Six seek three contested seats on Everett City Council

EVERETT — Six candidates are facing off for three seats on the Everett City Council. A seventh candidate, Judy Tuohy, is running unopposed for a full term in Position 7. Tuohy won a special election for the seat last year over Richard Anderson, who had been appointed to the seat in 2013.

Position 4

Cocoon House CEO Cassie Franklin is challenging incumbent Ron Gipson, who is the longest serving member of the Everett City Council.

Gipson, running for a sixth term on the council, did not return several calls from The Daily Herald by press time. In the past he has mentioned his advocacy for working-class Everett, increasing funding for public transit, making parks and services accessible to all, and reining in utility costs.

Gipson has also had to fight off accusations of sexual harassment, and has held a public forum and devoted a page on his campaign website to refuting the accusations, even those that were upheld during an investigation. Gipson works as a corrections officer at the Denney Juvenile Justice Center and was on paid administrative leave for 18 months before returning to his job in September.

Franklin, who oversees an organization that provides services for homeless youth, said the city’s ongoing issues with its homeless population and street crime are rapidly emerging as the biggest problem to be solved.

“What we’re understanding is how quickly these problems can shift, and the recommendations also need to be able to shift,” Franklin said.

She sat on the city’s Streets Initiative task force and said the top priority will be trying to tackle all aspects of the issue, rather than just focusing on one facet.

“We have to be able to move forward on public safety and public services and getting the other jurisdictions on board, otherwise we won’t be able to solve it,” Franklin said.

Position 5

Incumbent Scott Bader, currently serving as the council president, is being challenged by Charlene Rawson, a neighborhood activist for position 5.

Bader won a special election in 2012 to his seat after former councilman Drew Nielsen died in a rafting accident.

He said that the city is largely on the right track, and that good financial stewardship of the city by the current council and mayor have put the city in an ideal spot to rebound when the economy starts to pick up.

“It’s been painful for the last three years because of the slow pace of the recovery,” Bader said. “I certainly hope that as the economy recovers and revenues recover, we can finally do things like the South Everett Library expansion.”

He also hopes to invest more in parks and neighborhoods.

Rawson said the city needs to devote more resources to staffing its Office of Neighborhoods and to fully implement community policing and block watch programs.

“It’s the only way we’ll get drugs and concerns about home invasion under control,” she said.

Her activism in neighborhood issues has made her a strong supporter of a recent citizens proposal to introduce council districts.

“I am a true believer in districts and it gives neighborhood activists a pathway from being active in neighborhood associations and solving problems in their neighborhood to the City Council,” Rawson said.

Position 6

For Position 6, three-term councilwoman Brenda Stonecipher is being challenged by newcomer Erik Richerson.

Stonecipher said her background in finance helps her understand the city’s ongoing budgetary problems and moves to streamline the city government.

“We’re so far behind in so many areas where we can be more efficient, such as using technology resources for bill payment … you can’t even buy your dogtag online right now,” she said.

She said that there are a few things that government must do, such as sweep the streets and keep people safe, and provide services like parks that the private sector won’t, but everything else is on the table.

“I ask the tough questions, I do my homework, I come prepared, I make my decisions based on what’s best for the community at large,” Stonecipher said.

Richerson, who runs a barbershop in downtown Everett and is a youth pastor at Faith Heritage Church, said the city has been neglecting businesses and growth downtown.

The city’s issues with homelessness are a big part of that problem, and the city needs to take definitive steps, such as enacting anti-panhandling and no-sit/no-lie ordinances.

“We’re not criminalizing being homeless, but at the same time we’re not helping them by giving them a handout,” he said. “We need to give them a hand up.”

He said the city’s Streets Initiative task force is “a good start, but I think it’s a Band-Aid,” Richerson said, and instead he thinks the state of Utah’s “Housing First” program — providing homes for the homeless and addressing underlying causes later — is a better model to follow.

Everett City Council candidates

Position 4

Ron Gipson

Age: 57

Experience: Five terms on City Council. Works as a corrections officer at the Denney Juvenile Justice Center.

Website: rongipson4everettcitycouncil.com

Funding raised (as of Oct. 12): $8,157.64 ($2,782.37 spent)

Cassie Franklin

Age: 44

Experience: Served on Everett’s Streets Initiative task force. Works as CEO of Cocoon House and has worked in development for several nonprofits.

Website: cassie4council.org

Funding raised: $31,755.64 ($19,571.79 spent)

Position 5

Scott Bader

Age: 51

Experience: Served on Everett City Council since Nov. 2012. Has served on the Everett Transportation Advisory Committee for, has been active in the Cascade View and Riverside neighborhood associations and was on the city’s council of neighborhoods. Also active in Boy Scouts and church. Works as director of parish financial services for the Archdiocese of Seattle.

