What makes Woodbury special is its senior leadership team and elected officials, retiring City Administrator Clint Gridley said. It’s one of the things he’s most proud of in his 21 years of work in the city.
“I’m so thankful for the leadership, because they set the tone,” Gridley said.
As the third and longest running city administrator in Woodbury’s history, Gridley is retiring from his official position Friday. He describes the job as a unique opportunity in which he serves his community under the City Council as a non-partisan business entity. Woodbury has a legacy of trust and ethical government, he said, it’s expanding and never dull.
“It’s a little bit emotional because my profession is not a typical profession,” Gridley said. “It really is, for me, a passion that’s rooted in the love of good government, and the service of making things work.”
Gridley has been responsible for overseeing daily operations, management and city services. Essentially, he is there to ensure that Woodbury is operating well, in a way that is pleasing to both its residents and members of city government.
“Clint has the right balance of IQ and EQ, thoughtful and extroverted, planful while able to adjust to changing conditions/circumstances,” Woodbury Mayor Anne Burt said. “His intelligence and experience have suited him well to lead a large and still growing, complex organization.”
Burt pointed out that Gridley joined the city when Woodbury was under 50,000 residents and has led its development into “a safe and thriving community of 82,000 residents,” the seventh largest in the state.
As Woodbury continues to grow, Gridley said he hopes it will keep its small-town charm and be a place where community members know each other by name.
“I believe the number one thing in a city is building relationships,” Gridley said.
Resident surveys have shown a strong sense of trust in city council members and city staff, according to Gridley.
He said his position has served as a bridge between those residents and city government: understanding the wants, needs and values of Woodbury’s community and helping see that through on the policy side.
“I’ve learned the art of appreciative inquiry and questions, of trying to walk the path of a citizen and walk the path of an elected official, and translate that for staff who are very operational and want to get things done,” Gridley said.
History of civic engagement
Gridley, a baby boomer from Lake Bluff, Ill., said his parents met while his father served in World War II. They were “enthusiastic citizens, who impressed on me the blessing we have in our freedoms and in this country.” Their civic engagement in Illinois cemented Gridley’s current love of well-functioning government and served as inspiration for his life’s work.
“I had this aspect of, ‘we’re very fortunate where we live’ and the love of the principles of our country,” Gridley said.
In college, he studied political science and economics and said he tried finding a place where the two came together, which led him to intern with city government at 23, be hired on full time at 25, then become a city administrator in Wisconsin at 32.
When Gridley moved to Woodbury in 2004, he had four children under the age of 15 and was caring for his elderly mother, he said. Within his first year as city administrator, 1,200 new homes were built and the first years were “a whirlwind,” he said.
“Where I’ve grown is, first of all, in the knowledge of the community and second, relationships,” Gridley said.
Engaging the community
Quality and intentional relationships – that has been the driving force of Gridley’s time in Woodbury, he said. It’s what has allowed the city to thrive, expand and be forward-thinking, he said.
“We’ve been an ethical city,” Gridley said. “We’re very functional politically. We are stewards of money, land and resources, which means we’re not owners. We don’t own this (city), we are its caretakers for the people.”
When Woodbury formed in 1967, the community was not very culturally diverse, Gridley said. It is becoming increasingly diverse: what was once farmland for miles has become a bustling city with new businesses and housing types continuously in demand. Census after census, Woodbury’s population of BIPOC individuals has increased, he said.
One of the most impactful relationships Gridley has built over the years has been with the Multicultural Advisory Committee, a group of volunteers that advocates for marginalized and underrepresented communities in Woodbury. The committee works closely with the city’s law enforcement and was a pivotal influence after the murder of George Floyd in 2020, Gridley said.
The committee and other organizations have made Woodbury more vibrant and connected, Gridley said. Hennepin County Diversity Equity and Inclusion Department Manager Shawn Sorrell and Fellowship Church Pastor Tim Brewington are two leaders in the Multicultural Advisory Committee who Gridley said have helped inform and change the city for the better.
“I’ve really gotten to know them,” Gridley said. “When I see those two, it’s a hug, not a handshake.”
In recent years, the city of Woodbury has heavily leaned into community engagement and outreach, Gridley said, through programs like One Woodbury and events for new residents.
“That’s been really meaningful to bring people closer to government,” Gridley said.
Some of the most valuable projects Gridley has worked on include the building of a permanent water-treatment plant to filter PFAS and sustain safe drinking water in the community, the Metro Gold Line, Central Park’s renovation and Royal Oaks street and utility reconstruction, he said.
Gridley said a lot of these projects, which are under construction, have made it difficult for residents to get around the city, which can be a pain, but are for good reason. He and his team get things done so that community members can enjoy the city they live in for the long run, he said.
Next steps
Unfortunately, there are multiple projects that Gridley won’t be able to see come to fruition, like the opening of the water-treatment plant, the development of a new public safety building and the reopening of Central Park in the fall, because after retiring, he and his wife will be moving to Wisconsin.
Gridley said leaving his role as a city administrator brings up a mix of emotions.
“When you live and you work and you worship, and all in the same community and everyone knows you in that role, it is hard to separate your life,” Gridley said.
The hours are demanding and the government meetings run late into the evening, but he wouldn’t have had it any other way.
“This has been a fast-growing and very active community,” Gridley said. “It’s demanded a lot from me, but I’ve enjoyed every minute of it.”
Some things he’ll miss most are the 3,600 acres of park land and 180 miles of trails he and his wife bike regularly, easy access to retail amenities, the abundance of service and nonprofit opportunities, and his leadership team.
“I struggle sometimes to leave Woodbury, because I can do anything and everything I want to do right within the confines of the community,” Gridley said.
Gridley’s life moving forward will allow for a slower pace, one that he’s excited for. He’ll also be closer to his favorite football team, which, after 21 years, he’s aware is controversial: the Green Bay Packers.
The next city administrator will need to have the long term in mind, Gridley said. All its past leaders have, including the first mayor, Orville Bielenberg. That’s what’s made the city welcoming, innovative and tight-knit.
“My hope is that they bring their energy,” Gridley said. “They will need it to continue the legacy of trust and ethical, good government, to build on relationships and serve for the long term.”
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