City council member resigns to pursue law school
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POCATELLO — A local city councilman has attended his last city council meeting as an elected official.
Josh Mansfield, a member of the Pocatello City Council, will resign from his position in order to attend law school at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. While his last city council meeting was on Thursday, his resignation becomes official on May 1.
“It’s an amazing opportunity to get to serve the community,” Mansfield said, addressing whoever fills his seat. “It’s been such an honor, and I hope that they enjoy the time that they have to serve on the council as well.”
Mansfield clarified his decision to resign came after 18 months of studying for the LSAT and applying to colleges, and not after Victor Perez was shot by Pocatello police officers on April 5. Mansfield said he signed the lease for a new house for his family to move to on April 1, and they move in on May 1.
Mansfield joined the Pocatello City Council in January 2022, saying at the time that, “We have an amazing community, and I am eager to begin serving alongside everyone who is working to make Pocatello the best that it can be,” according to a news release from Pocatello.”
While Mansfield said the beginning of his term was a challenge, it was also an “amazing opportunity.”
“I’ll be honest, the first six months, I felt like I was drinking out of a fire hose. There’s a lot of things to learn about. City ordinances, the procedure of meetings, that’s all something you’ve got to learn,” Mansfield said.
Mansfield said that he’s “trying to keep my options open” after he graduates law school. He may be interested in pursuing municipal law, or he may go into medical malpractice and regulatory non-compliance.
Whoever is selected by Pocatello Mayor Brian Blad and then confirmed by council to fill the vacancy will finish the term, which would be from their appointment to Jan. 8, 2026. In order to hold onto the seat, they will have to win the upcoming election in November.
Gate City residents can submit applications to fill the vacant seat. They must be at least 18-years-old and be a registered voter in the city of Pocatello. According to a city news release, the applications must have:
- 1. A resume no more than two pages in length.
- 2. Answers to the following questions, with each answer limited to 150 words:
- a. Why are you interested in serving as a City Council Member?
- b. In your opinion, what is the major issue facing Pocatello?
- c. How would you address the issue you just described?
Locals can submit their application by email to mayor@pocatello.gov, by mail to P.O. Box 4169 or in person at city hall, located at 911 North 7th Avenue. Applications must be received by 5 p.m. on April 30.