Standard-Examiner: Ogden City Votes to Eliminate Private (Secret) Straw Polls

Added bonus: Final 2013 Ogden City Municipal Election campaign finance disclosure tallies

According to this morning's Standard-Examiner story, and as a followup to our earlier Weber County Forum writeup, "[s]ecret votes will no longer be a part of the Ogden City Council's officer election process. In a special meeting held Monday afternoon, the council voted unanimously to do away with a "straw poll" voting system it had been using when selecting the chair and vice chair positions on the council. The council put the new election process to use on Monday, nominating and electing council members Richard Hyer for chair and Caitlin Gochnour for vice chair:

•  Ogden city votes to eliminate private straw polls

A Weber County Forum Tip O' the Hat to the Ogden City Council for finally getting around to doing what they ought to have done years ago.

"Also at the meeting, Blair, Neil Garner, Doug Stephens and Marcia White were sworn in after winning their council races in November," Mitch Shaw further reports.

Here are the official results, gleaned from the Ogden City website:

• City Council Special Meeting Agenda Results

Now that our 2014-16 Ogden City Council is sworn in, and Council "leadership" has been chosen, we think the timing is right to post the final 2013 campaign finance tallies, to wrap up our WCF  2013 Ogden Municipal Election coverage.  Here is a table, incorporating the Fourth Set of Campaign Finance Disclosure Statements, submitted by each Council candidate on or about December 5, 2013: 

Office	12/5/2013	12/5/2013	Cumulative	Cumulative
Candidate	Contributions	Expenses	Contributions	Expenses
Municipal Ward 1
Neil K. Garner	$0	$1,229	$2,550	$2,575
Pamela Stevens*	$0	$0	$0	$25
Municipal Ward 3
Turner C. Bitton	$550	$0	$10,355	$9,696
Doug Stephens	$0	$1,708	$6,150	$5,744
At-Large "A"
Stephen D. Thompson	$39	$183	$2,445	$2,442
Marcia L. White	$850	$6,307	$18,339	$16,003
At-Large "B"
Bart Blair	$0	$1,209	$1,875	$1,338
Courtney Jon White*	$0	$0	$320	$290

* Disqualified

Best wishes to our new Ogden City Council, which appears to be firing on all cylinders (at this point, at least).

Official 2013 Municipal Election Results -- All Weber County Municipalities

Congratulations to all the winning candidates, and thanks to all unsuccessful challengers who helped make this year's election one one of the smoothest-running election seasons in years

Via the Weber County Clerk's Office, we'll close out our coverage of our recently-complete 2013 Ogden City Municipal Election with these now official results, gleaned from County Clerk Ricky Hatch's just now-released 2013 Election Summary Report:

OGDEN CITY COUNCIL - AT LARGE
SEAT A Total
Number of Precincts 45
Precincts Reporting 45 100.0 %
Total Votes 3857
THOMPSON, STEPHEN D. 1384 35.88%
WHITE, MARCIA L. 2457 63.70%
Write-in Votes 16 0.41%

OGDEN CITY COUNCIL - AT LARGE
SEAT B Total
Number of Precincts 45
Precincts Reporting 45 100.0 %
Total Votes 2966
BLAIR, BART 2904 97.91%
Write-in Votes 62 2.09%

OGDEN CITY COUNCIL -
MUNICIPAL WARD 1 Total
Number of Precincts 8
Precincts Reporting 8 100.0 %
Total Votes 307
GARNER, NEIL K. 304 99.02%
Write-in Votes 3 0.98%

OGDEN CITY COUNCIL -
MUNICIPAL WARD 3 Total
Number of Precincts 11
Precincts Reporting 11 100.0 %
Total Votes 1096
STEPHENS, DOUG 605 55.20%
BITTON, TURNER C. 487 44.43%
Write-in Votes 4 0.36%

You can view the official results in all other Weber County municipalities here:

• Other Weber County Municipal General Election Results

With the exception of that single Riverdale City Council race which "may" still be subject to post-election litigation, as to our 2013 municipal elections, we'll call it a "wrap."

Congratulations to all the winning candidates, and thanks to all unsuccessful challengers who helped make this year's election one one of the least contentious and smoothest-running Ogden City election seasons in years.

Standard-Examiner: Stephens Officially Wins Ogden City Council Race, Bitton Concedes

Reluctant "kudos" to the "Northern Wasatch Association of Realtors", the overall "Big Winners"

The Standard-Examiner reports that Ogden City election officials have pressed out the last remaining wrinkle in the 2013 Ogden City Municipal Election races, as Mitch Shaw reports that the remaining 471 provisional and absentee ballots have been counted, and that two-term Ogden Ward 3 incumbent Doug Stephens has prevailed by a vote of 603 to 487, while challenger Turner C. Bitton has gracefully conceded defeat:

• Stephens officially wins Ogden city council race, Bitton concedes

Congrats to our old pal Doug for his election to a third council term, and a giant Weber County Forum Hat Tip to Mr. Bitton, who ran a thoroughly energetic and well-fought campaign.

