responsible for approximately $1.5 million in bond payments for the next 18 years. If we had not utilized “capitalized interest,” the bond would have been smaller, approximately $14.5 million, and Summit’s annual debt payment would have been about $1.2 million over 20 years. Either way, Summit pays the whole thing, and the County doesn’t pay a dime on the bonds.
If we had not utilized “capitalized interest,” the bond would have been smaller, approximately $14.5 million, and Summit’s annual debt payment would have been about $1.2 million over 20 years. Either way, Summit pays the whole thing, and the County doesn’t pay a dime on the bonds. [Emphasis added].

Thus we see an interesting new local story angle popping up here, and therefore ask these questions of our home-town newspaper:

1. Will the Standard-Examiner publish a retraction?
2. If so, when and where, other than some dismal backpage, which nobody will ever see? 

The moral of this story?  Weber County Forum will spend far less time henceforth scrutinizing the actions of the Weber County Commission, and far more time examining the accuracy of Mikayla Beyer stories.

Comments anyone?

Just axin', LOL!

Labor Day 2013 Special

Added bonus: 5 reminders of the day’s real purpose

The mass of mankind has not been born with saddles on their backs, nor a favored few (born) to ride them.

Thomas Jefferson
Letter to Roger C. Weightman
June 24, 1826

Labor is prior to, and independent of, capital. Capital is only the fruit of labor, and could never have existed if labor had not first existed. Labor is the superior of capital, and deserves much the higher consideration.

Abraham Lincoln
State of the Union Address
December 3, 1861

Added bonus:  Check out this morning's "chewy" Salon.com op-ed piece, for one columnist's perspective about how today's important U.S. holiday has been "corrupted":

• How Labor Day was hijacked: 5 reminders of the day’s real purpose

Happy Labor Day, O Gentle Ones.

Weber State Football: Big First Quarter Helps Wildcats Outlast Lumberjacks in Season Opener

Next victim: The Utah Utes

We're Back!

Congrats to our WSU Wildcats, for their big win in yesterday's season home opener, as our home-town football team ignored unnerving off-field distractions and knocked off offensive powerhouse Stephen F. Austin in front of 6,181 fans at Stewart Stadium by a score of 50-40.  Here are the post-game write-ups via the Standard and the D-News:

• OPENING SALVO: Weber State wins shootout behind Bolen's big plays
• Weber State football: Big first quarter helps Wildcats outlast Lumberjacks in season opener

In an interesting "companion" story, The Standard's Roy Burton also reports that our Wildcats accomplished yesterday's victory with at least "8 hands" "tied behind their backs," which makes the "big" win all the more impressive, we suppose:

• Weber State football suspends 8 for season opener

The last time Weber State put 50 points on the board was that memorable 50-47 4OT victory against Northern Colorado in September of 2010, of course. Hopefully however, yesterday's result is not a "quirk," but is instead indicative of a team "on a roll."

Not much time to savor the victory however, Wilcats fans, as our re-charged 'Cats gridiron squad travels to Rice-Eccles Stadium to take on the 1-0 Utah Utes next Saturday at noon, a game you'll not want to miss, as we once again resume our "usual" live game-day coverage, starting next week.

John Swallow News Roundup - Episode XLV: Utah House Committee Names Investigators for Swallow Probe

The association of Eden, Utah investigator Steve Clark adds to the "local" flavor.

"Slueths" "On the loose"

The Deseret News, KUTV2 and the Salt Lake Tribune report that two investigative firms have been chosen to gather evidence for the special House committee inquiry into allegations of misconduct by Utah Attorney General John Swallow. An evaluation committee selected the New York-based Mintz Group and Salt Lake City-based Lindquist & Associates to provide investigative services. The Mintz Group is also working with Steve Clark, based in Eden, Utah, which adds to the "local" flavor, we suppose.

• Utah House committee names investigators for Swallow probe
• More Firms Hired for Taxpayer-Funded Swallow Investigation
• Utah picks two investigative firms for Swallow probe

Conflict of Interest?
Who the "heck" knows?

Interestingly, the Trib further reports that "Pamela Lindquist of Lindquist & Associates has done work for defense attorney Ron Yengich, who represents Jeremy Johnson, one of Swallow’s accusers. But Joe Pyrah, chief deputy of the House, said that Lindquist has worked for numerous lawyers and has never worked on Johnson’s case," nevertheless leaving the question open, whether Ms. Lindquist may have a potential conflict of interest, and further illustrating the difficulty of finding anyone in the local legal community who hasn't been somehow at least potentially touched by the intricate and labyrinthine John Swallow scandals.

