Charter committee wraps up with no major changes; encourages look at transit

EVERETT — Everett’s Charter Review Committee wrapped up its work last week without making any more significant changes.

The 15-person committee’s task was to review the city’s governing document and recommend to the city council any changes.

The council, if it approved the revisions, would have until Aug. 2 to put them on the general election ballot in November.

By May 12, the review committee had settled on three minor changes to the charter, but a proposal to elect city council members by district was not among them, despite several public comments in support.

Last Thursday’s meeting was the final opportunity to make any changes to the committee’s final report, including reconsideration of any previous votes.

Under the rules of the committee, measures could be brought back for reconsideration only by someone from the prevailing side of the initial vote, or by those who were absent when the vote was taken.

The vote April 14 was 11-3 against including the districts’ measure, meaning any of the 11 members opposed could have brought it back for reconsideration.

No one did, however, and the issue died without comment.

The three measures that the committee is recommending to the city council would remove the requirement that the city council meet weekly; recommends that appointments to city boards and commissions reflect the diversity of the city’s population and geography; and allow the city clerk to make changes to the charter to fix errors, gender references or other outdated language.

The committee’s final report also will include a comment asking the council to consider establishing a citizens advisory committee dedicated to Everett Transit.

The impetus for that came from J.T. Dray, a longtime city resident who sits on the Transportation Advisory Committee, or TAC, which provides input on traffic, traffic safety, transportation planning and service.

Dray told the committee that the TAC often has only 15 minutes per monthly meeting to discuss public transit. That’s not enough for a system that Dray said has experienced many problems and isn’t responsive to the public.

“I feel that we as citizens and riders of the bus should have the option to bring these issues up with Everett Transit,” Dray told the committee.

“This isn’t going to change the world, it’s only going to give people who use the system a genuine opportunity — and I emphasize ‘genuine’ — to make their views part of the public record,” he said.

Tom Hingson, Everett’s Transportation Services director, insisted the agency operated in a transparent manner, and told the committee he didn’t think another committee was necessary.

“I am not opposed to having a second committee, but I believe our participation in the TAC committee provides that monthly opportunity for conversation,” Hingson said.

The charter review committee decided it wasn’t appropriate to mandate the creation of a new committee in the city charter because the city council already had the power to create and disband committees as they were needed.

Instead, the committee agreed to include text in its report encouraging the City Council to consider forming such a committee.

“I do agree with Mr. Dray as far as the TAC being a committee overwhelmed with the need of obtaining funding for transportation of all kinds,” said committee member Clair Olivers. “That’s why there’s so little time to talk about riders’ concerns.”

Chris Winters: 425-374-4165; cwinters@heraldnet.com. Twitter: @Chris_At_Herald.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Local News

A firefighter stands in silence before a panel bearing the names of L. John Regelbrugge and Kris Regelbrugge during the ten-year remembrance of the Oso landslide on Friday, March 22, 2024, at the Oso Landslide Memorial in Oso, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
‘Flood of emotions’ as Oso Landslide Memorial opens on 10th anniversary

Friends, family and first responders held a moment of silence at 10:37 a.m. at the new 2-acre memorial off Highway 530.

Julie Petersen poses for a photo with images of her sister Christina Jefferds and Jefferds’ grand daughter Sanoah Violet Huestis next to a memorial for Sanoah at her home on March 20, 2024 in Arlington, Washington. Peterson wears her sister’s favorite color and one of her bangles. (Annie Barker / The Herald)
‘It just all came down’: An oral history of the Oso mudslide

Ten years later, The Daily Herald spoke with dozens of people — first responders, family, survivors — touched by the deadliest slide in U.S. history.

Victims of the Oso mudslide on March 22, 2014. (Courtesy photos)
Remembering the 43 lives lost in the Oso mudslide

The slide wiped out a neighborhood along Highway 530 in 2014. “Even though you feel like you’re alone in your grief, you’re really not.”

Director Lucia Schmit, right, and Deputy Director Dara Salmon inside the Snohomish County Department of Emergency Management on Friday, March 8, 2024, in Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
How Oso slide changed local emergency response ‘on virtually every level’

“In a decade, we have just really, really advanced,” through hard-earned lessons applied to the pandemic, floods and opioids.

Ron and Gail Thompson at their home on Monday, March 4, 2024 in Oso, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
In shadow of scarred Oso hillside, mudslide’s wounds still feel fresh

Locals reflected on living with grief and finding meaning in the wake of a catastrophe “nothing like you can ever imagine” in 2014.

The rezoned property, seen here from the Hillside Vista luxury development, is surrounded on two sides by modern neighborhoods Monday, March 25, 2024, in Lake Stevens, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Despite petition, Lake Stevens OKs rezone for new 96-home development

The change faced resistance from some residents, who worried about the effects of more density in the neighborhood.

Rep. Suzan DelBene, left, introduces Xichitl Torres Small, center, Undersecretary for Rural Development with the U.S. Department of Agriculture during a talk at Thomas Family Farms on Monday, April 3, 2023, in Snohomish, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Under new federal program, Washingtonians can file taxes for free

At a press conference Wednesday, U.S. Rep. Suzan DelBene called the Direct File program safe, easy and secure.

Former Snohomish County sheriff’s deputy Jeremie Zeller appears in court for sentencing on multiple counts of misdemeanor theft Wednesday, March 27, 2024, at Snohomish County Superior Court in Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Ex-sheriff’s deputy sentenced to 1 week of jail time for hardware theft

Jeremie Zeller, 47, stole merchandise from Home Depot in south Everett, where he worked overtime as a security guard.

Everett
11 months later, Lake Stevens man charged in fatal Casino Road shooting

Malik Fulson is accused of shooting Joseph Haderlie to death in the parking lot at the Crystal Springs Apartments last April.

T.J. Peters testifies during the murder trial of Alan Dean at the Snohomish County Courthouse on Tuesday, March 26, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Bothell cold case trial now in jury’s hands

In court this week, the ex-boyfriend of Melissa Lee denied any role in her death. The defendant, Alan Dean, didn’t testify.

A speed camera facing west along 220th Street Southwest on Tuesday, Nov. 21, 2023 in Edmonds, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
New Washington law will allow traffic cams on more city, county roads

The move, led by a Snohomish County Democrat, comes as roadway deaths in the state have hit historic highs.

Mrs. Hildenbrand runs through a spelling exercise with her first grade class on the classroom’s Boxlight interactive display board funded by a pervious tech levy on Tuesday, March 19, 2024 in Marysville, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Lakewood School District’s new levy pitch: This time, it won’t raise taxes

After two levies failed, the district went back to the drawing board, with one levy that would increase taxes and another that would not.

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.