This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2011, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
After 12 years, Ogden is about to elect a new mayor. Two energetic men with strong ties to the community are seeking to guide the northern Utah city of 83,000 into what could be a time of growth and development.
Both Mike Caldwell, 40, and Brandon Stephenson, 42, credit outgoing Mayor Matthew Godfrey with setting the stage for a continued revitalization of the old railroad town that's morphing into an outdoor sports destination. The big question mark, of course, is the economy.
Currently, Caldwell wears several hats in Weber County government, including public information officer, manager of the county's ice sheet facility, and administrator of the $3 million annual Recreation, Arts, Museum and Parks (RAMP) fund. He's also been involved in the Olympic Legacy Group and the Ogden/Weber Convention and Visitor's Bureau.
"I've been involved in a lot of community building," Caldwell said this week. "I think it is important to have someone in office with that experience and leadership."
Stephenson, too, has been active in community affairs. He's at the end of his second four-year term on the City Council. He's also served on Ogden's Housing Authority board, Weber County Chamber of Commerce board and the board of Downtown Ogden Inc., which sponsors such activities as the farmers market. He makes his living at J.M. Thomas Forest Products, where he is a manager over logistics, IT, and human resources, among other things.
"I have experience in everything from housing to business to events, even the sewer," Stephenson said. "My experience lends itself to a lot of aspects of running a city."
Both men like to set goals.
Caldwell said that over the next four years as mayor, he would bring 3,000 new jobs to Ogden, increase tourism revenue by 25 percent and decrease crime by double digits.
"I appreciate what Matt [Godfrey] has done," Caldwell said of the mayor, who was sometimes at loggerheads with the City Council. "But my leadership style is quite a bit different. I'd like my relationship with the City Council to be positive. I'd like to know what the council needs before we jump off on any big project."
Stephenson, by contrast, said his goals are to reduce property taxes, retire the city's bonded indebtedness by 2013 and bring more retail to downtown Ogden.
"My economic plan to push the city forward is balanced," he said. "It will be founded on bringing new business and jobs downtown."
As a council member, he said, he knows how to forge a cooperative partnership with the mayor's legislative counterparts. "I'll make sure the City Council is in the loop. Communication is the key."
Caldwell has been closely connected to the sporting scene in Ogden and its effort to brand the city as an outdoor activities center. But he hasn't been part of the political scene in Ogden and casts himself as the candidate with "fresh perspective."
"I'm not ingrained with the this-is-how-we've-always-done-it attitude," he said. "I have had great success in attracting outdoor business and recreation. That is something I would like to continue."
Caldwell recognizes that the city's economic development team has succeeded in bringing thousands of new jobs to Ogden. "I don't want to change something that has been so successful," he said.
Both candidates concede that the next four years should continue what Godfrey has set in motion in terms of build-outs of the Ogden River project, The Junction development and property around the Ogden LDS Temple, which is being renovated.
But Stephenson said while attracting new retail venues downtown is necessary, it isn't enough. He wants to bring what he described as high-paying jobs. Among other things, he would seek to bring "financial sector" jobs to Ogden.
Stephenson said he wouldn't overhaul city government, which appears to be working well. But he would use his management experience to "tweak" policies and procedures in an effort to boost efficiency. For example, he would increase the number of officers assigned to "community policing" even if it meant downsizing traffic enforcement.
"I want to bring more accountability to the money being spent," he said.
Mike Caldwell
Age • 40
Education • Bachelor's degree in communication from Weber State University
Occupation • Weber County public information officer and director of the ice sheet facility
Political experience • This is his first bid for office
Focus • Outdoor sports and tourism —
Brandon Stephenson
Age • 42
Education • Master's degree in business administration from Weber State University
Occupation • Corporate manager at J.M. Thomas Forest Products
Political experience • Two terms on Ogden City Council
Focus • Financial stability and efficiency