[eluser]dmorin[/eluser]
Your description of models is very similar to what an ORM is which isn't exactly what models are supposed to be, but that's ok. You're using libraries for things that I would put in the model. The real idea that I wanted to point out originally is that business logic does not belong in the controller which both of our solutions achieve! Unfortunately, this isn't represented in your original post where you say logic should be in the controller. Maybe that could be updated?
From wikipedia:
Quote:The controller receives input and initiates a response by making calls on model objects.
