OGDEN -- For a dozen years, Mayor Matthew Godfrey has had a near panoramic view of his administration's handiwork.
From a spacious office on the ninth floor of Ogden Municipal Building, he has watched The Junction, a retail and entertainment complex, blossom and retailers start to return to vacant storefronts along Washington Boulevard.
But Godfrey, who will leave office in January after three terms, gives his staff the credit for transforming the city.
"I have no aspiration of any legacy," he said. "I'm pleased with the accomplishments we have made. It's because we have incredible people who have done incredible things."
While Godfrey is reluctant to tout his accomplishments, others said he has put his stamp firmly on the city.
Mike Caldwell, who will be sworn in as Ogden's next mayor on Jan. 3, said he believes Godfrey's passion for improving the city will stand the test of time.
"I respect, admire and appreciate the time and energy Mayor Godfrey put into work for the community," he said. "Whether you agree with him or not, I haven't found anyone who questions his work ethic."
Dave Hardman, chief executive officer of the Ogden/Weber Chamber of Commerce, said Godfrey will be remembered for improving the city's quality of life and economy.
Hardman reeled off a number of accomplishments under Godfrey's watch including crime reduction, implementation of the city's Good Landlord Program and the branding of Ogden as a high- adventure recreation hub.
Since Godfrey took office, more than 350 articles have been printed in regional and national publications extolling Ogden's outdoor amenities, Hardman said.
"Now when you read about Ogden, you know what Ogden is," he said.
Godfrey also forged valuable relationships with key economic partners such as the Ogden/Weber Chamber of Commerce, the Ogden Convention & Visitors Bureau, Weber County, Weber State University and others, Hardman said.
"He got a lot support for projects that benefited the local economy," Hardman said. "Most of the projects, like The Junction, that the administration built are sustainable and draw income instead of drawing income away.
"A lot of projects created tax base for the city. Mayor Godfrey was also engaged in the process of recruiting business to Ogden."
Still, Godfrey has his critics.
Neil Hansen, a former Democratic state representative from Ogden who unsuccessfully ran for mayor in 2007 and 2011, has a less favorable view of Godfrey's legacy.
"In my opinion, he's been a controversial mayor because he had so many things that the city council was not on board with," Hansen said. "He does things that are not within the course of his duties.
"He does things backwards by starting projects without council approval."
Former City Councilwoman Dorrene Jeske said Godfrey has done some good things for the city, but some of his methods have been questionable.
"He never wanted public input from anybody," she said. "He didn't want advice or suggestions from anyone. Some of his procedures were not ethically proper."
Born to Run
Godfrey, 41, may have been destined for politics.
His father, William Verl Godfrey, who died in a car crash in 2007, served a dozen years on the Harrisville City Council and a term as mayor.
However, when Godfrey decided to run for mayor in 1999 his dad tried to talk him out of it.
"He mentioned that people are going to hate you and that it's not glamorous at all."
Godfrey said his work ethic can be traced to his parents, who required that he, his brother and two sisters do chores around the house.
"We would have to work very hard," he said.
Godfrey recalled that at age 10 he undertook a memorable home improvement project with his siblings. "Our sewer line broke and we had to dig a trench by hand to the street with a shovel," he said.
When not working at home, Godfrey was holding down multiple summer jobs to earn money for school clothes and fees. But it wasn't all work and no fun.
As an eighth-grader at Harrisville's Wahlquist Junior High School, Godfrey was a cornerback on the school's football team despite being 5 feet 4 inches tall and weighing about 100 pounds.
Godfrey eventually found that he was better suited to long-distance running and joined the Weber High School track team.
"I had poor leg speed but a pretty good kick," said Godfrey who set a state record in the 2-mile run his senior year.
Godfrey received a full-ride scholarship to Weber State University, where he went on to win All-America honors.
Godfrey took a break from his college studies to serve a two-year mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Caracas, Venezuela, which he described as a wonderful experience.
"You can learn things so that you are better prepared for life," he said.
Godfrey's mission gave him fluency in Spanish, which has enabled him to communicate with Ogden's Hispanic residents.
Three years after mission, Godfrey met his future wife, Monica, on a blind date while they both were attending Weber State University.
"She was beautiful and nice," said Godfrey, adding that he and Monica became engaged three months after their first date.
The couple are the parents of three boys and two girls.
In 1995, Godfrey graduated from Weber State with a bachelor's degree in finance and a master's degree in accounting.