Comments, please?  Pretty please with sugar on it.[wink]

Radley Balko 8/29/13 Event Post-mortem

Standing by, awaiting firebrand libertarian Connor Boyack's "next move"

This morning's Salt Lake Tribune reports on last night's blockbuster Salt Lake City Library public event, wherein anti-police violence whistle-blower Radley Balko presented the case for dialing back police militarization in Utah, and indeed all across the whole USA:

• Author’s ‘warrior cop’ message resonates with Utah crowd 

And the D-News competently covers the post-speech public forum/panel angle:

• Families of those killed by Utah cops rally against police militarization

Be sure to read the generally brilliant reader comments posted in the comments sections beneath each above-linked story. It's encouraging to observe normally sheep-like Utahns actually perking up their ears regarding this issue, ainnit? 

Mr. Balko also reports, by the way, that just as we predicted, last night's event played to a "full house":

• Radley Balko (Facebook)

Regarding the Libertas Institute's presumed ongoing efforts to tackle the "police militarization problem", we'll be standing by, with abated breath, to watch their next move, as firebrand Connor Boyack and his "kick-ass" libertarian crew prepare to introduce corrective legislation in the 2014 Utah legislature.

Standard-Examiner: $17M Powder Mountain Project Could Hit Taxpayers (For $Millions)

Our apologies to our Gentle Readers for "slipping up" on this

Kudos to the Standard-Examiner for putting the spotlight on this distressing news, which comes on the heels of the Weber County Commission's approval on Tuesday (8/20/13) of a $17 million bond that will enable Summit Mountain Holding Group to use loaned money for its planned road, water and sewer improvements to the Powder Mountain Ski Resort.  Although we'd been following this story here on Weber County Forum, we confess this "surprise" element does "throw us for a loop":

OGDEN — Weber County and the Summit Group have made a great show of solidarity about the Powder Mountain project, but all of the positive implications of a new-and-improved ski resort may be hiding the heavy financial implications of the county borrowing $17 million and giving Summit 20 years to pay it back.
According to Dan Olsen, comptroller of Weber County, Summit is supposed to pay back the bond over a 20-year period, but terms of the deal do not obligate Summit to even begin paying back any of that money until two years from now.
“We borrowed enough money so that Weber County can make the bond payments for the first two years. Summit is actually on the hook for 18 years of the 20, which is how it works with a capitalized interest investment,” Olsen said. [Emphasis added].

Read this morning's full Mikayla Beyer story here:

• $17M Powder Mountain project could hit taxpayers

That's right, folks. The very day we were obsessing over Ogden City water and sewer bonding, our Weber County Commission "quietly" slipped this shameless and grotesque exhibition of corporate welfare right past us. According to this morning''s story, "...the county, not Summit, will be making payments of just over $1.5 million for the next few years."

Weber County Comptroller Dan Wilson blithely assures Weber County taxpayers "[that's] how it works with a capitalized interest investment,” a statement which is flat-out untrue. In truth, every dime of bond payment obligation could have been, and ought to have been passed straight through to the ultimate beneficiaries of Weber County corporate largesse, the Summit Group. Gotta hand it to these "sharp" Summit Group "operators," however, for quietly engineering this unbelievable "sweetheart deal."

Our apologies to our Gentle Readers for slipping up on this. Henceforth we pledge to follow our heretofore financially-prudent Weber County Commission with a greatly renewed vigor.

Nobody's perfect, we guess.  Not even us.

Salt Lake Tribune: Liquor Board to Allow Restaurants to Police Themselves

Back to square one, idiotic law, idiotic board, entrapment police with "cart blanc" enforcement

By Ray

("Utahrdian" Version)

"Liquor Board to Allow Restaurants to Police Themselves" says article in the Salt Lake Tribune today:

• Liquor board tells restaurants to decide how diners may legally order drinks

So let me get this straight:

1. Legislature passes law to require food be ordered in order to get a alcoholic drink in a restaurants.
2. DABC police set up "stings" to "bust" restaurants who don't comply.
3. After much uproar over a poorly conceived/written/executed law DABC looks to "clarify" law.
4. Months of study later board decides the subject is too muddied and decides individual restaurants will need to police and make up their own decisions on customers intent to order food.

