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
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Philip W. Smith, Acting |
January 10, 1955 |
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Tom Chenoweth |
August 1955-May 27, 1960 |
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Mike Lenrow, Acting |
June 1-July 15, 1960 |
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July 15 [16,18], 1960-June 1968 |
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Chris Cherches |
October 15, 1968-April 1977 |
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David Rudberg, Acting |
April 18-October 16, 1977 |
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John W. Elwell |
October 17, 1977-May 4, 1980 |
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William Thibault, Acting |
May 5-August 10, 1980 |
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Jim Brimeyer |
August 11, 1980-June 1988 |
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Sharon Klumpp, Acting |
June-October 1988 |
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Bill Dixon |
October 1988-December 31, 1992 |
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Clint Pires, Acting |
January-April 1993 |
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Charlie Meyer |
April 1993-December 2003 |
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Tom Harmening |
April 3, 1995-present |
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CITY ATTORNEYS |
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Edmund T. Montgomery |
January 1, 1936-December 31, 1958 |
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H. Harrace “Ace” Burry |
January 1, 1959 – |
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Wayne Popham with the firm Popham Haik |
– @1997 |
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Tom Scott with the firm Campbell Knutson |
@1997 |