City Government
Lauren McLean To Fill Bisterfeldt’s Seat
December 16, 2010 
Team Dave announced that Lauren McLean, manager of the 2001 Foothills levy campaign and a planning and zoning commissioner, is the choice to be Boise’s newest city council member.
The council today confirmed Lauren for the seat that will open up in January when council member Vern Bisterfeldt is sworn in as Ada County commissioner.
“This was one of the most difficult decisions I have made as mayor. There were many outstanding applicants, but in the end it was Lauren’s extensive history of community involvement, her strong grasp of the issues facing the city and her unwavering commitment to Boise’s future that made her my choice,” said Mayor Dave Bieter.
She served as director of the 2001 Foothills Open Space Initiative, the serial levy overwhelmingly approved by Boise voters to protect our Foothills. Since its passage, the $10.6 million levy has been used to protect 10,300 acres of undeveloped foothills land with a current market value of more than $34 million.
McLean is president and founder of the Confluence Group, a consulting firm that advises clients on maximizing the impact of philanthropic donation. Prior to that she was part of the portfolio management team at Trillium Asset Management, an investment firm devoted solely to socially responsible investing. Lauren has also worked at the Idaho Conservation League, where she worked to protect air and water quality in rural communities.
From 2001 to 2005 Lauren served on the Boise Parks Commission, and since 2005 on the city’s Planning and Zoning Commission. She holds a bachelor’s degree with honors from Notre Dame and a master’s in public administration in environmental policy from Boise State University. She is married and has two children, ages 7 and 11.
At the next city election, she will have to stand for election as an incumbent.
To insure more advertising-free Boise Guardian news, please consider financial support.
Comments & Discussion
Comments are closed for this post.
Dec 16, 2010, 5:54 pm
Her resume certainly sounds pretty impressive.
Is she a lifelong Boise resident, or did she come here from someplace else, idealistically hoping to mold Boise into what it really should be?
Dec 16, 2010, 9:45 pm
I thought Jerome Mapp was a foregone conclusion. I gotta admit, this looks like a good appointment. I just hope she doesn’t get caught up in all the “dung” at city hall!
Dec 17, 2010, 8:25 am
What? No comments about how patently wrong appointments of elected officials are? Now she gets to run with name recognition as an incumbent next November.
And we still have only 6 council members even though the population has grown by what, 200,000 since the last time the council was expanded.
I nominate this as most under reported story of 2010. MSM doesn’t touch it, even boiseguardian refrains from opining.
EDITOR NOTE–If memory serves, this brings to 3 the number of councilors who have been appointed prior to running for election by the people.
Dec 17, 2010, 11:48 am
It may have been one of the mayor’s hardest decisions; it is also one of his best. Lauren is a very sharp woman, an excellent addition to the council.
And, no, Steve, like most of the rest of us, she is not a native Idahoan. Some of us, weren’t smart enuf to get born here but knew a good thing when we found it.
I can’t think of anyone who has done more than Lauren to help keep this place the gem that it is.
Dec 17, 2010, 5:42 pm
This was an inside pick from the start. The mayor did a fair bit of acting when he said it was a hard pick. Not at all.
This adds an almost 100% supporter to anything he wants to do.
People complain about a one sided legislature – -we have a VERY one sided city council. So hold your wallets and (if you want to fit in) hug your trees.
Dec 17, 2010, 8:38 pm
Yet another pick so liberal it makes your teeth hurt.
How did Boise get a council that would fit right in with Berkeley California? With the way this crew raises property taxes, it wouldn’t be too hard for someone with some fiscal restraint to run and win.
(Psst – they have really good and cheap health insurance as an inducement.)
Dec 18, 2010, 1:52 am
According to http://www.idahostatesman.com/2010/12/10/1450129/coming-soon-a-new-boise-city-council.html there were some pretty decent choices.
Dec 18, 2010, 12:29 pm
The Boise City Council and Mayor are so pro-business they are probably Club for Growth members. They haven’t done anything liberal. We live in a red (even a tea party) state, remember?
Dec 18, 2010, 2:58 pm
How long before you get your “claws” into her Elaine????
Dec 18, 2010, 11:02 pm
Your kidding, Rod? Please say your kidding1 I take it you haven’t noticed the hundreds of “For Lease”
signs in town???
Dec 19, 2010, 12:38 pm
Cy, the For Lease signs are a legacy of the Bush recession (almost a depression). In reality, government, at any level, can do very little to affect the economy, but the local yokels have been trying. Just look at the alphabet soup of agencies set up by the city government – CCDC, etc, and all the property taken off tax rolls.
EDITOR NOTE–Don’t forget the 11,000 high paying jobs promised by the BVEP Chamber of commerce for a mere $5 million plus a second round effort at $4 million.
Dec 19, 2010, 6:43 pm
Cyclops, Canyon County is as rightwing as you can get.
Go check out the “economy” over there. Grinding poverty and property values loosing ground everyday.
Must be the ethics based Republican run city and county governments over there.
Dec 20, 2010, 7:21 pm
I hate to be the messenger on this dog, but the mayor and the entire city council in Boise are dems! Now, don’t get me wrong, I don’t believe the repubs would do any better! I swear, it must be something in the water coolers in City halls, Commishioners chambers and the Legislature here in Treasure Valley. They must automactically dispense Kool aid , or something…….
Dec 21, 2010, 10:13 am
Just another somebody wants to spend other people’s money and get a commemorative plaque on the wall for doing it. I long for the day when they were proud of how little they did, and spent.