Richard Bokofsky of Lacey seeks seat on City Council

Feb. 27--Richard Bokofsky has joined community chronicler Ken Balsley as the first two Lacey residents to seek Lacey City Council seats on this fall's ballot.

Like incumbent councilman Lenny Greenstein, Bokofsky, 70, is a longtime life-insurance broker.

"I'm here to take care of today's problems and future problems and look at them as an open-minded person," Bokofsky said about his decision to run for elected office for the first time.

He wants to bring business to the area and see Lacey grow.

"It's always about jobs, jobs, jobs," he said.

Like Balsley, he also is seeking appointment to the vacancy created by Councilman Jeff Gadman, who was appointed Thurston County Treasurer this month. Gadman's last day on the Lacey council is March 9, and the council will appoint his replacement, who will serve until someone is elected in November.

If Bokofsky doesn't win the appointment to Gadman's seat, he still plans to run for a seat on the council. Bokofsky said he has yet to decide which seat he will run for; he will have to decide by candidate filing week in mid-May.

Balsley also hasn't specifically identified his choice of seat in his paperwork, but has verbally identified Position No. 3 as his goal, which is Gadman's seat.

There's a lot in play on the council. Besides Gadman's seat, three incumbents are up for election, and longtime council member Virgil Clarkson has decided he won't run again. Council member Greenstein and Jason Hearn are not up for election.

Bokofsky grew up in Brooklyn, New York, and later attended New York University. He said he has worked in the insurance business for 30 years, but at one time he sold jewelry to stores such as Nordstrom and Frederick & Nelson. It was that experience that brought him to the Pacific Northwest.

His wife loved the area and they later returned, he said.

Rolf Boone: 360-754-5403, @rolf_boone

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