John O’Brien has accepted the position of La Grande City Manager
By Shannon Weidemann (McKone) on Thursday, July 17th, 2025 in More Top Stories Northeastern Oregon News
LA GRANDE- An offer has been extended to La Grande City Manager Candidate John O’Brien, and late last week that offer was accepted.
O’Brien will take the position from current City Manager Robert Strope.
During a meet and greet with potential candidates in mid-June, O’Brien (JO) spoke with Elkhorn Media Group’s Garrett Christensen (GC) about his reasoning for applying for this position.
(GC) – “What made you consider this new position for the City of La Grande?”
(JO) – “Bottom line is, of course, where I was at with my career in the federal system, I found myself in my point in time considering what it might look like going outside of federal services. My wife is actually from La Grande, so it just made sense for me to take a look when this position popped up and opened. It was the best way to keep my wife happy and continue to serve a community from a government perspective.”
(GC) – “And what are you most looking forward to about the La Grande community if you were to get the position?”
(JO) – “I think, as I’ve studied what the different issues are, concerns or challenges, I’m excited about those challenges, to be able to bring my experience as an element within the dynamics to help bring the solutions that the city’s looking for. I enjoy a good challenge and probably work a little harder than I should sometimes.”
(GC) – “Also, is there anything about your prior experience or prior positions that you’d like to emphasize or want the public to know about?”
(JO) – “I’ve got over twenty-two years of installation management experience. That’s the army’s way of saying cities. Even though the funding sources come in slightly differently, the challenges of managing those sources are the same. What I can say is, those twenty-two years of experience I think will bring value to what I can do for the city and managing the resources that it has and managing the goals that it wants to achieve. “
(GC) – “Anything else you’d like people to know about or want to add?”
(JO) – “What I would like to say is, if this was a vote, you should choose me, ha ha.”
Information on O’Brien
John O’Brien brings over 22 years of leadership experience in city management and public safety. He began his public service career in the U.S. Army in 1992, rising to the rank of Sergeant. He went on to serve as a Law Enforcement Supervisor and Detective for multiple agencies in Colorado over a ten-year period. Transitioning to Army Installation Management— equivalent to municipal government—he held key leadership roles in Germany, Washington, and New Jersey, including City Strategic Planning Director, City Operations Director, and ultimately Deputy to the Garrison Commander (City Manager), where he oversaw full-spectrum municipal services. In 2023, he was appointed Chief of Staff for the Walla Walla District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Mr. O’Brien holds a Master of Arts in Organizational Management from the University of Phoenix.
