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Council splits on reducing communications director salary while position remains vacant
Summary
Councilors debated removing most of the communications director salary from the mayor’s FY26 budget while the position remains unfilled; a proposal to cut $30,000 from the salary line failed on a roll-call vote.
Everett City Councilors questioned a full-year salary appropriation for a communications director on May 28 while the post remained vacant and only “one last interview” was scheduled, administration staff said.
Councilor Martins proposed removing $118,449 from the communications-director salary line and later amended that proposal to a $30,000 reduction to cover an estimated three months before a hire. The amended motion was seconded for discussion; on roll call the motion failed and the council did not change the staffing appropriation.
Mayor’s office staff told the council the position is still open and that interviews are ongoing. “Currently it’s vacant, but we do, have 1 last interview,” Mr. Dimas said during the department review. Councilor Smith opposed a deep cut, saying reducing pay before a candidate is identified could limit the city’s ability to hire a strong applicant.
Councilors who supported a temporary reduction framed the move as a timing adjustment aligned to hiring schedules; those who opposed said the cut would make recruitment harder and could handcuff the mayor’s office during a transition. The council’s decision was taken on a roll-call vote during the line-by-line budget hearing and the salaries line remained at the amount originally recommended in the FY26 budget book.
