Former Viking wants to tackle mayor's job

Former Vikings star Joey Browner this week filed at the last minute to run against Eagan Mayor Mike Maguire in the November election -- but there are plenty of questions that surround Browner's bid.

Why is he running? Why has he never paid a judgment that the city won against him over a nuisance lawsuit? And how do you reach him?

On Tuesday, 10 minutes before the deadline for filing for candidacy, Browner submitted his latest candidacy papers. In 2008, Browner sued the city of Eagan, claiming that he missed a deadline to file for the city council race because of allegedly vague directions given about the filing dates.

Browner, one of the great Vikings defensive stars of all time, subsequently ran as a write-in candidate with a quiet campaign but lost.

Later, a judge disagreed with Browner's claim that it was the city's fault he missed the deadline. In March 2009, the judge awarded Eagan a $510 judgment against Browner to cover legal costs and fees associated with defending itself against Browner's suit, according to Eagan City Attorney Robert Bauer.

That money has never been paid, Bauer said.

Now, Browner is the only contender against Maguire, who is running for a second term. On Thursday, Maguire took issue with Browner's failure to pay his debt to the city.

Browner, an outreach worker for the Metropolitan Council, could not be reached for comment Thursday.

Browner's candidacy affidavit lists a website that wasn't working, as of Thursday: www.joeybrownerformayor.org.

It also lists an e-mail address that did not work: joeybrowner formayor@yahoo.com.

The phone number listed on his affidavit is for the Joey Browner Foundation, a nonprofit organization that Browner began last year, with the stated goal of giving scholarships and grants to help youths.

But Thursday, no information was available on the foundation website about any accomplishments, except one activity: Browner had lunch with Gulf War veterans, according to a photo and caption. Messages left on voice mail at the Joey Browner Foundation were not returned Thursday.

A resident of the city for a few years, Browner has not been seen at public hearings or meetings, and he's not familiar to City Hall workers, they say. Maguire said voters tell him they don't know Browner, either.

Maguire said he has never met Browner but said he looks forward to learning what his priorities are for Eagan, and what he would like to do as mayor.

Joan Olin, when she was the Lilydale city administrator, had helped Browner with his campaign in 2008, and she was critical of Eagan city workers at that time. She was sentenced recently to 10 days in jail for stealing money from the city of Lilydale, which fired her last summer.

On Thursday, Olin said she is no longer in contact with Browner.

"I have nothing to do with him and he has nothing to do with me," she said.