Fridley City Council Picks New City Manager: Walter Wysopal

Walter "Wally" Wysopal is the Fridley City Council's choice for city manager.

That is the word from Fridley City Hall, where council members interviewed Wysopal and Michael Ericson, their two finalists for the position left open after longtime city manager William Burns retired at the end of 2012.

Here is the text of a press release issued Monday evening by Deborah Dahl, City of Fridley director of human resources:

On Monday, April 15, 2013, the Fridley City Council met in a Special Meeting to conduct second interviews with its top two finalists for the position of City Manager.

After the two interviews, the City Council briefly discussed the finalists and then voted unanimously to select Walter (Wally) Wysopal to be the next City Manager pending agreement on contract terms. The City Council authorized the Mayor, the City Attorney and the Human Resources Director to work with the executive search firm to negotiate the terms and conditions of the contract and bring back a contract proposal for City Council approval.

Wysopal has more than 29 years of experience in local government and has held strong leadership positions within several organizations.  He has been the City Manager for North St. Paul since 1998. His previous job history includes employment by the City of St. Louis Park in the following positions:  Assistant City Manager (1993-1998); Assistant to City Manager/Personnel Officer (1988-1993); and Public Works Administrative Assistant (1986-1988). He also worked for Northfield, Illinois as the Assistant to Village Manager (1983-1986).