Further kudos (albeit reluctant ones) to the Northern Wasatch Association of Realtors, which donated the usual 1500 bucks to Stephens, along with the other three prevailing council candidates Bart Blair, Neil Garner, and Marcia White, proving once again, now that latest Ogden Municipal election season draws to a close, that election-wise, "Realtor Cash is King" in Junction City, just as always, making this greedy real estate development lobbying group, once again...

2013 Ogden Municipal Election Real-time Tallies - Updated

A good time to "nuke up" a bag of Orville Redenbachers®, as you sink into your Barcaloungers® to view tonight's real-time vote count action

As is our exceedingly proud eight year tradition at Weber County Forum, and as we promised in this morning's early "Election Day" heads-up, we're once again delighted to furnish a link to Ogden City's nifty online vote tally link. This real-time online utility is up and running right now. Helpful hint: Update your Flash Player if it doesn't properly display on your screen.

• 2013 Municipal General Election Real-time Tallies

Yeah, we know.  The tension in the Ogden City races (two of them) still remains unbearable. But even though the polls close at  8:00 p.m., we've learned the hard way that initial vote counts probably won't start rolling in until around 9:00 p.m.or later.  So exercise some patience, folks. Good time to "nuke up" an extra bag of Orville Redenbachers®, wethinks, as you sink into your Barcaloungers® to view tonight's inevitably thrilling vote count action.

And for those of you who might be inclined to offer up your 2013 Ogden Municipal Election Day comments, plaudits, wisecracks, jaded remarks, or just plain ole garden variety gripes, the floor's now officially open for whatever you have to offer, even before the final vote tallies roll in.

Update 11/5/13 10:35 p.m.: All precincts have reported and here are the unofficial results:

Ward 1
x-Neil K. Garner - 254 (100%)

Ward 3
x-Doug Stephens - 523 (56%)
Turner C. Bitton  - 407 (44%)

At-large "A"
x-Marcia L. White - 2106 (64%)
Stephen D. Thompson - 1174 (36%)

At Large "B"
x-Bart Blair - 2511 (100%)

So what say our WCF readers about all this?

Ogden Municipal Election Special: 2013 Ogden City Municpal Election Game On!

Exercise your voting rights, O Gentle Ones... "Use 'em or lose 'em!"

Unless you're an Ogden City resident who's been living under a rock, you're "wise" to the fact that Ogden City Municipal Election Day rolled around just a few minutes ago, coincidentally with the final down-tick of our "snazzy" right sidebar election count-down clock. Yep, the polls opened at 7:00 a.m. this morning, and will remain in business until 8:00 this evening at all Ogden City voter precinct polling places.

Here's hoping you'll all make it over to your local polling location to cast your ever-important votes. Although the "killjoys" of the Ogden City Administration have summarily removed some of the excitement from the faithful exercise of you "civic duty," by enforcing those nit-picky Utah campaign financial disclosure rules, and thus disqualifying two candidates from two of the four prevously "contested" races, we still have four fine candidates running in two still-fiercely contested races, namely, second-time candidate Stephen D. Thompson and first-timer Marcia L. White in the At Large "A" contest, along with two-term council incumbent Doug Stephens and challenger  Turner C. Bitton, who are fighting it out tooth and nail in the council Ward 3 race.

And try to look at it philosophically, Ogden City lumpencitizens.  Unlike some some other Utah folks in some other Utah communities who won't have the opportunity at all to choose their own municipal elected officials for the 2014-16 term this morning, you at least have some choice in the matter, however pared-down those choices may be.

Oh yes.  As an added bonus, we'll incorporate this image of the flyer we received just this morning by mail, from the Northern Wasatch Association of Realtors, (a wholly-owned subsidiary of the "Biggest  and Baddest PAC in the Land"), which donated the usual 1500 bucks to candidates Bart Blair, Neil Garner, Doug Stephens and Marcia White, just to give you a little something extra to think about as you enter the voting booth today, and to add to the overall mirth and merriment of your voting experience

Click to enlarge image

This verbiage reads like a press release straight out of de facto Mayor  Mark Johnson's Economic Development Department, dunnit?

Still unsure about the location of your Ogden polling place, despite our placement of a link above (which you probably neglected to "click")?  Let that be no obstacle to the exercise of your civic responsibilities, as you can almost effortlessly obtain the location of your designated polling place (among other tidbits of important information) right here:

• Vote.Utah.Gov Voter Information Page

Try it; you'll like it

Exercise your voting rights, O Gentle Ones.  "Use it or lose it," as the old saying goes.

The polls are now open, people! Get on down and...

VOTE!

Added Bonus: We've also set up a separate thread for later this evening, by the way, (we've pre-set it to automatically post @ 7:30 p.m.), with a link to the Ogden City Recorder's Office "boffo" live online vote tally software, so you can follow tonight's vote count in real-time. Therefore, be sure to check back here later.

And in the meantime... the floor is open for your intra-day election related comments.

Standard-Examiner Ogden Ward 3 Endorsement - Our View: Bitton for Ogden City Council

A WCF rant and a brief questionnaire

Tick, tick, tick, etc.

