Monday marks the last Salem City Council meeting of 2024 — and the last meeting for the outgoing mayor and three city councilors.
The terms for Mayor Chris Hoy and City Councilors Trevor Phillips, Virginia Stapleton and Jose Gonzalez end on Dec. 31.
The council reconvenes on Jan. 13, during which City Councilor Julie Hoy will be sworn in as mayor and City Councilors-elect Shane Matthews, Paul Tigan and Irvin Brown will take office. City Councilor Vanessa Nordyke, who won reelection in an uncontested race, will return for her second full term.
Julie Hoy’s seat representing Ward 6 in east Salem will remain empty until a special election on May 20, 2025.
Salem City Council agenda items
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A vote on authorizing eminent domain proceedings to acquire right-of-way and easements from 1690 Winona Court NE for construction related to the 2022 infrastructure bond. The bond’s bridge rehabilitation project is reinforcing four bridges throughout the city to remove load restrictions. Eminent domain proceedings may be necessary to move forward with construction on the 17th Street NE bridge over Mill Creek. According to staff reports, the city has unrecorded property rights on the portion of the property necessary to construct improvements and has been attempting to negotiate with the property owners. The owners have now obtained legal counsel, but staff is hopeful a final agreement can still be reached.
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A vote on changing the utility fund financial policy to maintain a sufficient cash balance.
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A vote on the reappointment of Sara Williams, Lynda Olson and Russell Barnett III as municipal judges pro tempore for two-year terms.
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A vote on appointments to the Downtown Advisory Board, Salem Public Library Advisory Board, Salem Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, Salem Planning Commission and Citizens Advisory Traffic Commission.
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A public hearing on renewing the Tourism Promotion Area in Salem for another five years. In 2019, the City Council approved an Economic Improvement District for a Tourism Promotion Area in Salem. The TPA is a 2% fee on overnight stays in Salem, of which up to 95% is allocated to the city’s destination marketing organization, which is currently Travel Salem. Oregon law requires the district to be reviewed and renewed every five years.
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An information report on the 2024 Salem Climate Action Plan annual report.
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An information report on the annual evaluation of the city’s Floodplain Management Plan.
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An information report on the planning administrator decision regarding an application for improvements at the Willamette University baseball field. The case has been appealed by neighbors seeking to lessen the risk to Bush’s Pasture Park’s camas flower and moderate the impact on the park and nearby residents. If the council does not initiate review, the appeal will be heard by a hearings officer.
How to participate in the Salem City Council meeting
The meeting is at 6 p.m. It will be held in person in the City Council Chambers at the Salem Civic Center, 555 Liberty St. SE, and can be watched on Comcast Cable CCTV Channel 21 or on the Salem YouTube channel in English/American Sign Language and Spanish.
Those wishing to comment in person can sign up on the rosters at the chamber entrance before the start of the meeting.
Written public comments on agenda items can be emailed by 5 p.m. Monday to cityrecorder@cityofsalem.net. Or preregister between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. Monday at cityofsalem.net/Pages/Public-Comment-at-Salem-City-Council-Meeting.aspx to speak during the meeting via Zoom.
For questions, comments and news tips, email reporter Whitney Woodworth at wmwoodworth@statesmanjournal.com, call 503-910-6616 or follow on X at @wmwoodworth
This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Salem City Council’s next meeting is Mayor Chris Hoy’s last