Gondola study to be a joint effort
There are no comments for this page [ Add Comment ]Friday, September 21, 2007
By Scott Schwebke
Standard-Examiner staff
sschwebke@standard.net
Project initiation still falls to Ogden city
OGDEN -- The Utah Transit Authority won't spend the bulk of $247,500 available for urban gondola-related studies without city input.
"The city will have to initiate whatever happens (with the funds)," said Mick Crandall, UTA's deputy chief for planning and programming. "I don't know what they are thinking (regarding possible use of the money)."
UTA and Mayor Matthew Godfrey signed an agreement in August that states the city is seeking funding for engineering, planning and other studies in connection with a proposed urban gondola.
The Ogden City Council made an unsuccessful attempt several months ago to enter into an interlocal agreement with UTA so it could control how the funds are spent, said Bill Cook, the council's executive director. However, Cook said Crandall told him UTA had already made a commitment to Godfrey.
UTA felt it was more appropriate to enter into a funding allocation agreement with the mayor than an interlocal agreement with the council because it's more detailed and stringent, said Chad Saley, spokesman for UTA.
"Although the mayor signed it, we have also been meeting regularly with the city council and their attorney on this issue," he said.
The main purpose of the agreement is to have UTA pay Salt Lake City-based Lewis, Young, Robertson & Burningham $16,250 for a gondola fiscal impact study completed in November 2006, said John Patterson, the city's chief administrative officer.
The city council had requested as part of a strategic plan in 2004 that no municipal funds be spent on an update to the gondola feasibility study, he said.
Patterson doesn't anticipate any additional funding from UTA for related studies, because the urban gondola project is in doubt due to Godfrey's refusal to sell Mount Ogden Golf Course to developer Chris Peterson.
Godfrey, who is seeking re-election to a third term in November, wants the city to retain ownership of the golf course to protect trails and open space along the city's East Bench.
Proceeds from the golf course sale would have been used by the city to help fund an urban section of the gondola estimated to cost about $20 million.
Godfrey believes the gondola from the intermodal hub at 23rd Street and Wall Avenue to a location near Weber State University can still be built, if Peterson finds a way to fund it.
Funding for gondola-related studies covered in the agreement would be provided in exchange for a $247,500 Federal Transit Administration appropriation awarded to UTA last year for a bus purchase to serve the Ogden area. The city was instrumental in obtaining the FTA funds.
The agreement stipulates that a portion of the UTA proceeds be used to pay Lewis, Young, Robertson & Burningham, which was hired by the city.
UTA doesn't have any plans for the remainder of the funds and will rely on guidance from the city regarding how money should be spent, said Saley.
"We will leave that decision up to Ogden," he said, adding that funds could be allocated to study various forms of mass transit, such as street cars or buses.
City Councilman Rick Safsten said he would like to see a portion of the funds used for an "alternatives analysis" of mass transit options for Ogden.
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