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Woodbury selects Baker Tilly to lead city administrator search
Summary
On Jan. 8 the Woodbury City Council voted to hire Baker Tilly to conduct a nationwide search to replace City Administrator Clint Gridley, who plans to retire June 6, 2025. Council authorized staff to negotiate and, within purchasing policy limits, execute a contract.
The Woodbury City Council voted Jan. 8 to hire Baker Tilly as the recruitment firm to lead a nationwide search for a new city administrator to replace Clint Gridley, who told the council he plans to retire June 6, 2025.
Council members said Baker Tilly’s proposal read as more collaborative, included example recruitment materials and one-way web interview tools, and came in at a lower overall price than the main competitor. Angela Mayer, who led the staff solicitation, told the council staff received seven proposals and narrowed them to two finalists — Baker Tilly and MGT — based on national recruitment capacity, assigned project lead experience, Minnesota or regional experience and demonstrated efforts to recruit a diverse applicant pool.
“We did get seven proposals under consideration,” Mayer said during the meeting. She told the council she weighed firms’ national reach, the experience of the assigned project lead, regional experience and whether proposals were tailored to Woodbury.
Consultant Dave Vonmach confirmed to council staff that he could work with either finalist and had no concerns about either firm’s ability to integrate with the recruitment process being designed.
After discussion of scope and price, a council member moved to select Baker Tilly and to authorize staff to proceed with contract negotiation and execution within the limits of the city’s purchasing policy; another council member seconded the motion. The motion passed on a voice vote with no recorded opposition.
Council members asked staff to return to the Feb. 12 workshop with updates. Mayor Burt and council members said they want to discuss onboarding and a leadership assessment for final candidates before a hire is completed; Mayer and Vonmach said those items could be incorporated as the process advances.
Next steps identified in the meeting: staff will proceed with contract negotiations and, under purchasing-policy thresholds discussed at the meeting, may execute a contract with Baker Tilly; consultant Dave Vonmach will return to the Feb. 12 workshop to report on recruitment progress. Council members asked staff and the consultant to consider onboarding planning and a formal leadership assessment for finalists as part of the later-stage process.
Ending: Council members emphasized a wide search and additional candidate screening measures when the recruitment reaches the finalist phase.
