Wallace Mayoral Candidate: Heather Branstetter

Heather Branstetter is running for the position of mayor for the city of Wallace.

Branstetter, 40, is a 1999 Wallace High School graduate and has earned several degrees since graduating from high school.

She has earned a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and English from the University of Idaho, a Ph.D. in rhetoric and cultural studies from the University of North Carolina and a master’s degree in school counseling from Concordia University Wisconsin.

Branstetter and her fiancé Sam Achord live with their two dogs on River Street.

Both she and Achord work for the Mullan School District, Branstetter being the district’s K-12th grade counselor and Achord teaching elementary-aged science and English.

Branstetter says that her family is deeply rooted in Wallace as well.

“My father practiced law here from the beginning of his career with the Hull brothers all the way through his recent retirement,” Branstetter said. “My mother was an elementary teacher, my sister is the librarian at Wallace High, and my brother works in the mill at the Lucky Friday. My Grandma Joann was on the city council for over 20 years, my Grandpa Ken was the last station agent of the Wallace Depot.”

Branstetter has been on the Wallace City Council since 2016 and has been a part of numerous city projects such as the Wallace Swimming Pool, the community garden, Wallace’s chicken ordinance, as well as working with the State Historical Society and Wallace’s Planning and Zoning Committee to rewrite Wallace’s Historic Preservation Plan.

She is also involved with current and future projects like examining the walkability of Wallace, as well as establishing a dog park.

In 2019, Branstetter received the Volunteer of the Year award from the Wallace Chamber of Commerce.

Branstetter has very specific goals in mind if she is elected.

“I think Wallace should be a good place for everyone, regardless of your beliefs, who your friends are, or how far back your history in town extends,” she said. “Our citizens should all be treated in a fair way and be able to participate in the process of managing the business of our town. I think that it is important that we be able to work together to do what is in the best interest of the people and businesses of Wallace.”

Branstetter believes that balancing the health of the local economy while staying true to the preservation of Wallace’s historic values is one of the key issues associated with being the mayor.

“I support the idea of the mountain overlay district, since preserving the natural beauty of our mountains is as important to our mental health and wellness as it is to our town’s prosperity,” she said. “I would also like to see our sidewalks better maintained in the winter so we can make our town more walkable and inviting for residents, tourists and businesses. And finally, I want to work on addressing the problem of housing affordability, especially for renters.”