But the Weber Area Council of Governments, at the suggestion of Weber County's three commissioners, amended a resolution proposed by Ogden Mayor Matthew Godfrey to make it clear the group was not endorsing the gondola itself.

“There are too many questions,” said Commissioner Craig Dearden, who likes the idea of a gondola but not the fact that neither Ogden's City Council nor Weber State University has weighed in on the idea.

Godfrey said an endorsement of the concept from fellow mayors, commissioners and City Council members was all he was after. “It's about saying the concept has merit and should move forward,” he said.

A Utah Transit Authority study this summer concluded that a streetcar or bus rapid transit would make more sense to serve Ogden between the Intermodal Transit Center downtown, Weber State University and McKay Dee Hospital. A gondola, the study found, would cost more annually for each new rider than would a streetcar or bus rapid transit.

But Godfrey wants to be the mayor who finally gives Ogden what locals have debated for five decades: a gondola to the top of the Wasatch Range from Ogden's east bench.

“We are the only community with the ability to do this,” Godfrey said. “We need to make ourselves unique in the country.”

Monday's resolution had to do with just the portion within Ogden's city limits, although Godfrey said he wouldn't be interested in the city gondola if there weren't another proposal in the works for a gondola up the mountain.

Chris Peterson, the son-in-law of Snowbasin Resort owner Earl Holding, has purchased more than 1,200 acres in Malans Basin, about midway to the top of the range around Mt. Ogden. Snowbasin is on the east side of the range.

Peterson wants to build a year-round ski resort and housing development in Malans Basin, and has told the city he will pay for a gondola from Ogden to his resort. Peterson is expected to propose his plans to Weber County in December.

Snowbasin representatives, however, continue to say they have no plans to build an end station for the gondola at the top of Snowbasin, said commissioner Camille Cain. Snowbasin is just up the slope from Malans Basin.

Because of that, Cain insisted that references to the gondola serving “ski resorts” be removed from the resolution on Monday.

At commissioner Ken Bischoff's suggestion, the council of governments also removed phrasing that referred to Peterson, though not by name, as “an experienced, highly qualified developer.”

“I don't know if that's true,” said Bischoff.

Art Bowen, UTA's regional manager, told the council that UTA is “excited” by the idea of the gondola and will help Ogden to identify any possible grant money for the project. However, he said, there is no federal money available for such a project. Afterward, Bowen said UTA also has to determine whether it is even appropriate for the tax-funded agency to help out with a project that likely will require private funding.

The transit study performed this year by UTA and the Wasatch Front Regional Council said it would cost more than $50 million to build a gondola and $4.3 million to operate it each year. An earlier study performed by a consultant hired by Ogden City said it could be built for not much more than $20 million.

Two residents with opposing views spoke up at Monday's meeting.

Curt Geiger, president of Descente, a ski maker that has moved its American operation to Ogden, said a resolution for the gondola concept is important to his efforts to attract other companies to Ogden.

Gene Sessions, a WSU professor of Western history, told the council there are far too many questions to endorse even the concept of a gondola. “You're being sold a slick bill of goods,” he said.

Dearden was the only council member to oppose the resolution.

Ogden City Council Chairman Rick Safsten abstained since the council has not taken a position on the gondola.