Since I Didn't Make it ....

There are now only two candidates for Ogden City Council At-Large Seat B: Bart Blair and David Phipps. I have decided that since Mr. Blair has so far expressed ideas and feelings about running for city council that are more similar to mine than Mr. Phipps, I will support Mr. Blair in the post-primary race.

I am posting here his Sierra Club Questionnaire response:

Ogden Sierra Club City 2009 Council Candidate Questionnaire
Responses from Bart Blair (At-Large Seat B)
1. Please briefly describe your qualifications and why you are running for Ogden City Council.

Life Long Resident of Ogden City; Graduate of Ogden High School; Bachelors Degree – Weber State University; Lamar Advertising; Financial Technology Consultant; 3-generation family business located in Ogden City - Blair’s Chevron; I intend to raise my three girls in Ogden and for this reason I care about how we develop our community.

2. If you were to propose changes in Ogden's zoning ordinances to improve the quality of life and business in Ogden, what changes would you propose (if any), and why?

I would do more to protect the natural assets that we have in Ogden. People are relocating to Ogden not because of any knew development but because of our trials, mountains, rivers and people.

3. Ogden City, UTA, and other stakeholders are currently studying alternatives for a major transit investment in Ogden to connect downtown with the WSU area. Do you support this project and if so, what are your views on the various alternatives being considered?

I would like to wait and review the final proposal however; I am not in favor of a gondola as a mass transit solution. Bus rapid transit, streetcar or light rail would be the only three projects I would consider for the connection from the inter-modal hub to the campus of Weber State University.

4. The Ogden City administration has proposed a major redesign of the Mt. Ogden Golf Course, which would include building a hotel and condominiums on city property above the top of 36th Street. Do you support this proposal? Why or why not?

I do not support the Ogden City administrations proposal. As a life long golfer I believe that Mt. Ogden Golf Course is one of the most beautiful courses in the State. As a businessperson I question the development model of building more hotels and condominiums when we have not filled the ones we currently have in the city.

5. In general, should the City Council do more to encourage or discourage further development of Ogden’s foothills and other open space? Please explain.

The City Council should do everything possible to protect our open space in Ogden’s foothills. The only development that should be encouraged along the foothills is to build a world-class trail system. Ogden already has many areas in the downtown where businesses can be built.

6. Should you be elected, do you plan to recommend changes in the way Ogden deals with waste, recyclables, water conservation, and/or protecting our aquifers and watershed areas? If so, what changes will you recommend, and why?

I am a proponent of recycling and water conservation and will work to protect our water aquifers.

7. Do you favor designating a portion of the National Forest lands above Ogden as federally protected wilderness? Why or why not?

As an Ogden City Councilman I do not have the power to designate wilderness areas. I will do every thing in my power to protect our foothills and the access we enjoy in these pristine areas.

8. What other environmental issues would you address if elected?

I would put a greater emphasis on keeping our city clean this includes our waterways and our trails and parks. We should use our elementary schools as a place to educate our children about the beautiful area we live and the effects that waste and litter can have on our community.

And his Standard Examiner Response:

Bart E. Blair

Age: 36

Occupation: Financial manager of family business (Blair’s Chevron & Service Center)

Qualifications: Between raising my family and having a business in Ogden I am very concerned about how we develop our community.

•What is your top priority if you are elected to the council?
1. I believe the city should get back to the basics. Our tax dollars should be used responsibly. We should have a city government we can afford focusing on a safe community, fire and police protection, streets free of potholes and parks that are clean and safe. Keeping taxes low is the greatest economic development tool the city has. When businesses are looking to relocate the first question they ask is how much will I have to pay in taxes. By keeping our taxes low we can attract new businesses from across the country to employ our educated work force.

•Is the city moving in the right direction regarding downtown revitalization, promotion of Ogden as a high-adventure hub or should it take a more hands-off approach.
2. I believe the city is moving in the right direction as a high adventure hub. Our natural resources are world class. I believe that Ogden city should promote itself as a great place to live, work and raise a family. Economic incentives should only be used for companies that meet strict criteria of providing high paying quality jobs.

•Given the recent dispute between the city council and the administration over the Marshall White Center, what is your opinion regarding the relationship between the two bodies and what would you do to improve that relationship?
3. The focus shouldn’t be on the council and the mayor, the focus needs to be on our city and all the positive things that are being accomplished. There certainly needs to be a greater respect for each of the bodies and the vital roles they have. The council is the legislative body of the city, and the mayor should be respectful of that role. Council members must also respect the mayor and his important role. If the mayor does not agree with the council that does not mean the two can’t agree to disagree and continue working for the common good of our community. I would like to create a more positive working dialogue with the administration while holding firm to the separation of power that should exist.