Charter panel asks staff for draft language and fiscal analysis on making Everett council full time
Loading...
Summary
After a lengthy debate about diversity, workload and budget, the Charter Review Committee voted to ask staff to prepare proposed charter language and comparative fiscal information on a full‑time council model; the procedural vote passed by a narrow majority (reported 7–6 with one abstention).
The committee voted to request staff and city legal return with proposed charter language and comparative fiscal information to evaluate whether the Everett City Council should be defined as a full‑time body.
The topic drew extensive debate. Supporters said paying council members full time could broaden the pool of candidates, making it feasible for working parents and lower‑income residents to serve. Opponents warned of substantial fiscal and staffing implications — additional salaries, benefits and office support — and questioned whether the committee should set pay levels or leave compensation to the city’s salary commission. Members asked for comparable city models, staff counts, and estimated fiscal impacts.
Committee member Mason (speaker 11) and others urged staff to include varied options (for example, converting only some at‑large seats to full time or reducing the number of seats) and requested cost estimates and staffing scenarios. After procedural discussion, the committee voted to ask staff to bring back draft language and fiscal comparisons. The transcript records the procedural outcome as 7 in favor, 6 opposed, with one abstention/extension noted; members observed that advancing a ballot measure would later require ten affirmative votes on the commission.
Staff were asked to provide model charter text, comparable-city staffing and compensation data, and budgetary estimates for committee review at a future meeting.
