Brett Gailey to stay on Charter Review Commission

Published 1:30 am Friday, March 27, 2026

EVERETT — The night after Lake Stevens Mayor Brett Gailey announced his resignation, effective April 13, he walked into the County Council chambers to lead the Charter Review Commission meeting on Wednesday in Everett.

He shook four or five people’s hands and remarked on how his phone had been ringing all day.

“Apparently, when you announce your resignation from being the mayor of Lake Stevens, it causes an uproar,” he said at the start of the meeting. “But as long as I have an address in this county — in District 5 — I’ll stick with the commission.”

The Charter Review Commission is an independent elected body that reviews county laws and government structure every 10 years. It has until May 29 to send final recommendations to the County Council, which will then submit them to the County Auditor for placement on the November General Election Ballot.

Gailey was selected as chair of the commission by his fellow commissioners with a 10-4 vote.

Currently, Gailey and his wife, Micah, are beginning the process of putting their Lake Stevens home up for sale, he said in an interview after the Wednesday commission meeting. While his time as mayor will end April 13, he can remain on the Charter Review Commission as long as he still has a Lake Stevens address, he said.

They intended to move near Boise, Idaho, to be closer to friends and family, Gailey said.

“She’s from Idaho. I grew up in Idaho, eastern Oregon, and we’ve decided to go back to family and friends,” he said. “There’s always other contributors, but that’s the main focus, is just getting around family and friends.”

It wasn’t an easy decision to make, Gailey said. He and Micah had been discussing it for almost a year.

“I really love the city of Lake Stevens, and the people of Lake Stevens are just great community builders,” he said. “That was a very hard part of that equation, is leaving what I’ve built — I think I’ve built — and leaving that behind.”

It was a blessing to be mayor and a blessing to work with such a great city staff, Gailey said.

Finally, he thanked the Lake Stevens community for its support, he said.

Taylor Scott Richmond: 425-339-3046; taylor.richmond@heraldnet.com; X: @BTayOkay