Fosse will not seek reelection; 2 candidates set to run for her seat

EVERETT — In a district where one City Council member announced she will not seek reelection, two candidates say they are ready to take her place.

Mary Fosse, the current council member in District 1, will not run to retain her seat, she told The Daily Herald on Monday.

“It has been a great honor of mine to serve my community on the council,” Fosse wrote in an email. “I truly love my neighbors and all of the work that we have done together.”

The two candidates looking to earn a place on the council, Mason Rutledge and Sam Hem, kicked off their campaigns this week. It’s the second council district in Everett so far to have a contested race this year.

Rutledge, a consultant and former nonprofit leader, announced his campaign on Thursday.

He previously served on an Equity and Access Task Force for Everett Public Schools and on the board of the Snohomish County Public Facility District, according to his website. Rutledge was also the president of C3 Leaders and the CEO of the New Canaan Society, two religious nonprofits with focuses on business and professional development.

“I’m running for City Council because I believe in Everett’s potential to be a city where everyone can thrive,” Rutledge wrote in a release Thursday. “From developing accessible housing while tackling budget challenges, supporting our first responders, or fostering vibrant, connected neighborhoods—I’m committed to working collaboratively to find solutions that serve everyone in Everett.”

Rutledge’s top priorities include public safety, housing and sustainable growth, the news release read. If elected, he hopes to invest in recruitment and retention of first responders, expand downtown apartment options and offer more accessible homeownership opportunities, his website reads.

As of Tuesday, Rutledge has raised nearly $2,500 in campaign contributions, public disclosure filings show. He has been endorsed by current City Council member Scott Bader, as well as former council members Shannon Affholter and Jeff Moore, he said.

Hem has worked for more than two decades as a labor leader at Sheet Member Workers Local 66. He announced his campaign at a kickoff event Monday.

Hem’s campaign prioritizes strengthening public safety through prevention and community-based strategies, his website reads. He also hopes to promote affordable housing, child care for working families and infrastructure investments.

“I am running to represent the citizens of Everett in my district because it’s time to have a worker’s voice at the table where decisions are being made,” Hem wrote in an email. “Stable housing, safe neighborhoods, and access to family wage jobs are important to the community members I have spoken with.”

As of Tuesday, Hem had not reported any campaign contributions. He has been endorsed by state representative Brandy Donaghy, Snohomish County Council member Megan Dunn and Everett City Council member Paula Rhyne, according to his website.

In an email Monday, Fosse put her support behind Hem for the upcoming race.

“I know that Sam will take his experience representing workers — and represent my community — with diligence and the respect that our community deserves,” she wrote. “Sam is the right person to stand for this office in District 1, and I know that he will do us all proud.”

District 1 is made up of much of north Everett, including the Bayside, Riverside, Delta and Northwest Everett neighborhoods, as well as a portion of the Port Gardner neighborhood. Fosse, who was first elected to the seat in 2021, also serves as a state representative in the 38th Legislative District.

During her time on the council, Fosse was known for her support of worker’s rights. She previously moved to draft an ordinance that would increase Everett’s minimum wage and spoke in support of local nurses facing understaffing. In 2022, the Snohomish and Island County Labor Council presented her with the first annual Mike Sells Labor Champion Award.

Another person, Brian Hennessy, previously filed with the state Public Disclosure Commission as a candidate for the District 1 seat. Hennessy no longer intends to run, he said via email Monday.

Candidate filings begin on May 5. The final day to file for office is May 9.

Will Geschke: 425-339-3443; william.geschke@heraldnet.com; X: @willgeschke.