Amid efforts to address citywide budget issues, the city council opted in a split vote on Monday to cut over 30 vacant positions in parks, administration, police, fire and at the library. They also approved a motion to move forward with a study on how to make crosswalks safer in downtown Salem.
Cutting vacant positions – APPROVED
Councilors were split on a decision to cut over 33 vacant city jobs, saving $4.7 million this year, after hearing public testimony concerned about cuts to the library and public safety.
They voted 6-3 to make the cuts, which include four police positions, two park rangers and seven library positions.
Most of the positions had been recently added in the hopes of improving patrols at public parks, expanding the city’s homeless outreach team and addressing short staffing. Those plans relied on the payroll tax which voters rejected in November.
Last fall, councilors discussed the cuts as a way to address the city’s projected budget shortfall of $14.2 million in the next year if no changes are made. The city is required by state law to have a balanced budget, and plans to consider cuts while its newly assembled revenue task force seeks alternative ways to bring in money.
In October, city staff provided a list of 80 vacant positions, 35 of which had been vacant for over six months. Of the positions cut on Monday, around 20 were new positions that had not been filled by a new hire yet. They include two park rangers, two code compliance officers and four additional members of the Salem Outreach and Livability Services Team. The team does homeless outreach and camp cleanups. See the full list here.
The resolution also funded a limited-term position managing city diversity, equity and inclusion efforts and the Community Violence Reduction Initiative using $72,000 in police department salary savings. It also allowed for $190,000 from the general fund to the police for “unanticipated software costs related to new agencies in the system,” for its regional records.
As staff have left the library, they haven’t been replaced in anticipation of future cuts.
Ahead of the vote, Salem high schoolers on the library’s Teen Advisory Board, former State Librarian Jim Scheppke and David Levy, vice chair of the library’s advisory board, spoke against the position cuts.
Those who testified acknowledged the city’s financial issues, but asked the council to consider the library as a priority due to its community impact. They shared their concerns about the cuts in a year that has already seen reduced hours that hindered programs like board game nights and tutoring, and the cutting of the longstanding program Operation Bookshelf which delivered books to homebound seniors.
“What funding the library will do, clearly, will be supporting the heart and soul of this community,” Levy said.
Scotty Nowning, president of the police union, also testified. He said that police are already understaffed, but high hiring rates meant the vacancies could be filled by the end of the year.
Police Chief Trevor Womack, answering a councilor question, said that the department had cut its vacancies from 26 to 15 within a year. He said they’ve had a record-breaking hiring rate and are on track to be able to hire 20 within the year.
“We don’t have a hiring problem, we have a retention and attrition problem,” he said. With four vacant positions cut on Monday, including one sergeant and one lieutenant, the police department now has 11 vacancies.
Councilors Deanna Gwyn, Julie Hoy and Vanessa Nordyke voted against the cuts. Gwyn said she did not support cuts to public safety. All three voted last year against imposing a tax on Salem workers’ paychecks that would have paid for city services.
Councilors Virginia Stapleton, Linda Nishioka, Trevor Phillips, Jose Gonzalez, Micki Varney and Mayor Chris Hoy voted in favor of the cuts.
“It shocks the conscience that we’re the same size as Eugene and they have a thousand more staff than we have,” said Phillips. “I think this is just the reality of where we’re at. I’m frustrated with this reality. I want to have the adequate funds to be able to deliver the services that we all rely on and need in our community to be safe, to thrive, and we’re just not there right now.”
Contract with county for mobile crisis response – APPROVED
Councilors unanimously approved its contract with Marion County for a mobile crisis response service. The teams pair a city law enforcement officer with a county mental health professional to respond to calls of someone having a mental health crisis.
The agreement requires that the Salem Police Department continue to commit at least two officers to the team, and the county would pay the city around $300,000 for staff and operational costs.
Fire Marshal job – APPROVED
Councilors unanimously approved a new Fire Marshal job classification, paying $73.88 an hour. It changes a vacant Assistant Fire Chief of Operations position, increasing it by $20 an hour to improve recruitment and to reflect its role supervising emergency operations, services, fire prevention and training.
Downtown core pedestrian safety study – APPROVED
Councilors unanimously approved a motion by Stapleton to ask for a pedestrian and bicycle safety study in the downtown core. It would look at a variety of options, including changing crosswalk timers, reducing speed limits to 20 MPH and would have city staff collect data at the intersections.
On Jan. 12, Robert D. Marshall, 66, died after the driver of a truck hit him while turning left at the intersection of Northeast Center and High streets.
In December 2022, a driver hit Denise VanDyke, 54, as she crossed State Street at the intersection with Northeast High Street. VanDyke had the right of way. Several members of the public testified in favor of the study.
The study, which would cost around $200,000, would be funded using urban renewal funds which typically go to studies and projects in their zone. Stapleton said that after presenting the proposal to the Downtown Advisory Board, they added it to their recommendations for spending this year. Those recommendations will go to the Urban Renewal Agency, which is made up of the city council.
Other items:
Councilors also unanimously approved the following:
-A motion from Councilor Linda Nishioka, asking staff to outline the requirements and process to make changes to the city’s public art regulations. Her motion said she seeks to increase public art in the community by allowing temporary displays of public art.
-A new three-year lease for Create a Memory Ceramic Studio, which rents a space in the Chemeketa Parkade at 270 Commercial St. N.E. The business has been there since 2010, and the lease would be $3,343 a month with 2% annual increases.
-Renewing a one-year lease with the Salem-Keizer School District for the Robert High School’s Downtown Learning Center, located in the Chemeketa Parkade, at 360 Commercial St. N.E. The district has rented it since 2008, and would pay $4,822 a month, with 2% annual increases.
