Hazelwood Has A New City Manager: Meet Matt Zimmerman

Meet Emporia, Kan., City Manager Matt Zimmerman. He resigned Wednesday, Sept. 18 from his duties at the city's manager effective Oct. 24.

He accepted the open city manger position here in the City of Hazelwood that Edwin Carlstrom's retirement left open in July. 

Zimmerman announced his acceptance of the Hazelwood position during an Emporia City Commission's action meeting Wednesday night, according to the Emporia Gazette. 

This wasn't the only position he'd been wooing. Zimmerman has been very candid with his current employer and residents about advancing his career. The Gazette posted an article in August when Zimmerman was a top 5 candidate for a city manager position in Janesville, Wis.

"I think it is something where we need to take a look at our opportunities and what’s good for my career, and so on,” Zimmerman told the Gazette in August. “I really like Emporia. 

"I don’t know that we necessarily have any plans to leave, but from time to time if a really good opportunity that maybe brings us a little closer to Chicago pops up, I think it’s something that makes some sense to take a look at.”

Last Friday, Sept. 13, Zimmerman withdrew his candidacy for the Kalamazoo, Mich., city manager job. MLive/Kalamazoo Gazette reports he did not specify why he was withdrawing when he did so.

As of the 2010 census, the Emporia has a population of 24,916 people, a little less than Hazelwood's 25,703. 

Zimmerman is a former Prospect Heights, Ill., city administrator of and had been village administrator in Manhattan, Ill., and Elburn, Ill. 

Zimmerman said he starts the new position Oct. 30.