An update from the LGA - getting caught on the wrong course at the wrong time.

SPicy joined many others last year watching as Mayor Coleman, Mayor Rybak and others who are trying to earn their card on the ongoing LGA (Longshot Gubernatorial Ambition) tour.  This is the place where ambition is tested, skills are needed, and smart play moves one up on the big leader board. Based on some events from earlier this week - SPicy thought it might be time for an update.

While last year Mayor Coleman was making a strong move to the  top- it appears the new year finds our potential gubernatorial candidate in some pretty deep rough.

The LGA is a not for week of heart or timid self-esteem.  For one to succeed on the tour - a player needs to know when to putt, drive, or even stay at home on the practice tee.

Case in point - Tuesday's headline the Star Tribune. 3M will sell entire East Side campus

After months of planning, 3M Co. will begin marketing its entire 40-acre East Side St. Paul campus today to a few select parties, company officials said yesterday. How did the Mayor's Office not see this coming, or at least hear about it?  For months the City has led an effort for the redevelopment of the Ford Plant, here they are left with no contingency whatsoever.

While 3M was making this important annoucement, Mayor Coleman brought his clubs to Minnesota's 8th Congressional District - to watch a  new friend take the oath of office as Mayor of Duluth.

Story at WDIO

St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman was also in the crowd, to show his support. "We mayors need to stick together. Mayors are the economic engines of cities, and if the cities are strong, Minnesota is strong.

What's has the sound of amazing irony is that while SPicy agrees that "Mayors are the economic engines of cities" - it may have been better if Saint Paul's economic engine was actually running when 3M made the announcement.  SPicy has learned that city officials were taken by surprise by both the timing of the announcement and the fact that the company was going to sell the entire site. Someone should check for service bulletins, recalls and whether this engine is still under warranty.

Officials from city departments and the Port Authority scrambled to a hastily called meeting in city hall to talk about what to do.  The urgency was enough that Lori Louder apparently cancelled a meeting related to the ongoing issues involving Rock-Tenn (another ticking economic development issue that will have a significant impact on the city budget).

SPicy has spent the past two days reading about downtown and the state of affairs for restaurants and night life.  While it is good that there is signs of life and activity, SPicy was suprised that Mayor Coleman was not part of either story.  The bully pulpit of the Mayor's office is a valuable resource that has been used to sell and promote the city in the past.

And on a day when a massive section of the city's economic development future goes on the market - SPicy would have hoped that the Mayor would have been on hand to manage the situation.

Duluth is a great place to visit.  SPicy and SPousy love Fitgers.  But we love strong leadership even more.

When we look at the updated LGA leader board - it now looks like Bagger Vance (R. T. Rybak) has moved into a two shot lead.  Mayor Coleman lost a shot yesterday and another when he endorsed what looked like another sure thing - Hillary Clinton.

SPicy will continue to watch the leader board and provide updates.  And SPicy also suggests that Mayor Coleman givessomeone  in Hartford Conn. a call before he is met with some bad news on the Travelers front.  Maybe he'll read about them in the paper too.  Put your faith in SPicy, SaintPaulicy is on the case.

 

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