Woodbury Selects Jeff Dahl as New City Administrator
The Woodbury City Council approved the selection of Jeff Dahl as the city's new administrator during its June 11 meeting, with Dahl set to begin his role on July 28.
Dahl will replace Clint Gridley, who retired June 6 after 21 years with the organization. The council selected Dahl from what officials described as an exceptionally talented pool of applicants.
The new administrator brings extensive municipal experience and local knowledge to the position. Dahl has been a Woodbury resident for nearly 10 years and began his career in 2005 as an intern in the city's Community Development Department. He holds bachelor's degrees in political science with urban studies and planning emphasis and international relations, both from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities.
Dahl most recently served as city manager and executive director of the Housing and Redevelopment Authority in Wayzata. His municipal career also includes positions with the cities of Oswego and Chaska, providing him experience with organizations of various sizes.
As city administrator, Dahl will guide the City Council in policy development, strategic planning and decision making while overseeing department managers and developing the annual budget. He plans to attend the city booth during Woodbury Days to meet community members in person.
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The City Council approved the selection of Jeff Dahl as Woodbury's new City Administrator, replacing Clint Gridley who retired after 21 years of service. Dahl, a longtime Woodbury resident with extensive municipal experience, will begin his role on July 28th, 2025.
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At our June 11th meeting, the city council approved the selection of Jeff Dah as our new city administrator. His first day will be Monday, July 28th. I'm excited to welcome Jeff to the city of Woodbury team. We had an incredibly talented pool of applicants, and Jeff impressed us all with his experience, passion for public service, and his approach to the job. He holds a master's degree in political science with an urban studies and planning emphasis and a bachelor's degree in international relations, both from the University of Minnesota Twin Cities. We also like the fact that Jeff is wellversed in our organization and community. He's been a Woodbury resident for nearly 10 years and began his career in 2005 as an intern in our community development department. Since that time, he's gained valuable skills working in various sized organizations, including the cities of AIO, Chesca, and Wisetta, where he most recently serves as city manager and executive director of its housing and redevelopment authority. Through these experiences, Jeff developed a deep understanding of how various city departments function, which will serve him and our community well during this transition. with the help of >> while we've been a high functioning organization for quite some time, we feel Jeff possesses the leadership traits to raise our level of service and offerings to our community. He is a strategic thinker with a warm, outgoing personality that allows him to connect well with others. We're confident Jeff will complement our team of high performing staff leaders who excel at managing the day-to-day functions. Jeff will focus on overseeing a big picture strategy and vision for the organization. The role of city administrator is to provide guidance to the city council in policy development, strategic planning, and decision-making. This position is also responsible for ensuring that policies and laws are effectively implemented. Additional responsibilities include supervising department managers, developing and administering the annual budget and capital improvement plan, promoting transparency, accountability, and ethical governance in all operations, cultivating partnerships, anticipating future community needs, developing long-term strategies to maintain and enhance city services, and representing the city in negotiations, public meetings, and intergovernmental discussions. Jeff is replacing Clint Gridley, who retired June 6th after leading the organization for the past 21 years. While there's no guarantee how long a city administrator will stay in their role, we are hopeful that Jeff will be successful in leading Woodbury for years to come and continue to have our city be a premier city in which to live, work, and thrive. Jeff is planning to be at the city booth during Woodbury days to have an opportunity to greet the community in person. Please join me in welcoming Jeff to his new role.
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