Barry Lindahl Savvy Over 60 Award RecognitionCopyrighted
September 15, 2025
City of Dubuque PRESENTATIONS # 1.
City Council
ITEM TITLE: Barry Lindahl Savvy Over 60 Award Recognition
SUMMARY: Senior Counsel Barry Lindahl will be recognized for receiving
the TH Media's Savvy Over 60 Award.
SUGGUESTED
DISPOSITION:
ATTACHMENTS:
None
Page 84 of 1171
Barry Lindahl
City opf Dubuque
1975 - Present
Celebrating so years of Service
Earlier Years......
Les Reddick on Barry Li*ndahl
"Having practiced law with Barry for most of his 50 years with the city, my memories are
boundless. The first jury case I tried as a young lawyer in 1978 was a sidewalk fall down
suit in Dubuque County. I represented the property owner and Barry the city. So, in my
first jury trial Barry was there. I learned from him even as a young lawyer himself how to
act in front of a jury and how to interact with the court, in a word, professionally. I
strived to follow that example for decades thereafter and hoped I always did. To me,
Barry represents the best the legal profession has to offer, both in terms of integrity and
legal knowledge. On this occasion we are rightfully acknowledging those qualities and
reminding ourselves what an honor and privilege it has been to work with Barry and to be
guided by him."
Les V. Reddick
it
0
it
Todd Stevenson on Barry indahl
Barry taught my trial advocacy class at Iowa.
I IC told. me to interview with Les. Worked out
verY well for me!
.&.
L
Brian KaneonBarry indahl
50 years; what an amazing milestone. But, of course, it's not just the milestone by virtue of the passage of
time, buys it's all you've done for the city and the bar at such a high level, all the while being one of the
most competent and ethical gentlemen with whom I've had the privilege to practice, albeit only 43 years for
me. The countless development agreements and other projects where we found a way to get thigs done for
0
our respective clients has been very rewarding, whether big or small, including the riverfront development
and general development all over the city, were all important.
On a personal note, we first met while I was in your trial advocacy class at Iowa, and you were a big
influence on the practical and effective way to argue our cases and represent our clients' interests, but
always working toward solutions. You were a big influence on a generation of lawyers, including me.
Take care and don't bc a stranger.
City Attorney 's Office Staff
Circa 200 7 ----20018
Bill Noth on Barry Lindahl
J
Barry has always had a good sense for risk management, and
not everyone does. Wc worked. on a lot of projects together,
and hc always understood the City's needs and priorities, the
pros and cons of the deal being proposed (whatever it was),
the Indust
mitigating
ry or business involved, and the importance of
0 0
r reducing the risks that the breathless optimism
of the day wouldn't p
someone once said,
L
an out. Success has many fathers, as
and the City has always had great
management, but in my book Barry
fathers. It was always a pleasure t
is clearly one of the
o work with him.
Mary Rose Corrigan on Barry Lindahl
You mean Mr. Polo? In my mind, Barry is all the time BEST
DRESSED City employee!
AND
hc has the cleanest desk of any City employee
Impeccable..... priceless
a �dw;— - =P�
Mike Van Millillgen on Barry Li*ndahl
Barry,
Crenna (by the way, part of your legacy is hiring Ci7cnna giving the
City Council the opportunity to promote her!) nominated you for
the Savvy Over 6o and the Telegraph Herald asked her some
questions that I had the privilege to say how I would answer those
questions.
Always your friend and admirer,
Mike
Mike Van Millilogen on Barry Li*ndahl
What is the most profound outcome of Barry's efforts?
It is commonly known that Dubuque can credit its success to Planning,
Partnerships and People. The saying is, "Good fences make good neighbors"
The same goes for partnerships. Good agreements lead to lasting, sustainable,
and successful partnerships. Barry has negotiated and written those
agreements that are the foundation of the success of Dubuque, from
development agreements with businesses, to intergovernmental agreements
with Dubuque County, the State of Iowa and the federal government, to
agreements with local groups like the DRA, the Greater Dubuque
Development Corporation, the Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque,
the Dubuque Area Chamber of Commerce, Main Street, Crescent Community
Health Center, and Travel Dubuque, to the agreements with contractors that
have built all of the major projects in Dubuque, and so much more.
All that time Barry has been the trusted advisor helping the Mayor and City
Council and the City Manager navigate troubled waters that are bound to bc
experienced in any large and diverse corporation.
Mike Van Millilogen on Barry Li*ndahl
What is the most profound outcome?
None of the accomplishments of the City of Dubuque rising from the ashes of the
1g8o's and becoming a growing and thriving community, the "Masterpiece on the
Mississippi," would have been possible without Barry's calm and steady hand helping to
lead the way, always in the background and never in the forefront. Never seeking
credit, just being satisfied to facilitate the outcomes and enjoying the accolades heaped
on others.
