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Matt Staehling selected as City of Duluth's next City Administrator

 [DULUTH, MN] Mayor Roger J. Reinert announced today the selection of Mr. Matt Staehling as the City of Duluth’s next City Administrator. The city conducted an extensive hiring process including a refreshed job description, postings throughout Minnesota and the upper Midwest, and a search committee chaired by current City Administrator Dave Montgomery. 

“I’m excited to welcome Matt to the City of Duluth team,” said Mayor Reinert. “Matt rose to the top from an incredibly talented pool of candidates and is exceptionally well-qualified. He has nearly 30 years of experience in local government, has previously served as a City Attorney, and is currently serving as a City Administrator.” Mayor Reinert also noted his experience in a regional center, and his proven ability to develop a collaborative and team-driven working style to his leadership. “His dedication to public service and broad municipal experience will add weight and strength to his advocacy for the City of Duluth organization and our employees, as well as our residents, businesses, and visitors.”

Matt Staehling has been the City Administrator for the City of Saint Cloud, Minnesota, since 2016. Before taking the role, he served as their City Attorney and Assistant City Attorney. Matt began working in local government in 1996. Staehling received a bachelor’s degree in political science and government from Augsburg University and later received his Juris Doctor from the Valparaiso University of Law. 

“I’m so grateful for this opportunity to join the City of Duluth team,” said Staehling. “The City of St. Cloud has been very good to me and I have enjoyed my career here. But it is time for a change and new challenges. My family and I are excited for this opportunity with the City of Duluth.”

Matt has worked alongside Mayor Dave Kleis of St. Cloud, who will retire from public service in January after 20 years as mayor.  Kleis has only wholehearted praise for Staehling, “Duluth is really gaining a tremendous asset in Matt,” said Mayor Kleis. “I’ve had the good fortune of working with him my entire mayoral career. I’ve promoted him twice—once to City Attorney and later to City Administrator. He’s been a valuable partner to me and to the City of St. Cloud. He’ll be a valuable partner to Duluth, too, and I think he’ll benefit from and grow from the move to Duluth as well. I’m excited to see what he does there.”

Dave Montgomery’s second tenure as City Administrator will come to an end in February after assisting with the transition. Montgomery originally announced his retirement from his first tenure in the role in 2018. He served nine years under two mayors and came back at the request of Mayor Reinert in 2024 to support the change in administrations. Montgomery will have served, in total, over 10 years and for three mayors. “I want to thank Mayor Reinert for tapping me to step back into the CA position in his first year as mayor. I’ve really enjoyed the opportunity to serve my community again,” said Montgomery. “The City Administrator role gets engaged in every aspect of city business, and Matt is exactly the kind of person who succeeds in such a varied and involved leadership role.” 

Staehling is also a military veteran. He was commissioned as a First Lieutenant in the Minnesota Army National Guard in 1998, and was assigned as an Assistant Staff Judge Advocate to the 34th Infantry (Red Bull) Division. Matt was deployed to Bosnia-Herzegovina in 2003-2004 in support of Operation Joint Forge, and served as the Chief of Military Justice.  Following this deployment Matthew served in the Operational Law Officer and Trial Defense Counsel roles. 

Matt lives with his wife Jadi, their high school-aged son, Jacob, and their three dogs. Matt and Jadi also have three adult children.

The position of city administrator is in the city charter and appointed by the mayor subject to approval of the city council.

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