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Mayor & City Council
As Mayor, I would like to extend a warm welcome to you from Independence! We are proud of our community’s wide range of amenities that it has to offer visitors and possible future residents. Our community has a long history of being a popular place to visit going clear back to when it was known as the “Lexington of the North” due its famous kite shaped race track and the championship horses Allerton and Axtel.
Independence offers abundant shopping opportunities in its many one-of-a-kind shops located along the lovely paneled and red brick sidewalks that boarder main street. Outdoor activities are boundless with the beautiful Wapsipinicon River flowing through the middle of town, along with the many city parks located throughout the community, with everything tied together with its extensive walking trails system. The community is home to one of the Midwest’s finest Agricultural Museums in Heartland Acres for those interested in history. The community is filled with turn of the century homes that have been kept in their original beauty by their owners.
The community is located perfectly for your staging location in doing day trips to larger communities, such as, Waterloo, Cedar Rapids, or Dubuque. It is a short drive North to Amish country or the beautiful adventures of Northeast Iowa. Our hotels and restaurants, including Chinese-Mexican-Midwestern Fare menus, along with our very own hometown brewery will offer relaxing evenings for everyone after busy days of site seeing.
Independence’s modern hospital, library, and school facilities, offer those interested in living here a wonderful safe place to raise their families.
I hope you will include Independence in your next travel plans. I promise you that you will not be disappointed.
A few options to use in putting together your plans for visiting our great community are: Independence Chamber of Commerce, 319-334-7178, indeecommerce.com; Buchanan County Tourism Visitors Center, 319-334-3439, independenceia.org/187/Buchanan-County-Visitors-Center; Grow Buchanan Economic Development, 319-334-7497, growbuchanan.com; City of Independence, 319-334-2780, independenceia.org.
I look forward to seeing you and greeting you during your visit to our lovely city.
Robert Hill
Former Mayor of Independence, IA
Meetings
- 5:00 p.m. start time
- Committee of the Whole work sessions are the 1st Monday of each month (on Tuesday if following date falls on a holiday)
- Council Meetings are the 2nd and 4th Monday of each month (on Tuesday if following date falls on a holiday)
- City Hall
331 1st Street E
Independence, IA 50644
Agendas & Minutes
Agendas are available prior to the meetings. Minutes are available following approval.
Meeting Videos
City Council Meeting videos are available at the earliest convenience.
Members
- Brad Bleichner, Mayor, 7/25/22 - 12/31/25
- Kathryn Jensen, 1st Ward, 1/1/22 - 12/31/25
- Jen Callahan, 2nd Ward, 1/1/20 - 12/31/23
- Michael O'Loughlin, 3rd Ward, 1/1/22 - 12/31/25
- Debra Hanna, 4th Ward, 1/1/20 - 12/31/23
- Tom Huston, 5th Ward, 1/1/22 - 12/31/25
- Brian Prusator, At-Large, 2/8/22 - 12/31/23
- Ralph Moore, At-Large, 1/9/23 - 12/31/25
The Mayor is elected for a term of 4 years. Further powers and duties can be viewed by accessing the City Code of Ordinances in Chapter 15. The Mayor shall appoint a member of the Council to serve as Mayor Pro Tem. The Mayor Pro Tem is vice president of the Council as according to City Code Chapter 16. The Council consists of 2 Council Members elected at large and 1 Council member from each of 5 wards as established by the Code of Ordinances in Chapter 17.