The Tuesday, Aug. 18 Lacey City Council meeting will be first-term City Councilmember Nicolas “Nic” Dunning’s last.
Dunning, fresh off a primary win in his bid for the Thurston County Board of Commissioners District 5 seat, announced his resignation from Lacey City Council on Aug. 11.
His resignation will go into effect after the Aug. 18 Lacey City Council meeting.
“It’s definitely a hard day for me. Elections are hard and it’s taking a lot out on me and my family, and I really hope that you guys find someone to replace me and help move the city forward,” Dunning told the rest of the city council during a regularly scheduled city council work session on Tuesday.
Dunning was first elected to Lacey City Council in November 2023. His term began in January 2024 and runs through the end of 2027.
After Dunning’s resignation goes into effect Aug. 18, the Lacey City Council has 90 days to fill the vacant seat.
The Lacey City Council will also need to reassign Dunning’s current committee assignments, which include the Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater Visitor & Convention Bureau, Regional Housing Council and Law Enforcement Officers & Firefighters (LEOFF) Board.
Lacey city staff will update the city council during the Aug. 18 meeting on the next steps and specific timeline for filling that vacancy.
Dunning’s decision to resign came after conversations with Lacey’s mayor, deputy mayor and city manager about “what was in the best interest of Lacey,” Dunning said.
The energy he anticipates he’ll need to put into the general election, plus his wedding planned for Aug. 16, made it impractical for him to continue serving on the city council.
“I really kind of came to the conclusion that it wasn’t fair to the city for me not to be able to give 100%,” Dunning said.
Lacey Deputy Mayor Malcolm Miller thanked Dunning for “being candid” about his decision.
Said Councilmember Carolyn Cox, “I appreciate it and I understand it, and I wish you well.”
Councilmember Maren Turner thanked Dunning for his service to the city council and the support he gave her as a new councilmember.
“I wish you the best,” she said.
Councilmember Ryan Siu echoed Turner’s comments, thanking Dunning for his mentorship and thanking him for sharing his “heart and soul” with the City of Lacey.
He added that he hoped stepping back from Lacey City Council would give him time to focus on his family and the upcoming general election.
A U.S. Marine Corps and Washington National Guard veteran and the owner of West Coast Fitness in Lacey, Dunning’s areas of special interest on the Lacey City Council included economic development, small business entrepreneurship and community involvement and engagement.
Dunning is running for Thurston County Board of Commissioners’ as a self-declared “moderate Democrat” on a platform of “common sense” and “people over politics,” offering what he calls an “honest approach” to governance.
As of an Aug. 11 update of the Aug. 4 primary results, Dunning was leading the three-person race with 38.57%, representing 5,510 votes. Incumbent District 5 Commissioner Emily Clouse came in second with 34.64%, representing 4,949 votes, and North Thurston Public School Board Member Michelle Gipson trailed with 25.08%, representing 3,583 votes.
The election results won’t be certified until Aug. 18, but given the large gap between Gipson and her fellow candidates, Gipson is effectively out of the race, and Dunning and Clouse are expected to face off in the November general election.
