INDEPENDENCE, Mo. — After a nearly 10-year stint as city manager in Independence, Zach Walker will take the same position in Bloomington, Minnesota.
The Bloomington City Council voted Monday night to extend an offer to Walker after he emerged as the finalist earlier this summer.
“It has been the honor of my career to serve the people of Independence,” Walker said in a news release Tuesday. “I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve accomplished together over the past several years.”
Walker’s last day in Independence is set for Oct. 12, 2025.
Independence’s population of roughly 121,600 people is more than 30,000 residents larger than Bloomington, though the Twin Cities suburb plays a different role in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area.
“While I am excited to embark on this next chapter in my career with Bloomington, I leave Independence with nothing but gratitude, pride and a deep respect for this city and the people who make it special,” Walker said.
He started in Independence in 2012 as a management analyst and received a promotion to city manager in 2016.
The Independence City Council is set to meet in an executive session Tuesday to determine next steps for the city manager position.
“Zach led with both focus and heart, and we wish him continued success in Bloomington,” Independence Mayor Rory Rowland said Tuesday. “His work laid a strong foundation and a city poised for the future.”
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