Everett City Council Meeting Summary: August 24, 2026

The Everett City Council held a regular meeting on August 24, 2026, covering consent items, proposed ordinances, and a major briefing on the potential merger of Everett Transit with Community Transit. Public comments highlighted community concerns about transit service, policing equipment, and neighborhood safety.

Consent Calendar

• Adopted Resolution authorizing claims against the city in the amount of $9,246,603.80 for the period ending July 24, 2026.
• Authorized the Mayor to sign Amendment No. 2 to the Professional Services Agreement with HDR Engineering, Inc. for $164,974 for ongoing rate model support and on-call services.

Public Comments & Testimony

• William Parent (Silver Lake) expressed support for police e-bike use but questioned the selection process, asking about lightweight frames, quick-swap batteries, and tire durability for pursuit and community patrol.
• James Zimmerman (Everett) described ongoing harassment from a transitional housing facility for formerly incarcerated men, alleging permit violations and inadequate police response, and called for better regulation and accountability.
• Steve Oz (Everett, ATU union president) opposed the Everett Transit-Community Transit merger, stating drivers are “mentally shaken” about job security. He argued Everett Transit is financially stable and contributes $2 million annually to the city budget, and urged a public vote on any merger.
• Jan (Everett, former union president) briefly shared personal exhaustion and expressed concerns about the merger.
• Guadalupe Vázquez (Everett, Casino Road community) urged both agencies to increase bus frequency to 15 minutes and expand zip service to Casino Road, citing dangerous wait times at stops since the closure of Fred Meyer.
• Keith (Everett) criticized the merger process, noting that a 2025 state law (SB 5801) removed the public vote requirement for transit annexations and sales tax increases. He argued the city should put the merger to a vote, stating the law was written specifically to disenfranchise Everett voters.
• June (Everett, District 3) supported consolidation, saying it would double service within two years compared to the current trajectory.
• Brock Howell (Snohomish County Transportation Coalition, Snohomish Transit) expressed hesitant support, citing the 2021 Rethink Transit study: consolidation could increase bus stops with 15-minute peak frequency from 225 (current 0.6% sales tax) to 593 (at 1.2% tax). He recommended a strong interlocal agreement (ILA) framework focusing on network design, maximizing ridership, and board representation for transit riders.

Discussion Items

• Councilmember Bader noted National Night Out events, thanked police/fire, and praised the new Garfield Park play area. He raised concerns about the necessity of the merger and asked for a future briefing on Everett Transit's standalone financial outlook and service options (0.6% vs 0.9% sales tax). He also questioned whether peer cities without their own transit agency regret losing local control.
• Councilmember Ryan thanked speakers, reported attending Stations Unidos (formerly Everett Station District Alliance) art unveiling and multiple National Night Out events. She asked for a detailed financial analysis of the merger's impact and requested a spectrum of options (including phased sales tax increases and rebates for low-income residents).
• Councilmember Zarlingo expressed support for a proportional seat for Everett on the Community Transit board (roughly two seats out of 12), noting the need for legal clarity.
• Councilmember Tui raised concerns about employee transition, seniority layering, and wage alignment. Rick Ilgenfritz (CT CEO) responded: the transition would take roughly one year+, honoring the existing collective bargaining agreement (CBA). Everett's over-65 paratransit riders would be grandfathered, but new riders would follow federal ADA rules. The board composition is governed by state law (RCW) and would be reallocated among all county jurisdictions.
• Councilmember Burbano asked for a side-by-side comparison of the current Everett Transit union contract and the future CT contract to ensure no degradation.
• Jennifer (administration) reported that the emergency medical services (EMS) levy renewal on the primary ballot passed with the highest support in 25 years. She outlined the merger timeline: public listening session on August 18 at Walter E. Hall Golf Course (5:30-7:00 pm), release of draft ILA for public review, and final action (public hearing and council vote) targeted for late October.

Key Outcomes

• Approved the consent calendar (claims and HDR Engineering amendment) unanimously.
• Three proposed ordinances (CB 2607-39, 40, 41) passed second reading without discussion; third and final reading will be on August 12, 2026.
• No formal action was taken on the Everett Transit-Community Transit merger; the briefing served as information gathering. Council members requested additional financial modeling, union contract comparisons, and a board representation analysis before the October decision.
• The next public input opportunity is the August 18 listening session; the council expects to vote on the ILA and ordinance in late October.