City Government
There May Be Hope
January 18, 2020 
After reading her statement of purpose and intent on the Boise City website, we have hope for some actual changes at the office of Mayor Lauren McLean as “Clan McLean” takes over the big corner office on the third floor.
Here are the main points of her message:
Public Online Calendar: My calendar will be available online for anyone to see. Residents deserve to know who their mayor is meeting with, when, and why.
Open Door Policy: I will maintain an “open door” policy. If a resident drops in and would like to talk, I’ll do so whenever available.
Direct Text Line: I will continue to provide a dedicated text line to citizens. Residents value an easy way to get in touch, and I want to maintain that.
Monthly Listening Sessions: I will also continue my informal, unstructured, open listening sessions, moving through the city over the course of the year.
No Corporate Money: As a candidate and now as mayor, I will not accept corporate or corporate PAC donations.
No Soliciting of City Employees: Additionally, I will make changes to our ethics rules prohibiting the mayor from soliciting donations from City of Boise staff. No employee should ever feel like their job is dependent on supporting the mayor politically.
Election Reporting: Elections reporting shall move from the City Clerk to the administrator of City Elections, the Ada County Clerk. It’s unreasonable to expect the City Clerk and staff to enforce elections compliance for the mayor, city council, and PACs supporting them.
Press Availability: I will be available for in-person, unprogrammed bimonthly (twice a month) press roundtables with local reporters. The press are an essential part of public accountability, and I appreciate their service to our community.
I am working with our professional city staff to accommodate and integrate these changes now, and we expect to have them fully implemented by February.
Additionally, in the coming weeks, I look forward to sharing information about property taxes, budgeting, affordability, and the work of my six citizen committees. I remain steadfast in my commitment to tackling the issues Boiseans care about most.
Contact: Mayor’s Office Media Relations
(208) 972-8527 | [email protected]
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Comments & Discussion
Comments are closed for this post.
Jan 19, 2020, 11:37 am
I hope so but she is only one person and she kept so much of the old entrenched staff. Boise City Hall is a swamp. Her vision won’t happen unless she’s willing to fire the key people who won’t implement new policy.
Jan 19, 2020, 2:43 pm
Nothing will happen unless McLean cleans house – the entire house. Including the CCDC.
If she does not clean house then it will be clear that all we will see are words, not actions or results. Talk is cheap. The old saying that you cannot solve the problem with the people who created it is accurate.
We still need the voter initiative to have council seats assigned to districts.
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Jan 19, 2020, 3:44 pm
Everyone but the old guard northenders is in favor of districts for the city council. If it ever comes to pass, watch the council members hurriedly rent apartments throughout the city and take up pseudo residence in different districts. Several years ago I was in a home conveniently rented, with a few pieces of furniture for effect, by a Congressional candidate (no longer serving) so he could “live” in the correct district. Those in power soon come to believe they “belong” in power and we are mighty lucky they are willing to serve.
Jan 19, 2020, 4:07 pm
McLean should decline to appoint anyone new to the CCDC. In other words, let it die by attrition as board members quit.
Jan 19, 2020, 6:46 pm
I second all concerns above. The “open door and listening” sessions are fine and dandy, but hours for WORKING people and SMALL BUSINESS owners don’t allow for these people to break away and visit with her. However, Marxists and progressives that get out of bed at say…oh around noon, can waltz in then and visit until 5pm. So she can count on seeing people from noon til five.
Conservatives and independents will have to plan on taking work time off to be heard. Take notes when we do.
SPECIAL NOTE: Always be thinking about policies that are “watermelon” in context. By this I mean…green on the outside and red on the inside.” AOC Green New Deal is a perfect example. This is the religion of this New Left. Greta Thurnberg is the child shield used to deflect critics, AND the sword whom wags her finger at all of us old bastards that tried to enjoy an American middle class lifestyle for so long. Watch for carbon sin taxes to come your way. Are city council members exempt from carbon taxes? Too soon to tell.
Commiefornia is just one council meeting away, at any time.
Jan 19, 2020, 10:36 pm
Highly doubtful. As more of a liberal democrat than her now-predecessor, expect more of the same. Typical politicians trying to climb the political ladder with promises of hope, change and prosperity.
Also, “No Corporate Money”. Really? Didn’t Planned Parenthood support her campaign?
Jan 25, 2020, 8:48 am
Look at the Campaign reports. She has already taken money from individual city employees and Firefighters. Firefighters are city employees? Looks like that promise is broken already.
The previous Mayors entire staff and all the Department Heads have stayed on. Including Jade Riley the COO and Adam Park from Community Engagement.
She didn’t want change. She just wanted to sit in the seat.