So we're back to square one, idiotic law, idiotic board, entrapment police with "cart blanc" enforcement.

Ogden School District Releases Documents Pursuant to Weber County Democratic Education Caucus GRAMA Request

So now that these documents are on the table, we invite our ever-savvy Weber County Forum political wonks to weigh in on "the meaning of all this."

As a followup to our June 19 Weber County Forum story, wherein we announced that "two local groups that sprung up in reaction to controversial decisions by the Ogden School District are pledging to make their voices heard, on both the district and state levels," we'll direct our readers' attention to two recent Utah media stories, which describe the efforts of the efforts of the Weber County Democratic Education Caucus (WCDEC) to obtain "data from the Ogden School District on a wide range of topics, including end-of-level student test scores, how many teachers have left the district in recent years and the experience level of those who will teach this year."

• Democrats ask school questions - Standard-Examiner 8/22/13
• Weber County democrats demand answers - ABC4 8/23/13 

As interested readers will recall, WCDEC officials inititiated a focused inquiry, via the below original GRAMA document production request:

• Weber Education Caucus Letter 6/12/13

It's been a bit of a slow moving project, but here's the Ogden School District's mid-August response:

• Ogden School District Response Letter 8/15/13 

As set forth in this letter, here are the documents apparently produced to date:

• Interlocal Agreement Real Estate 10/27/09
• Interlocal Agreement Mitigation Payments 10/27/09
• RDA Projects Summary Excel Spreadsheet (4 pages)
• Teacher Retention 2007 - 2012
• Preliminary Results Language Arts
• Preliminary Results Math
• Total District Salaries 

As an added bonus, we've embedded this video clip, depicting WCDEC member Ben Pales' related presentation at a recent Ogden School Board meeting:


A Weber County Forum Tip O' The Hat to the Weber County Democratic Education Caucus for keeping the Ogden School District's feet to the fire in this matter.

So now that these documents are on the table, we invite our ever-savvy Weber County Forum political wonks to "don the green eye shades" and weigh in on "the meaning of all this."

Heads-up on a Thursday's Blockbuster Event: Rise of the Warrior Cop with Author Radley Balko

Get there early, as rumor has it that this event will be packed

Heads up on a big upcoming event, O Gentle Readers, as Radley Balko, senior writer and investigative reporter for the Huffington Post, former senior editor at Reason Magazine and a policy analyst for the Cato Institute appears in Salt Lake City on Thursday to speak about how law enforcement has changed throughout history and what militarized police forces mean for citizens. His presentation will be followed by a Q&A.

Here are the time/place coordinates:

Date: Thursday, August 29, 2013
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Place: Salt Lake City Main Library Auditorium (Address/Map)

For more information on Thursday's blockbuster event, check out the Salt Lake Library online poop-sheet:

• Rise of the Warrior Cop with Author Radley Balko
  

And yes. Of course. Last, but not least, Mr. Balko is also the author of the wildly popular book, "Rise of the Warrior Cop," an item which has been selling like hotcakes via the Amazon ad which we've displayed in our left sidebar for at least the past six months.

Concerned about police militarization in Utah?

Get there early, as rumor has it that this event will be packed to the rafters.

John Swallow News Roundup - Episode XLIV: John Swallow To Be Cleared By Feds Next Week?

Analysis: Swallow may not be off the hook just yet

Fascinating development in the ever-enthralling  John Swallow Three-ring Circus, as Utah Political Capitol and the Salt Lake Tribune report the blockbuster "breaking" news that surprise of surprises, federal prosecutors may be soon "bailing out" on their investigation and prospective prosecution of our beleaguered Utah Attorney General.  That's what Swallow's lawyer says, at least:

• BREAKING: John Swallow Could Be Cleared By Feds Next Week
• Swallow’s lawyer expects feds to clear his client — maybe soon

"Gobsmacked" is a word which immediately  leaps to mind, dunnit?

As an added bonus, check out last night's  ABC4 video segment, wherein Utah Political Capitol's managing editor, Eric Ethington, discussed "The Meaning of All This," if the Department of Justice (DOJ) decides not to prosecute Utah Republican Attorney General John Swallow.:


It gets interestinger and interestinger, NO?

