Lacey City Council
The City operates under a Council-manager form of government. Under this form of government, an elected City Council is responsible for policymaking, and a professional city manager, appointed by the council, is responsible for administration of the City organization. Lacey voters elect seven City Councilmembers from the community. Councilmembers serve four-year terms, with municipal elections held in November of odd-numbered years. The City Council selects a Mayor and Deputy Mayor to serve as presiding officer during public meetings and events.
The City Council’s primary duties are to make laws, adopt regulations and budgets, levy taxes, authorize public improvements, provide for public safety and health, approve board and commission appointments, and oversee a wide-ranging agenda for the community of Lacey.
All business of the City Council is conducted in public with the exception of Executive Session items such as property acquisition, personnel issues, and potential litigation. Community members are welcome to attend, listen, and provide comments.
Types of Council Meetings (Regular, Worksession, Special)
REGULAR MEETINGS
The Council conducts its official business, enacting laws and approving policies during regular Council meetings. Regular Council meetings occur the first and third Thursday of the month. All regular meetings begin at 6 p.m. in the Council Chambers at Lacey City Hall, 420 College Street SE. Meeting may occur in person, remotely, or a combination of both.
Regular meetings follow a formal and specific format. During a Regular Meeting, Councilmembers make a formal vote on items previously discussed at Worksessions, Special Sessions, or Committee Meetings. Councilmembers also adopt previous meetings minutes, and present proclamations, ordinances, and resolutions. During Regular Meetings, members of the public have an opportunity to make official comments to the Council during the Public Comment agenda item.
WORKSESSIONS
Worksessions provide an opportunity for the full Council to review and discuss issues in depth without taking official action. Council Worksessions occur on the second and fourth Thursday of each month. All meetings begin at 6 p.m. in the Council Chambers at Lacey City Hall, 420 College Street SE. Meetings may occur in person, remotely, or a combination of both.
During Worksessions, City Council Members discuss topics, receive briefings, reports and memorandums from City staff as well as hear presentations from City staff and outside organizations. The Council follows Robert’s Rules of Order during their meetings to allow for courtesy and orderly flow of the meetings. Although most formal Council action occurs at regular Council Meetings, the Council may make decisions and take official action at Council Worksessions.
OTHER MEETINGS
Periodically, the City Council holds Special Meetings. During these meetings, only the items listed on the agenda may be discussed.
City Council holds Executive Sessions for items such as property acquisition, personnel issues, and potential litigation. Executive Sessions are closed to the public. No final action can be taken during an executive session.
PUBLIC COMMENT FOR COUNCIL MEETINGS
In Person
Persons wishing to provide verbal public comment may do so in person at the meeting. Please register at the meeting using the sign-up sheet in the Council Chambers.
Remote:
Preregister to speak via the link provided on the meeting agenda. Instructions and access details will be provided once registration is complete. Registration for remote verbal public comment closes at 4:00 p.m. on the day of the meeting.
Written:
Public comments may also be submitted by email to publiccomment@ci.lacey.wa.us. Written comments will be provided to the City Council electronically prior to the meeting. Comments will not be addressed during the Council meeting; however, comments received will be added to the official record. The commenting period will close at 4:00 p.m. the day of the meeting.
PUBLIC HEARINGS
City Council holds Public Hearings during Regular Meetings or Special Meetings. During Public Hearings, the public is encouraged to provide testimony regarding the specific topic of the public hearing.
City Council Policy – Procedure Manual
City Council Policy
In 2011, the Lacey City Council adopted the City Council Policy-Procedure Manual to standardize the process for implementing current and new Council practices, procedures, and policies. The General Government Committee reviews the manual annually. If there are any revisions, they are sent to full Lacey City Council for final approval. The City Council Policy-Procedure Manual was last updated in 2021.
Meeting Accomodations
The City of Lacey provides reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities.
To request an accommodation or written materials in an alternate format, contact the City Clerk at least seventy-two (72) hours before the meeting to discuss any necessary accommodations. You can reach the City Clerk by phone (360) 486-8704 or email cityclerk@ci.lacey.wa.us.
For vision or hearing impaired services contact the Washington State Relay Service at 7-1-1 or 1-800-833-6384.
Meeting Locations
Due to the COVID-19 public health emergency, all public meetings may be conducted remotely, in person, or a combination of the two. The public may attend the Lacey City Council meetings in person or by watching live through video streaming on the following platforms:
When not under the public health emergency:
Meeting Location
All public meetings convene in the Council Chambers of Lacey City Hall, 420 College Street SE. The public is invited to attend. Please refer to the individual meeting agenda for detailed instructions regarding the meeting location(s).
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Council Committees
Most items brought before the Council are referred from a City Council committee. Three Council members serve on each committee. The committees study and review issues before being referred to the full Council for consideration. More than one committee may have studied an issue.
Committees include the Transportation, Utilities, General Government and Public Safety, Finance and Economic Development, Land Use and Environment, and Community Relations and Public Affairs committees.
Click on a committee below to learn more about it and to jump to current and archived meetings for that committee.
Community Relations And Public Affairs Committee
Responsibilities
This committee is responsible for policy development and review concerning the City’s community relations, historic preservation, and parks and recreation.
Meetings
1st Monday of each month at 11 a.m.
Finance And Economic Development Committee
Responsibilities
This committee is responsible for policy development and review concerning the financial matters of the City. The committee conducts reviews of the City’s budget and reports to the Council on revenue and expenditure levels.
Meetings
4th Thursday of each month at 8:30 a.m.
General Government And Public Safety Committee
Responsibilities
This committee is responsible for policy development and review concerning the general administrative and regulatory functions of the city not falling within the jurisdiction of another standing committee. Committee members also review public safety matters, including police, criminal justice, emergency services, dispatch and communication systems, disaster and emergency planning and water safety.
Meetings
4th Tuesday of each month at 9:30 a.m.
Land Use And Environment Committee
Responsibilities
This committee is responsible for policy development and review of matters referred to the Council by the Lacey Planning Commission and Thurston Regional Planning Council, as well as urban growth policy, and housing issues.
Meetings
4th Tuesday of each month at 10:30 a.m.
Transportation Committee
Responsibilities
This committee is responsible for policy development and review, concerning streets, highways, public transit, sidewalks, bicycle routes, traffic safety, rail, parking, and regional transportation plans.
Meetings
1st Tuesday of each month at 11 a.m.
Utilities Committee
Responsibilities
This committee is responsible for policy development and review concerning all city utilities including water and sewer, and policy on all energy-related matters. The committee will review existing and proposed utility service delivery areas and the boundaries for all proposed annexation areas.
Meetings
1st Monday of each month at 12 p.m.
