City of Everett Charter Review Committee 4/9/2026

The City of Everett Charter Review Committee convened on April 9, 2026, to discuss several proposed amendments to the city charter, focusing primarily on governance structure and civil service processes. A key procurement-related discussion involved a motion to amend Section 1.6 to establish a mandatory, professionally qualified city administrator appointed by the mayor and confirmed by the city council, aiming to introduce a check on mayoral power without changing the strong mayor form of government. The committee debated the role, appointment, and removal process of this position, ultimately rejecting the provision that removal require council approval. Additionally, the committee approved language aligning the civil service hiring and classification process with state law, aiming to improve efficiency in city hiring practices. Other topics included residency requirements for officeholders and a proposal to transition city council members to full-time status, which was ultimately rejected. The meeting concluded with plans to incorporate these discussions into a final report for future council consideration.