This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2007, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
The nine candidates for three seats on the Ogden City Council generally agree that Ogden's economic rebirth must continue, its aging infrastructure must be replaced and crime must be curtailed.
But the emphasis each candidate would put on the issues differs.
There is no primary for the Ward 2 seat.
Municipal Ward 4
(four-year term)
Jim Freed, 58, retired in June from Hill Air Force Base, where he had risen from mechanic to become a program manager in charge of multimillion-dollar contracts.
A member of the infrastructure subcommittee for the neighborhood group that recently developed the Mount Ogden Community Plan, Freed promises he would pay "strict attention to detail" in modernizing Ogden's water and sewer systems.
Freed said he would oppose selling the Mount Ogden Golf Course and open space above it, a prospect that has generated much civic debate over the past 18 months.
Candidate Caitlin Gochnour, 44, is happy Mayor Matthew Godfrey took that possibility off the table.
"I feel very strongly about keeping public open space open," said Gochnour. "We've had our share of polarization, and it's time to unite and work for Ogden."
Gochnour once worked in economic development - she was the Main Street manager in Panguitch - and formerly worked in corporate communications for Questar. A 10-year resident of Ogden who has served on civic boards, she now is a stay-at-home mother.
She applauds much of the economic progress Ogden has made in recent years, but stresses the need for the City Council to fund public safety.
Kent B. Petersen said Ogden's economic resurgence requires the City Council have someone with business experience.
The retired former owner of Petersen Motor Co. in Riverdale and co-owner of Petersen Marine Supply, Petersen said the council needs to expand the tax base so it can afford to improve the infrastructure and public safety.
Petersen, 71, said he would not "shut the door without listening" if another developer were to propose buying the golf course and adjoining open space.
At-large seat
(two-year term)
Sheila Aardema, 62, said she would bring communication and negotiation skills to the council.
Aardema ran her own business, a pre-school, for 25 years, and served on the city's Housing Authority board.
She also was district manager for the Boy Scouts of America.
"It seems that our mayor and our City Council are always bickering," she said. "I've learned you have to negotiate and compromise and come out with a solution that is best for the people we serve."
Aardema also opposes selling the golf course or open space. "You can't get back green space you give away."
Candidate Blain Johnson, 43, an attorney specializing in corporate and real estate law, believes Ogden has two primary challenges: to improve public safety and fix the infrastructure, particularly the water system
The city has made strides in tackling its crime issues, but needs to continue to hire more officers and provide better lighting in neighborhoods, he said.
Johnson said he would take a hard look at any proposal to sell the golf course and open space, both valued by his family.
Dirk Youngberg, 51, retired as an Ogden firefighter in June and now wants a shot at becoming a policy maker for the city.
"We need to take care of what government is there for," said Youngberg. "People all over town are complaining about their water. The police department is scrambling to keep officers," said Youngberg.
Youngberg said Ogden should use its open spaces "to attract people rather than selling them for development."
At-large seat
(four-year term)
Royal Eccles, 50, wants a chance to help Ogden continue rebounding from the economic doldrums.
"There are so many good things that are happening. We need to keep that going," said Eccles, president of Management Sciences Corp.
Redevelopment projects "help disperse the tax burden among a wider base," he said.
He also sees redevelopment as a way to improve the city's aging infrastructure.
Eccles said if there were another proposal to sell the golf course and open space, "I would not make any decision until I saw all the information and looked at the studies."
Dennis Howland, 61, is a retired federal public-relations specialist who believes the disharmony at City Hall needs to end.
"It's time we bring new people in with fresh ideas that will focus on the entire city, instead of certain projects," he said.
Howland, a Marine and Vietnam veteran, has been active in the Veterans of Foreign Wars.
"We need to attract more businesses in Ogden," he said, adding that he would consider any future proposals to sell the golf course on the merits.
"I would see myself as a mediator. I'm not easily swayed by negative attitudes of people."
Amy Wicks, 32, is the youngest council candidate and the only incumbent among the nine candidates in the primary election. She is an information and research specialist for National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome.
Wicks has often been at loggerheads with the mayor, and voted against the city's multimillion-dollar investment in the Salomon Center at The Junction.
Nonetheless, she said she hopes it succeeds and advances the city's growing role as an outdoor recreation capital.
"I like to make decisions armed with good information," Wicks said. She would oppose any sale of the golf course and open space.