Tracy Smith, the management consultant whose conduct as a $94,000-a-year employee of the Portland Development Commission resulted in her recent suspension, resigned on Friday. Parts of her story (including a scoop about her questionable moonlighting acitivities) were chronicled here back when they were breaking last month.

Ms. Smith was ratted out by PDC consultant Anthony Harris, whom she hired to "coach" a guy that she was supposed to be coaching herself, deputy PDC director Wyman Winston. After Harris's own problems came to light and Ms. Smith refused to circle the wagons around him, Harris leaked some of her e-mail, in which she allegedly pressured Harris to pressure Winston to give her a raise.

Winston was docked a couple of weeks' pay from his $132,914 salary (and "suspended," which I guess could mean some golf time), but "Coach" Smith is out of there. Presumably Harris is long gone, too.

Next Monday, two more Vera Katz appointees to the PDC board (including chair Matt Hennessee) will officially leave, new CEO Bruce Warner will arrive, and the Potter Era of urban renewal will finally begin in earnest.

Although there are still lots of serious concerns about the PDC, we've got nowhere to go but up. Send out the clowns.