As the little digital clock doohicky in our right sidebar ticks down inexorably toward Tuesday's 2013 Ogden Municipal Election 7:00 a.m. polling date, we'll jump on the opportunity to shine the light on Ogden election politics once again this morning, by linking the "Fourth and Final" installment of the Standard-Examiner's city council endorsement special article series, in which the SE editorial board goes w-a-a-y out on a limb and (surprise of surprises) "picks" the political newcomer over and above the experienced 2-term Ogden Council incumbent, in the ever-important "North-side" Ogden Ward 3 City Council race.

To the Standard's credit they do "let 'the incumbent' down easy", shall we say?

This was a very competitive race. Both candidates are qualified to be on Ogden's city council. Doug Stephens, the incumbent, has served with distinction. Both of these candidates would likely have been endorsed in other council races. However, they are pitted against each other, and Bitton merits the nod. 

Click to enlarge image

Read up, folks.  It ain't every day that our home town newspaper throws a member of the Ogden political establishment under the bus:

• Our View: Bitton for Ogden City Council

As to our own opinion on the subject, we agree with the Standard up to this point:  Both Stephens and Bitton are highly-qualified candidates.

Here's where we differ, however. Although we agree that Stephens and Bitton are both top-notch candidates, unlike the Standard, we don't believe you need the S-E editorial board, or even a cranky blogmeister, to tell you what you're supposed to think. We believe, under the circumstances, that the Standard's posture in re council recos is extremely useless, self-centered and overbearing, and that the Standard ought to have refrained from making a reco in this very close race.

So in that connection we'll once again refer you to our WCF candidate profile pages, to which we've devoted dozens of hours over the current municipal election cycle to rounding up all the best web links, articles and other materials to enable you to make your own best choices.  Make your own minds up, O Gentle Ones:

• 2013 Ogden City Council Candidates - Turner C. Bitton - Ward 3
• 2013 Ogden City Council Candidates - Doug Stephens - Ward 3

One more oblique side-note before we close up shop for the day and turn the floor over for your comments. Specifically, we're wondering how many of you, upon clicking the above Bitton endorsement link, caught the weird juxtaposition of these two weirdly-placed page elements, i.e., 1) the Standard's Bitton "un-paid" endorsement on the left, and 2) Stephens' "paid" campaign ad on the right:

Click to enlarge image

Here's a little quickie quiz, folks, lodged to elicit your ever-savvy impressions of how these jaggedly cognitive-dissonant page elements wound up side-by-side on the same page this morning:

• Pure serendipity;
• Savvy ad buying by the Stephens campaign;
• Despite the Bitton endorsement, the Standard "threw Stephens a bone"; and/or;
• All or none of the above. 

That's it for now, O Gentle Ones.

Please don't hesitate to offer your savvy answers to the above "questionnaire." 

Over and Out!

Standard Examiner Endorsement - Our View: White for Ogden City Council

Weber County Forum's View: It's a cryin' shame that Ogden voters can't choose both

Horse Race "Lingo"

On the heels of yesterday's demoralizing election setbacks, and in the hope of restoring some degree of normalcy to our 2013 Ogden Municipal Election coverage, we'll make a beeline to yesterday's Standard-Examiner special feature, Part 3 of the S-E's series of 2013 Ogden City Council endorsements. In many ways we've viewed the Ogden Council At-large "A" race as possibly the most interesting and difficult contest of the lot, inasmuch Tuesday's voters are faced with two highly-qualified candidates, contenders who'd be at the top of the heap in any other City Council race.  As Standard editor Doug Gibson privately confided to us, picking a favorite in the Seat "A" race was no easy task. And having met each of these fine candidates face-to-face, and having been impressed with each candidate's outstanding personal attributes, we definitely share in that dilemma  Here is the Standard's belabored At-large "A" pick nevertheless, once again "for what it's worth":

• Our View: White for Ogden City Council

In the interest of fairness, and inasmuch as the Standard's analysis reads something like a Marcia White campaign ad, we'll once again refer our readers to each candidate's Weber County Forum candidate profile page, where we've assembled a wealth of candidate links and other online materials where both Candidate Thompson and Candidate White "put their best feet forward," so to speak:

• 2013 Ogden City Council Candidates - Stephen D. Thompson - At-Large Seat “A”
• 2013 Ogden City Council Candidates - Marcia L. White - At-Large Seat “A”

As far as our own assessment goes, here's our brief rundown of what we view as each candidate's chief strengths:

White:  Robust business background, with an engineering degree to boot. Smart, energetic, and just the kind of person who could help out the rest of the City Council comprehend the Administration's sometimes complex real estate/economic development and financing schemes. Added bonus:  White believes that City Council legislation need not always originate with the Mayor's office.  During private conversations with Ms. White and her supporters, we're tantalized to learn that Ms. White will not be shy about bringing forth her own legislation.