What makes him savvy?
Barry has an innate instinct when it comes to people. For the City of Dubuque Barry
has negotiated all the most difficult agreements and negotiated very challenging and
complex legal settlements, yet you will not find one person that has a bad thing to say
about Barry. Everyone who has known and worked with Barry respects him and
recognizes his skill to get to yes, to create a fair and balanced result.
This is why hc has been recognized by his peers over the years, been asked to instruct
for years at the University of Iowa Law School, to present at national conferences, and
been appointed to the State of Iowa Public Information Board, and so much more.
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t:A&
Silent
Budget
Film Snips
I
4
10
'W r
t
..0
0
Mike Van Millilegen on Barry Li*ndahl
What catch- phrase/quote would you associate
with Barry?
"The quiet architect of Dubuque's success. "
Continuing
Education IMLA DC -Circa zos6
Gus Psl*hoY os on Barry Llendahl
Who is that masked. city
attorney inspecting the
Southwest Arterial before it
opens ill 202o during Covd,?i0
of course it's our superhero
attorney, Barry Lindahl
Gus PsI*hoY os on Barry Lindahl.....
Barry, I think I technically
have more time at the city
than. you at the cite if you
count my 3 summers as an
intcrn..... ==
Evcrything I want
to say about you. is
confidential and
could bc used
against mc in a
court of law......
maybe?
ro:
sb_
I
John C. O'Connor & Brendan T. Quann on Barry Ll*ndahl
Dubuque Telegraph Herald, August 1, 202
5
Today, on Aug. 1, Barry Lindahl will bc celebrating 50 years as a Dubuque city attorney.
Barry was recently recognized by the Telegraph Herald as A Savvy Over Sixty award winner. Hc is
much more than that.
Barry has been a consummate attorney for the city of Dubuque and the City Council. As the
attorney for the city and City Council, hc has avoided the politics of city government and has
provided unbiased legal advice throughout his 50 years.
Wc have had the privilege of dealing with Barry throughout our legal careers. Barry was always
professional, courteous, responsive and protective of the city. Hc has always acted in the best
interests of the city in all matters.
Barry retains the passion, desire and willingness to continue to protect the city of Dubuque. As
citizens of Dubuque, we are fortunate to have been recipients of his legal skills. If you see Barry,
thank him for his service.
Circa - 201 9
- Sow
i
CITY
Rick Dickinson on Barry Lindahl
I really don't know why or when it began but when Barry and I see
1 .1
eacn
otner,
on tnc
street, in
meetings,
or across the
room, we
greet
each
other
with a
to the
nose as a
salute to one
another. I
guess
1
you could call it the "Sting Tap
v
" as in the movie "Sting".
For me it is a hello, a we're in this together, and most importantly it is
a salute to the Dean of City Attorneys and a dear friend.
• ° • • • - ,1
4 gr
• a�1t l
ssi�♦
M
Also
0
Barry 's Boards, Committees, Publications, & Awards
• Adjunct Faculty Member, University of Iowa College of Law
• Iowa Supreme Court Advisory Committee on Rules of Civil Procedure
• Iowa Supreme Court Advisory Committee on the Study of the Federal Rules of Evidence
• Author: Thomson/West Publications Iowa Practice Volumes 9 and zo, "Civil Law"
• Author: Iowa Motor Vehicle Desk Handbook
• Iowa Public Information Board
• International Municipal Lawycr's Association (IMLA) - James H. Epps III Award for Longevity
of Service to a Community Award-2014
• Iowa State
Bar
Association -
50 year
member - zoz3
• One of the
150
law graduates
of note
on the 15oth anniversary of the University of Iowa College
of Law
0 Savvy Over 6o-2025
Over the Years
AV
IOiI
.a
_' 1
Monument to the Unknown Bureaucrat -Reykjavik, Iceland
Iceland's tribute to its thankless civil
phrase "Faceless Bureaucrat" is generally
servants. The
not mean as a
compliment. But in Reykjavik, these seemingly
anonymous workers are immortalized in art. There,
next to a duck pond, stands a statue of a man wielding a
briefcase, walking toward city hall. It's a common
everyday sight; a depiction of the everyday "faceless" city
officials on their way to work ..... Monuments to an
unknown soldier are common around the globe, but as
Iceland has no standing army, perhaps a tribute to the
civilians who serve their country is the next best thing.
• Magnus Tomasson, 1994.
Savvy Over 60
https://www.youtu be.com/watch?v=OPosU4sykhg
Savvy Over 6o Acceptance Speech
45:27
https://youtu.be/LSZ8rnePVw8
Cheers to so years!
Thank you Ba
rry fog
49
your service to the
City opf Dubuque