Everett council approves $10M in ARPA funds to fix gym roof at former high school

The Everett City Council on Wednesday approved using $10,000,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funds to replace the roof at the former Everett High School, a vote supporters said is necessary to keep community programs running and to preserve the city’s insurance coverage while the administration develops a larger renovation plan.

Superintendent Hutt, who presented a feasibility study and capacity analysis, told the council the building could provide space for roughly 1,100 seventh and eighth grade students and relieve severe overcrowding across district schools. “Renovating Old Everett High School allows us to keep our current pre‑K program intact and build a robust academic learning experience for our 7th and 8th graders,” he said during a slideshow presentation describing enrollment pressures and classroom shortages.

The roof appropriation drew a lengthy public comment period, with supporters and opponents testifying. Liliana Patino, senior director of community impact and development at Elliott Human Services, warned the council that the Elliott Family Resource Center and other nonprofit programs bring approximately $6,000,000 in outside funding and asked who would replace those services if the building were vacated. “Who’s going to do what we do if we are asked to move out of this building?” she asked.

Opponents urged fiscal caution. Maria Bussell said asking for $82,000,000 “does not benefit the majority” of residents and warned of higher property taxes, while public commenter Peggy Serino sharply questioned changing cost estimates and criticized the administration’s prior decisions.

Councilors pressed for details before approving the roof measure, but several said the immediate risk to programs and the city’s insurance justified the appropriation. Councilor Smith said the $10,000,000 expenditure would not directly raise taxes and would prevent more disruptive outcomes. The roll‑call vote recorded nine ayes and one nay; the clerk announced the measure carried.

Mayor DeMaria and administration officials said the roof vote would allow the city to maintain insurance on the facility; the mayor said insurers signaled they would continue coverage if the council approved the appropriation. The council’s action will permit the city to move forward with contracting and planning for the roof work while the larger renovation proposal is debated.

The council did not finalize borrowing for a broader renovation at this meeting; that decision was deferred to a later date. For now, the approved roof funding is expected to protect ongoing programs and preserve options for future use of the building.