Lacey Disability Board approves $10,421 dental-implant claim, adopts policy changes and outlines nomination process for citizen rep

Lacey — The Lacey Disability Board unanimously approved payment of a $10,421 dental-implant claim and several smaller reimbursements, voted to adopt previously reviewed changes to its policies and procedures and discussed the upcoming nomination process for a citizen representative seat during a virtual meeting called to order by Chair Lenny.

The board’s HR liaison, Jenny, asked the board to approve one claim that exceeded her approval threshold: “it was, for dental implants that totaled $10,421,” she said. After a motion and second, Chair Lenny called for a vote; with no opposition the board approved the claim. Jenny also reported several reimbursements processed under her threshold: $326 for X-rays, $238 for a dental procedure, $1,370 for a combined X-ray/dental/massage bill and $878.86 for massage and prescription expenses.

Board members described the vote on the dental bill as a formal action and distinguished it from staff-level reimbursements processed within Jenny’s delegated authority. Chair Lenny noted those smaller items did not require board approval because they were “within Jenny’s threshold.”

The meeting opened with a land acknowledgement: “We recognize the ancestors and their descendants who are still here,” Chair Lenny said, referencing the Medicine Creek Treaty of 1854 and urging the community to read the treaty text.

During public comment, Don, who identified himself as speaking on LEFT 1 materials, said he had reviewed the LEFT 1 changes and urged the board to remove duplicative language: “I went over the LEFT 1 changes, which the changes were good. I don't have any problem with those. But the whole spectrum of the LEFT 1 thing, there's a lot of stuff in there that could be extracted because a lot of it pertains to people that are still working.” Chair Lenny later said for the record that he agreed with John Zamero’s point about redundancy and that the chair would “take that under advisement and look at that and see if there would be an issue doing that.” A board member confirmed they would research potential edits but noted statutory constraints raised by references to the RCWs (Revised Code of Washington).

The board also voted to adopt the changes to the disability board policies and procedures that had been discussed at a prior meeting. Jenny summarized that the motion before the board covered the changes reviewed at the last meeting and that “we have a few more things within those policies and procedures that we are going to research and look back on.” The motion to adopt the current changes passed unanimously.

On membership, staff confirmed that board member Ed is willing to continue serving. Jenny said she will send out the formal nomination packet that allows members to nominate alternatives; once nominations are received the members will vote to elect either Ed or another nominee. Jenny described the police-representative seats as drawn from a 10-person pool; the meeting noted there are two police-representative spots and that some board members (Nick and another member) are appointed by the city council and mayor with council consent.

No contested votes or dissenting votes were recorded. The board adjourned following routine scheduling and orientation arrangements for a new member.

The meeting transcript shows the dental claim, the policy vote and the nomination process were the only formal actions taken; public comment and follow-up research on the LEFT 1 materials were recorded as discussion and items for staff or the chair to review.