Woodbury is looking for a new city administrator to step into the shoes of the retiring Clint Gridley, who has spent 21 years steering the administrative helm. As reported by the City of Woodbury’s official website, Gridley’s tenure ends this June, and the city has engaged the expertise of Dave Unmacht, a local government consultant, to shape the ideal candidate’s profile. With community inputs in the bag, the recruitment torch passes to Baker Tilly, who will commence reviewing applications on Monday.
Angela Gorall, the deputy city administrator, relayed that a list of semi-finalists for Gridley’s successor would be ready for examination by mid-April. Starting off, Dave Unmacht, who was previously the executive director of the League of Minnesota Cities.
The city administrator’s role is foundational to Woodbury’s health. This is the person who bridges the gap between policy planning and day-to-day city management. “The city administrator provides guidance to the City Council in policy development, strategic planning, and decision-making,” as explained in Woodbury’s announcement, flags the importance of this role in executing the city’s operational playbook to the letter, from budget crafting to ensuring transparent governance…