Erica Corbelli

At the Everett City Council Budget Hearing for Small Departments on May 20, 2026, Erica Corbelli, Director of Veteran Services, introduced herself and asked permission to read from prepared remarks. She said she had brought “a little bit of homework” and wanted to be “very thorough” in describing her department’s budget. Corbelli also told the council that she had been advised to answer three questions and proceeded in that format.

Early in her remarks, Corbelli disclosed that she had submitted her resignation and said, “June 10 is my last day.” She stated that there were no vacant positions in the department, “no anticipated balances and no unexpected expenses.” She explained that categories showing increases should be expected to rise annually and said those higher-cost categories were the most important for the department to function. She identified flags, plaques, and signs as key items tied to memorial recognition and veterans outreach.

In discussing personnel services, Corbelli referenced the appropriation for the director position and clarified that her salary was “80,” though the record reflects some back-and-forth as she and council members adjusted the figure. When asked about the effect of a salary change, she said it would not affect her much because of her limited remaining time in the role.

Corbelli also addressed event spending, using Veterans Day 2025 food costs as an example of significant expense. She said it would have been helpful to keep funding for Veterans Day and Memorial Day separate for clearer reporting and said the department could better track how much is spent on each event if the categories were separated in the future.

On service delivery, she said she could not provide a total number of veterans during the meeting because she had the figure on paper in her office. She explained that when residents come in, staff gather basic contact information and the assistance requested, then either help immediately or schedule follow-up if further research is needed.

Corbelli confirmed she had participated in a meeting about square dedications and supported replacing individual square dedications with a memorial wall at Joseph Warren Park, with smaller signs that might include rank as well as name.

The meeting record includes one vote: a roll call vote on whether to accept the budget, with Corbelli voting yes.