St. Paul has a new Public Works director, someone who took an unusual path to the position.
City Council President Kathy Lantry has been appointed by Mayor Chris Coleman to the position effective March 1. The appointment triggers a process by which the remaining six council members will choose an interim Ward 7 representative. Lantry had already announced she would not seek reelection this fall.
“As a fellow life long resident of St. Paul and after serving 15 years on the city council, no one knows St. Paul better than Kathy Lantry,” said Mayor Coleman in a press release. “Her strong leadership, astute understanding of the department and trusted, longstanding working relationships with city employees make her the ideal candidate to lead the Public Works Department.”
Lantry was elected to the council in 1998 and was chosen as council president in 2004. Policy Director Nancy Homans has served as interim Public Works director since the departure of Rich Lallier.
Experience
The previous Public Works director was a transfer from Parks and Recreation. I guess the mayor believes that role doesn’t actually need a professional street maintenance engineer. And the streets show it.
Yes, the city is run by cronies.