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Tuesday, May 13, 2008 |
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MAYOR’S CORNER April 2008
As we survey the economic and political spectrum here in our country, we are reminded of the greatness for which this country stands. We have much to be thankful for with the blessings of being American and the sacrifices that have been made by many in guaranteeing these blessings and rights as citizens. As I write, my mind contemplates the citizen soldiers and service people who live in our neighborhoods and down the street. Many of those who call North Ogden home have answered the call of service in foreign lands and under trying and challenging times and seasons. Most have returned and fit themselves into being good friends and neighbors. Some will never return. To one and all we offer our heartfelt gratitude and thanks for standing up and being counted.
This July 4, 2008, we will recognize a gentleman who served under General George Patten in World Ward II and then went to Korea for an additional two and one half years where he made 27 parachute jumps as a Green Beret. This man retired after
30 years of military service and 35 years of teaching our youth. He was an Intramural Boxing (Heavyweight) Champion and participated in track – lettering in both boxing and track. If I might use the words of this man, our Grand Marshall for this year’s
July 4 celebration, “Being nobody special, I would like to feel that my role in life as a family man, counselor, coach, army officer, and free-lance writer will earn a passing grade. Teaching and working with young people has been a drain on my energy, but I have enjoyed every minute of it! They are our greatest hope for the future.” Major Don S. Brimhall and his good wife Dawnie have lived on Elberta Drive for years and are typical of the great citizens who live their lives just under the radar of this community. There are many who stand up for this community and contribute mightily to the well-being of all in North Ogden. We have wonderful people who call North Ogden home and have served with honor, dignity, and distinction. Back in the early eighties, North Ogden City hired two gentlemen who have taken on the responsibilities of Public Safety and Public Works. I have watched their enthusiasm and professionalism while guiding this community through challenging and stressful times and circumstances. They were both new on the job in 1983, the year of the flood and debris problems. They continue to monitor and oversee their departments with the same care that they showed over 20 years ago. One comes from the
Washington Terrace area while the other travels from the Honeyville community. North Ogden City has been blessed by the dedicated service and vision of Police Chief Polo Afuvai and Public Works Director Mel Blanchard and together with their outstanding staff members they address present and future challenges. North Ogden citizens have been blessed by those fellow citizens who have participated in the front lines of our country’s
needs and also by the North Ogden City Staff who make us proud to be North Ogdenites and Americans.
MAYOR’S CORNER March 2008
President Theodore Roosevelt once said, “It is hard to fail, but it is worse never to have tried to succeed. In this life we get nothing save by effort.” In the next few days you will read or perhaps hear that this Mayor wants to correct a local situation that needs to be addressed. I
doubt that it will save us one dollar but we will benefit by the contemplated move. As the past Chairman of the North View Fire Board I was informed about two years ago of an incident that occurred in the Ogden Industrial Park area near Kimberly Clark. A vehicle caught fire almost in front of the fire station there. The fire personnel called it in to the local dispatcher and she informed
the North View Fire people who came and put the fire out, but not in time – the vehicle was almost totally consumed. Because the vehicle was in the Harrisville area, the first station was not permitted to put out the fire down the street because they are County and the fire down the road was in the Harrisville City limits.
Situation 2 – Plain City – The local North View Fire station has an ambulance and EMT personnel who can assist us here in North Ogden, Pleasant View and Harrisville. They are here within minutes of any emergency but here recently the folks in Plain City added to their fire station a bay to house an ambulance, which they have, but they do not have the EMT people to man this
ambulance. They have to rely on people to come out from Ogden City and then man the ambulance and address the emergency. Our people here in North Ogden are not permitted to go out 2600 North and because of local districts and territory issues we tax payers are asked to fund bad situations within our area. The Weber Fire District has nine fire stations and many more financial
resources than we do here at the North View Fire Station. When myself and Mayors Fisher (Pleasant View) and Oats (Harrisville) initiated the move into and design of the current North View Station on 2550 some eight or nine years ago we also envisioned and have land for a station in Pleasant View to be built twenty years down the road. With growth continuing in both North Ogden and
Pleasant View I can now see the station in Pleasant View within the next five to seven years. The need for a facility and personnel would be better obtained through a countywide fire district than with only North Ogden, Harrisville and Pleasant View people shouldering another station. We would be partners with nine stations and the coverage and service would be broader and more
available. Growth within and around is impossible to stop but making sound, rational decisions is so important for our future. Becoming part of a district was first discussed over thirty years ago and many studies have been done. Our City Council members after hearing from the District Fire Chief last week voiced their desire to take this to the next phase of study. In quoting District Fire
Chief Austin he said, “It is unfortunate that we continue to identify far more advantage to mergers and annexations than there are challengers, and yet there appears to be more resistance than support of such efforts.” It is my hope and prayer that the citizens of North Ogden will understand our efforts to provide better service for the area – today, tomorrow and twenty years down the road.
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