Mayor wants 'divisive' gondola signs gone

Ogden Mayor Matthew Godfrey has asked two groups of residents to stop distributing and to remove lawn signs about a proposal to build a gondola and mountain resort in the city.

Godfrey made the request last week during a meeting of the City Council, he said Tuesday. His request came just a week after some residents accused Godfrey and the city's police chief, Jon Greiner, of putting an officer on administrative leave for his involvement in a campaign against Godfrey. The officer's wife was seen driving a van that displayed signs that were critical of Godfrey.

Godfrey said in an interview that the two incidents were unrelated.

"I don't make decisions based on who criticizes me and what they say," he said. "I try to do what's best for the community and then let the chips fall."

The request that Lift Ogden and Smart Growth Ogden remove their signs was a way to encourage public dialogue about the gondola and resort proposal, and the signs had become divisive, Godfrey said in a news release. Taking down signs isn't "asking people to take down their view points, just their signs, so that we can come together as a community and dialogue about this proposal."

Lift Ogden, which supports the gondola proposal, agreed to remove its signs, according to the news release. Smart Growth Ogden, which is opposed to the gondola project, did not agree.

"We understand how some people might want a break from all the lawn signs," Smart Growth Ogden said in a statement. "However, we don't think the messages on the Smart Growth signs are divisive. Rather, we believe they encourage public involvement in the democratic process."

Smart Growth is opposed to the project because the group's members say they do not want city funds to be used to build the gondola. Lift Ogden says the project will revitalize Ogden's economy.

Residents have been debating the gondola and resort proposal for over a year. The proposal calls for a gondola to run from the western part of the city, through downtown and up Mount Ogden to a pedestrian-only resort in Malan's Basin.

Chris Peterson is the project's developer. In addition to building the resort, Peterson is proposing to buy the city's Mount Ogden Golf Course and build about 400 homes. The money from home sales would help pay for the gondola.

Over 200 Ogden residents have signed petitions urging the city not to sell the golf course. The proposal is now being debated before the Ogden City Council. Peterson has said in past interviews that he hopes to have the gondola running by 2008.

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