City staff on Wednesday briefed the Everett City Council on proposed procedural rules to implement citizen‑initiated Measure 24‑01, a voter‑approved initiative that enacts a new minimum wage schedule in the city beginning July 1, 2025.

Dan Arnessy, identified in the briefing as the economic development director, said the rules staff will present to council next week are limited and procedural: they are intended to implement the voter‑approved ordinance, not change it, clarify the term “gross revenues” to mean revenues from business activity within city limits, require the city finance department to publish the applicable hourly minimum wage rates each year by Oct. 15, and require employers to certify compliance when submitting their annual Everett business‑license renewal. “The proposed rules are three short parts and easily summarized,” Arnessy said.

Staff told council they will reach out to covered employers and worker organizations for feedback on the rules before the June 4 meeting and will create an explanatory webpage, an FAQ, and a downloadable workplace poster to help with compliance. Arnessy added that the city will encourage employers to obtain legal counsel for interpretation and that failure to certify compliance on the business‑license application could result in denial or revocation of the license as provided in the city's procedural rules.

Council member questions focused on outreach methods and staff said the city business licensing data from the state is limited (often missing email addresses), so staff will rely on social media, the chamber of commerce and other partner organizations to reach employers once the rules are finalized. Council will be asked to adopt a resolution enacting the procedural rules at its June 4 meeting.