CITY MANAGERS AND ATTORNEYS

Since St. Louis Park was organized as a Village in 1886, the local government consisted of a mayor (aka Village Council President), three trustees, and a clerk.  Although the clerk position became full time in 1937, the clerk was still an elected position and a member of the Council.  With the postwar boom in houses, people, and businesses, this type of government proved inadequate.  Becoming a City under State law would allow the council to expand, and to institute professional management in the form of a City Manager.

St. Louis Park hired its first City Manager when the City Charter, making the Village a City, went into effect in 1955.  Philip W. Smith served as the acting manager until the Council could hire a full-time person.  Smith was also the City Engineer, a position he had held in Edina from 1945-49.

These lists are not complete, so if you have any additional information or corrections, please contact us.

Also note that St. Louis Park was the first suburb to hire a full-time City Attorney.  An incomplete list is provided below.

CITY MANAGERS

Philip W. Smith, Acting

January 10, 1955

Tom Chenoweth

August 1955-May 27, 1960

Mike Lenrow, Acting

June 1-July 15, 1960

Camille D. Andre

July 15 [16,18], 1960-June 1968

Chris Cherches

October 15, 1968-April 1977

David Rudberg, Acting

April 18-October 16, 1977

John W. Elwell

October 17, 1977-May 4, 1980

William Thibault, Acting

May 5-August 10, 1980

Jim Brimeyer

August 11, 1980-June 1988

Sharon Klumpp, Acting

June-October 1988

Bill Dixon

October 1988-December 31, 1992

Clint Pires, Acting

January-April 1993

Charlie Meyer

April 1993-December 2003

Tom Harmening

April 3, 1995-present

CITY ATTORNEYS

Edmund T. Montgomery

January 1, 1936-December 31, 1958

H. Harrace “Ace” Burry

January 1, 1959 –

Wayne Popham with the firm Popham Haik

      – @1997

Tom Scott with the firm Campbell Knutson

@1997