Standard-Examiner: Smith’s Plans Expansion

A duck is a duck is a duck....

By: Smaatguy

Well, well, well...looks like North Ogden is coughing money up to Smiths...you telling me they wouldn't have done that new store without the freebies from the City...

• Smith’s plans expansion

And there is Matthew Godfrey right in the middle...acting as if HE made this happen... BS.... and now talking about RDA funds... gee, makes you wonder if there are some fees for him in that plan.... Smith's sees the opportunity and the $$$$ they will make in the project.... they would have done this without taxpayer dollars... to say they are not giving Smith's money is hogwash.... they are just basically taking the fees they would already get and using about half to build infrastructure... a duck is a duck is a duck...

Adventures of Matthew Godfrey: Better Cities "Ups the Ante" On Morgan County - Updated

Yep, Godfrey's an economic development wizard alright; and we'll all be standing by, to observe the Morgan County Council's next "move."

Lost or Otherwise Misplaced

Fascinating story in the morning's Standard, reporting on the latest efforts of Ogden City mayoral alumnus Matthew Godfrey, as he works his economic development magic on his new private sector clients, the lumpenitizens of Morgan County, specfically.  Seems that his Better Cities, Inc. crack team of industry professionals have run into a major log-jam in Morgan County.  Much to Godfrey's consternation, the "embarrassed city planners" of this quint little rural county have somehow lost or otherwise misplaced their water and sewer infrastructure maps:

• Godfrey calls Morgan County’s infrastructure an ‘embarrassment’

Here's Godfrey's  setup:

 “We had no idea, when we started, that nobody knew what the infrastructure was,” Godfrey said. “We came in and asked the planning department for the maps with the water, sewer, storm sewer, telephone, telecommunications, power. We asked for all that data and we were able to get the telecom and the power, but nobody knows where the water and sewer is.” 

And here's the "kicker":

Godfrey also said he wouldn’t be able to recruit businesses to Morgan County until the layout of the infrastructure was known.

Morgan County Council:
Totally Flummoxed

No problemo, however folks, in the context of this morning's report that "Morgan County [has already] entered into a month-to-month agreement with Better City toward the beginning of this year and that payment to Better City is performance-based with a maximum payment of $3,500 per month." This whole problem can nevertheless be solved, Godfrey says, (menacingly), by simply "doubling down": 

“It would allow you to take the existing money that is already allocated for economic development, that’s paying us, and to double it”

So what about it folks?  How would you characterize Godfrey's "closing" tactic in re this matter?

• The "Embarrassment" Close?
• The "Emotion" Close?
• The "Shame" Close?
• The "Ultimatum" Close?

Yep, Godfrey's an economic development wizard alright... for the benefit of  his private company's own economic development, that is.  And we'll all be standing by, with abated breath, of course, to observe the Morgan County Council's next "move," now that they've been deftly and craftily painted into the corner.

Update 8/22/13 1:40 p.m: Here's a  screenshot of Godfrey's new "Porsche ride."  It's 1979-era water cooled 280Z knockoff,  which some Porsche fanciers say ain't a REAL Porsche at all.

Godfrey's 924 Porsche

We'll check in later, once that Godfrey has "cleaned out" his "urban leadership clients"sufficiently to buy some real exotic German Iron, of course:

Porsche Boxter $

Needless to say, we'll be following up on this aspect of today's WCF story with the utmost vigor.

Ogden Water and Sewer Bonding Update: Major Campaign Issue Delivered On a Silver Platter

A Weber County Forum Tip 'O the Hat to Councilwoman Wicks, the sole current council member with a lick of common sense

(Translation: Rubber-stamped)

The Standard's Mitch Shaw reports on last night's 6-1 Council vote, whereby an extremely docile and administration-compliant Council majority basically rubber-stamped the Caldwell administration's recommended new top-dollar bonding, authorizing the issuance of  some $18 million in Water and Sewer Utility improvement bonds under the following specific parameters, with council member Amy Wicks being the lone dissenting vote:

The first resolution authorizes the city to pay for a new water treatment plant at the top of Ogden Canyon by issuing $13.4 million in bonds and paying it off over 25 years. The second resolution pays for storm sewer improvements along Harrison Boulevard by issuing $4.7 million in bonds with a 20-year repayment period.

