Bothell council adopts resolution affirming city as welcoming to transgender, nonbinary and gender‑diverse people, 5‑2

Bothell — The Bothell City Council voted 5‑2 on April 15 to adopt Resolution AB 25‑075, affirming the city as a welcoming community for transgender, nonbinary and gender‑diverse people.

The measure, introduced by Councilmember Aldrichs and seconded by Councilmember Dodd, passed after a lengthy public‑comment period in which dozens of residents urged the council to adopt the resolution. Supporters said the statement would protect vulnerable residents and send a clear message about safety and belonging; opponents urged caution and questioned whether a group‑specific resolution was necessary.

The council took up the resolution after public comment. Assistant City Manager Becky Range and DEI coordinator Gabby Kuna told the council the draft had been revised after community feedback and that staff and community partners had reviewed the language. Councilmember Aldrichs moved to adopt the resolution, Councilmember Dodd seconded, and the motion carried 5‑2.

Why it matters: Supporters said the resolution is a nonbinding but meaningful affirmation that can affect how safe residents feel and how the city prioritizes outreach, education and partnerships. Opponents said an inclusive citywide policy already exists and warned that singling out specific groups can feel exclusionary.

Public comment and themes

Supporters who spoke at the dais described personal family or community experiences and urged adoption. Carol Sullivan, identified in remarks as a Bothell resident, told the council, “Everyone is welcome here.” Other speakers described threats facing transgender people nationally and urged Bothell to send a local counter‑message.

Many speakers asked for the council to follow words with actions—funding, programs and partnerships—including calls to sustain the commitments listed in sections 4 and 5 of the draft resolution. Some commenters recounted personal experiences of family members or youth in crisis; others urged empathy and invoked faith as a reason to support inclusion.

Opponents and questions from council

Opponents at the microphone raised concerns about creating a stand‑alone resolution for a single group and about some provisions they said could create policy conflicts. Councilmember Zorns said the resolution’s targeted language “troubles me” and warned it could have unintended consequences; Zorns voted against adoption. Councilmember Boehnke and others thanked speakers on both sides and said they appreciated the civic engagement.

Council discussion and vote

Several councilmembers described personal connections to LGBTQIA+ people in their families or community. Councilmember Dodd said she would support the resolution: “I’ll be supporting the resolution. It would be, well, it would be insane of me not to because my family includes queer people, LGBTQIA people, trans people, gender diverse people.” Councilmember Kurd said the city must “stand with our trans siblings” and warned that dehumanizing rhetoric has historic precedents: “Never again is now.” Mayor Mason Thompson framed the vote as an affirmation of dignity: “Affirming the entire dignity and humanity of one group of residents in no way takes dignity and humanity away from anyone else.”

The City Clerk recorded the final vote as 5 in favor and 2 opposed. The council identified Councilmembers Menke and Zorns as the dissenting votes.

Implementation and next steps

City staff said the resolution carries no immediate fiscal impact and asked council to direct staff to work with community partners on implementation items already listed in the draft, including outreach, events and education. The council recessed following the vote and will incorporate follow‑up tasks into staff work plans and community partnership discussions.

Votes at a glance

- Motion: “Approve the adoption of this resolution for a welcoming community for transgender, nonbinary, and gender diverse people” (moved by Councilmember Aldrichs; seconded by Councilmember Dodd). Outcome: approved, 5‑2.

Context and background

The item was brought forward by Councilmember Aldrichs following community requests and revisions made after feedback from local LGBTQIA+ organizations, staff said. The City Clerk reported 27 written comments were received in support and included in the record.