Thompson:  Also smart and energetic, scoring especially high marks for his demonstrated past community involvement and "people skills." Thompson exudes personal charisma and "folksy" charm too, folks; just the kind of attributes which have been lacking on past City Councils, within your blogmeister's own memory,  at least. Thompson prides himself in his consensus-building and leadership skills, further well-cultivated talents which would well lend themselves to an Ogden City Council which is often perceived by Ogden lumpentizens as a rudderless legislative body which is easily led around by the (shall we say) pushy personalities of the Ogden Mayoral administration.

In truth, it's a cryin' shame that Ogden voters can't choose both.

So we'll once again encourage you to research these two fine candidates via the links provided above.

Failing that, perhaps its time to resort to a candidate screening technique which has perennially proven its worth:

Works Like A Charm

Yep, Gentle Readers.  In our view, the Seat "A" choice is just that close.

Standard-Examiner: Two Ogden City Council Candidates Disqualified

Councilman Bart Blair: The "luckiest man in Ogden City politics"

For the sake of Ogden City political wonks who haven't yet heard the disturbing news, we'll kickstart today's discussion with a short report on yesterday's blockbuster development, which has tipped Tuesday's 2013 Ogden Municipal election on its ear. In a City election race which had so far been uncharacteristically quiet, wherein the only palpable issue dividing council candidates seemed to revolve around whether Ogden residents ought to be permitted to raise chickens in their back yards, the Standard-Examiner suddenly upset the apple-cart early yesterday afternoon, with this blockbuster breaking story, which is sure to send the tongues of Ogden lumpencitizens wagging for the remaining three days remaining prior to Tuesday's election, and probably far beyond:

• Two Ogden city council candidates disqualified

That's right, folks. Muncipal Ward 1 council candidate Pamela Shupe Stevens and At-large Seat "B" candidate Courtney Jon White have been disqualified from their respective races, due to their failures to file their third set of financial disclosures with the Ogden City Recorders Office by the required October 29, 2013 5:00 p.m. deadline. Barring last-minute legal action by either of these candidates (and Mr. White informed your blogmeister yesterday afternoon that he planned to take no such action),  each of these candidates will have their names removed from your Tuesday ballots, and any votes that have been already cast either by early voting, or via absentee ballots, will remain uncounted.

As a result,  Muncipal Ward1 incumbent Neil K. Garner and At-large "B" incumbent Bart Blair will cruise to easy Tuesday victories by default, thanks to an Ogden City administrative decision to enforce the applicable requirements of Utah statutory and "controlling" case law, which, read together, require strict adherence to the financial disclosure reporting deadlines provided under the Utah Municipal Code:

• Title 10 Chapter 3 Section 208 - Campaign finance disclosure in municipal election
• PUGH v. DRAPER CITY - Utah Suprem Court (2005)

This outcome makes incumbent Bart Blair the "luckiest man in Ogden City politics," of course, as he follows up his 2009 "default" council race victory over the bumbling David Phipps, with a 2013 default victory over this year's nominee for the title "unluckiet man in Ogden politics," i.e., Courtney White.

And this outcome does not bode well for our Ogden City Council for the upcoming 2014-16 Council wethinks, as these two council incumbents again effortlessly accede to the council dais, whilst owing their very offices to the Mike Caldwell administration, the same administration who'll be seeking their support for the next two years or more.  Whether the Caldwell administration had any actual legal discretion in enforcing the applicable rules we won't speculate, although we will conjecture that this current unfortunate situation will not enhance the trust of the Ogden lumpencitizens for a council which is suspected by some disgruntled Ogden citizens of already being overly deferential (shall we say?) to the Mayor's Office.

That's the story as it stands this morning, O Gentle Ones.

Special thanks to WCF readers Dan S. and  Actuary321 for helping us round up the above-linked Utah  statutory and court citations.

So who'll be the first to offer their thoughts on "the meaning of all this?"

Standard-Examiner: Our View: Neil Garner for Ogden City Council

Will Council challenger Stevens "pull a rabbit out of her hat" on Tuesday? We guess we'll soon find out

Mr. Mac Certified?

Following up on yesterday's WCF story, we'll make note of this morning's still "warm off the press" Standard-Examiner  second 2013 Ogden City Municipal Election city council pick. Yep. It's that clean-cut guy from the west side, who disdains campaign websites, social media and any activity which any activity which might might remotely smack of running a "modern" campaign... and as an added bonus... obviously buys his "conservative business attire" at Mr. Mac's:

• Our View: Neil Garner for Ogden City Council

Additional "qualifications" which the Standard didn't mention? Well, he did collect the obligatory $1500 campaign donation from the Northern Wasatch Association of Realtors, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the "Biggest and Baddest PAC in the Land,"  which renders him eminently suitable for a second council term in real estate development-driven Ogden City, we suppose:

Click to enlarge image

Furthermore, Councilman Garner also does have important West Side support, where it counts, of course:

"West Side" Garner Support

With the Standard's endorsement, and all of these other advantages, let's just say that Garner's Council challenger, Pamela Shupe Stevens, who's raised a grand total of zero campaign dollars during her own "quixotic" and "uphill" campaign, has her work cut out for her this week, as the clock for Municipal Ward 1 voting winds down to a little over four days, with the Standard, as a practical matter, very possibly having already "nailed" the prospective winner of this one.

