The Everett City Council voted to approve disclosures allowing several municipal employees to receive stipends for work performed during the recent presidential election, but the approvals followed extended questioning from council members about staffing, timing and why the disclosures were presented after the work.

Council considered Item 25 — disclosures for Roberta Suppa, Antoinette Octave Blanchard, Nikkaitlin Norton, Cassandra Sherif and D D Urena — who had worked outside their normal hours during the election to process large volumes of vote-by-mail materials. Councilors expressed confusion that the staff "already worked it" before seeking council signoff and asked whether the work had been done during regular hours or outside them.

The clerk and administration explained the payments cover work performed outside employees' normal schedules (weekend hours and overtime during vote-by-mail processing) and that the city had experienced two staff departures shortly before the election, creating a need for additional help. Councilor Peter Petroneo raised objections to approving pay retroactively, saying, "It just doesn't make sense to me." The clerk responded that the filings are disclosures required by municipal rules and that payment cannot be processed without council approval.

Council also passed a resolution (Item 20) requesting that the elections director appear at a future meeting to update the council on any election issues and possible improvements; that resolution was referred back to the sponsor for distribution of the sponsor's communication to the full body.

The council approved the disclosures by roll call (10-0). The council asked that future packets include clearer documentation (stipend amounts and funding sources) when disclosures are placed on the agenda. The clerk indicated the payments are to be drawn from election-line funds and that staff have not been paid pending council approval.

The next procedural step is for the elections director to appear at the requested hearing and for administration to provide the council with the supplemental information members requested.