Lacey City Council appoints Kim Sauer to fill vacant position on governing body

The City of Lacey has a new council member. 

The Lacey City Council appointed Kim Sauer, a state government employee with more than 25 years of public service experience, to fill a vacant seat after a selection process that drew 29 applicants. 

The council made the appointment during a special meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 20. Sauer, a former chair of the Lacey Commission on Equity, will serve the remainder of the term of former Council member Nicolas Dunning. The term ends in November 2027. 

According to the city, the process attracted “strong community interest.” Council members invited 20 applicants to participate in panel-style interviews before selecting Sauer. 

Mayor Andy Ryder praised the applicant pool and said he looks forward to working with Sauer. 

“We were fortunate to have so many qualified community members willing to step forward and serve,” Ryder said. “The council put a lot of time and thought into this decision. … I appreciate everyone who took part in the process, and I look forward to working with Council member Sauer.” 

Sauer is a Business Diversity Program Manager at the Washington State Department of Enterprise Services. Her work involves small business support, regulatory policy, community engagement and partnerships. 

She joined the Lacey Commission on Equity in 2021, and served as chair in 2025. She volunteers with organizations supporting immigrant communities, international businesses and economic opportunities. 

Her appointment restores the seven-member council to full membership. 

Community involvement 

Sauer, an immigrant who teaches Korean to students from kindergarten through high school, said her students influenced her decision to seek public office. 

In response to Council member Maren Turner, who asked why she wants to serve and what she could offer, Sauer answered with her students in mind. 

“I’m interested in serving the city council because I want to walk the talk for my students and for my community. ... I always constantly tell them to express your voice, participate, show up, and be part of the change you want to see. They are watching me, and I want to lead by example," she said.

Sauer said her goal is to complement the current council with a grassroots perspective. She hopes to contribute perspectives from classrooms, families and diverse neighborhoods, while supporting the work of other council members. 

Community participation was another issue raised during the interviews. Council member Carolyn Cox asked how Sauer would hear from people whose opinions differed from her own. 

Sauer said she has ties to many groups through her personal and professional networks. 

“I truly believe there is no magic wand for community engagement. It comes down to making a sincere, active effort to reach out, ask, listen, and communicate. … But building trust goes beyond existing networks," she said.

"It requires continuous intentional effort. So, I’m committed to meeting people where they are, ensuring that all voices feel ... valued, especially those whose perspective differ from my own.” 

Policy priorities 

Sauer highlighted her experience managing statewide government programs during difficult budget periods, then Council member Lenny Greenstein asked about her financial management background. 

She added that managing a household on limited resources after immigrating taught her discipline and prioritization. She then identified efficiency improvements, outside funding, postponement of nonessential projects and volunteer assistance as ways to handle budget shortfalls. 

“When tough decisions are required, or where you have to make cuts or sunsetting programs, I learned that the difficult decisions are made best through transparency and building genuine consensus. So, my leadership philosophy is really rooted in teamwork," Sauer said.

“I don’t believe in making hard decisions in vacuum. I believe in bringing stakeholders, subject matter expert and community together to achieve buy-in, and really make the best decision to make the taxpayer dollar effectively and responsibly.” 

Environmental protection and development are also featured in her plans. 

Asked by Council member Ryan Siu about how she could balance climate change concerns with growth, Sauer called herself a strong supporter of protecting the environment. She also backed public education on the long-term impact of consumer choices. 

“When faced with a development decision, we cannot look at growth and environmental stewardship as opposing forces. We need to look for smart, sustainable design, green infrastructure and ways to minimize our footprint, while keeping our local economy vibrant," she said.

“So, ultimately, my approach as a council member would be to take each circumstance case by case by listening to expert, hearing diverse community viewpoint, and weighting the trade-off carefully.” 

Looking ahead, Sauer proposed expanding international business partnerships and multilingual education in Lacey over the next decade. 

When Deputy Mayor Malcolm Miller asked about her vision for the city in 10 years, she outlined opportunities for students to travel to South Korea and China, along with night markets, international trade and sister city agreements. She also wants large firms to work with local small businesses. 

“Major corporations obviously can build goods more cost effective, but they need small small businesses to install, maintain, respond to service calls,” she said. 

Sauer discussed her willingness to reconsider previously held beliefs when Ryder asked candidates about changing their minds after receiving new information. She recalled her participation in the Washington State Basic Income Feasibility Study around 2021. 

Sauer said she initially believed unconditional financial assistance discouraged employment, but changed her view after reviewing research and hearing from committee members. She emphasized that she was not advocating either side of the issue. 

“I learned that unconditional support doesn’t really discourage work, it actually provides stability. ... What I learned is that we must evaluate programs based on evidence and outcome, rather than assuming we already know how people will act," she said.