Will Ms. Stevens "pull a rabbit out of her hat" on Tuesday?

We guess we'll soon find out.

Update 10/31/13 2:05 p.m.: Uh-oh!  Looks like Candidate Stevens has yet another "disadvantage" to overcome:

• Two Ogden city council candidates disqualified

Happy Halloween, everyone...

2013 Ogden City Election Candidate Financial Disclosure Statements (Third Set)

The latest financial data, fresh from the City Recorder's Office

With less than 7 days remaining prior to next Tuesday's 2013 Ogden City Municipal election, we're pleased to present the Third Set of  timely-filed Ogden City Council Campaign Finance Disclosures, which are linked and summarized in the handy table below.   We've put the emphasis on the phrase timely-filed, inasmuch as two candidates, Pamela Stevens and Courtney White, missed yesterday's deadline, although Mr. White did manage to get his papers on file this morning.

These omissions could have significance, folks, as the potential penalty for a late filing could involve a tardy candidate's complete removal from the ballot.  Here's the applicable ordinance Ogden City ordinance, folks, which should provide "relief" to each of these candidates, provided their failures to file were "inadvertent" and not "willful":

• 1-8-6: FAILURE TO FILE; INACCURATE OR INCOMPLETE

In the meantime, while the City Recorder and City attorney get these interesting irregularities sorted out, click the highlighted links to see how each of these candidates is doing with his or her fundraising, as we stand on the cusp of electing a new Ogden City Council::

Here's the latest financial data, fresh from the City Recorder's Office, peeps:

Office	Current	Current	Cumulative	Cumulative
Candidate	Contribution	Expense	Contribution	Expense
Municipal Ward 1
Neil K. Garner	$1,050	$1,241	$2,550	$1,346
Pamela Stevens*	No Filing	No Filing	$0	$25
Municipal Ward 3
Turner C. Bitton	$3,602	$5,607	$9,805	$9,696
Doug Stephens	$1,840	$1,724	$6,150	$4,036
At-Large "A"
Stephen D. Thompson	$438	$989	$2,406	$2,259
Marcia L. White	$4,365	$3,598	$17,498	$9,696
At-Large "B"
Bart Blair	$1,875	$84	$1,875	$109
Courtney Jon White**	$61	$100	$261	$261

* No Filing - Disqualified
** Late Filing - Disqualified

Your ever-savvy comments and analysis are now invited, of course.

Standard-Examiner Editorial Board - Our View: Bart Blair for Ogden City Council

Hmmm... perhaps, now would be a good time to take a good long look At-Large "B" council candidate Courtney Jon White

Following up on its 2007 decision to weigh in with its "recommendations" in local election races, the Standard-Examiner publishes this morning what we expect the first of four "picks" in the now-pending 2103 Ogden Municipal Election City Council races.  Take it for what it's worth, Weber County Forum political wonks:

• Our View: Bart Blair for Ogden City Council

Among other things, the Standard gives credit to Blair for "work[ing] with the council to replace water pipes, as well as infrastructure, that was sorely in need of replacement." Fixing up the Ogden water system was the equivalent of a "no-brainer," of course.  Seems like everyone agreed about that.  But then the SE then inexplicably goes on to "predict" that "Blair will work to make sure that savings can be accumulated to provide money that is targeted for planned upgrades," even though this is exactly what Blair did not do in July of this year, when he joined with the council majority in rubber-stamping the Caldwell administration's recommended and unnecessary $18 million new water infrastructure bonding, (at an interest rate of between 4-5%,) even as the utility funds had more than enough "accumulated" cash already sitting in the bank, drawing interest at a pathetic 1%.

Take it for what it's worth, Weber County Forum political wonks, as we said.

Perhaps, now would be a good time to take a good long look at Blair's At-Large "B" opponent, Courtney Jon White, a strong-spined, libertarian-oriented candidate who will by no means, unlike Bart Blair, conceivably play the docile part of a Caldwell administration "rubber stamp," No, Nay, NEVER.

Parenthetically we'll note, that inasmuch as Blair is a big fan of "bus rapid transit," and thereby an implicit opponent of an Ogden Street Car System, Ogden Street Car proponents will of course have another reason to not "like" this Standard-Examiner editorial board pick.

And don't get us wrong on this, as we do believe that Bart Blair is a nice and likeable young feller.  Nevertheless, we do have an overriding political bias in re these matters:

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

2013 Ogden City Municipal Elections Special Voter Guide PARODY - Updated

Providing a voice to Ogden City government fat cats

Mark Who?

Hi there everybody!  I’m one of those people you’ve probably NEVER heard of.  Now, I’m NOT one of the little people who work hard, pay taxes, and basically struggle under the bloated weight of overweening, overpaid bureaucracy.

No, I AM one of those bloated, overweening, over-paid bureaucrats!  In fact, you might say I’m at the very top of the big, steaming pile!

Let me introduce myself.  My name is Not Mark Johnson or N. Mark Johnson for short.  I’m Ogden City’s Chief Administrative Officer or CAO. 

