To: Board of Directors

From: Ric Ilgenfritz, CEO

Date: December 2, 2021

Subject: City of Everett/Community Transit Agreement – Joint Study Framework for

Consideration of Consolidated Transit Services

BACKGROUND
In 2019, Everett’s City Council initiated the evaluation of transit services provided by Everett Transit.
Over the course of 2019-2021, the City of Everett engaged in a series of ReThink Transit workshops to
study and consider three options for future provision of transit service in the City: Status Quo (no
change), Growth, and Growth Through Consolidation.

At their June 9, 2021 meeting, the Everett City Council directed Everett City staff to develop and bring
back for Council’s consideration a proposal outlining a City of Everett and Community Transit joint study
framework to further develop the Growth Through Consolidation option. City officials then reached out to
Community Transit for mutual discussion on how to design this collaborative study process. The objective
of the joint study framework is to evaluate and define a mutually agreeable integration plan for Everett to
join the PTBA at a sufficient level of detail to inform decision making by the Everett City Council.

STATUS
Leadership from Community Transit and the City of Everett have worked collaboratively to develop a
mutually agreed upon framework by which to conduct this comprehensive study. The plan principles
are outlined in the attached proposed Agreement and Joint Study Framework for Consideration of
Consolidated Transit Services.

The Everett City Council is scheduled to review and take action on the Agreement and Joint Study
Framework at their December 1, 2021 regular meeting. The Community Transit Executive Committee
reviewed this item at their November 18, 2021 regular meeting and recommended placement on the
action agenda for Board approval at the December 2, 2021 Board of Directors’ meeting.

BUDGET IMPACT
The cost for independent facilitation of this initiative will be equally shared by both parties and is
estimated to be $ 96,800. Each party will separately bear the costs and expenses for their respective
staff’s salaries and any consulting fees (other than facilitation) arising from the Agreement. Funds for
Community Transit’s expenses in this work are included in the 2022 proposed budget.

RECOMMENDATION
That the Board of Directors adopt the agreement between Community Transit and the City of Everett
regarding consideration of consolidated transit services as outlined in Joint Study Framework for
Consideration of Consolidated Transit Services.
 AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE SNOHOMISH COUNTY PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION BENEFIT
AREA CORPORATION (SCPTBAC, HEREAFTER REFERRED TO AS COMMUNITY TRANSIT)
AND THE CITY OF EVERETT REGARDING CONSIDERATION OF CONSOLIDATED TRANSIT
SERVICES.
This Agreement is entered into by and between Community Transit and the City of Everett (“Parties”)
for the purpose of consideration of consolidated transit services.

WHEREAS, The City of Everett has its own municipal transit system, established on
November 26, 1969, operating as Everett Transit, and currently providing fixed route and paratransit
services primarily within Everett city limits and the Mukilteo waterfront; and

WHEREAS, Community Transit, established on October 4, 1976, and initially including 7

cities, with boundaries expanded over time to include all cities in Snohomish County except the City of
Everett, in Community Transit’s Public Transportation Benefit District, and providing bus, vanpool, and
paratransit service throughout most of Snohomish County; and

WHEREAS, An evaluation by the City of Everett of its future mobility needs and available
funding has determined that the city’s growing transit requirements cannot be fulfilled within Everett
Transit’s current financial forecast; and

WHEREAS, Recognizing the above, the Everett City Council has for several years
considered what might be the best, long-term, sustainable, future for transit services in Everett, and on
June 9, 2021, at the conclusion of the ReThink Transit study, directed Everett staff to work with
Community Transit to further develop the Consolidated System option for Council’s consideration; and

WHEREAS, The Parties are committed to planning a county-wide transit network that
integrates effectively with Sound Transit’s regional light rail system and provides the best possible
mobility for riders; and

WHEREAS, The Parties recognize that this undertaking will require cooperation,
collaboration and a joint commitment and wish to memorialize the details in an official framework to
establish mutually agreed upon responsibilities, scope of work and timeline.

The Parties agree as follows:

1. Scope of Work Incorporated

The Parties will work cooperatively within the framework and according to the
principles set forth in the attached Scope of Work and Joint Study Framework,
which is hereby incorporated into this Agreement.

2. Responsibility for Costs

Each Party to this Agreement shall bear the costs and expenses for their
respective staffs’ salaries and expenses, their respective consulting fees other than
those of the Facilitator and any other expenses they incur arising from this
Agreement

3. Termination
Either Party may terminate this Agreement upon giving 30 days prior written notice
to the other party. Such notice must be delivered to the Mayor of the City of
Everett or to the CEO of Community Transit, respectfully, or their designees.

