I was asked by a Standard Examiner reporter if I was going to endorse one of two remaining candidates. Both candidates had contacted me shortly after the Primary. Along with these two, I also took the time to talk with City Council members Richard Hyer, Marcia White, Bart Blair (fellow Mayor candidate), other Mayor candidates Chris Barragan, and Angel Castillo.
My campaign committee had two basic questions, supervisory experience and budget experience, to ask the candidates. Big responsibilities of the Ogden Mayor’s job.
Taylor Knuth maintained he was the Deputy Director of Economic Development in Salt Lake, throughout the campaign, he is not. Jacob Maxwell is. Taylor is the Deputy Director of the Arts Council, a subdivision. His tenure is about two years. The 2023-24 SLC budget, page 289, says there are 8 budgeted positions in this subdivision. Taylor told me he managed 12! Taylor’s budget experience would be minimal in this position.
Ben Nadolski has been employed by the Utah State DNR department, in the DWR division, for twenty-one years, the last 4 or 5 as the Northern Utah regional supervisor. He supervises 48 full time and 22 part time seasonal positions. Ben’s budget portion in DWR is about 17 million. He also worked with the Legislative Affairs section of the DNR organization. A group of people I worked with during my Legislative career. Ben has also been a City Council member for Ogden for 7 years and has had a part in crafting Ogden’s 280 million dollar budget each year.
As a voter in Ogden, I received a Taylor mailer. Under Public Safety, it said he was going to implement Community Policing and increase Emergency Preparedness plans. Both programs came about during my 16 years as police chief. They are updated regularly, but in preparation for the 2002 Olympics extensive Emergency Preparedness plans were made. Hyperbole seems to fit Taylor.
To paraphrase a slogan a high school friend of mine and successful attorney used, (“If it were me, I’d…) vote for Ben Nadolski for Mayor. My mayor campaign committee, found on my web site, consensus support, is for Ben.
Jon Greiner
Ogden
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