Council Votes to Start Negotiations with Rick Walk to be New City Manager

The Lacey City Council voted unanimously at its meeting on May 11, 2023, to start contract negotiations with Rick Walk to be the next Lacey City Manager. Walk has been serving as Interim City Manager since December 2022 after the departure of long-time City Manager Scott Spence.

“The Council has thoughtfully reviewed the credentials, background, and experience of numerous highly qualified candidates in collaboration with our contracted consultant firm,” stated Mayor Andy Ryder. “After thorough discussion and review, the Council believes this is the best direction for the future of our city.

Prior to his appointment as Interim City Manager, Walk served as the City’s Director
of Community and Economic Development since 2008. Walk has over 28 years of experience in city and rural county planning previously having worked for Douglas County in the early 1990s before joining the City of Lacey as a project planner in 1999. In addition to planning, Walk has extensive experience in organizational administration, economic development, housing initiatives, and intergovernmental collaborations and partnerships. Walk currently serves as the Vice Chair of the Lacey MakerSpace Executive Board, and is a past President of the Washington City Planning Directors Association, and Past President of the Washington South Sound Section of the American Planning Association. Walk received his Bachelor of Arts in Urban and Regional Planning from Eastern Washington University and has an American Institute of Certified Planners certification.

The City started the City Manager recruitment process late last year with the departure of Spence, who accepted a city manager position in Astoria, Oregon. The Lacey City Council hired GMP Consultants, a nationally recognized municipal executive search firm, to manage the City Manager recruitment process. In April, the Lacey City Council paused the recruitment effort after several candidates withdrew their names for consideration or could no longer attend the scheduled interview. With this vote, the Lacey City Council will now begin contract negotiations with Walk.