Communication, customer service are Lisa Burtenshaw’s priorities as new Idaho Falls mayor
Published at | Updated at
EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the third story in our Looking Ahead series featuring candid interviews with east Idaho’s new mayors. Read our previous story with Ammon Mayor Brian Powell here. We also spoke with Blackfoot Mayor Scott Stufflebeam here.
IDAHO FALLS — As Lisa Burtenshaw gets acclimated to her new role as mayor of Idaho Falls, she says it’s helpful to have a city staff she trusts.
With the exception of one new City Council member, Brandon Lee — who was victorious in December’s runoff election and inaugurated on the same day as Burtenshaw — she’s familiar with everyone. She’s gotten to know employees and elected officials over the last four years while serving on the council.
RELATED | New Idaho Falls mayor, city council members sworn in to a packed house Thursday night
As she takes over the mayor’s office, Burtenshaw tells EastIdahoNews.com she’s appreciative to have them in place during this transition.
“Being able to understand their strengths has been very helpful to me,” she said. “It’s really been an honor to work with this council.”
Her predecessor, Rebecca Casper, stepped down after three terms in office. Casper says she has multiple coals on the fire as she determines what her next career path will be.
Burtenshaw speaks highly of Casper’s abilities and says she is happy “to cheer her on” for whatever comes next.
“You will not find someone who will work harder,” Burtenshaw said of Casper. “She really gave her blood, sweat and tears to work on behalf of city residents. We have a lot of appreciation for Rebecca and for the effort that she put into the city.”
EastIdahoNews.com sat down with Burtenshaw in the mayor’s office on Wednesday afternoon to discuss her goals and priorities over the next four years. The conversation comes on the heels of her first State of the City address, which she delivered hours earlier to a crowded room inside the Holiday Inn.
She began her remarks by discussing ways to enhance and improve communication with residents. An internal review is underway to look at how the city currently interacts with locals. During Wednesday’s remarks, she expressed a commitment to make sure residents have “pleasant” and “beneficial” interactions with city officials and that they’re getting “the information they need when they need it.”
Going forward, Burtenshaw says one of her priorities is to ensure she’s accessible to voters — not just through text or email, but for face-to-face conversations.
“I’m going to be out in the community, so please come and talk to me,” she says. “That’s what I love. I love meeting residents of Idaho Falls and hearing what they like and what we can do better.”
Making it easier for business owners to apply for permits was the initial driver behind this point. Burtenshaw says the city’s department heads are committed to making this happen, and ideas about improvements are already being discussed.
During the campaign, Burtenshaw said she learned communication was a much broader issue that needed to be addressed.
“There was general lack of understanding or communication (between residents and) the city, and some surprises when it came to traffic — what we were doing to mitigate traffic, what we were doing with road construction. We just can be better (at communicating about) that.”
Road construction
Road construction was another major talking point during the mayor’s State of the City address. She noted that growth has had a huge impact on the flow of traffic. Traffic congestion amid numerous construction projects is an ongoing challenge, and Burtenshaw says communication with surrounding cities and the county is the way to solve it.
A collaborative effort in progress with the city of Ammon aims to better coordinate traffic signals and traffic flow, she said.
“The State of the City (address) is going to be a blueprint for me for communication, (to show people) here’s what I said we’re going to do and here’s how we’re doing it. (We’ll) keep trying to close those loops so it doesn’t feel like empty promises,” Burtenshaw said.
During Wednesday’s address, Burtenshaw cited multiple upcoming road projects designed to improve traffic flow. Those include East River Road (5th West) near the Idaho National Lab campus, expansions to the St. Leon exit and Iona Road intersection, and the installation of traffic lights on 49th South.
Burtenshaw elaborated on each of these projects with EastIdahoNews.com later, explaining that the former two are in the preliminary stages and the installation of traffic signals on 49th South is happening this summer.
Burtenshaw says there’s a lot of development on East River Road right now, and it’s causing delays. Pedestrian access is one factor that’s slowing things down.
It’s an issue the city is trying to resolve with the county because it’s a county road.
“It’s becoming more and more incorporated into town, and we don’t have any ability (to put in) a safe pedestrian way,” Burtenshaw said. “We’re going to coordinate with them … to get that road built out. It’s not going to happen overnight, but we’re starting on it.”
Similarly, the St. Leon and Iona Road project is also a collaborative effort with the county. A four-way stop at that intersection is being evaluated for future improvement.
Additionally, the city is collaborating with the Idaho Transportation Department on another long-term project. It’s a proposal aimed at improving the Interstate 15/U.S. Highway 20 interchange.
While Burtenshaw referenced these projects in her address, she says there is ongoing collaboration with Bonneville County and Ammon for other road work in the future.
“When we’re finished, I’m going to go into a meeting and we’ll talk about all the roadways (that need fixed),” she said.
Ultimately, Burtenshaw says improving communication between residents and partners is about customer service, and that’s her main priority.
She’s planning to travel around the city and do a series of videos highlighting the work of different departments to show residents what it takes to get things done and how to improve.
‘This is our city’
During Wednesday’s speech, the crowd applauded when Burtenshaw mentioned bringing a multigenerational wellness center to Idaho Falls. It’s something she’s wanted for years, and she says it’s a project she’s particularly passionate about as mayor.
The idea stems from her concerns about social media and its potential negative effects on society. She wants to help people disconnect from digital devices and reconnect with people.
“We’re losing that sense of community, and there is some loneliness and isolation that I’d like to see disappear in our town,” Burtenshaw said.
Bringing a wellness center to town has been a topic of conversation for years. The terms “wellness center” and “rec center” are often used interchangeably, but Burtenshaw says her vision for this space goes far beyond a traditional rec center. She wants it to be a building with an indoor track, lazy river, courts and other amenities to help families interact.
“We have a lot to offer people when they come to visit Idaho Falls,” Burtenshaw explained. “We just need something that’s more recreational-based; it’s the one truly missing piece.”
She said she looks forward to continuing this conversation and advancing the idea.
Burtenshaw also said she feels that growth remains the city’s greatest challenge. As she looks ahead to the next four years, she’s optimistic about her vision and invites citizens to be involved.
“Knowing what has been and what can be have to be able to mix together, and I think I’m good at that kind of vision,” she said. “This is our city. Let’s make it what we want it to be.”
WATCH OUR INTERVIEW WITH BURTENSHAW IN THE VIDEO ABOVE.