Press Room: Ogden-Standard Examiner
Ogden mayor receives mostly favorable marks
Sun, Jan 6, 2002
By CHERYL BUCHTA
Standard-Examiner staff
OGDEN -- Two years ago, residents chose a 29-year-old political novice to lead the ailing city.
Today, despite criticisms of his blunt style and take-charge manner, Mayor Matthew Godfrey, now 31, is hailed by some as the "breath of fresh air" Ogden needed.
"I didn't know the mayor until just before election time two years ago," said John A. Lindquist, one of the city's leading businessmen. "I was impressed by his enthusiasm and his independence. He wasn't burdened by any old baggage. He has a "can-do" attitude. That's something we need at this time."
Godfrey, who captured the city’s highest elected office from under the noses of experienced politicians, was a Weber State University business major whose job experience included short stints at Iomega and the city’s Community and Economic Development Agency. The son of a former Harrisville mayor and the son-in-law of a state senator, Godfrey capitalized on residents" frustration with the city’s high crime rate, stagnant economy and failing downtown by promising aggressive change.
"I think his energy has been good for Ogden City," said Weber County Commissioner Camille Cain. "Ogden City needed a breath of fresh air and he has brought that."
Halfway through his four-year term, Godfrey said he’s well on his way to fulfilling his campaign promises.
Pausing to pull his campaign brochure from his drawer, Godfrey said he checks periodically on his progress.
"We’ve done virtually everything we said we would."
As promised, Godfrey, with the council’s help, has added 16 police officers, lowering Ogden’s crime rate. He’s managed, via a small tax cut, to take Ogden from first to second highest in taxes.
But what will make or break him is whether his proposals to revitalize downtown pan out. To date, his administration has redevelopment plans for 120 acres in downtown.
Godfrey fires off the list of projects under way with the air of a man satisfied with his work: the redevelopment of the Eccles hotel, the creation of the Business Information Center, the Intermodal Hub, the new Internal Revenue Service building, the new amphitheater, the Union Square housing project, and the redevelopment of the Ogden City Mall.
Then he turns to projects that are still in the preliminary stages: the highly ballyhooed high-tech center, the River Project, relocating Bloom’s Recycling off Wall Avenue, another possible IRS expansion, and the occupancy of an empty historic building by a high-tech company.
"I’m very happy with how quickly some of it has come together," he said. But he added that previous administrations laid much of the groundwork that allowed projects to proceed.
Taking charge
Charging ahead has been Godfrey’s trademark -- one that has endeared him to some while alienating others.
Immediately upon taking office, he put department heads on notice: do it his way or leave.
He fired one. Two jumped ship immediately. Another, left last April. Since then, two more longtime employees announced their departures.
Police Chief Jon Greiner said Godfrey challenged department directors to become more customer-service oriented, a goal Greiner said he has tried to meet.
"He’s picked up a few critics," Greiner said. "You can’t get everybody to agree with you every time."
Godfrey said putting a business spin on government services was a good move.
"It is a paradigm shift in calling people who come in customers," he said. "That approach has been very good."
Business vs. politics
But his single-mindedness, coupled with a lack of political skills, has also cost him.
"I think the mistakes he has made were primarily mistakes from approaching things from a business orientation when they really called for a political one," said Weber State University political science professor Rod Julander. "That’s why he’s been accused of being abrupt and why he made some enemies that he didn’t need to make."
Julander, who campaigned for Garth Day, said business and government have fundamental differences.
"If I am doing some kind of business with a private CEO, I don’t care if I like him if I get a good deal," he said. "Politics are far more personal relations oriented."
Julander said in business, members share the common goal of making a profit. In government, officials represent their constituents and may not share the same philosophies.
Which means, to be successful in politics, one has to learn to bring others on board before making big changes, he said.
"(Godfrey’s) not the most diplomatic fellow it appears," he said. "I have known city council members to go against a mayor just because he needed to be taken down a notch. I’ve wondered a time or two if that weren’t happening."
Fights with council
Godfrey has clashed numerous times with the council, mostly because the council doesn’t get all the information until right before a vote. Godfrey also raised a stink when he pushed his request for $1 million for a high-tech center at the Legislature in place of city and county priorities.
And last year, he cut off weekly leadership meetings used to update the council on upcoming projects.
Council members have responded by holding votes until they had time to review the materials.
Council Chairman Ken Alford said Godfrey has learned to appreciate the council’s role.
"I think he had limited government experience, but I give him credit for being a fast learner," Alford said.
Retiring Councilman John Wolfe chalked up Godfrey’s mistakes to youth.
"I think he’s learned a lot and generally I would give him very favorable marks at this point."
"Change advocate"
Cain said Godfrey was elected as a change advocate.
"He felt he had absolute license to change any and everything he thought he needed to be changed."
She said Godfrey is finding he needs to bring others along to accomplish those goals.
"He’s much better about touching base with other elected officials than he was." Godfrey also alienated some of Ogden’s elite who were used to city officials turning to them for advice.
In the past two years, he said he’s repaired some of those bridges, but concedes some of the city’s movers and shakers will never like him.
SLC's shadow
Undoubtedly, Godfrey’s most controversial move was to hire Stuart Reid, a former Salt Lake City councilman and redevelopment director, as his business and economic development director.
In a town that has languished in Salt Lake’s shadow, many remain suspicious of Reid’s Salt Lake connections.
"(Reid’s) not a consensus builder," Cain said. "He works behind closed doors and that makes people nervous."
But few question Reid’s apparent success in bringing deals to the table. Two years ago, investors would hardly look at Ogden, Godfrey said.
"Today, they are approaching us," he said.
Proof in projects
Others are waiting to see if Reid’s ambitious projects actually come to fruition before bestowing acclaim.
"I think the proof will be in the pudding," Cain said.
Godfrey credits Reid with taking his ideas to a new level.
"He’s a hard charger," he said. "We need people that can take the heat."
The next two years will show whether Godfrey has the skill to pull off an Ogden renaissance. By then, residents will know whether his plan to redevelop the Ogden mall will be the catalyst to rejuvenate downtown.
"Some people have brought up that we’re doing too much," Godfrey said. "I think that’s a wonderful compliment. I don’t think you were hearing that two years ago."
The next two years?
Godfrey said there is no question the city can complete all the projects on the books.
MarketStar CEO Alan Hall said he believes Godfrey can pull it off.
"I think one of the things I admire about Matt is he is a visionary and he not only can take that vision but can execute it. That’s a great talent."
In the coming year, Godfrey plans to turn his energy on the city’s aging neighborhoods. The most visible step will be Hall’s Families First project that will bring businesses, city government, churches and private interests to bear on the inner-city’s vast problems.
Weber State University President Paul Thompson said he’s impressed by the ambitious initiative.
"He’s good at developing partnerships," Thompson said.
The inner city
Thompson said Godfrey focuses on what will help Ogden, especially the inner city.
"I think he’s made some real progress there."
Last year, Godfrey, with the council’s wholehearted approval, put several new zoning ordinances, designed to improve Ogden’s environment, in place. In addition to rezoning the entire city, administration also proposed a new boarded building ordinance.
Godfrey said next year he will put more money into repairing aging sidewalks, curbs and gutters which have given many parts of the city a shabby appearance.
He said he plans to spend the next year delving into the problems unique to each of Ogden’s neighborhoods to find ways to make the city a safer, more pleasant place to live and work.
"I want the people of the community to feel empowered," he said.
Godfrey adroitly dodges the question of whether he will run for a second term, saying it depends on whether the task he set for himself is done at the end of his term.
..................................................................................................
Just Ask >
