OCR Text |
Show Park City News Friday, April 1, 1983 Page A9 ook reveals the sordid truth behind 'Madame Dearest' Editor's note: Park City's cult reputation in the 1980s often centered around its exotic, efficient, and intelligent in-telligent city manager. But did the truth live up to the glamorous image? This week we begin the first in a series of book excerpts, as a former city employee tells the truth behind the glittering glit-tering facade of Arlene Mogul's City Hall. When I started work for Mogul in the Chuckhole Department, she said, "There's no need to be very formal. Just call me Madame." That sounded all right to me. Little did I know! At first, she seemed no more demanding than any other boss I've worked for. She was a cleanliness bug. Often she could be seen vacuuming the carpets in City Hall. She had a thing about all the city employees parking their cars perfectly straight and parallel in Swede Alley. And, yes, she could pull rank. On one occasion, she wanted to play a round of golf with friends, right after a drenching rainstorm. She sent the entire Public Works Department out on the course with blow-dryers. But then she started making mak-ing what I call the "midnight raids." No employee was safe from them. You couldn't hide from her, because she had a skeleton key that could open every apartment and condo in Park City. I remember waking up one night to see her standing over my bed, with fire in her eyes and a crazed look on her face. She grabbed my ear and dragged me, still in my pajamas, out on the street. "It's filthy! Clean it up!," she shrieked. The rumor mill said that in the early morning hours she liked to tie them to the back of her car with a rope. Then she9d zoom up Heber Avenue, waiting to see how long the person could dodge the potholes... "All of Park Avenue?" "You heard me!,' she said, throwing down a can of Old Dutch cleanser and a toothbrush. Was she crazy? She didn't even give a brush with hard bristles! "Well? You won't like it if I have to repeat myself! " "Yes, Madame." "YES, WHAT?" "Yes - Madame, Dearest!" It was horrible, but I didn't get the brunt of her abuse. I remember walking with her over to the Planning Department. They had some nice kids over there a little footloose, but basically hard workers. I was stunned at what I saw. City Planner Bill Ligety was strapped into his chair, his mute eyes begging for help I couldn't give him. The rest of the staff was restrained re-strained the same way. Old papers were littered around them. Their hands, filthy from handling blueprints, hadn't been cleaned in days. Mogul explained, "They decided they couldn't get the Streets Master Plan done in time. To teach them a lesson in responsibility, they can just stay here. They can take their meals here until they finish. And they'll have to go to bed without Happy Hour." "Yes, Madame Dearest," Ski area to host Big BrotherSister program April The Park City Ski Area will play host to the local Big Brother-Big Sister program, providing complimentary skiing for all individuals involved, on Saturday, April 9- The Big Brother-Big Sister program is a special program pro-gram for children in the area who need a "unique" friend to take the place of a true sibling or parent. As a special tribute to this program, the Park City Ski Area will provide a complimentary compli-mentary day of skiing to all individuals involved. Participants Parti-cipants must register between be-tween 8:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. on April 9. Participants in the Big Brother-Big Sister program must have their identification cards. For more information, call the Park City Marketing Department at 649-8111 or the Big Brother-Big Sister office at 649-1664. INVESTMENT PROPERTIES $139,500 3 bdrm, 3 bath condo 3 blocks from Resort. 1550 sq. ft. Completely furnished! $165,000 largest Silvertown condo 3 blocks from resort re-sort and Alpha Beta. Developer's own unit. 4 bdrm, loft. 3 baths. Completely furnished! $89,500 Old Town charm. Just off Main St. 3 bdrm, 2 bath. Mechanically sound, good foundation. Recently reroofed. Close to proposed lift. $169,500 duplex. 3 bdrm, 2 bath wfireplace. Full kitchen. 