Nelson to be next Lacey mayor

Tom Nelson, a member of the Lacey City Council, is the top candidate to become Lacey’s next mayor, when the Council meets at its first meeting of 2010 on January 7.

Unlike in Tumwater and Olympia, Lacey voters do NOT elect their own mayor.  The mayor is elected by the members of the Lacey City Council to represent them at functions and to run council meetings.

The defeat of former mayor Graeme Sackrison has left the field wide open to someone new.   That new council member is Tom Nelson, who has been on the Lacey City Council for two years.  But that still makes him one of the senior members of Lacey’s governing body.

Former mayor Virgil Clarkson is still interested in becoming mayor again, but hasn’t lined up enough support from among the council.   Mary Dean has made it known that she doesn’t want the job. 

New members of the Council  – – Andy Ryder, Ron Lawson and Cynthia Pratt will make the difference and to date there’s no idea of how they will vote.

But, from all indications, Nelson will be the next mayor.  Nelson isn’t new to politics.  He served 12 years on the North Thurston School Board and currently works for North Thurston Public Schools.

Jason Hearn, who also has two years under his belt has indicated he would be interested in becoming deputy mayor.   Former deputy mayor John Darby was ousted in the same election that sunk Sackrison.