Ogden city has always had a reputation for passionate political debate, with a lot of rancor and back and forth. Just look at the tenure of Mayor Matthew Godfrey. He has his strong supporters and strong detractors. He won a third time with virtually 50 percent plus a few votes over challenger Susan Van Hooser. It’s hard to govern with such a slim edge, but it makes for hard-edged, sometimes-entertaining politics.
There are four Ogden Council races on Nov. 4. In at least three races, the candidates have — whether they like it or not — been defined as pro-administration or pro-city council (which is at odds with the mayor on more than a few issues). The most intense — by which I mean has generated letters and area blog posts — race is probably between Bart Blair and David Phipps for at-large Seat B. Another interesting race is between Van Hooser and Mark Hains for at-large Seat A. In Municipal Ward 1, incumbent Jesse Garcia is up against Neil K. Garner. In Municipal Ward 3, incumbent Doug Stephens is running against Patrick A. Dean.
Because the primary turnout was so low, it’s impossible to know who will be the victors. Four years ago primary winners were defeated. Blair, Van Hooser and Garcia have been perceived by many as pro-city council candidates. Phipps, Hains and Garner have been perceived by as many others as pro-administration candidates. Stephens has largely avoided being tagged in either faction. Our editorial board interviews with all the candidates may surprise some people. We’ll be releasing the interviews soon on StandardNET. I hope many people watch them.
We will issue endorsements on the races. It will be tough. They all have impressive credentials. There are a lot of sources to get as much information as you can about the election. Our newspaper, besides daily coverage and our Web election sections, will have special election sections in Thursday’s paper. Outside our newspaper, the Weber County Forum blog here is harshly critical of the Godfrey administration — and particularly candidate Phipps — but it is entertaining and informative and has a lot of campaign-related material, including links to Web sites and financial disclosure reports. Another blog, Junction City News, here seems to exist as a counter to the WCF. It is favorable to the Godfrey administration and particularly critical of candidate Van Hooser. It has helpful links to Ogden sites and news articles related to Ogden.
It’s going to be an interesting campaign; stay informed and get out and vote for your choice. We need a healthy turnout in Ogden. Our candidates merit it.
tom
on Oct 21st, 2009
@ 5:52 pm:
Good article Doug, too bad it is not on the front page of the dead tree addition.
One thing you left out is the voter fraud committed by Phipps in Salt Lake last election, and the most likely election fraud he has committed in Ogden with his filing for candidacy.
l also think it pertinent that the folks you describe as “pro council” are actually more like independent. One other thing you didn’t get into is the fallacy of the so called conflict between the mayor and council and the fact that the council has voted for over 98% of all the mayor’s proposals during the last few years.
dan s.
on Oct 22nd, 2009
@ 7:29 am:
Want to read about the candidates’ views on land use, mass transit, public utilities, and Mt. Ogden Golf Course? Check out their questionnaire responses on the Ogden Sierra Club web site. All eight candidates have submitted responses to eight questions, and their responses are posted in full, unedited.
(I find it odd that the Standard-Examiner print edition has refused to print an announcement of this and other online sources of information.)
tom
on Oct 22nd, 2009
@ 11:19 pm:
Dan
It appears that the powers that be at the Standard have allotted very little space in their dead tree addition for anything not approved by the Godfreyites. The hold that evil empire has over the management of the Standard is rather odd and perplexing unless you look at the economics of it and the fact the Standard, along with most other papers in the world, are struggling for their very existence. The bottom line in the newspaper biz is now the bottom line, and the truth of it is the Godfreyites can influence the Standard’s income stream a hell of a lot more than the average citizen reader can.
I guess we can at least be grateful that the Suits that call the shots at the Standard seem to have an open policy on their web site about the free flow of information. Unfortunately their web site has a miniscule readership compared to the print edition – at least for now. Enjoy it while it lasts as I’m sure the Godfreyites will be exerting pressure on the Suits to cut that source of information off to the public as well.