Last Thursday, guests at the Center City Proprietors Association’s monthly lunchspeak were treated to an hour or so of Carl Singley.

"For the last 18 years I have been researching, writing and speaking on leadership," said Singley. "So I told my wife that must be why I was asked to come here today."

"And she said, ŒNigger, please. The reason they invited you to speak is because you are having this public argument with John Street and you've got a foul mouth,'" said Singley, adding, "I'm a big believer in public discourse about ideas and concepts."

Guests had some idea of Singley’s topic because of the letter placed on their plates from Singley, titled “The Street Mayoralty: A Failure of Leadership.” This was Singley’s account of what he believed to be Street’s failures.

Singley was once Street’s mentor and friend back before Street became famous. The fallout came shortly before Street became mayor. More on that later.

In his letter, Singley says Street lacks vision and has poor communication skills. Organizational capacity? Forget about it. Political skills? Nil. Cognitive capacity and emotional intelligence? Not with this mayor.

Singley regaled guests with his conversation with Street’s ally Johnny Dougherty. It had been big news when Singley’s expletive-laden message to Street -- through Dougherty -- became public.

“I need to clarify this misunderstanding about this street encounter between myself and John Dougherty that has been reported where I was supposed to have said, ‘Johnny, I want you to give the mayor a message,’” said Singley. “‘Tell him, fuck him. Tell him don’t fuck with me. And tell him I don’t throw anything away.’”

That statement, Singley said at the lunch, “just completely damaged my reputation.”

“Now let me tell you what I actually said. See, Johnny heard something different. What I said to him was, would you deliver this message to the mayor. Tell him, don’t fool with me. And tell him I’m not afraid of him. And thirdly, as for throwing anything away, tell him I’m the owner of a condominium in Philadelphia and the city won’t pay to collect my trash, so I can’t throw anything away,” said Singley.

“So that’s actually what I said to him, but Johnny Dougherty, being a guy from the streets, heard something different so it was a matter of interpretation,” explained Singley, adding that he understood his conversation about the mayor is a one-way street.

“Although he’s not talking, I am,” said Singley. “My disagreement with him is fundamental.”

When Street told his transition team that everyone loved him, Singley recalled reminding him that he had almost lost to the Republican Sam Katz in the general election and that no, everybody does not love you.

It wasn’t always thus. When Street was Council president, Singley and his old law firm, Singley and Associates, received hundreds of thousands of dollars in contracts from the city’s law department and a lot of bond work.

Now, Singley is at the conservative Republican firm of Blank Rome. He mixes with heavy-hitting GOP moneyman David Girard-diCarlo.

It is out there that Singley wants to run a candidate against Street next year in the Democratic primary election. State Rep. Dwight Evans and City Councilman Michael Nutter are being floated around as possible contenders.

What Singley seems to be waiting for is Katz to make another go of it against Street and this time, win.