Ogden politics heat up a candidates line up to replace outgoing mayor

Editor’s note: In order to accommodate a special election for Utah’s 2nd Congressional District representative, Gov. Spencer Cox shifted this year’s primary election to Sept. 5 and general election to Nov. 21.

OGDEN – Mayor Mike Caldwell took the helm of Utah’s 8th largest city in 2012, and now nears the end of his third and final term. A robust roster of seven candidates vie to take his place.

This northern Utah city of more than 87,000 residents embodies a grit and character that stem in large part from its railroad-hub heyday in the mid-20th century. 

But Ogden’s spectacular mountainside setting, extensive trail network and generous buffet of outdoor recreation activities make it an attractive spot to put down roots.

In 2019, Forbes ranked Ogden as the 16th best place in the nation for business and careers, and in 2014 the American Planning Association recognized Historic 25th Street as one of America’s Great Streets – a designation given to only 10 streets per year. 

But as cities along Utah’s Wasatch Front continue to grow, politicians have had to confront quality of life issues that include water, transportation, food insecurity and affordable housing. Ogden is right in the thick of it all.

Mike’s moving on

Caldwell, now 52, took the reins as Ogden’s mayor in January 2012. His first day on the job, five police officers got shot in a drug bust gone terribly awry. One of them died. That sobering event christened Caldwell into his new role.

“The enormity, intensity of what our people do weighed really heavy on me … and I’ve given everything I had to help support them,” Caldwell said.

From then on, fostering a healthy work environment for the city’s almost 700 workers became a top priority. 

“My whole goal was to train a group and a system that were willing to work together,” Caldwell said, “and I think that’s been accomplished.”

While that groundwork rarely translates directly into tangible data, Caldwell believes it helped fuel larger efforts that did.

“Even during Covid, we were one of only three mid-major cities in the entire USA that had a net job increase,” Caldwell said. “I’m really proud of the work our team did and how collaborative they all were when we looked at some of the challenges we faced.”

During his tenure as mayor, Caldwell served as president of the Utah League of Cities and Towns, vice-chair of the Economic Development Corporation of Utah and chair of the Wasatch Front Regional Council. He believes those positions helped boost Ogden’s influence around the state.

“When I came into office we didn’t have a lot of respect on the state level,” Caldwell said, “and we’ve worked really hard to address that.”

Caldwell also wove his passion for cycling into his new job.

“I kind of led out in 2014 and rode my bike to work every single day for that entire calendar year (5.5 miles each way),” Caldwell said. “I was chair of the active transportation committee and thought that I should practice what I preach. And just this last year, the Legislature put $100 million into active transportation.” 

Most of Utah’s growing population lives along the Wasatch Front, a swath of cities confined by mountains and the Great Salt Lake. And now little room remains for new highways. 

“We’re going to double our population by 2060 and active transportation is a part of that,” Caldwell said.

Caldwell spoke proudly of Ogden’s almost completed (electric) Bus Rapid Transit project that will provide quick connections between downtown and Weber State University. 

“At the end of the day that will be close to a $200 million project that’s generational,” Caldwell said. “We’ve done a lot of things that were really difficult but I think will be beneficial for the community for a long time.”

But Caldwell’s approach has also raised hackles with more redevelopment in the works.

And this spring, people pushed back against his administration’s decision to shut down the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Northern Utah by September – to make way for a new parking lot and future expansion of Ogden’s George S. Eccles Dinosaur Park. 

Residents showed up to protest the planned shutdown at City Council sessions and in April, several mayoral candidates spoke against it, as reported by ABC4.

What Caldwell Inherited

In 2000, Matthew Godfrey – Ogden’s youngest mayor – took office at age 29. Although his three terms in office rocked the status quo, Godfrey’s ambitious agenda also ushered in pivotal change. 

The Ogden River that flows east to west through downtown now features a scenic parkway bordered in spots by restaurants, shops and apartments. But before Godfrey’s time, the area was more eyesore than amenity.

