Tradition

July 10, 2011 by

Tradition

Family Life

A father of two girls and the husband of a beautiful woman, family life should always come first.

We have a rich history in Ogden of being proud and taking pride in our families. I moved to Ogden to raise my family with respect for people and appreciation for the outdoors. I have often said we are a family of families and we need to work together to raise the quality of life for everyone.

When there are so many demands pulling parents away from the dinner table, we need to remember that the one hour a night around the family table is one of the most important to our children’s development and the bonding a family has while eating, laughing and talking about the day. We need to exercise positive decision making and keep traditions of family strong.  We need to encourage more time with the family and more time teaching our children to take responsibility for their actions and give back to their community. We need to be mindful that not everyone can afford the same time but we can all pick up a little slack where needed.

Entrepreneurs

Entrepreneurs built this community and the many names associated to greatness from the 1800’s forward will continue to grow. Ogden was built on strong principals with dedication to a hard work ethic. Entrepreneurs and small businesses are the life blood of our economy. We should continue to encourage initiatives to further the development of future generations of creative thinkers.

Community

I have never lived in a Community like Ogden, Utah.

The city is unique to any other place I have ever lived or visited. The strength of the community perserveres through challenges and comes together when needed.

Citizens of Ogden give back to their community. Together uniting as volunteers and donating back to where we live.

Individuals, businesses, foundations and other organizations pool resources to host successful events and make changes that positively impact life in Northern Utah.

 

Pride in our Neighborhoods

Our relations with other cities and especially Weber County are fragile and have been negatively impacted and together we will need to work toward opening the communications and building each other up. I often have heard that our inner city is a ghetto and that our citizens don’t feel safe.

Folks we don’t know ghetto and the neighborhoods in Ogden that are often talked about as being “the bad neighborhoods” just need a nudge of leadership and someone to help them find that pride again.

We don’t need to hire more police officers; we need more effective leaders leading them. We need leaders that lead by example doing what they say and saying what they do. We have an outstanding police force but they can’t do it alone.

As neighborhood communities, we need to raise the bar, holding each other accountable, teaching our kids right from wrong and lending a helping hand beyond our own street. Pride in your neighborhood comes from the home and doesn’t need government intervention.

Our government can help outline some goals for teaching the youth that: this is your city, your neighborhood, and your home.

Together lets be proud of all Ogden neighborhoods, not just the street you live on.

Protect our open space

Open space is off limits to development.

When I first moved to Ogden I was originally excited to hear about the gondola project. After moving back to Utah in 2007, to raise my children with the appreciation for the outdoors, I am on record stating that myself with a few friends from California were willing to invest a considerable amount of money in the old Berthana Ballroom, a building I had purchased, located on 24th street should the gondola project be built and that it may not be financially feasible with out the attraction for more people. After learning more about the project I found that it would take public lands and give portions to private developers along our foot hills in order to help subsidize the expense and allow an ability to profit sooner instead of taking private risk and recognizing profit later.

The developers I learned from in California and had worked with knew that they had to work hard and that if they took calculated risk that over time they typically would do pretty darn good on their investment. Seemingly over the past ten years in Ogden real estate folks have forgotten that concept or just simply become greedy with closed door deal making.

Our open space is off limits to development and we owe future generations at least that. I am often on the trail system with my family and couldn’t imagine nor ever want to see our open space with more boxes built on it. I love the wilderness and feel the most in my element when outdoors, enjoying what Ogden has to offer, on our mountains and along our rivers. Under my administration I will support open space in Ogden and take additional steps to protect this space, as the treasure that it is. I would like to see our inner city youth take advantage of our trail system so that future generations continue to  hold mother nature in the highest regard. I would propose that we help Marshal White Center in developing a Ogden Nature program so we can expose our youth to the trails and enhance their development and love for the outdoors.

Protect our History

The character of Ogden has been built over one hundred years with history and traditions left behind. We are fortunate to have these valuable assets to study and preserve.

