Burns Lake, B.C.-  A weekend By-election  saw  Burns Lake Councillor Chris  Beach elected  as the  Mayor of Burns Lake.Beach takes over  the post  being vacated by Luke Strimbold,  who announced his resignation in September.  Strimbold  said he was stepping down from the post  so he could  help run the family business and spend more time with his family. The other  candidate  for the  position was  former  Fire Chief Jim McBride.  Beach  received 387 votes to  McBride’s 106.

Beach  was first elected to  Burns Lake Council  by acclamation  in a by-election  in  2013, and  was re-elected a year  later.

With Beach  making a shot  at the Mayor’s chair,   that opened up  a post on Burns Lake Council.  Michael Riis-Christianson won that position, garnering more votes than three other  contenders.

Originally from the Lakes District,  Beach studied  political science and history in university and wrote his M.A. thesis about the flooding of the Ootsa Lake communities.  He owns and operates the Return-It Depot in Burns Lake.