Mayor Matthew R. Godfrey
2000 to Present
From the beginning of his administration, Mayor Matthew R. Godfrey has been passionate about the rebirth of Ogden. Economic resurgence was at the forefront of his agenda. He began by identifying the natural assets that make Ogden truly unique and remarkable: proximity to the mountains, nestled in the foothills, a defined downtown area, and a river flowing through the city. With this in mind, Mayor Godfrey set out to define Ogden, Utah, as the World’s High Adventure Capitol—a place where cutting edge industry would want to do business and adventure seekers would want to vacation.
"Having grown up here, I remember the stories of Ogden’s wealth and prosperity back in the heyday of Railroad travel and transportation. Ogden was booming then, and I believe the people of Ogden deserve to see their town shine again," says Mayor Godfrey.
Since he has taken office, a failing mall has been replaced with a vibrant new retail anchor, The Junction, featuring housing, entertainment, office space and restaurants; the downtown district has seen a renaissance of economic reinvestment promoting a mixed-use community. With the help of aggressive business incentives more than fifteen corporations from the ski industry have relocated their facilities to Ogden along with a myriad of other companies related to high adventure sports and activities. Blighted neighborhoods along the river are being transformed into a unique urban area, The Ogden River Project, with a mixture of public open space, a river walk, urban housing, retail, entertainment, offices, and transportation elements.
The Mayor’s report card continues to see high marks as more and more progress is revealed daily within the city of Ogden. Today residents in Ogden have access to more jobs and additional transportation options have made new adventures more accessible. Because of these city improvements, there are more office workers and more hotel guests who shop in new stores, are entertained at new venues, and dine at new restaurants. Under Mayor Godfrey’s direction, Ogden is being reinvented while preserving its rich history—and the best is yet to come…
About the Mayor
The youngest person to be elected Mayor in the history of Ogden, Mayor Matthew R Godfrey makes his home here in the world’s high adventure capitol with his wife Monica and their five children, Natasha, Harrison, Danielle, Tyler, and Grant.
Born and raised in the Ogden area, Mayor Godfrey attended Weber County public schools and obtained from Weber State University a Bachelor of Arts and Finance degree with a minor in Spanish and a Masters of Professional Accounting. As a student at Weber State University, he earned the distinction of NCAA All-American in Track and Field, and as an adjunct faculty member, he taught Quantitative Analysis, Business Calculus, and Finance.
An avid adventurer, Mayor Godfrey enjoys skiing and hiking; he rides his bike to work most days in the summertime and has been known to play Frisbee in the park. He runs in the Ogden Marathon and participates in many other outdoor sports.
Open Door Policy
Mayor Godfrey has always maintained an open door policy; he welcomes comments and suggestions related to Ogden. The easiest way to reach Mayor Godfrey is through email
and he also takes phone calls during the Mayor’s Call-In Show. The Mayor's Call-In Show is broadcasted live on Channel 17 each month. Tune in and find out what’s happening in Ogden; each month a guest speaker is featured. The Call-In number is active only during the time of the Call-In show.
Often residents are not sure who to contact for specific questions pertaining to City services. Many questions can be answered by calling Ogden City’s Live Help Desk (801-399-HELP) or by utilizing the Mayor's Action Center resources online.