I’m not the mayor, the fire chief, the police chief, the city council, or any of those small fry.  I’m all those peoples’ BOSS!  Elections may come and go, but whoever wins, all the other birds sit underneath ME in the pigeon coop!  In fact, I just CANNED the airport manager in favor of MY long-time, triple-dipping CRONY!  That’s my idea of smooth operation: YES-MEN!  Now it’s YOUR TURN to keep smooth operation in Ogden.  If you vote for MY people, I won’t have to SPUR anybody into obedient compliance with my edicts!  The people I suggest below are ALREADY TRAINED to do what I want! 

Kick In, You Suckers!  HAHAHAHA!

But first, if you have any friends in surrounding cities, you know that Ogden City water bills have been jacked up so high, they SOAR above the rest!  Maybe you’ve wondered why?  Well, it turns out that for every $1 of water money that comes in, 17¢ comes straight to the general fund, i.e. to ME!  You know how hard it is to raise TAXES around here?  Well, who needs all that STRESS!  I just get the elected nitwits to raise the WATER BILLS and I get 17% of that extra money, and NOBODY complains!

A few years ago, we put in a new water tank at the top of 36th Street that is FIVE TIMES as big as the STATE ENGINEERING standards said we needed.  Why so big? Because I got, and continue to get, 17% of all that WASTEFUL SPENDING!

And take my LATEST SCHEME!  We got the city to BORROW $20 million we didn’t even NEED in the water fund!  Then, we put the money RIGHT BACK into the BANK, along with the $30 million that was ALREADY THERE!  Next, we raised water bills to pay the INTEREST!  Right off, I get 17% of those higher water bills!  Then, we paid hundreds of thousands of dollars in fees to the bankers and consultants who came up with this SCAM! 

And that’s not even the BEST PART!  Once the new city council gets seated, we’ll wait a little while, and go “HEY!  Guess WHAT!  We just DISCOVERED $50 million in the BANK that we must have SAVED due to our incredible EFFICIENCY!!  So how about we use that money for some NEW PUBLIC BUILDING we NEED!  It’ll be like getting the new public building for FREE!  You can tell all your VOTERS how GOOD of a job you are doing!” 

HAHAHAHAHA!!!  The city council will be bleeding you people dry and kissing both sides of my butt for making them look so good!  It’s easy as PIE I tell ya!  Easy as PIE!  HAHAHAHAHA!

Ok, I had to stop and take a pill.  My doctor told me not to get so hyperventilated at work.  Ok, take a breath, N. Mark.  Take a breath.  That’s better.  Well, here are my recommendations.

At Large Seat B

VOTE FOR! Bart Blair

Bart Blair

Bart Blair came to office four years ago from the oil industry.  Actually, he was a GAS STATION CLERK … at his DAD’S gas station!  You can still buy your beer and cigarettes from him most weekdays at Blair’s Chevron here in town.  It was this level of skill and experience that landed him the position he currently holds of Ogden City Council CHAIRMAN!

HAHAHAHA!  Yeah, RIGHT!  Actually, I got him that job MYSELF!  You see, Bart came to office a young, naïve little boy, and I turned him into the rapidly-aging, reflexive BUTT KISS that he is today!  This guy NEVER votes against the bureaucrats.  He’s been raising your water bills the whole time he’s been in office!!  Vote this guy back in!!!!

VOTE AGAINST! Courtney White

Courtney White

This candidate, Courtney White, is the most blatant case of FALSE ADVERTISING I’ve ever SEEN!  The guy’s name is WHITE, but he’s OBVIOUSLY a MEXICAN!

Taking a page from the former mayor’s playbook, do you really think more Mexican markets, gangs and graffiti is what this city needs!  Come on! Get serious!

But if that’s not bad enough, this guy is a free enterprise NUT! He DOESN’T LIKE the millions of dollars this city hands out to our FAVORED CRONIES each year!  Courtney believes in imaginary, non-existent things, like unicorns, elves, and the free market in Ogden!  He’s against all our corporate welfare and payoffs, and wants to CLEAN it all UP!  One of my golfing cronies said he doesn’t have a problem with having a Mexican CLEAN something UP, but NOT like THIS!!  Hey, this election, do ME a favor and make sure COURTNEY WHITE’S political career is ALL WASHED UP!

Wards 1 & 3

VOTE FOR!  Neil Garner and Doug Stephens

Garner & Stephens

These two fine men, Neil Garner and Doug Stephens, have been painstakingly trained to do what I want, and they ALWAYS do what I SAY!! 

These are your INCUMBENTS!  They’ve been raising your water bills reliably.  And you people on secondary water – they voted in a scheme to JACK your rates EVEN HIGHER than EVERYONE ELSE! 

Yeah!!! Both of these guys came into office as intellectual lightweights.  And now, if you’ve ever met them, you know that after years in office they are so addled they can hardly chew gum.  But they have enough function left to nod “yes” when the vote comes.  YES!!  YES!!!  Reward these men for jacking up your water bills and making me a happy man!!  Re-elect them!!! 