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 Executed this ___ day of December, 2021.

CITY OF EVERETT COMMUNITY TRANSIT

________________________________________ _________________________________________
Cassie Franklin, Mayor of Everett Council Member Kim Daughtry, Chair

Date: ______________________________ Date: ___________________________

ATTEST ATTEST

________________________________________ _________________________________________
(Name) Council Member Jan Schuette, Secretary

Date: _____________________________ Date: ___________________________

APPROVED AS TO FORM APPROVED AS TO FORM

_________________________________________ _________________________________________
(Name) Attorney Allen J. Hendricks, Attorney

Date: ______________________________ Date: _______________________________

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 SCOPE OF WORK AND JOINT STUDY FRAMEWORK FOR CONSIDERATION OF
CONSOLIDATED TRANSIT SERVICES

Purpose
The City of Everett and Community Transit have established a shared priority of providing the
best possible transit future for all of Snohomish County, including Everett and the Public
Transportation Benefit Area (PTBA). Both agencies recognize that Everett residents are
Community Transit customers, and PTBA residents are Everett Transit customers.
The agencies agree that the highest value and level of long-term sustainable, equitable transit
service in the City may best be achieved by the City of Everett joining the Community Transit
PTBA, thereby merging Everett Transit with Community Transit as envisioned by the Growth
Through Consolidation option. Consolidated transit service would provide a significantly higher
level of mobility throughout Everett’s neighborhoods as well as seamless, equitable connectivity
and access to surrounding communities. This integrated transit system would provide the level
of service and sustainability Everett requires for mobility and opportunity today and connection
to light rail in the future.
This proposal, developed jointly by Everett Transit and Community Transit executive leadership,
provides a recommended framework for developing a consolidation implementation plan to
move forward to the respective governing bodies for further consideration.

Background
In 2019, Everett’s City Council initiated the evaluation of transit services provided by Everett
Transit. Over the course of 2019-2021, the City of Everett engaged in a series of ReThink
Transit workshops to study and consider three options for future provision of transit service in
the City: Status Quo (no change), Growth, and Growth Through Consolidation. Community
Transit provided technical support to this work, including conceptual development of the Growth
Through Consolidation option.
At their June 9, 2021 meeting, the Everett City Council reviewed reporting on community input
regarding ReThink Transit. Results indicated strong public support for improved transit service.
After discussion, the Council directed Everett City staff to develop and bring back for Council’s
consideration a proposal outlining a City of Everett and Community Transit joint study
framework to further develop the “Growth Through Consolidation” option. City officials then
reached out to Community Transit for mutual discussion on how to design this collaborative
study process.
The objective of the joint study framework is to define a mutually agreeable integration plan for
Everett to join the PTBA at a sufficient level of detail to inform decision making by the Everett
City Council. The joint study would inform a potential ballot measure for Everett voters to
consider approval to move forward with the Growth Through Consolidation option.

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Agreement Principles
Community Transit and City of Everett leadership agree the integration plan will:

• Define the mechanism for implementation and identify the path to a ballot measure for
voter consideration.
• Clearly describe the type, extent, and delivery model of transit services that would be
offered under Growth Through Consolidation option.
• Define the transfer of facilities, vehicles, and equipment.
• Consider governance implications and options for Board representation and reach
agreement on preferred approach.
• Evaluate options and timing of transition, including potential phasing, and its financial,
service, customer, and community impacts.
• Describe the transition and integration of workforce and all supporting functions.
• Develop a joint communication, marketing, and brand strategy.
• Determine the need for and clearly define any policy changes required by the mutually
agreed consolidation plan.

Shared Ownership and Commitment: Shared ownership is an essential organizing

principle of this joint study framework. Whereas previous ReThink Transit work has been
initiated and led by the City of Everett with support from Community Transit, this phase
requires that both agencies move forward collaboratively together, with mutual ownership of
the process and equal consideration of the interests of our respective district residents and
transit customers. The work will be closely coordinated to ensure shared ownership of every
aspect of the evaluation, decision making, financial support, policy development,
communication, timing, etc., to represent and reflect the interests of both Everett and
Community Transit.