As Tow-Mator said in CARS “you don’t know where you’re goin’ until you know where you had been.” We must Protect our History. Our buildings are precious community assets with railroad traditions that will forever be remembered along with memories of the people who contributed. As we grow forward, we need to realize we are leaving behind history for future generations to study. What will they say on how we did as a community, as comparisons thru time will be made?

Our traditions of family, entrepreneurship, community and history must live strong, stronger than years past and be held to the highest standards.

History is written everyday and if elected, during our administration we will hold everyone accountable to the highest standards.

Filed Under: Issues Tagged With:

Innovation

July 10, 2011 by

MADE IN OGDEN

MADE IN OGDEN is a local manufacturing and production concept of:

We build it.

We ship it.

We support and service the product manufacturing needs for small to large scale businesses across the world.

Although local customers are the most important, we no longer live in an isolated economy and we need to take advantage of the global economy.

Our businesses need more patrons and the world holds these customers.

It is time to bring manufacturing back to the United States and Ogden is in the absolute perfect position to serve as a hub for innovative solutions. Instead of company incentives based off of future promises of employment, together let’s explore an official MADE IN OGDEN seal so companies that are developing products and goods can be proud of placing the seal on products that are made here, sold here, and shipped around the world.

By supporting this concept we can insure better quality control over products because we have a diverse work force. And we can develop jobs that are long term, and consistent paying with opportunity for advancement.

The myth that you can develop a product overseas for less, is just that, a myth. Not only are those products being developed with substandard human conditions, the products may also contain poisons and other materials known to be harmful to our society. For those that have developed a product out of the country you know the challenges of making sure all details are being followed once you leave the plant. It’s a costly balancing act which is weakening our position in the world. I believe if given a choice Americans would rather buy products with the official MADE IN OGDEN seal.

Outdoor Recreation

With the latest renaissance of Ogden we have embarked on the well known program “Ogden, Its all within Reach”, an Outdoor Recreation theme which has the perfect setting here in Ogden.

This is a great start. We need to continue to support these types of operations, however we need to encourage these companies to bring their core business here to Ogden. Not only do we have the ability to produce world class products here but we also have history working on our side with the remaining rail routes reaching from harbor to harbor and boarder to boarder.

Additionally, because we are centrally positioned on the CANAMEX corridor, we are uniquely positioned to harness greater potential with the outdoor recreation companies and we have only began to recognize the synergy that will be here in Ogden expanding the employment base.

Aerospace Industry

One industry that is already here which could expand development is the AeroSpace Industry.

Little is known about the contribution of job creations and product development from this sector because they put their head down and work forward. This sector doesn’t boast nor buff its own apple for the hard work they do locally because of the top secret projects that they may be working on. They’re doing great work and we need to continue to encourage similar businesses to bring their product development to Ogden to expand the employment base.

Health Care

Utah has been known for first class Health Care for decades. As we get older the industry is one of the fastest growing. They are continually looking for ways to innovate and get smarter. Health care encompasses a wide range of services and products from mineral supplements, medical equipment, cancer research and general health care such as IHC and HCA Systems. Continuing to find cures and create innovative equipment and techniques will insure Ogden and the greater area more jobs and global recognition in the industry.

Long Term Development

The above industries have been innovating away from wasteful manufacturing and becoming greener with each year and our community could challenge all businesses to leave a neutral carbon foot print. To encourage the development of environmentally conscious manufacturing, Ogden should be on the fore front of another industry which could contribute some of the highest paying wages in the region. The innovation in the energy savings industry and other supporting technologies need to be implemented across all of Utah starting in Ogden. We need to encourage that buildings are built on the most efficient standards and that bi-product such as emissions are controlled with guidelines to protect our children and our environment.

 

Together these industries could take us into a future where everyone wins.

 

Let innovate together Ogden.

