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The Dakota County Board of Commissioners selected Heidi Welsch to serve as the new county manager, the first woman to hold the top spot in Dakota County.
Who: Welsch has served as the administrator for Olmsted County for the past seven years, and previous served as Olmsted County’s deputy administrator and director of Family Support and Assistance. She’s returning to Dakota County, having served as Dakota County’s manager of the Office of Planning and Analysis for six years and as deputy director of Employment and Economic Assistance for two years. Welsch has a doctorate in public administration from Hamline University.
Statement: “I’m grateful and excited for this opportunity to return to Dakota County,” Welsch said. “I look forward to leading the great team of employees serving the residents and communities of Dakota County.”
Process: The employment offer is pending salary negotiations. The county board chose Welsch from five finalists who were interviewed in June. The finalists were chosen from a pool of more than 50 applicants. The previous county manager, Matt Smith, retired in May after serving since 2016.
What’s the job: Much like a city manager, the county manager runs the county. It’s a CEO-level position that implements the policy decisions of the county board and is responsible for day-to-day operations. Welsch will lead a team of more than 2,000 employees. Dakota County is the third-largest county in Minnesota.
Kudos: “Dr. Welsch has an extraordinary record of success, innovation and consensus-building in every position she has ever held,” Dakota County Board Chair Joe Atkins said. “I look forward to her leading Dakota County.”
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