Is Once A Week Too Often For Everett City Council Meetings?

In January, the Everett City Council and Mayor each appointed citizens to the Everett Charter Review Committee. Since mid-February these volunteers have been meeting weekly to determine if there should be changes to the Everett City Charter.

The committee considered several items including breaking up the city into council districts where some members of the city council would be elected by geographical area and others at-large. (Currently all council members are at-large). The committee voted against the idea of council districts but did vote to recommend some revisions to the charter.

They include the option to eliminate the requirement of city council meetings once a week. They also voted to get rid of outdated language and make a new section saying appointments to City boards, commissions and committees should strive to reflect the makeup of the community in demographic terms such as ethnic diversity, gender, age and geography.

You can see the full set of recommendations here.

If you’d like to comment on the recommendations before they become final there is a public hearing set for Thursday afternoon from 4:30-6 p.m. Thursday, May 12, in the Human Resources Training Room on the 5th floor of the Wall Street Building, 2930 Wetmore Avenue in downtown Everett.

If you can’t make that meeting you can also comment online here.

All of the people on the committee are volunteers and their suggestions are not binding. It is up to the Everett City Council to put any recommendations on the ballot for a vote of the people.