New Deputy Mayor an enigma

Entering his fourth four-year term on the Lacey City Council, Andy Ryder has been selected to again represent the City of Lacey as its mayor.  Ryder is the longest serving mayor in the city’s history, out-distancing Mark Brown who has now been relegated to second.

Unlike in the cities of Olympia and Tumwater, the Lacey mayor is not voted on by the public, but is selected by the city council to represent them in the community.

Ryder’s election was no surprise and was unanimous.

It was the race for deputy mayor which drew the most attention.  Previous deputy mayor Cynthia Pratt did not seek re-election to the council.  She had served as deputy mayor for most of the term that Ryder served as mayor.

No one seemed to know what was going to happen and who would be selected to the second spot on the Lacey council.  I suspect however that conversations did  take place.

Lenny Greenstein was nominated by Ed Kunkel.  He received only Kunkel’s vote and his own.  Carolyn Cox, then nominated Malcolm Miller who was approved by the council for deputy mayor.

The jockeying for the deputy mayor slot has been a question hanging over the election.  Conservative members of the council wanted Greenstein but that wasn’t to be.  Mentioned for deputy mayor was Cox and new member Robin Vazquez.   Cox was rejected because she was too liberal for Lacey. Vazquez was rejected because she was just elected and was brand new.  The compromise council member was Miller.

Little is known about Miller.  He doesn’t take many meetings with other councilmembers and for the most part stays quiet during council meetings.  If the City of Lacey has ever elected an enigma, that person is now Lacey’s deputy mayor.