2022/10/26 Council Agenda Packet

Concerns of Paula Townsell, Everett District-3 Resident - Redistricting Process Oct. 26, 2022, Pg 7 Rest assured I'm not here to relitigate the East-West Broadway divide. Last week when I called your attention to inadequate engagement and lack of consideration of public input, that was my effort to reflect the cornerstone of the mission of Everett District's Now. Equitable engagement throughout our city and throughout the districting process. I was relieved to find in my research that EDN did excellent work with the City to ensure the mission prevails. I remain however, deeply concerned about the erosion of public trust because the City has distorted and misrepresented the facts on process and engagement throughout redistricting. I provided evidence that the City of Everett failed to act in good faith and didn't provide adherence to the mandated redistricting process. This Council was manipulated into an approval they would likely not have ratified had they been provided with factual information. While I don't expect Councilmembers to all command an in-depth knowledge of our City Charter, I know that someone other than me should have that duty in their job description. The City of Everett failed to provide a reasonable process and ensure average residents had access to educate themselves, engage actively and participate in a meaningful way in the redistricting process, as evidenced in my submittal. The process that EDN developed with the City in the Charter suggests City Council has the mandate to adopt the Redistricting Commission's plan only after the mandated process is followed. Contrary to the assertions of the City in these past two meetings, I have provided evidence that City Council was falsely advised - the process was absolutely NOT followed. It is in fact, potentially a fatal flaw that the District 1 public meeting was not held within its boundaries as mandated in the City Charter in 2.1(c), which states and I quote: At least one public forum shall be held in each then -existing District, and at least one public hearin2 shall be conducted on a citywide basis. To ensure there is no confusion in this room or online, I will tell you what others failed to tell you - the Redistricting Commission did neither. The Redistricting Commission failed to both hold a public forum in District 1 and failed to hold any public hearing as mandated by the City Charter, under 2.1(c). I am again urging this City Council to recognize the Commission mismanaged its process. It withheld adequate public engagement and failed to honor and reflect the will of the residents; and the City of Everett failed to provide proper oversight of the redistricting process (from required public engagement to accurate and accessible communications). In closing, last week I asked Council to find the redistricting plan fatally flawed. It is my understanding that if City Council cannot remedy this matter, the next step for concerned residents - like me - is a review in Superior Court. I find that an unacceptable burden in addition to all we've had to endure in this frustratingly obfuscated and negligent process. I still have trust in this Council and our democracy. I sincerely hope my trust is not misguided. In light of the additional new information that I have laid out for Council's consideration, I believe it is clearly advisable and warranted to revisit the approval granted last week. Obstructing public engagement, ignoring overwhelming public input, and perpetuating false information on the website are all problematic, but failing to follow the City Charter on redistricting is unequivocally a fatal flaw. I ask this City Council to reconsider and rescind its approval; and remand the plan back to the Redistricting Commission to engage in the mandated meaningful public process that is required under our Charter.