According to riverrestoration.org, cleanup of the 1.1-mile urban channel began in 2006 and finished in 2012. At the same time, redevelopment of riverside neighborhoods unfolded to enhance the massive makeover. That aspect led to significant pushback and made Godfrey the target of sharp criticism. But today, the area bustles with activity and commerce. 

Godfrey also oversaw demolition of the big-box Ogden City Mall in 2002. The fortress-like structure had been in decline for years, but many still opposed tearing it down to start from scratch. 

A Deseret News story detailed the tense 4-3 City Council vote in favor of demolition. Once cleared, the 22-acre expanse sat vacant for several months before plans gelled to redevelop the land into The Junction, an entertainment hub with eateries, apartments, office space and a hotel. 

Bart Blair, one of the seven mayoral candidates, has served on the City Council for 14 years – the first two with Godfrey, the remainder with Caldwell. Blair acknowledged that both he and Caldwell benefitted from the seeds Godfrey planted. And while he admired Godfrey’s “unmatched work ethic,” Blair noted a stark difference between Godfrey’s and Caldwell’s leadership styles.

“From what I saw, Godfrey had a goal and was going to move towards it … he was so determined to get to that final goal no matter the resistance,” Blair said. “I think Caldwell listens to department directors a lot more, what their needs are and how do we all work together. Caldwell wanted to work smarter and move forward together.” 

Election 2023

The seven contenders to become Ogden’s next mayor – six men and one woman – range in age from 29 to 71. The filing period opened June 1 and closed at 5 p.m. on June 7. 

Here they are, listed alphabetically:

Chris Barragan, www.barragan4ogden.com/

Age: 46

Work Background: Barragan has served in development roles for Hogle Zoo, the University of Utah’s School of Medicine, and Weber State University’s Dumke College of Health Professions and Goddard School of Business and Economics.

How long in Ogden? About 10 years

Why he’s running? “If you look (at who’s running), everybody has either run for a position here, held a position here or has been a campaign manager for multiple people in this election. And I think there’s a few things that have gone unaddressed. We need new leadership and a new generation of leaders here in Ogden. I’m happy to be one of those people.

His top qualification? Barragan facetiously described the low bar set for the job: a felony-free resident at least 18 years old.

But then he got serious about his family’s commitment to the community.

“First and foremost, we’re a family that lives in Ogden … and we love being part of the community.” That involvement includes PTA, coaching youth sports and endless volunteering. Plus, “We’re the only small retail business owner on 25th Street,” referring to his wife’s “Brookey Bakes” confectionery.

“Our family definitely wants to be as helpful as we can as long as we have time on this earth and we’re breathing,” Barragan said. 

Bart Blair: https://www.voteblair.com/

  • Age: 50
  • Work Background: Owns and operates Blair’s Service Center, City Council member for 14 years
  • How long in Ogden? Born & raised
  • Why he’s running? “No disrespect to anyone else that’s running, but with my being born and raised here, having a business in Ogden, and having served on the council the longest, I’ve seen how hard it is to build momentum. And right now Ogden City has lots of momentum. There’s a lot of great things going on and I’d hate to see us take a pause or change course.”
  • His top qualification? “I know Ogden’s history, where we came from. But also, being on the council the last 14 years, I’ve been able to see the Ogden we want to become. I have a great grasp on that vision and how we get there.

Angel Castillo: https://www.angel4ogden.com/

  • Age: 54
  • Work Background: Marketing consultant whose professional skills include branding, communications, public outreach/community engagement, strategic promotional relationships, business development and more. She served on Ogden’s Planning Commission and this is her second run for Ogden Mayor.
  • How long in Ogden? She moved here in January 2018
  • Why she’s running? Castillo said she’d been helping a candidate in the 2019 mayoral race who ultimately backed out without filing for office. “I had put in a good six months of research and I can’t unsee what I saw. And I still see the same things … which is why I’m running again and why I haven’t missed a single City Council meeting or work session since 2018, not one. I have a better record than anybody on the City Council – and especially the mayor.”
  • Her top qualification?  “I care about Ogden and I have read every transmission front to back. I know what’s happening and there’s incredible waste in Ogden as far as what we’re putting money into that people know nothing about, that’s not our job. Government should not compete with private businesses.”

