Vote on council districts in Everett unlikely this year
EVERETT — A public vote on creating council districts in Everett is not likely to happen this year.
The City Council decided Monday not to move forward with language from a petition by the grass roots group Everett Districts Now.
The vote was 5-2, with council members Brenda Stonecipher and Judy Tuohy in the minority. Several council members said they supported districts in theory, including Cassie Franklin, but not under the plan put forth by the petition. They said they needed more time to think. Several said that some form of districts likely is inevitable in the next decade or two.
“We’re not at a ‘there’ point yet,” council member Paul Roberts said.
“There is no better referendum than putting this before the voters,” Stonecipher said.
Mayor Ray Stephanson did not attend the meeting.
The vote followed about 90 minutes of public comment, primarily from supporters of districting. They carried red and green squares of paper to flash their approval or disagreement with fellow speakers. A handful of opponents also spoke, most with critiques of the current proposal and how it would go about districting.
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