Two interesting pieces this morning in The Standard Examiner.
First, on the front page, a story by Mr. Schwebke reporting that the ACLU is looking into complaints about the recent Ogden city election. From the story:
The complaints involve allegations of inappropriate use of voter challenges, denial of provisional ballots, intimidation of voters and electioneering at polling places, said Karen McCreary, executive director for the ACLU of Utah, based in Salt Lake City.Interesting, but I wouldn't make too much of it just yet. All we know is there have been complaints, but apparently only a few. The ACLU is going to look into them, which is proper and its role. But it should be kept in mind that many things the ACLU looks into do not result in any further action, for a variety of reasons [e.g. the complaints don't check out, or if they do, there is not enough evidence to make a successful law suit probable, etc.] Interesting to know the ACLU is giving it a look-see, but I wouldn't get too worked up yet over what might happen as a result. If anything.
“If substantiated, these actions not only undermine the trust and confidence Utah voters should have in the electoral process but they also violate the Utah constitution and state law,” Mc-Creary said in a news release.
Marina Lowe, staff attorney for the ACLU of Utah, said the complaints came from “two or three” people, whom she declined to identify.
The ACLU plans to interview voters who feel they were disenfranchised and Weber County election officials to determine if the complaints warrant legal action.
Then, in the Business Section, another story by Mr. Schwebke, reporting that:
Californian businessman Gadi Leshem will unveil plans next month for cleaning up a polluted 2-mile downtown section of the Ogden River, as a precursor for a possible multimillion dollar residential and retail development.And,
Leshem will make the announcement during a Dec. 7 event at the AmeriCan Center, 2030 Lincoln Ave.
Leshem said in a phone interview Monday that he will be joined at the event by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., chairman of the Waterkeeper Alliance, a national organization dedicated to keeping waterways free of pollution.
Leshem has hired Jason Carey, engineer for River-Restoration.org, a Glenwood Springs, Colo. based-company to develop a clean-up plan so the river can be used for recreational purposes and to spur economic development. Carey said in a phone interview Monday that his efforts have centered on developing strategies to clean up river banks, plant new vegetation and integrate storm water discharge.However...
The cleanup will be part of Ogden Renaissance Village, a riverfront commercial and residential development Leshem is proposing to build in the second phase of the city’s Ogden River Project area....
All told, the project will encompass about 60 acres that straddle the Ogden River from Washington Boulevard west to Wall Avenue and will be a mix of residential, commercial and retail development.
Leshem declined to provide specific details about the development, but said it could cost several million dollars and take as long as seven years to complete. Leshem has not presented formal plans for Ogden Renaissance Village to the city, said Dave Harmer, Ogden’s community and economic development director.Uh oh. An announcement that plans will soon be announced for multi million dollar residential/recreational development for Ogden. But no plans actually produced and nothing filed with the city. Just promises of "soon." Haven't we seen this film before?
That said, Mr. Leshem's clean up plans for the river may be a very good thing. Again, since so often the devil is in the details, we need to reserve final judgment until the plans for the cleanup are announced. Could be a very good thing. Could be disaster if "clean up" means turning the river into a channelized concrete-bordered commercial zone. That does not seem to be the goal here, but it'll be wisest to wait to see what they have in mind, specifically, before burbling too much.
Mr. Leshem says his development plans may take as long as seven years to be completed. I would be happier if his legal problems in California could be resolved first, since if things go badly for him there, it may adversely affect his projects here. But that aside, the river clean-up project looks like it might be a very good thing for Ogden City. Let's hope it turns out that way.
We shall see....
