Local Business

While new businesses coming to town are exciting for a minute, considering the grand scheme of things and the big picture in the long run – I will focus more on long-time local businesses by way of taking care of them in many areas. These would include infrastructure (utilities, easements, sidewalks), business-friendly practices and ordinances (zoning, signage, parking), local business promotion with events and representation at city sponsored activities (local food concessions and distributors, local sporting goods suppliers, local banking, local realtors, local developers, local builders and general contractors, local transport, local manufacturing), and so much more.  

 Recently Ogden has had long time local businesses relocate or shut down due to a shifted focus on bringing national and other favored companies to build, do business for a while, then leave. We cannot have local business leaving or shutting down to make room for chains and big-box. Our local businesses are our backbone, our character; they define who we are as a city:  Friendly, strong, caring, personal, keep ‘em coming back, service, neighborly, good to have around, reliable; hey: I Know this Guy!  Local businesses pull together for the City because the City will be pulling for them; I will be pulling for them.

TLJ

Ethics in Government: a Lesson from George Washington ...

I posit this in regards to ethics in government.  There should be a degree of honesty, integrity, openness, frugality, diligence, dedication, humility, confidence, competence inherent in each and every public servant elected to office.  The general populace should know where each public servant stands, should be represented and given a voice by the elected servants.  The citizens should not have to worry about complicity in back-door deals, closed door politics, favoritism or cronyism. There should not be a widespread view of “good old boy” politicking going on where good and faithful service should be the norm.

George Washington said in reply to an address by the House of Representatives in 1789,

“I feel that my past endeavors in [your] service … are far overpaid by [your] goodness, and I fear much that my future ones may not fulfill your kind anticipation. All that I can promise is that they will be invariably directed by an honest and an ardent zeal.”

Such humility and desire to do well by the people he served is something I aspire to.

TLJ