2 bdrm, 1 bath. Good rental! Must see! $78,500 to $219,500 studios to 2 bdrms. Right on the slope. Brand new! Completely furnished! Call your Park City real estate advisor Don SturgesPark City Village Assoc 649-4550 1 M&pmhi i Need a place : to live? TS TRY n IN) chorused the poor staff. It wasn't bad when she just left you alone. But every time photographers from Salt Lake came up here, all the employees were gathered together to present the picture of one big happy City Hall family. Everyone had to wear a striped barbershop-style shirt, and these little cloth hats she picked up from MacDonald's at a surplus sale. While the cameras were around, we were allowed to go to City Park (otherwise forbidden to low-level employees) play sack races, Tug of War and a lot of other stupid games. Mogul's own forms of recreation weren't quite so innocent. Occasionally an employee would just disappear. dis-appear. The rumor mill said that in the early morning hours she liked to tie them to the back of her car with a rope. Then she'd zoom up Heber Avenue, waiting to see how long the person could dodge the potholes and keep up with her at the same time. You never knew what might tick her off. One year, I was on the staff committee putting together a new budget. We felt pretty good about it. We'd economized over the past year. Every single department had a surplus, and we were able to project a tax cut for the coming fiscal year. Plus our lobbyists had pushed through a sales tax increase for resort towns in the State Legislature. We mailed copies of the budget to Madame and the members of the City Council. For once, I thought, she's be handing out cigars to us. No such luck. When I awoke that night, she was staggering around my bed. Oh God, another midnight raid. My Dober-man Dober-man Pinscher attack dog Gorgo (whom I had bought since Mogul's last visit) lay dead at the foot of my bed two deep teeth puncture punc-ture marks in his neck. She was standing there, holding the budget and the large envelope it was mailed in. "Manila envelopes! PLAIN MANILA ENVELOPES!" ENVE-LOPES!" she screamed. "I give you custom-made city stationary in nice white envelopes! And you use manila! You don't deserve white envelopes! You don't deserve a nice city budget! " She ripped at the document docu-ment until the whole paper-all paper-all our hard work for the next fiscal year lay on my bed like confetti. I buried my head in my pillow and tried not to think. Next week, Chapter II: Madame is piqued at a group of Mexican tourists. Soon after, the peso is devaluated. Historic District Commission commission agenda April 6, 1983. 5:00 p.m., Marsac School 5 : 00 p.m . Work session regarding modifications to the proposed Historic District Design Guidelines. 5:15 p.m. Regular meeting Approval of the minutes of March 16, 1983. I lift hINnA jt CP: ... cool colors for a long, hot summer. These loosely woven knits are just about the best under the sunl Get one of each and change your looks as easily as you do your moods. Loose top, sand with grey trim or grey with creme, $50. Longer circle skirt, creme with sand waistband and khaki tie, $75. Long vestblouse (you choosel), creme sand combina tion. $58. Cropped pant with elastic waist, sand or creme, $58. Also available from the Diane B. plaid collection: collec-tion: full circle skirt, culotte and diaper short. CHALK GARDen TROLLEY SQUARE DEER VALLEY NOFOOLIN' WE HAVE THE BEST PRICES: SNOWCOUNTRY CONDOMINIUMS From $57,900. Three blocks from the ski resort, next to the City Park, these units include outdoor pool, barbeque, spa, satelite T.V., and laundry facilities. Super low utilities and property management services on the premises. Call Roger Stephens, 649-9377. m f W - ' mum mm ii Ami'mi HIGHLAND ESTATES LOTS STARTING AT $19,500 Own a piece of our part of the world and build your own special hideaway. Lot 295 A, $19,500 Lot 306 A, $26,500 Lot 303 A, $29,500. Call Lani Reck 649-7356. Call Roger Stephens Ste-phens 649-9377. EXCEPTIONAL UNIT, EXCEPTIONAL TERMS. Pool, sauna and work-out room are just a few of the amenities that go with this 2 bedroom, 2 bath Edelweiss unit. Close to the resort, with an excellent rental ren-tal history, and utilities are covered within the association dues. Conserve your money and maximize your enjoyment with this "has everything" condominium. $130,000. Call Bonnie Novelle, 649-9343. '"ft I t : . $s LIVE IN PARK CITY AND LET YOUR TENANTS PAY THE LOAN PRINCIPLE! Located just above Historic Main Street this "well-cared-for" triplex can be a real income producer. Private parking and close to the action move in today! $170,000. CAPSON MORRIS McCOMB 1515 Park Ave., P.O. Box 1921, Park City, 84060 .649-8601 , THE AT SHADOW RIDGE A Sample of our Menu Teriyaki Top Sirloin Chicken Marsala Broiled Swordfish Brazed Sirloin Tips Children's Menu Chicken in a basket Cod Filet Sandwiches Petite Top Sirloin $9.50 $7.50 $8.50 $5.50 $3.75 $175 $6.75 Skiers Breakfast Special $1.99 0 LOCAL'S SPECIAL Anyone with a season pass to any of the Park City Ski A reas will get a 10 discount on any dinner. Conference and catering facilities available. a. B . M KJ B L&Jteii&SS CLASSIFIED' |