Read Mr. Shaw's full writeup here:

• Ogden finalizes water bond issue

A Weber County Forum Tip 'O the Hat to Councilwoman Wicks, the sole current council member with a lick of common sense.

Write this down...
so you don't forget it!

Congrats to council challengers Pamela Shupe Stevens, Turner C. Bitton, Stephen D. Thompson, Marcia L. White and Courtney Jon White, who've just had a major 2013 Ogden Municipal Election campaign issue delivered by the council incumbents on an engraved silver golden platter, and dropped onto their very laps.

"Opportunity knocks," Ogden City Council challengers.

Update 8/27/13 5:00 p.m.: Thanks to the helpful intercession of Ogden's own "Mayor Mike," the full August 21 Council meeting video is now available for viewing via Youtube:

Ogden City Water/Sewer Bonding Update: Live Blogging From the City Council Chambers Tonight

Ogden Mayor Caldwell: $28 mil sitting in bank; wants to borrow $18 mil more

Big doin's in the Ogden City Council Chambers tonight, as our Ogden City Council continues its consideration of  a "preferred" Caldwell administration proposal which could result in as much as $18 million in combined Water and Sewer Utility  bonding, including much-needed construction funding for a new water treatment plant for the Water Utility.  Tonight's the night that the council will hear public comments on the Mayor's preferred proposal, along with at least five other Council-requested options set forth below.  As an added bonus, O Weber County Forum political wonks, we're delighted to report that Ogden City watchdog Dan Schroeder has just now confirmed that he'll "be there and can provide some live coverage." For a brief overview of the various options on the Council table, we set forth the "essentials" below, gleaned from tonight's council packet:

The Council will hold a public hearing to accept input on issuance of  bonds to fund the water treatment plant and various water distributions projects and various storm water projects, including the Harrison Boulevard project.

Sewer and Water Revenue Bonds-Water Treatment Plant
Bond Parameters Resolution 2013-19 set the parameters for funding the2013 Series Bonds. The parameters for the bonds are as follows:

• Not to Exceed Amount: $15,500,000
• Not to Exceed Interest Rate: 6%
• Not to Exceed Term: 35 years
• Not to Exceed Discount: 3%

The Parameters Resolution set a cap on the amount, interest rate and term. However, LYRB estimates that actual bond amounts and interest rate will be much lower. The Administrative Transmittal set forth the Administration’s original recommendation. It set the actual approximate amounts as follows:

• Actual Approximate Amount: $13,700,000
• Actual Approximate Interest Rate: 4.7%
• Actual Term: 30 years

Approximate Issuance Costs: $360,000
Repayment of the debt service of $850,000 annually would come from the water utility.

At the Council’s request, the Administration provided other options for the Council’s consideration as follows:

Click to enlarge image

Storm Sewer Revenue Bonds – Harrison Boulevard Project
Bond Parameters Resolution 2013-20 set the parameters for funding the 2013 Series Bonds. The parameters for the bonds are as follows:

• Not to Exceed Amount: $5,500,000
• Not to Exceed Interest Rate: 6%
• Not to Exceed Term: 25 years
• Not to Exceed Discount: 3%

The Parameters Resolution set a cap on the amount, interest rate and term. However, LYRB estimates that actual bond amounts and interest rate will be much lower. The Administrative Transmittal indicates that actual bond issue will be as follows:

• Actual Approximate Amount: $4,700,000
• Actual Approximate Interest Rate: 4.12%
• Actual Term: 20 years
• Approximate Issuance Costs: $180,000

Repayment of the debt service, which will be approximately $340,000 annually, will come from the sewer utility.

Tonight's council meeting will kick off promptly at 6:00 p.m.  If you can't make it to the Council chambers tonight, do the next best thing, and tune into Weber County Forum for Dan Schroeder's ever-informative live blogging.

With something like $28 million in city Water and Sewer funds drawing a measly 1% interest, will the City Council nevertheless simply rubber-stamp the Mayor's "Borrow to the Max" approach?  Or will the City Council, during the 2013 Municipal Election season, avoid the ire of the lumpentaxpayers, tap into the Mayor's ridiculously bloated $28 million "slush fund," and instead adopt a more fiscally-manageable "common sense" approach?

We guess we'll find out tonight, eh, folks?

