Lisa Burtenshaw was sworn in Jan. 8 as the new mayor of Idaho Falls, the city of 69,000 where the Department of Energy’s Idaho National Laboratory is based.
The swearing-in of the newly-elected Burtenshaw and other members of Idaho Falls City Council, was reported both by local news outlets and the city’s municipal website.
The retiring mayor, Rebecca Casper, “who has served the city for 12 years, leaves a lasting legacy of dedicated public service and community-focused leadership,” the city said in a Jan. 7 news release.
Casper is vice chair of the executive board at the Energy Communities Alliance (ECA), an advocacy group for localities around Department of Energy installations. Over time, Casper has been a frequent participant in nuclear conferences and outspoken on the economic impact of nuclear facilities on communities like Idaho Falls.
“I am honored to serve the residents of Idaho Falls and to begin this next chapter with such a dedicated city council,” said Burtenshaw said in the city news release.
Burtenshaw won a runoff election in December with 53% of the vote, according to the East Idaho News. According to her LinkedIn page, Burtenshaw has been a development director for Idaho Foodbank and a digital marketing consultant.