After college, Godfrey went to work for Iomega Corp. in Roy and managed the company's release of new products.
In 1999, he quit Iomega to be at home with his family and to concentrate on operating his real estate investment and property management firms.
That same year, following a brief stint with Ogden's Community and Economic Development Department, Godfrey decided to run for mayor.
Godfrey said he felt compelled to become a candidate to bring jobs and new life into the city's downtown that had deteriorated largely because of businesses leaving.
Godfrey faced tough competition from a more politically experienced mayoral candidate Bob Hunter, who was a former Weber County Commissioner.
When the votes were tallied Godfrey eked out a narrow victory and, at 29, became the city's youngest mayor.
Godfrey said one of his first orders of business after taking office was to hire Stuart Reid, who was working as Salt Lake City's Community and Economic Development director, to head Ogden's economic development efforts.
Reid, now a Republican state senator representing Ogden, was instrumental in "cajoling" the Internal Revenue Service to build a 133,000-square-foot facility on 10 acres on Wall Avenue between 22nd Street and 23rd Street, Godfrey said.
Second term
Godfrey was unsatisfied with the progress in revitalizing Ogden and ran for a second term in 2003, defeating then City Council Chairman Jesse Garcia.
Early in that term, Godfrey was embroiled in controversy over the construction of The Junction, which included the city-owned $18.5 million high-adventure Salomon Center that opened in 2007.
A group of citizens tried to force a ballot measure on the issuance of bonds by Ogden Redevelopment Agency for the Salomon Center.
"They were frightened no one would come (to the Salomon Center) and that it would bankrupt us," Godfrey recalled.
The citizen petition did not contain enough valid signatures and the RDA board ultimately approved construction bonds for the Salomon Center on a 4-3 vote.
Godfrey also drew criticism during his second term by initially supporting the sale of city-owned Mount Ogden Golf Course and adjoining city property to private developer Chris Peterson for a proposed gondola from downtown to a resort at Malan's Basin.
Peterson never submitted a formal proposal to the city and Godfrey decided not to sell the property, partly due to concerns from residents that the city's trail system in the east bench foothills would be impacted.
"When it became apparent there was not going to be a proposal from him (Peterson), we backed away," Godfrey said.
However, Godfrey still believes that a gondola from downtown Ogden going beyond Malan's Basin all the way to Snowbasin Ski Resort would significantly increase tourism.
In 2006, Godfrey traveled to Italy and Austria with airfare paid by the city to meet with leading manufacturers of aerial tramways to get better insight into the possibilities of an Ogden gondola.
Then, in 2010, Godfrey also took other city-funded trade junkets to China and Mexico to meet with companies he hoped would supply products for an international market downtown that hasn't materialized.
Godfrey believes his trips abroad have been beneficial in exploring ways to bolster the city's economy and have helped local companies make international connections.
Third Term
In 2007, running on a platform of reduced crime and increased economic development, Godfrey won a third term by defeating challenger City Councilwoman Susan Van Hooser.
Van Hooser said she hasn't always agreed with the financing mechanism for some of Godfrey's proposals.
"In the beginning, he was the only one to step out to participate to bring about the renaissance of Ogden, but it would have been better if there would have been open dialogue with the council and community," she said.
"He was never to willing to do that and he always wanted things right now. It's not what he did, it's the way he went about it that made it so difficult."
Nevertheless, Van Hooser said she appreciates Godfrey's hard work and love for Ogden.
At times, Godfrey's administration and the city council have been at odds over a perceived lack of communication.
However, Godfrey said such tension is to be expected in the city's form of government, which gives the mayor administrative and executive powers and the city council legislative responsibilities.
Looking Ahead
Godfrey said there are still several projects he hopes will be built in Ogden, such as a downtown field house featuring a 60,000-square-foot indoor water park, Olympic-size pool, tennis courts, running track and velodrome for bicycle racing.
He's also looking forward to eventual completion of the long-awaited 60-acre mixed use Ogden River Project that's been renamed Riverbend.
The city is in its best financial position in a generation, Godfrey said. Debt will be paid off early and a rainy day fund has been established.
Godfrey said he didn't seek a fourth term because it's time for him to embark on a new path outside of politics.
"I never intended to make it a career," said Godfrey, who is keeping his future plans secret but hinted he may become a consultant or work in the private sector.
Godfrey also offered some advice to Caldwell as the city's next mayor.
"You've got to keep your foot on the gas pedal to keep the town from falling backwards," he said.
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