Update 8/20/13 5:49 p.m.:  Eureka, WCF readers.  Dan S. has just now logged into Weber County Forum, and is now live-blogging from the City Council Chambers.  Click "comments" to read Dan's real-time posts!

Salt Lake Tribune: Ogden Survey Seeks Feedback on Police Department

You know what to do, folks. Do it on the net

Odd that the Salt Lake Tribune scooped the Standard on this Ogden City-centered story; but, weirdly enough, they did.  "The Ogden Police Department is asking city residents to rate their performance, Cathy McKitrick reports." The online survey’s 20 questions range from "How safe do you feel when walking alone in your neighborhood after dark?" to "In the past year, would you say the overall quality of community living in your neighborhood has increased, decreased or stayed about the same?" and "Overall, how satisfied are you with the Ogden Police Department?"

Read the full Trib story here:

• Ogden survey seeks feedback on police department

You can access the survey via this direct link:

• OPD Citizen Satisfaction Questionnaire

"Determine needed
areas of concentration?"

"In a statement Friday, Ogden Deputy Director of Support Services John Harvey said [ominously perhaps?] that the citizen responses would be "vital in helping us determine needed areas of concentration." [Emphasis added].

If you'd like to submit your input anonymously, skip the last two "optional" questions. Smart phone users might also want to consider disabling your mobile device's GPS tracking function entirely, if you know what we mean; and we think you do.

You know what to do, folks. Do it on the net.

Standard-Examiner: Ogden Council to Address Bonding for Water Treatment Facility

Big Debt faces off versus Common Sense

Mark your calenders, folks. As a followup to our most recent article on the subject, the Standard carries a story this morning, announcing to its print readership, in advance, Ogden City Council's previously set public August 20 public hearing, concerning the Caldwell administration's proposed $18 million water/sewer capital improvement bonding:

• Ogden council to address bonding for water treatment facility

Borrowing "to the Max"

S-E reporter Mitch Shaw has even done some additional "sleuthing" on the subject, and reveals that despite calls for financing some portion of these repairs from some $28 million (not the mere $10 million which Mr. Shaw reports) which is sitting mostly idle in the Water and Sewer Uitility Funds' bank accounts,  the Caldwell administration remains steadfast in seeking to run up the city's prospect bond debt "to the max," at the highest possible principal loan amount, over the longest possible repayment term:

“A lower bond amount or shorter term would save the city interest over time,” reads a letter issued Thursday by the city’s Public Services Department.
“However, the benefits of such savings are currently outweighed by the capital needs of the water utility.”
Because the full amount of the bond was planned for in the city’s financial sustainability plan, the mayor and the Public Services Department believe that increasing the number of projects to replace leaking pipes and addressing other projects identified in the master plan will actually provide a better return for the water utility than reducing any debt costs associated with the term or amount of the proposed water bond.
The city council is also considering a $4.7 million storm sewer bond that would come with an interest rate of approximately 4 percent and would be paid out over 20 years.

We'll sdd that we're delighted to observe the Standard finally getting ahead of this important story, for once, at least.

Down in the lower SE comments section, we're also delighted to find that Ogden City Political Watchdog Dan Schroeder has already chimed in with his own views on this "thorny" subject:

When the financial sustainability plan was put together last year, the city's consultants predicted lower revenues, higher expenses, and lower interest rates. Now we know better: higher revenues and lower operating expenses have allowed the water fund to accumulate more cash than expected. On the other hand, interest rates have increased so borrowing money is less affordable. The city would be foolish not to adjust its plan in light of these changed circumstances. That means spending the accumulated cash and borrowing less.

Thus the stage is set; and the battle lines are drawn:

Big Debt v. Common Sense

Keep your eyes on Weber County Forum this coming Tuesday, where we'll devote a dedicated new article to the City Council arena bonding battle which is brewing between the lumpencitizen-driven forces of  Fiscal Common Sense vs. the bureaucratic advocates of Big Government Debt.

And yes.  We do believe that the current council's treatment of this issue could become an important 2013 Ogden Municipal Election issue, depending on how the council incumbents handle it.

Update 8/16/13 9:00 p.m.: Thanks to a tip from yet another sharp-eyed and alert WCF reader, we provide this online Question and Answer sheet, elaborately setting forth the Caldwell administration's surprisingly flimsy "rationale" concerning this matter:

• 2014 Water and Storm Sewer Bonds Questions and Answers