 

Filed Under: Issues Tagged With:

Growth

July 10, 2011 by

Growth

Business Stability

 

If we build a stable infrastructure with safe sidewalks, improved services and a comprehensive transportation plan… then businesses will build themselves around the foundation.

 

It is time to stop government competition with locally owned businesses. Our city must end participation in countless projects where we have no business spending tax dollars or focusing government efforts. Our city must stop the practices adopted as of recent of being the Real Estate Agent, Land Developer, and guarantor of leases and loans for private businesses to take risk at the expense of the community.

 

No government at any level has been successful at picking winners and losers in a free market system. Artificial economic growth is neither smart nor sustainable. We need to let our free market take the natural course where the winners will be rewarded based on good old fashioned hard work and not an association to certain clicks.

 

Education and Infrastructure

 

Ogden  does not need to start more legacy projects. We need to finish what has been started and connect the dots.

 

If monumental projects are proposed and approved, they must be paid for by the private groups or individuals who will profit from them. Our legacy projects began years ago before many of us were born. Those legacy projects, which we are currently measured by, we are failing at.

 

Our sidewalks are not safe, our roads, though getting better, need much more work, and are becoming more congested, and our basic services are in need of improvement.

 

Local services such as public education have faded from the most important. We owe all of the children of Ogden more, and we must work together on bringing about localized control of our education. We can do this in several ways and under my administration I will work to harness the parents, students and teachers in our community for collective solutions.

 

By combining less government and focusing our investment in our infrastructure and education, Ogden will recognize organic growth which we will be measured with long term stability.

 

Employment


Higher paying jobs give more time for moms and dads to spend with their family.

 

When much of our community lives below the poverty level we need to focus more on all levels of jobs.

 

We need to support our outstanding technology schools and growing university to continue forward thinking in developing curriculum to provide the training needed to attract students and businesses which will get Ogden back to work. By exploring the MADE IN OGDEN product development program we will provide long term employment, for all skill levels, with opportunity for advancement while simultaneously letting the world know we mean business. We will employ a hard working and happy work force further attracting quality companies and families to Ogden, Utah.

 

 

Transportation

 

Connecting the DOTS Ogden.

 

We need to build much stronger relationships with the Utah Transit Authority, Weber County, the surrounding cities along with the many stakeholders in order to connect the dots of our community.

 

Over the past 10 years we have talked about gondolas, street cars, trolleys and bus routes to better serve the communities growing transportation requirements. These conversations have often been guided by single areas of interest and haven’t taken into account all of Ogden and the growth of greater Weber County.

 

As a community we need to discuss how we connect all current economic cluster and plan for those that need to be built. While connecting these main points of interest, such as the airport, business centers, colleges, hospitals and schools we also need to insure we service neighborhoods which could create a quicker revitalization and bring back the pride in all of our neighborhoods.

 

As we build new mass transportation infrastructure we need to continue to maintain our existing roads and build vertical parking structures to accommodate the existing demands.

We also need to develop the entries into the community off the I-15 to support logistics of products and the ability to efficiently move people where they need to go. Our focus should not be on just one freeway exit, but on every entry into our great city.

  • 89 Entrance
  • The 31st street exit is important to accessing the airport and east bench.

 

  • 24th could be great for helping support logistics for product delivery to the business park  and be one of the entries to the historic downtown.

 

  • 20th Street has already been well developed and has the potential of creating another economic business cluster as well as servicing the west side communities.

 

  • The 12th street corridor is a necessity to supporting product shipments from the Business Depot Ogden in addition to being the point of travel for accessing our northern communities and Ogden Valley. Together these off ramps support the major demand of our community and play a vital role in supporting growth in Ogden.

 

  • North Ogden entrance

 

Valley entrance

Growth                  Innovation                Tradition

 

Filed Under: Issues Tagged With:

Copyright 2011-2012 Vote Van Wagoner.com Paid for by Vote Van Wagoner Campaign Committee 2012