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The race for mayor in Duluth
by Bob Kelleher, Minnesota Public Radio
November 3, 2003

Herb Bergson and Charlie Bell debated at an event on October 21 at the College of St Scholastica in Duluth (MPR photo/Bob Kelleher)

Duluth residents will be picking the first new city mayor in 12 years. Three term incumbent Gary Doty is not seeking re-election. The voter's choice comes down to a businessman who hasn't before held political office, and a current Duluth council member who's also been the mayor of nearby Superior Wisc.

	Charlie Bell

Duluth, Minn. — The race for Duluth mayor has generated a lot of attention, if not much fire between the two candidates.

Charlie Bell is best known for the funeral business his family held until recently. Bell's been involved in West Duluth real estate development, and has been an appointed member of several boards and commissions.

The other candidate, Herb Bergson, is best known as a two-term mayor in Superior, Wisc. Bergson is a Superior police detective. For several years he's lived in Duluth, where he ran unsuccessfully for mayor four years ago, and then captured instead a term on the Duluth City Council.

	Herb Bergson

To many observers the candidates differ more in style than in ideas. Outgoing Mayor Gary Doty is decidedly unimpressed with the campaign.

"I don't think the candidates are really talking about the issues in depth, like they perhaps could be doing," Doty says. "It's more of a feel good kind of a campaign - 'I'm a good guy and I want to be your mayor.' And think that's unfortunate. I think it should be a little more in depth."

Bergson and Bell both want to increase Duluth's job base. Both want changes in the city's planning department. Bergson has reservations about tax increment financing districts, while Bell generally supports them.

Bell is running on his business and development background.

"I've been integrally involved in raising money, in bringing people together, in formulating designs, helping establish visions, and then incorporating plans in order to reach those visions," Bell says.

But Bell's approach might be stuffier than that of his opponent.

"First of all, I work in Duluth," Bell says. "Secondly, I have a college degree. Thirdly, with my volunteerism in this community, I've created thousands of jobs."

Bergson is much looser in front of an audience than Bell. His nice guy personality may be getting more attention than his record.

"I want to be your mayor to serve you," Bergson said at the close of a recent debate. "I believe that a good mayor listens to the people and responds to the needs of the community."

Then Bergson continued, "Now I'm going to take the last 30 seconds to apologize to someone special. It's my wife. It's her birthday tonight, and she had to work. And it's the first birthday we've had to be apart," he told a television audience.

Political observer Craig Grau says both candidates can be considered moderates. And, unusual to this race, it doesn't pit two distinct Duluth neighborhoods against each other. Both are from the city's western side. Grau says there might be a small element of blue collar versus white collar.

"Bergson has been a police officer, and therefore has had kind of a blue collar job, where Bell has had more of a professional job," Grau says. "Bell in fact has emphasized that he's had a college education, etc."

Oddly, Bell, the businessman, is a former chair of the Duluth Chamber of Commerce, but the Chamber won't be endorsing either candidate. Bergson is a police officer, calling for more money for crime fighting, but a local police union has instead endorsed Bell.

September's primary race produced a strong voter turnout with seven candidates running for mayor. Grau says turnout may still be high Tuesday, but possibly because of other issues.

"We do have school levy issue that's on the ballot, and three school board districts from the eastern part of the city that are up, plus one at large," Grau says. "And then a couple of council races that are up as well. So, that may bring out turnout."

An early poll gave Herb Bergson the edge. But Tuesday's results might depend on which of the two can best appeal to residents living outside their West Duluth neighborhood.

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