Jon Greiner: https://www.facebook.com/jonjgreiner

jonforogden.com (this link not working yet) 

  • Age: 71
  • Work Background:  Former Ogden Police Chief, former state senator, former manager of the Ogden Hinckley Airport.
  • How long in Ogden? “My whole life except for 18 months in Roy and 18 months in South Ogden.”
  • Why he’s running? “I’m in good health and thought that  I might have one more opportunity to give back to the city.”
  • His top qualification? “I have a well-rounded background – 43 years in Ogden City government, 22 years in the Army Reserves, four years as a state senator. I pretty well understand zero-based budgeting and government.”

Taylor Knuth: https://www.taylorforogden.com/

  • Age: 29
  • Work Background: Former Community Services & Engagement Director for United Way of Northern Utah, former fundraiser for Onstage Ogden, current Deputy Director for Salt Lake City’s Department of Economic Development.
  • How long in Ogden? “We moved to Ogden officially in 2011, but I grew up in Clearfield where there wasn’t much to do, so I spent a lot of my younger years here in Ogden. I kind of always called Ogden home.”
  • Why he’s running? “Ogden is the City that built me, the city that allowed a young poor kid growing up with a single mom to really  live out his dream. I want to take my experience in serving the public and continue to do that in a role that allows me to amplify the work I’ve already been doing and spread it across our entire community.”
  • His top qualification? “I understand that government at the local level is an aircraft carrier, not a speedboat. It takes the right people doing the right job at the right time with the right amount of effort, the right amount of resources and the right amount of leadership to turn that boat even in the smallest degree. I’m incredibly passionate about finding issues in our community and focusing on solutions that are inclusive of everybody in a way that builds understanding, compassion and community.”

Oscar Mata: https://www.mata4mayor.com/

  • Age: 29
  • Work Background: Current Dean of Students at DaVinci Academy of Science and the Arts, vice-chairman of the Utah Democratic Party and small business owner (Ethical Assessment Center LLC).
  • How long in Ogden? “About 15 years. I moved here my sophomore year of high school.”
  • Why he’s running? “Mostly it came down to me working at the school with these kids and their families, these students who I’ve grown to love and learned so much from. It started to infuriate me seeing what they have to go into in regard to post-high school life” (citing job, housing and transportation issues specifically.) I think that I provide a real difference when it comes to rolling up your sleeves and working with people that disagree with you on some issues but you can find common ground on others.”
  • His top qualification?  “I am very involved in this city. I think anyone who thinks they can understand the needs of this city by attending a sparse city council meeting on Tuesday nights is simply up in the night. I want to visit every classroom, senior home and small business opening because I think that’s the job of the mayor. That’s how you understand the needs of this city.”

Ben Nadolski: https://www.ben4ogden.com/

  • Age: 47
  • Work Background: Regional Supervisor for the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, Ogden City Council member for seven years.
  • How long in Ogden? “I moved here in 1997 to play football and go to school at Weber State University.”
  • Why he’s running? “ I love this town, its people, its potential and its future. And I love helping to solve problems. When i look at this city, I see things that I know I can help. And serving others is where I find my fulfillment in life.”
  • His top qualification?  “I have a proven track record of experience and problem solving – and showing that I have the integrity to do it in the right way for the right reasons. I have experience both at the city and state level that doesn’t just qualify me to run for the seat. It qualifies me to lead the city.”

What’s next?

For Caldwell, he said he’s not sure what his next step will be, but he’s ready for a change. 

And Ogden’s future is also up for grabs. Voters will trim the field to two candidates in the August 15 primary election, and will then select the city’s next mayor on Nov. 7. Three council seats will also be on the ballot.