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Everett council trims DEI department professional-development funding amid debate over community outreach
Summary
The Everett City Council reduced the Department of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion’s professional development line from $50,000 to $30,000 and debated salary cuts after lengthy public and councilroom discussion about the office’s priorities, community outreach and use of consultant services.
The Everett City Council voted to cut the Department of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion’s (DEI) professional development appropriation from $50,000 to $30,000 after councilors questioned the balance between out‑of‑town conferences and local programming.
DEI Director Symone Drain defended the department’s spending and strategy, saying the office supports both internal staff training and community-facing work. “The professional development line item ... covers the expenses that we handle for the trainings, the conferences, and the different things that we go to. So the biggest one is, of course, the lunch and learns ... followed by the conferences and then the travel,” Drain said during the May 21 budget hearing. She added the department has increased language-access services and is hiring consultants to support neurodivergent inclusion and caregiver needs.
Councilors questioned whether the department’s events budget had declined because community partners were now contributing, and pressed Drain on whether training travel could be reduced in favor of local activity. Councilor Martins said she wanted DEI to be “out in the community” rather than primarily attending conferences; Councilor Hamlin and Mayor DeMaria defended the staff’s community work and urged against deep cuts.
Councillor Elsie Geboom proposed a reduction to the professional development line to $30,000; that motion passed on a roll call. A later motion to cut $60,000 from DEI salaries failed. The council then approved the department’s budget as amended.
Why it matters: DEI’s budget funds language-access services, community events, and workforce training across city departments. Councilors said they supported the office’s mission but wanted a clearer balance between attending national conferences and being physically present in Everett neighborhoods.
What was decided: Professional development was cut to $30,000. The council left the events line and other DEI programs in place and approved the department budget as amended.
What to watch: Councilors and the DEI director agreed to monitor how training and consultant use translate into measurable local outreach and service improvements, including expanded language access and supports for neurodivergent residents.
Sources: Remarks by Symone Drain, DEI director; roll-call votes taken on May 21, 2025.
