2 new faces file papers needed to run for Lacey City Council against Greenstein, Kunkel
Two new faces are exploring runs for Lacey City Council against incumbent city council members Lenny Greenstein and Ed Kunkel, who both say they will defend their seats.
In addition to Greenstein and Kunkel, Deputy Mayor Malcolm Miller’s Position No. 1 seat is also up for election in November. However, Miller, as of Friday, has yet to file any paperwork with the state Public Disclosure Commission. He also could not be reached for this story.
PDC data show that Spencer Zeman and Nic Dunning have filed the necessary paperwork to run for Lacey City Council.
Zeman said Friday that he is officially a candidate and that he will challenge Greenstein for his Position No. 2 seat. Zeman, 37, is the owner of a Window Genie franchise who has lived in Lacey for 12 years. He has been asked to run for office over the years and now will do so, he said.
Important issues to him are diversity and inclusion, and sustainable business development that doesn’t sacrifice Lacey’s quality of life and environmental protections, he said. Zeman said “houselessness” is an important topic, and he said he wants to work with community leaders to come up with realistic solutions.
Without naming names, Zeman also expressed disappointment in how some current council members have comported themselves, saying some have not displayed the behaviors and professionalism he would expect.
Although running for council is new to him, his ex-wife Lynda Zeman was appointed to the council in 2019 after former council member Rachel Young resigned. Zeman later ran to retain her seat on the council, but lost to Kunkel.
Spencer was Lynda’s treasurer during her run for office, he said, and he expects he will turn to his former wife for insight and expertise during his campaign.
Meanwhile, Dunning’s PDC information shows he is exploring a challenge against Kunkel for his Position No. 3 seat. While he couldn’t be reached by The Olympian, Dunning’s social media presence shows he is the owner of West Coast Fitness in Lacey.
Kunkel, meanwhile, said Friday he will defend his seat. “I’m pleased to serve so far and want to continue that effort,” he said.
Important to him is more annexation of the city’s urban growth area, including the big one: The annexation of the Tanglewilde-Thompson Place area, which currently is part of unincorporated Thurston County.
This has been a longtime goal of the city and Kunkel supports it, saying if annexed, the area would benefit from more civic representation as well as a higher standard of infrastructure, roads and safety, he said.
Greenstein is seeking a fourth term on the council, he announced in a news release this week.
In his release, he touted his record on creating a business-friendly environment in the city, on helping form a mobile outreach team and rapid response team to address homelessness, and he expressed support for the city’s police and a new police station.
“I love this city, and I want to see it become even better,” he said. “I’m proud of our progress during my time on the council. But I know there is still more work to do and new challenges to tackle. I’m ready to keep working hard to make Lacey a great place to live, work, and raise a family.”
Although PDC data provides insight into who is exploring a run for elected office, it is the Thurston County Auditor’s Office that makes it official and places names on the ballot. Candidate filing week is May 15-19.
Here’s how much money the candidates have raised so far:
▪ Dunning: $6,000, including donations from fitness-related businesses.
▪ Greenstein: About $4,700, including donations from Thurston County Commissioner Gary Edwards and current Lacey Fire Commissioner Frank Kirkbride.
▪ Kunkel: No fundraising data yet, according to the PDC.
▪ Zeman: $6,000. Donors include fellow candidate Dunning, who has donated $2,000, and Lacey City Councilman Michael Steadman.
This story was originally published February 26, 2023 at 5:00 AM with the headline "2 new faces file papers needed to run for Lacey City Council against Greenstein, Kunkel."
