Margaret Micherda

Margaret Micherda, the city’s budget director in the Finance Department, spoke several times during the Everett City Council Budget Hearing for Admin and Finance on May 27, 2026. She repeatedly emphasized that what appeared to be increases in several accounts were not net new costs, but reallocations or realignments of existing spending.

On celebration and event funding, Micherda said, “So there is no increase to the celebration.” She explained that prior-year “other charges” had been used for celebrations, so funds were moved into the proper line, resulting in “0 increase.” She added that unused event funds for activities that had not occurred would be returned to free cash, and that future event funding would be budgeted through the new multicultural affairs office, with coordination from the Mayor.

She also addressed retirement-related spending. Micherda said the line item was level funded for the next year and was driven by “intents to retire” as well as union provisions such as attendance bonuses and health insurance buyouts. She reported, “I ran the numbers yesterday, and the spend is $1,449,000 at this point,” noting that the department had originally budgeted $1,800,000 for FY26 and had about $350,000 remaining. She cautioned that one more retirement intent remained uncertain and could change before the end of June.

Micherda then explained her broader budget proposal as an administrative realignment. She said her salary had moved from auditing to treasury, while the expenses she controls had been coded elsewhere, and that the proposal reinstated the budget department “for the transparency reason.” She described her responsibilities for operating and capital budgets, city-wide analytics, and oversight of roughly $63 million in personnel expenses. She said she was training auditing staff, creating procedures and reports, and trying to reduce dependence on her direct database work.

She also discussed the city’s transparency portal, ClearGov, saying the expense had been transferred from the auditor’s office and that the portal currently costs about $29,000, with a possible additional $10,000 for a capital budget module. Micherda said the portal is on the city website but “hidden,” and that she would work with the web provider to make it more accessible.

No votes were recorded for her items, and no motions were logged in the extracted record.

At the Everett City Council Budget Hearing for Small Departments on May 20, 2026, Michelle Micherda, speaking as the department representative, addressed a budget item related to domestic violence prevention and its placement in the city’s departmental structure.

Micherda explained that the item was already included in the budget and said she would restore it in that form. As she put it, “So I would reinstate this. This is budgeted here. I have a position. It’s budgeted here, and it’s, and as I explained.” Her remarks indicated that, in her view, the item was not being removed from the budget but instead needed to be placed correctly within it.

During the exchange, she clarified that the domestic violence prevention function was being moved to another department rather than eliminated. When the subject was identified directly, she responded, “Oh, domestic violence.” When asked to confirm the point, she replied, “That’s correct.” Her statements made clear that the change involved a departmental transfer, not a cut to the program or position.

Across the meeting, Micherda did not cast any votes. Her participation centered on explaining the budget treatment of the item and confirming the departmental move. She took the position that the item should remain funded and properly reinstated where budgeted, while also acknowledging that the domestic violence work was shifting to another department.