Salem city councilors will vote on pay increases for city department leaders at their Monday meeting.
The council will consider adopting a salary schedule for city executives, replacing the current system which sets only a minimum and maximum pay amount, with salaries set by the city manager. Executives include the city attorney, public works director, police chief, fire chief, enterprise services director, chief financial officer and urban development director.
“Currently, there is no process or system to apply regular pay adjustments or annual cost-of-living adjustments to Executive Management other than at the City Manager’s discretion. Review of past changes found inconsistencies in pay adjustments from date of appointment and forward, with irregular timing or disparate amounts provided in some cases,” an agenda item reads.
The new plan would give city executives a 5% pay increase and an annual 3% cost-of-living raise, equivalent to what city employees represented by a union receive, the agenda says. If adopted, the plan would cost the city about $57,000 this year, to be taken from department budgets.
The council will hold a public hearing related to road improvements along Southeast Reed Road. The city current has three easements in the area set to be improved, and those easements need to be vacated so the road work can proceed and the property owner can subsequently give the city right-of-way over the improved street, according to the agenda item.
Councilors will hold a first reading of an ordinance to annex a 6.87-acre apartment complex at 3518-3598 Cherry Glen Place N.E. into the city at the property owner’s request.
Councilors will hear a quarterly economic development report from the city’s urban development department.
Councilors will also review the new city flag, but don’t need to vote on it. The council adopted the design at a July 11 meeting, but directed city employees to tweak the flag’s color to make the central motif, a cherry blossom, a lighter color than the red that was submitted.
How to participate: View the meeting on YouTube or watch on CC:Media Channel 21. Submit comments on agenda items by 5 p.m. on the day of the meeting at [email protected]. Public comment and testimony may also be provided during the meeting via Zoom. Pre-register between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. on the day of the meeting at the following link: https://www.cityofsalem.net/government/city-council-mayor/how-to-give-public-comment-at-salem-city-council-and-budget-committee-meetings
Contact reporter Rachel Alexander: [email protected] or 503-575-1241.
JUST THE FACTS, FOR SALEM – We report on your community with care and depth, fairness and accuracy. Get local news that matters to you. Subscribe to Salem Reporter starting at $5 a month. Click I want to subscribe!
Rachel Alexander is Salem Reporter’s managing editor. She joined Salem Reporter when it was founded in 2018 and covers city news, education, nonprofits and a little bit of everything else. She’s been a journalist in Oregon and Washington for a decade. Outside of work, she’s a skater and board member with Salem’s Cherry City Roller Derby and can often be found with her nose buried in a book.
