The Tumwater City Council has appointed a new member to fill a spot left vacant after the retirement of Judith Hoefling in December.
Kyle Taylor Lucas, 59, was selected from six applicants interviewed over the weekend and will serve until the fall election.
Lucas’ appointment was made official at Tuesday night’s regular council meeting.
“I am unbelievably excited,” Lucas said Wednesday. “I am just thrilled and feel so privileged to have been selected.”
The Shelton native spent her adolescent years in logging camps of southeast Alaska before returning to Mason County, then moved to Tumwater more than 15 years ago.
Lucas is an independent government affairs consultant and freelance writer who formerly served as executive director of the Governor’s Office of Indian Affairs, bringing a combined 20 years of experience to the post.
The decision to appoint Lucas was unanimous, according to Mayor Pete Kmet.
“She was very well spoken, very knowledgable about the city, had strong environmental ethics and a strong background in tribal issues,” Kmet said. “We had some great candidates and she was the one standing out.”
Lucas considers the levy lid lift a major accomplishment while serving on the public safety task force.
“That was one of the most recent efforts that I was involved in, and it whetted my appetite even more for a greater involvement,” Lucas said.
She feels her personal experience owning a small business will help her connect with the city’s small business owners.
“That combination of experience and of course sympathies to the struggles of small business owners would add some value and dimension to the city council,” Lucas said.
Lucas plans on running for the position in the November election.
Chelsea Krotzer: 360-754-5476
ckrotzer@theolympian.com
theolympian.com/thisjustin
JOIN THE DISCUSSION | Register here
We welcome comments. Please keep them civil, short and to the point. ALL CAPS, spam, obscene, profane, abusive and off topic comments will be deleted. Repeat offenders will be blocked. Thanks for taking part — and abiding by these simple rules. A thorough explanation of rules of conduct can be found in our Terms of Service. If you have any questions, including why your comment may not be showing immediately after you submit it, be sure to visit the commenting FAQ.