Bart Blair hopes to keep seat on Ogden City Council
Ogden native, and father of three, Bart Blair has been on the City Council for three terms, and he is seeking a fourth. As chair of the City Council, Blair gets to work directly with the administration. He is pleased with what they have been able to accomplish together with the people’s best interests in mind.
According to Blair, the City Council used to seek out people to start businesses in Ogden, but now the tides have shifted and he wants to continue the momentum they have worked hard to gain. Businesses are making requests to be a part of Ogden.
“We have great neighborhoods,” Blair said. “But housing has to be addressed–it’s a major issue.”
Blair acknowledges the beliefs of his challenger, Sebastian Benitez, against current real-estate developments, but he disagrees. “Economic development is key to the city,” Blair said.
Blair believes little can be done to address street and sidewalk infrastructure without money.
“Raising taxes, borrowing or bonding money are not always the best actions to take,” said Blair. Business development will not only add to city funds for infrastructure, but give more flexibility and freedom for other improvements.
“We’re not a city that has oodles of money,” he said.
The city receives federal money to purchase older houses and revamp existing neighborhoods. These efforts have been financially beneficial for the city, according to Blair. The city does not want their work to out-price people who have been in Ogden the longest. However, defining affordability is difficult for Blair, asking affordable for who?
“In my very basic opinion, local politics truly comes down to making connections and working with others,” Blair said of his most gratifying accomplishment on the City Council.