Everett City Council posts should be full-time jobs

Published 1:30 am Sunday, February 22, 2026

Everett has grown into a regional city with regional responsibilities. Our City Council oversees complex land-use decisions, a large municipal budget, public safety policy and long-term growth planning that affects more than 110,000 residents.

Yet the Charter still treats this work as “part-time.” In fact it’s entirely silent on the matter.

That mismatch deserves an honest update.

I will bring before the Everett Charter Review Committee a proposal that would designate City Council positions as full-time, starting only with the next election for each seat, and direct the independent salary commission to review compensation accordingly. It would not affect current council members, and it would not set salaries by fiat.

Critics may raise understandable concerns. Some will argue this creates “career politicians.” The reality is that today’s structure already favors those with flexible jobs or independent means. Making the role full-time would widen access, allowing working parents, renters and mid-career professionals to more easily enter public service without juggling two jobs.

Others will worry about cost. However, better governance is not a luxury, it’s risk management. Under-resourced oversight can cost far more through rushed decisions, weak accountability or missed opportunities. This proposal preserves the independent salary-setting process and asks only for alignment between expectations and structure.

Finally, some will say other cities keep part-time councils. That’s true, however Everett’s scale, growth pressures and regional role are no longer typical. Our governance model should reflect our reality, and future ambitions, not our past.

My proposal doesn’t mandate outcomes. It creates transparency, fairness and voter choice.

If Everett expects full-time work, it should say so: clearly, honestly, and at the ballot box.

Nathan Shelby

Everett