Website: baderforeverettcitycouncil.com

Funding raised: $23,989.56 ($10,902.66 spent)

Charlene Rawson

Age: 62

Experience: Active in the Port Gardner Neighborhood Association, including as representative to the Council of Neighborhoods, served on the Snohomish County Parks Board, vice-chairwoman of Snohomish County Democrats for the 38th Legislative District. Works in iPhone technical support for AT&T.

Website: charlene4everett.org

Funding raised: $4,998.52 ($4,784.17 spent)

Position 6

Brenda Stonecipher

Age: 50

Experience: Three terms on Everett City Council, was on transportation policy board for Puget Sound Regional Council, has been on the state Criminal Justice Training Commission, and is also active in 38th Legislative District Democrats. Works as chief financial officer at the Epiphany School in Seattle.

Website: vote4brenda.com

Funding raised: $8,400.00 ($672.18 spent)

Erik Richerson

Age: 33

Experience: Founded Legacy Outreach Ministries in Everett, volunteers at Monroe Correctional Complex to help soon-to-be-released inmates, the Matt Talbot Center in Belltown, and with Toys for Tots. Owns a barbershop in downtown Everett and works as a youth pastor at Faith Heritage Church.

Website: erikricherson.com

Funding raised: None reported

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Local News

Trader Joe’s customers walk in and out of the store on Monday, Nov. 20, 2023 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
New Trader Joe’s opens this week at Everett Mall

It’s a short move from a longtime location, essentially across the street, where parking was often an adventure.

Ian Bramel-Allen enters a guilty plea to second-degree murder during a plea and sentencing hearing on Wednesday, March 6, 2024, at Snohomish County Superior Court in Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
‘Deep remorse’: Man gets 17 years for friend’s fatal stabbing in Edmonds

Ian Bramel-Allen, 44, pleaded guilty Wednesday to second-degree murder for killing Bret Northcutt last year at a WinCo.

Firefighters respond to a small RV and a motorhome fire on Tuesday afternoon in Marysville. (Provided by Snohomish County Fire Distrct 22)
1 injured after RV fire, explosion near Marysville

The cause of the fire in the 11600 block of 81st Avenue NE had not been determined, fire officials said.

Ashton Dedmon appears in court during his sentencing hearing on Tuesday, March 5, 2024, at Snohomish County Superior Court in Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Everett Navy sailor sentenced to 90 days for fatal hit and run

Ashton Dedmon crashed into Joshua Kollman and drove away. Dedmon, a petty officer on the USS Kidd, reported he had a panic attack.

A kindergarten student works on a computer at Emerson Elementary School on Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2024, in Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
‘¡Una erupción!’: Dual language programs expanding to 10 local schools

A new bill aims to support 10 new programs each year statewide. In Snohomish County, most follow a 90-10 model of Spanish and English.

Logo for news use featuring the Tulalip Indian Reservation in Snohomish County, Washington. 220118
Woman drives off cliff, dies on Tulalip Reservation

The woman fell 70 to 80 feet after driving off Priest Point Drive NW on Sunday afternoon.

Everett
Boy, 4, survives fall from Everett fourth-story apartment window

The child was being treated at Seattle Children’s. The city has a limited supply of window stops for low-income residents.

People head out to the water at low tide during an unseasonably warm day on Saturday, March 16, 2024, at Lighthouse Park in Mukilteo, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Everett shatters record high temperature by 11 degrees

On Saturday, it hit 73 degrees, breaking the previous record of 62 set in 2007.

Snohomish County Fire District #4 and Snohomish Regional Fire & Rescue respond to a motor vehicle collision for a car and pole. The driver was pronounced dead at the scene, near Triangle Bait & Tackle in Snohomish. (Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office)
Police: Troopers tried to stop driver before deadly crash in Snohomish

The man, 31, was driving at “a high rate of speed” when he crashed into a traffic light pole and died, investigators said.

Alan Dean, who is accused of the 1993 strangulation murder of 15-year-old Bothell girl Melissa Lee, appears in court during opening statements of his trial on Monday, March 18, 2024, at Snohomish County Superior Court in Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
31 years later, trial opens in Bothell teen’s brutal killing

In April 1993, Melissa Lee’s body was found below Edgewater Creek Bridge. It would take 27 years to arrest Alan Dean in her death.

Logo for news use featuring the municipality of Snohomish in Snohomish County, Washington. 220118
Man dies after crashing into pole in Snohomish

Just before 1 a.m., the driver crashed into a traffic light pole at the intersection of 2nd Street and Maple Avenue.

Bodies of two men recovered after falling into Eagle Falls near Index

Two men fell into the falls and did not resurface Saturday, authorities said. After a recovery effort, two bodies were found.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.