They came, they schmoozed, they handed out packets touting all that’s good about our corner of the world.  It was Greater Mankato Day at the Capitol yesterday, and dozens of business representatives and community officials showed up to tell legislators that Greater Mankato has taken huge strides from, as the brochure put it, “. . . rural community to regional center.” 

North Mankato Mayor Gary Zellmer, who went along, calls it a tremendous opportunity for the area to show itself off.

“What’s really important about this is . . . the legislators don’t see the business people, and just the community there and the different organizations there.”

Zellmer says legislators’ conception of our area may be limited.

“It introduces them to our community. And we all think everybody knows what [this] area is all about. But when you get up there, you realize a lot of them don’t know what our community is.”

He says legislators are used to seeing Mayors and City Managers, but the large group presence makes a more complete impression.