As expected, the lobbying effort waged by the city of Jordan at the State Capitol failed this year.

At a cost of $12,000 from its economic development fund, the city council sent Bob Long, a lobbyist with the Minneapolis-based firm of Lockrdige, Grindal and Nauen, to speak to the Minnesota Legislature to lobby state senators and representatives for funds to conduct preliminary engineering and planning for the proposed interchange at the intersection of highways 169 and 282. Long was hired last February, when, according to Jordan City Councilmember Jeremy Goebel, he fed the council "a bunch of crap.”

Long worked with Sen. Claire Robling and Rep. Mark Buesgens to write a bill that was introduced in state committees, but Goebel said this month that even the city council could’ve introduced a bill.

"I feel that we've been taken and they owe us money back," Goebel said late last month. "I would like to know what we're getting for our money.

"They haven't even accomplished a hearing on the bill. There's been nothing.”

Long spoke to the city council this month, convincing the city to join forces in a coalition with other cities that want state and federal money for Highway 169. The coalition would focus on first receiving federal funds that would have to be matched by the state.

“I look at this as a fresh approach,” Councilmember Mike Shaw said.

New strategy involving multiple cities from Minnetonka to Mankato along Highway 169 would be more advantageous than singling out just Jordan, said a memorandum written by City Administrator Ed Shukle. The Highway 169 Corridor Group would emphasize work on intersections of Highway 169 and:

- Bren Road in Minnetonka;

- Interstate 494 in Eden Prairie;

- Highway 282 in Jordan;

- roads in Belle Plaine;

- roads in Le Sueur;

- roads in St. Peter;

- and roads in Mankato.

Jordan would be a good place for a meeting of city officials involved in the corridor group, Long said.

The lobbyist recommended that the city not lobby state officials anymore until federal funding is secured.

"That whole thing needs to be a team effort. You don't just give somebody money and expect miracles to happen," Jabs said.

Jordan has a negative past with the Minnesota Department of Transportation. Officials have tried for years to get funding for the intersection, but for various reasons, funding did not come through.

“We’ve sat down with them in this room,” Councilmember Barry Ullmann said. “We never got anywhere – this is years ago.”

“Officially, I think Jordan is about 2018 on the MnDOT priority list,” Long said.

“We’re scrambling to get that interchange discussion back,” Shukle said.

Councilmember David Hanson said it was worth the city’s money to send a lobbyist to talk “in their face” everyday.