VOTE AGAINST!  Pamela Stevens and Turner Bitton

Stevens & Bitton

These people, Pamela Stevens and Turner Bitton, are new.  They are down to earth.  They listen.  They want to serve the public good.

For Pete’s sake DON’T vote for people who are THAT IRRESPONSIBLE!   I know what the city needs, not YOU!  Please, please, please DON’T vote for these people!

At Large Seat A

PICK ONE YOURSELF!  Marsha White or Stephen Thompson

White & Thompson

I haven’t had time for my city bureaucratic gnomes to find out about these people, Marsha White or Stephen Thompson, so I can’t say who will be the most dutifully servile to the needs of the CITY, and by that I mean servile to the needs of ME!!!!

But I do know that Marsha White has gotten a truckload of money from the REALTOR association, some of our most reliable CRONIES!  So judge THAT for yourself!

In conclusion, remember that I make at least 3 times the median income of the rest of you SUCKERS not counting all my PERKS!  So I’m smarter than you, and I KNOW what YOU NEED!  Remember, vote YES for ever-increasing rates and fees!  Vote YES for Ogden City, by voting for MY candidates on NOVEMBER 5th!

Update 10/25/13 8:00 a.m.: I cracked the whip at my gnomes and they FINALLY did a little research on those two nobodys running for At Large Seat A (soon to be vacated by that dimwit Susie who sounded kinda scary when she campaigned but has ended up being putty in my hands). What the gnomes discovered is this...

Marcia White used to be on the board of a liberal terrorist organization called Equality Utah that wants EQUAL RIGHTS for all the LGBT folks. Now personally I don't care one way or the other about the queers but I get queasy when I think of council members who might have their own agenda -- any agenda!

Anyhow, I can probably live with White's agenda but NOT with Stephen Thompson's agenda which is WORKER'S RIGHTS!!! He's a former FIREFIGHTER, for cryin' out loud! That means he'll want more pay and decent working conditions for ALL the firefighters, and undoubtedly the cops too, and maybe even the garbage collectors and ditch diggers and office clerks. And MORE dough for all those dumb city slaves means LESS dough for me and my loyal bureaucrats! Not to mention the developers and construction contractors and real estate speculators who are always SO VERY NICE to me whenever they come up to my office and we close the door and share our mutual appreciation.

SO, kids: DON'T vote for Stephen Thompson! Hold your nose if necessary and just vote for Marcia White, whose last name stands for keeping the money where it belongs, in the hands of us WHITE COLLAR bureaucrats!

Election Signups End "Monday," Voting begins "Tuesday"

Nope.  Pre-election voter registration ends @ 5 p.m. today

Quick reminder from the Trib for those folks who'd like to vote in the 2013 Utah Municipal elections:

Monday [today, 10/28/13] is the last day for Utahns to register to vote in city elections on Nov. 5.
Lumpenncitizens with a current Utah driver license or state identification card may register in person at their county clerk’s office or online at vote.utah.gov, according to the Salt Lake Tribune.

• Election signups end Monday, voting begins Tuesday

"If you snooze, you lose," as the old saying goes.

Sorry, folks. We can't "esplain" the Trib's vague story and possibly deceptive headline.

The true  story?  Voter registration for the 2013 Elections ends today. And yes, we've confirmed that with the Weber County Clerk's office.

If you're not yet registered to vote, you can prepare to fulfill your minimal "Civic Duty," today, folks.

Just another helpful pre-election tip from your Old Pal, Rudi.

Standard-Examiner: Ogden Election Candidates Excited About Ogden City's Future

Eight Ogden City Council incumbents and challengers seemingly stand up for "motherhood and apple pie"

It's with some reluctance that we direct our readers' attention to this morning's Standard-Examainer story, a factually "thin" virtual puff-piece, boiling down eight (count'em 8) Ogden City Council candidates' campaign platforms to a couple of brief paragraphs per candidate, wherein each incumbent and challenger seemingly stands up for "motherhood and apple pie," as one ever-savvy Ogden City political wonk wryly remarks.

• Ogden election candidates excited about city's future

Adding insult to injury,  Council At-Large "B" candidate Courtney White, a candidate of the "libertarian" political persuasion, justifiably complains he's not only been misquoted, but that the quotes attributed to him run just exactly opposite of his philosophical beliefs.

I think you used Marcia L. White's quote as mine. I think we need to stop using business incentives, and instead need to have a fair business climate for all of Ogden's businesses, new and old.
I'll expect a retraction.
Courtney Jon White.
EDIT:
I could have misspoke in the interview. I do support small business, but not with incentives. I simply think it's wrong to ask small businesses to pay taxes while their new to the city competition is given tax breaks.

Click to enlarge image

Sad state of affairs for Standard-Examiner reporting, where a mere three weeks preceding the November 5 Ogden Municipal election, this is the only 2013 Ogden City Municipal Election story which our home town newspaper has seen fit to publish relating to these important Ogden City Municipal races, aside from one concerning the "ever-important"  urban chicken-ranching issue, of course.