Project Structure
The work is to be organized around a three-part structure comprised of technical, executive, and
policy levels. Each level will include equal representation from both agencies. An Independent
Facilitator will facilitate discussion and administer roles and responsibilities at all three levels
while ensuring clear flow of information between the groups.
The Independent Facilitator will be equally funded by Everett and Community Transit and will be
selected by the Executive Advisory Group.

Technical Working Executive Advisory Joint Policy Committee

Group (TWG) Group (EAG)

Independent Facilitator

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• Joint Policy Committee:
Role: The Joint Policy Committee represents the respective interests of residents of Everett
and the Community Transit PTBA in considering and approving a final integration plan for
Everett to join the PTBA. The Joint Policy Committee is comprised of members of the
Everett City Council and Community Transit Board of Directors and is empowered to make
recommendations on behalf of these governing bodies.
Membership: Six elected officials comprised of Everett’s Mayor, two Everett City Council
Members, and three Community Transit Board Members.
Format: Joint Policy Committee meetings will be led by the Independent Facilitator with the
objective of reaching consensus on a final integration plan that fairly represents the mutual
interests of Everett Transit and Community Transit and results in the best possible transit for
all of Snohomish County. Suggested frequency of meetings is bi-monthly.

• Executive Advisory Group (EAG):

Role: The Executive Advisory Group directly supports the Joint Policy Committee and
provides guidance to and reviews the work of the Technical Working Group. The Executive
Advisory Group will work to resolve issues elevated by the Technical Working Group and will
determine timing for presentation of recommendations to the Joint Policy Committee.
Membership: Senior executive staff from Everett and Community Transit including
Community Transit’s CEO and Director of Planning & Development, Everett’s Deputy Mayor,
Everett Transit’s Director of Transit, and one or more members of Everett’s executive
leadership.
Format: Co-chaired by Community Transit’s CEO and Everett’s Deputy Mayor, and
facilitated by the Independent Facilitator. Recommendations will be decided jointly and
communicated to both the Technical Working Group and Joint Policy Committee. Suggested
frequency of meetings is monthly.

• Technical Working Group (TWG):

Role: The Technical Working Group is comprised of staff tasked with creating the integration
plan proposal for Everett to join the PTBA. They will perform scoping work to determine the
range of subjects to be addressed in the plan; organize the work program and secure
resources to accomplish tasks; collect data, perform analysis, evaluate alternatives and
develop recommendations for accomplishing agency consolidation; and provide relevant
materials and analysis to the Executive Advisory Group and/or Joint Policy Committee at
intervals to inform decision making.
Membership: The Technical Working Group will include subject matter experts from the City
of Everett and Community Transit, incorporating consultant resources as needed.
Membership will be by recommendation of Co-Chairs and approved by the Executive
Advisory Group. (or some such process.)
Format: Technical Working Group meetings will be co-chaired by Everett’s Director of
Transit and Community Transit’s Director of Planning and Development or their designees
and facilitated by the Independent Facilitator. Recommendations will be determined by
consensus and meeting notes will be kept to reflect areas of focus, work products and

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 records of decision. Where consensus is not achieved, issues will be elevated to the
Executive Advisory Group for resolution. Suggested frequency of meetings is bi-weekly.

In addition to the membership as outlined in the three groups above, key constituencies and
stakeholders in the process will be added once the Independent Facilitator is engaged and
preliminary discussions begin. At the earliest phase and throughout the process, a
representative of organized labor will be involved to ensure a strong labor voice in the
evaluation and recommendations.

Conceptual Work Plan:

Once agreed, the parties will endeavor to expeditiously finalize design and process for
administration of the Joint Study Framework and begin development of the draft integration
plan. A conceptual work plan begins Joint Policy Committee meetings in early 2022 and
concludes with a report out to both governing bodies by mid-2023.

Q4 2021 Q2 2023
Q1 2022 - Q1 2023
Agencies agree in Report Out to Everett
Joint Policy
principle on framework City Council and
Committee Meetings
(resolution) Community Transit
EAG & TWG Meetings Board
EAG Meetings
Procure Consultant

Key issues and questions to be considered in this work and addressed in the integration plan
include but are not limited to:

• Governance/decision making
• Transition – all-in or phased
• Operating concepts (fixed-route, paratransit, vanpool, microtransit, etc.)
• Route network and level of service
• Paratransit integration and level of service
• Fare structure
• Fleet consolidation & electric buses
• Facilities, including Everett Station
• Brand and communications
• Understanding labor union protections