Mayor Robert Van Campen’s spring wave of board and commission appointments went through the City Council’s Legislative Affairs Committee in three sittings, on March 23, April 13 and April 27, with the committee recommending nearly everyone and Councilor Katy Rogers drawing one line: no six-year licensing seat for someone who does not show up.
March 23
Erika Corbeli, “actively acting as director of veteran services since October 2025,” was recommended for a three-year term as commissioner. “She’s been doing a tremendous job in picking right up where past officers have left off,” Councilor Anthony DiPierro said. Corbeli said she wants to go on ECTV to explain the office’s services. Also recommended: Paula Sagarino, Michelle Goudey and Nancy Ela to the library trustees; Mary Broderick, who said she has worked in Everett about 40 years and “thought it’d be nice to give back,” to the public works commission; Patricia Cheever back to the elections commission; and John “Al” Spaulding, the former building commissioner, to the zoning board of appeals. “The mayor asked me if I’d be willing to serve. I says, yep,” Spaulding said. Acting chair Stephanie Martins reminded the room the committee only recommends; the full council confirms. The same night the Business and Development Committee, chaired by Wayne Matewsky, approved a first mechanical repair license for Sayed Ali Labuz’s Third St Auto Repair at 363 Third Street, hours 8 to 5:30 weekdays and 8:30 to 2:30 Saturdays. “The neighborhood’s changed a lot. There’s a lot of apartments,” Matewsky told him. “Always clean,” Labuz promised.
April 13
Samuel Fern’s nomination to a six-year term on the licensing commission stalled when Rogers moved to postpone. “I would really like to have a face to the person,” she said. “I really want to know what their stance is on a couple of issues that I’ve had with the existing licensing board before I move forward with appointing anybody on a six-year appointment that has such huge authority in our city.” After clerk of committees John Burley advised against stranding the item, the committee reconsidered and sent it to the full council with no recommendation. Antonio Cornelio was recommended to the public works and cemetery commission, with Rogers asking how many members the cemetery commission has and who is responsible for the trees.
April 27
Jeremiah Sheehan, with prior public works experience, was recommended to the same commission. Michael Piazza was recommended to the Everett Housing Authority board, the seat the council stripped from Phil Colameta in March. “The process of this seat still doesn’t exactly sit well with me with the removal of the former member, but I do know Mr. Piazza,” DiPierro said. “I do know he’s capable of the job.” Library trustees Pulio and Beverly London and disability commissioner Laura Evans were recommended; Council President Stephanie Smith said “we need the disability commission to really get moving.” Lynn Farrah Costa, nominated to a six-year licensing term, said she is “a mother” who walks the city and wants “to be able to influence what is happening around the city.” Rogers asked two questions: would she support making nips redeemable under the bottle bill, and does she agree liquor stores should not advertise in public parks? Costa said she wants to hear from everyone on the first and “I do” on the second. Smith said it may be “the first time we might actually have a woman on the board.” The committee recommended her.