And even at that, SE reporter Mitch Shaw can't get the story right.

In that connection, we'll again refer our readers to our right sidebar 2013 Ogden City Election module, where we've compiled and [posted a robust collection of web links and articles, concerning the campaign endorsements, platforms and political views of all eight candidates, which online "feature" even now seems to be the only 2013 Ogden Municipal Election resource for those prospective voters who don't wish to rely upon the Standard's heretofore lackluster reporting.  For starters, try this link:

• 2013 Ogden Municipal Election Candidate Roster

Click the rest of the links in our right sidebar module to learn more.

We hate to criticize S-E reporter Mitch Shaw, who usually does a pretty good job with his reporting.

We suppose he had a "tight" deadline to make.

Standard-Examiner: Meet Candidates for Ogden City Council at Library (Tonight) Wednesday, Oct. 2 - Cancelled

Hopefully you'll be able to work this into your evening calenders

Via the Standard-Examiner, we'll relay an announcement of tonight's 2013 Ogden City Municipal elections event, something that no self respecting Ogden City political wonk will want to miss:

OGDEN  -- The Weber County Democratic Party will host a meet-the-candidates forum for the candidates for Ogden City Council from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 2, at the Weber County Library Main Branch, 2464 Jefferson Ave. in Ogden.
The forum is expected to last two hours, and candidates will be allowed to introduce themselves and will field questions from the audience.

Our apologies for our belated announcement of this important event. Although we'd indirectly caught wind of the scheduling a few days ago, this is the first formal announcement that's popped up anywhere.  Weirdly enough, there was no info at all, even on the Weber County Democratic Party's website, even as recently as this morning.

"Better late than never," we suppose.

Hopefully you'll be able to work this into your evening calenders, despite the "tardiness" of the notice, for which we profusely apologize, although it's REALLY NOT our fault.

Update 10/2/13 7:33 a.m.:  We just received this info from At-Large Seat "B" candidate Courtney White, concerning an email which he received from the Weber County  Democratic Party County Chair:

"Greetings Ogden Municipal Candidate, 
I have the solemn duty of contacting you to give notice that the Weber county Democratic Party’s event scheduled for October 2nd at the Weber County main library will have to be canceled."

 Looks like this "important" event has been called off. Dang!

Update 10/2/13 11:00 a.m.:  We've just received word from Weber County Democratic Party Chairman Ben Pales, confirming that this evening's event has indeed been canceled.

More Corporate "Freebees" from the Ogden City Council? - Updated

Fattening the purse of the latest corporate welfare recipient developer, to the tune of $1,000,000

Interesting agenda items popping up on tonight's Ogden City Council and Ogden City Redevelopment Agency Board calenders:

Click to enlarge image

3. Reports from Administration:
a. Mixed Use Master Development Agreement – Ogden 20th Street Investors. Proposed Resolution 2013-16 approving the Mixed Use Zone Master Development Agreement for the Ogden Bend Master Planned Community for the Development of land generally located between 20th Street and the Ogden River and between Grant Avenue and Lincoln Avenue together with land between the Ogden River and 18th Street and between Kiesel Avenue and Grant Avenue.

Here's the nitty-gritty:

Developer Responsibilities:

• Complete the development in accordance with all laws,including the Riverbend Master Plan
• Phase the project and submit documents for approval in accordance with the MUMDA
• Meet all Open Space and Trails Requirements outlined in the Master Plan
• Construct all on-site public infrastructure and convey to the City
• Meet and confer regarding Development Application Denials
• Meet and confer regarding Development progress

Ogden City Responsibilities

• Bend over backwards to "facilitate" this project
• Cough up an additional $1 million in tax increment to fat-cat develper

The bottom line?

Ogden City, along with an administration-compliant Ogden City Council will apparently be fattening the purse of the latest corporate welfare recipient developer, to the tune of $1,000,000.

Projected "net value" to we Ogden City Taxpayers  after this project is completed? Well who knows?

Sodden question: If Ogden City is such a great place to invest, why do the one-trick-ponies of the Ogden City  Economic Development Department (holdovers from the Godfrey administration) find it "necessary" to continue to "bribe" these "developers" (and current property owners) into "investing" in Ogden?

Just "axin.'"

Update 9/11/13 6:30 a.m.: Looks like the Council and RDA jumped in with both feet:

Mixed Use Master Development Agreement – Ogden 20th Street Investors. Proposed Resolution 2013-16 approving the Mixed Use Zone Master Development Agreement for the Ogden Bend Master Planned Community for the Development of land generally located between 20^th Street and the Ogden River and between Grant Avenue and Lincoln Avenue together with land between the Ogden River and 18^th Street and between Kiesel Avenue and Grant Avenue. Resolution adopted, vote: 7-0

A full twenty months into the Caldwell administration, the taxpayers of Ogden are still paying through the nose to "clean up" Boss Godfrey's "messes;" and BRIBERY even now remains as Ogden City's #1 economic development tool.

Update 9/16/13 6:30 a.m.:  Via the Ogden City website, here's the video of the 9/10/13 RDA meeting:

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!

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: