25th Street Association Questions

One of the issued that have been brought to the table this Campaign Season is the question on Transportation.... How do you view it....? My view is a little bit different then the rest of the folks running in these Council races. In a recent survey from Mr. Steve Van Wagoner with the 25Th Street Association. Mr. Van Wagoner asked 5 questions, I'm not sure where they came up with the format of asking 5 questions, but it sure has been the norm this Campaign season.

Question #1 "How do you intend to drive business & customers to Historic 25Th Street and Downtown Ogden...?"

Well I stopped myself at this point and decided to read all the questions first to see if I might be able to shorten this whole process up. You see I'm not a very fast typist and and even slower thinker. Well low and behold I discovered that both question #1 and #1 could be answered using the same answer...

OK Question #2 "What is your vision for transportation in Ogden?"

Answer to Question #1 and #2: My vision is to bring back the horse drawn Trolley throughout the Central business district with it's main spine being 25 Drive. You see, I don't think we need to drive businesses and customers to Historic 25th Street, I Think we need to entice them to want to come and share in our rich history that made our downtown the place to be seen. Come experience our wonderful down town aboard a horse drawn trolley. I envision tracks down Grant Ave. and looping back down Lincoln to the north perhaps as far as 12 th Street, or at least as far as the River Project. perhaps as far South as 36th Street. Providing steady not speedy transportation. The as we want crest the hill on 25 th Street into the Jefferson District and then on to the Eccles district and then perhaps as far east a Polk Ave, thence turning South through our beautiful Marlyn Drive area and onto the beautiful Mt. Ogden Park and Golf Course. Thus flowing to the south to encompass our wonderful Weber State College, the circling past the McKay-Dee hospital, negotiating is way down to Quincy Ave. to the north and on through Sullivan Hollow to Monroe Blvd. and northerly looping back into the starting point.

This would both incorporate quite a few of our existing bus routes bu would allow for people to experience our Downtown venues and events with out having to drive downtown..... Just jump on the trolley. Thus finishing the branding of the Trolley District..

Question #3 "Would you vote for a Gondola...?" Depends if it is a private venture or a public venture.... If the Tax payers are to fit any of the bill my answer would have to be 'NO'. Should it be a private venue then we would need to make sure that it does not in any way disturb the lifestyle our citizens have been accustom too.

Question #4 "How often do you attend current Council meetings or study sessions...?" Well to be truthful just attended a City Council meeting this past evening at the James Madison School. prior to tonight I have attended when needed for clients when they have asked me to represent them on various issue from planning and zoning requests to just keeping informed. However I am on the E-Mail list that is sent out informing you of meeting agenda's and RDA meetings. That way I can attend should a item concern me or effect me or people I know directly.

Question #5 "What is your honest opinion of current Council members and their philosophies...? I believe that tour current City Council is trying to do what is right for the People of Ogden, and I feel that they are sometimes afraid to ask the hard questions. Perhaps they lack the finesse to broach sensitive issues. For example tonight the City Council opened the budget and reallocated fund from one area of the budget to the other. This requested by the City Neighborhood development and City Engineer for a project that is being designed by a company out of Colorado, that should have been hired to perform the project program. Then when asked by a citizen if all purchasing guideline had been followed, the City Engineer quickly passed the ball off to the Neighborhood Development Director, and he was allowed to what I felt he danced around the real question and then blame the lack of protocol on tight time constraints and they had such a vested interest... There are rules and regulations in place to protect the people. I feel first that the City Council is there to make sure that the guidelines are in place and firmly adhered too. Tonight was a fine example of the cart steering the horse. We sure could use a equestrian that knows exactly where the horse goes.....

Ogden River Project

The Ogden River Project and the Ogden River Restoration Project, the first being run by the Neighborhor Development folks and the later by the Engineering and Public Ways & Parks. I'm not quite sure where one begins and the other lets off. Personally I have been working with a property owner in the River Project Development area that just so happens to own property in and along the Ogden River. Therfore this property owner has been requested to provide an easement for the River Restoration project without being monitarily compensated for the lost of use. This property owner has been confronted by no less than 5 different individuals from Ogden City requesting her to participate in the project. Falling all just short of saying that they would condem the land and take the part that was needed.

Now the River Development portion of this equasion. There are ordinances in the Planning and Zoning department that clearly define what should be done in this project. The ordinace states that the property owner is responsible to fine a development plan along with a fee for each piece of property that is left vacant and have be come an attrative nuciense. The ordinace states that the the owner will obtain permits for the purpose of raising such structures. These permit are good for a period of six months, in which time the owner must file for another permit to extend.
At the last count I had there were 30 to 40 residences that currently lack an improvement plan and or permits. Believe you me these permits are not cheap.. I think the cost for the original 6 month permit is $500.00 per property, with a $500.00 renewal eack time an extention is granted. Lets just go back the last four years of the River Project..... 30 pieces of property a $1,000.00 per year= $30,000.00 per year x 4 years = $ 120,000.00, and counting... to me that no small change. I'm more concerned that these ordinances are not enforced equally and fairly across the board. They seem to be enforced only when it is comfortable for the Code Enforcement officer. There are also provisions for the city to raise the homes and recover thier expenses through the Yearly Tax notice. The first move that I would recomend is that we either enforce all ordinaces or we eliminate the ones that seem to not be enforcable.

We need to really finnish a project prior to starting new ones. Any good Developer will tell you, You as developer are the last one to see the profits, if you are one of the lucky ones, that if you don't get eaten in the process.

I would like to go on for ever but maybe thats another day and another policy statement........

Mt Ogden Park and Golf Course

One of the hottest issues of this election has been; "What is your position on the proposed development of the Mt. Ogden Park and Golf Course?" I feel we need to remember the first part of that phrase.....Mt. Ogden Park, what a jewel it is.... running along the foothills, just inviting you to come and partake of it's beauty, How many of us remember climbing the rocket that stood as a moniker for so many years... The start point of your annual hike up waterfall canyon. These asset's should be protected at whatever cost..... for the generations to follow.

The second part of that phrase; Mount Ogden Golf Course..... Having recently played the course I was both amazed and disappointed, amazed that the fairways were in great shape... The Greens were wonderful..... I made my annual donation of ball's to the scrub oak god's... What diappointed me was the lack of maintenance of the cart paths. I thought that I would have to lock in the hub's of the 4-wheel drive Golf cart. I could not believe we had to use the a Honey Pot, which curiously enough was placed directly next to the restroom building. Now I'm not preive to the reason for the need of the Honey Pot, but I can sure tell you that I would sure be embarressed to have you visit my home and have ask me to use the restroom, and direct you to the honey pot.

It has also been mentioned that the Golf Course has been running at a loss to the tune of $300,000.00 per year. Could this be why when I did some research at a popular web site called "www.UtahsRight .com" I found the there are to high ranking Business Development folks being paid out of the Golf course account... Something just seems to be a little skewed in this picture. How can a private Golf Course run in the black when it has to pay for Property Taxes and Water and the city owned and operated course which pays niether water and or property taxes just can't seem to make a buck? Most private courses have had to enlarge and improve their facilities to be able to host nice and large tournaments. When was the last time someone wanted to have a wedding at the Mt. Ogden Clubhouse. We really should take the handcuff's off the staff and allow them to make this facility shine. Before we just run out and sell it to the highest bidding developers we should provide our folks the right tools and opportunities to perform their job's....

Hope this gives you a better insite into how I feel about our Park and Golf Course.