Everett City Council Meeting - April 9, 2025: Drone Program Approved, Stadium Funding Tabled
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Everett City Council Meeting - April 9, 2025
The Everett City Council held its regular meeting on Wednesday, April 9, 2025, at 6:30 PM in the City Council Chambers. Key actions included approval of a Flock Safety drone-as-a-first-responder program and tabled a budget amendment containing $600,000 for initial legal and consulting fees for the outdoor multi-purpose stadium project. Councilmember Fossey was excused.
Consent Calendar
- Approved minutes of April 2, 2025.
- Adopted Resolution authorizing claims against the city for $4,681,750.88 (period ending March 28, 2025).
- Adopted Resolution authorizing payroll claims for $5,561,992.84 (period ending March 22, 2025).
- Adopted Resolution declaring a 1998 Ford F-800 Versalift bucket truck surplus and authorizing auction.
- Authorized the Mayor to sign a Delegate Physician Agreement at $5,800 per month for the emergency medical response program.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Timothy Chipman (Everett, District 2): Expressed frustration with ongoing construction at the Compass facility on Broadway, citing early-morning jackhammer noise and diesel exhaust from dump trucks. He stated he had exhausted other efforts and was seeking outside help.
- Annie Lyman (Everett resident): Thanked the city for a smooth ADU permit process, but expressed concern that the City Attorney appeared to side with the Master Builders in court regarding a citizen initiative on clean water/air. She wanted clarity on the city’s position.
- Paula Townshalt (representing Snohomish County Indivisible): Announced a rally on April 19, 2025, along Broadway (700 North Broadway to 41st Street), expected to be larger than the prior rally of over 3,500 attendees. She requested a permit and emphasized peaceful, family-friendly protest against federal cuts.
Discussion Items
- Council Comments: Members shared updates on a Quick Quack Car Wash ribbon-cutting, a WSU Everett hackathon focused on privacy, PSRC regional planning, a Riverside neighborhood meeting on the Flock drone program, Arbor Day tree planting, and upcoming arts awards.
- City Attorney Response: Clarified that the city’s attendance at the court hearing on the citizen initiative was solely to seek procedural clarity on standing, not to oppose the initiative’s merits.
Proposed Action Items
- Item 5 (WASPC Grant): Approved unanimously to accept a $253,900 U.S. Department of Justice Project Safe Neighborhoods grant. Councilmember Vogley asked about audit clauses; staff confirmed 30-day hard delete of license plate data and that audits would only cover financial compliance.
- Item 6 (Sewage disposal contracts): Second reading; final reading scheduled for April 16, 2025.
- Item 7 (Edgewater Park Renovation): First reading to amend Ordinance 3916-22 to accumulate design costs; final reading April 22, 2025.
Action Items
- Items 8 & 9 (Flock Safety Drone Program): Council debated and approved both items on a 5-1 vote (Councilmember Vogley dissented). The resolution waives competitive bidding and authorizes a sole-source purchase for a drone-as-a-first-responder system: first year at $0 for the first drone, $50,000 for a second drone (for full city coverage), and approximately $307,000 per year per drone with radar thereafter. The product addendum was also approved. Staff presented metrics—average 90-second drone response vs. 4-4.5 minute officer response, 20% reduction in patrol callouts, and detailed privacy protections (no facial recognition, no random patrol, no surveillance of First Amendment activities). Civil rights safeguards and a public dashboard were highlighted. The contract includes an opt-out after year one. Councilmember Vogley expressed concerns about civil liberties and policy changes.
- Item 10 (2025 Revised Budget Amendment – including $600,000 for stadium legal/consulting fees): A detailed breakdown was provided: $25,000 PFM financial advisory, $45,000 Miller Nash LLP, $75,000 Kim Horn Group (relocation analysis), $120,000 appraisals (14–22 properties), $180,000 Stafford Group (third-party validation), and $180,000 for actual legal fees. Councilmember Vogley moved to table the entire budget amendment for one week to increase public visibility on the stadium funding piece. The motion to table passed 3-2 (Zarlingo, Tui, Schwab in favor; Ryan, Vogley opposed; Bader abstained). The item will be revisited on April 16, 2025.
Key Outcomes
- Consent items 1–4 approved unanimously.
- Items 5, 6, 7 approved as noted.
- Items 8 & 9 approved (5-1).
- Item 10 tabled to April 16, 2025, with instruction to update the agenda title and provide additional briefing on the progressive design-build process and stadium funding.
Meeting Transcript
Good evening, residents of Everett. Good evening, residents of Everett Washington. I'd like to call to order the Everett City Council meeting of April 9th, 2025. For information on council meetings and how to participate, please visit our website at Everwad.gov slash city council. For the record, Councilmember Fossey is excused, and she's attending our legislative session. So I just want to give a shout out to her and her commitment. Clerk, will you please take a Mayor Franklin? She's excused. Vice President Sarlingo. Here. Councilmember Fossey. Excuse. Councilmember Bader. Councilmember Ryan. Councilmember Vogley. Here. Councilmember Tui. Here. President Schwab. Here. Okay, moving on. I'd like to ask Councilmember Toy to lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance. That's right. Thank you. And at this time, I'd like to ask President Vice President Zarlingo to read the land acknowledgement. Gladly. This council wishes to acknowledge the original inhabitants of this place, the Stopes people and their successors, the Talelep tribes. Since time immemorial, they have taunted fish to gathered on and taken care of these lands and waters. We respect their sovereignty, their right to self-determination, and honor their sacred spiritual connection with the land and water. We will strive to be honest about our past mistakes and bring about a future that includes their people, stories, and voices to form a more perfect to form a just, more just and equitable society. Thank you. So on to old business. Do I hear motion to approve the minutes for April 2nd, 2025? Councilmember Councilmember Bader said moves. Seconded. Motion seconds been made. Clerk, please take the roll. Vice President Serlingo. Yes. Councilmember Bader? Yes. Councilmember Ryan? Yes. Councilmember Vogley. Yes. Councilmember Tui? Yes. President Schwab. Yes. Okay, moving on to public comments, which includes written comment acknowledgement under our rules.
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