Dean’s abscence leaves experience vacancy

The resignation of Mary Dean from the Lacey City Council has left a large void — an experience void.

Of all the six remaining members, only two have been on the city council for more than four years.  Four of them are still in their first terms.  That leaves a lack of experience and knowledge on the council, as it deals with long term problems and conflicts on the many regional bodies and commissions.

Resignation from the council is not new.   More than half of all the Lacey Council Members ever to have served have resigned before their time is up.

And more than half of all of the Lacey Council Members ever to have served, were appointed to their first term.  And, of that lot, most of them have come from the Lacey Planning Commission.

Many of Lacey’s mayors over the years have first served on the Lacey Planning Commission and then been appointed to a vacant seat on the council.  Some of those mayors, who gained their council seats by appointment include:  Graeme Sackrison, Virgil Clarkson, Kay Boyd, Jon Halvorson, Nancy Peterson, Karen Fraser and Bill Bush;  just to name a few.  All of them eventually were re-elected.

So, it’s probable, that the next member of the Lacey City Council will come from the Lacey Planning Commission, or have served on that city commission.

But,  Dean’s experience and institutional memory will be lost.

I’m one who believes in turnover of elected officials.  I believe we should elect new people to office as often as possible.

But I also believe that there’s something to be said for experience and precedence.

The Lacey Council has plenty of new people.  What it needs now is someone with experience and a knowledge of how things work and how things operate in city government.

I hope the current council members will think about the need for experience when they make their appointment to fill Dean’s empty seat.