Original Story:
The Salem City Council will consider cutting dozens of vacant city positions and approving a county contract for a mobile crisis unit during its meeting on Monday, Feb 12.
READ IT: Agenda
How to participate
The council meets Monday Feb. 12, at 6 p.m. in-person at the city council chambers, 555 Liberty St. S.E., room 220, with the meeting also available to watch online. The meeting will be livestreamed on Capital Community Media’s YouTube channel, with translation to Spanish and American Sign Language available. Anyone may attend the meeting to listen or comment.
The public comment portion of the meeting takes place after opening exercises, such as roll call and the Pledge of Allegiance. Residents are invited to comment on any topic, whether it appears on the agenda or not. If a public comment does not relate to an agenda item, it may be saved for the end of the meeting.
For written comments, email [email protected] before 5 p.m. on Monday, or on paper to the city recorder’s office at the Civic Center, 555 Liberty St. S.E., Room 225. Include a statement indicating the comment is for the public record.
Cutting vacant positions
At the meeting, councilors will have a public hearing and consider a resolution that would cut 33 vacant city jobs, saving $4.7 million from the general this year.
Last fall, councilors discussed the cuts as a way to address the city’s projected budget shortfall of $14.2 million in the next year if no changes are made. The city is required by state law to have a balanced budget, and plans to consider cuts while its newly assembled revenue task force seeks alternative ways to bring in money.
In October, city staff provided a list of 80 vacant positions, 35 of which had been vacant for over six months.
Most of the positions councilors will consider cutting on Monday were recently added to the budget using anticipated payroll tax funds, which voters rejected in November. They include two park rangers, two code compliance officers and four additional members of the Salem Outreach and Livability Services Team. The team does homeless outreach and camp cleanups. See the full list here.
If approved, the resolution would also move $72,000 in police department salary savings from vacant positions to the City Manager’s Office. That money would fund a limited-term position managing city diversity, equity and inclusion efforts and the Community Violence Reduction Initiative.
It would also allow the police to use $190,000 in general fund dollars for “unanticipated software costs related to new agencies in the system,” for its regional records.
Contract with county for mobile crisis response
The city has contracted with Marion County for nearly a decade for a mobile crisis response service, according to a staff report from Police Chief Trevor Womack. The teams pair a city law enforcement officer with a county mental health professional to respond to calls of someone having a mental health crisis.
Councilors will consider whether to approve an agreement with the county for the service, lasting through June 2025 with the option to extend another year. The agreement would require that the Salem Police Department continue to commit at least two officers to the team, and the county would pay the city around $300,000 for staff and operational costs.
The program is separate from a county effort that began in 2022 to start crisis response teams pairing mental health workers with certified recovery mentors. That effort has been delayed due to hiring difficulties.
Fire Marshal job
The Fire Department wants a daily supervisor to oversee the deputy fire marshals working in fire prevention, according to a staff report from city staff and Chief Mike Niblock. The role was previously taken on by the Assistant Fire Chief of Operations, which is vacant.
Rather than fill that role, the department seeks to change the listing to a new Fire Marshal classification, paying $73.88 an hour. It would be a pay increase of around $20 an hour, intended to improve recruitment and to reflect its role supervising emergency operations, services, fire prevention and training, according to the staff report.
Councilors will vote on the proposed job classification and pay.
Downtown core pedestrian safety study
Councilor Virginia Stapleton plans to make a motion that, if approved, would have city workers do a pedestrian and bicycle safety study in the downtown core. It would look into reducing speed limits to 20 MPH, according to her motion.
Drivers have fatally struck two pedestrians in downtown Salem recently. Both were crossing the street in crosswalks, according to police reports at the time.
On Jan. 12, Robert D. Marshall, 66, died after the driver of a truck hit him while turning left at the intersection of Northeast Center and High streets.
In December 2022, a driver hit Denise VanDyke, 54, as she crossed State Street at the intersection with Northeast High Street. VanDyke had the right of way.
Equity assessment
Councilors will hear the results of an equity assessment from consultant group Moss Adams, conducted from June to December 2023.
According to the presentation, the city is in the beginning stages of equity efforts and lacks a shared understanding of what equity means. It found that the city’s workforce is less diverse than Salem’s population, including being 10.7% Hispanic or Latino compared to the city’s population of 22.4%. Only 30% of city staff are women, compared to nearly half of the city’s population.
The report’s recommendations include creating a more diverse workforce, improving community engagement and establishing clear equity-related goals and strategy. At Monday’s meeting, staff will discuss a projected timeline for implementing the recommendations.
Other items:
Councilors will also consider the following:
-A motion from Councilor Linda Nishioka, asking staff to outline the requirements and process to make changes to the city’s public art regulations. Her motion says she seeks to increase public art in the community by allowing temporary displays of public art.
-Hearing the planning administrator’s decision to approve a 27-unit apartment complex at 4963 Center St. N.E. The East Lancaster Neighborhood Association has appealed, saying it will develop over wetlands. Councilors will hear the appeal at a future date, yet to be determined.
-A new three-year lease for Create a Memory Ceramic Studio, which rents a space in the Chemeketa Parkade at 270 Commercial St. N.E.. The business has been there since 2010, and the lease would be $3,343 a month with 2% annual increases.
-Renewing a one-year lease with the Salem-Keizer School District for the Robert High School’s Downtown Learning Center, located in the Chemeketa Parkade, at 360 Commercial St. N.E. The district has rented it since 2008, and would pay $4,822 a month, with 2% annual increases.
-A presentation of 2023’s highlights from the Salem Parks and Recreation Advisory Board. It includes grant applications for projects at Geer Park and the treatment of invasive plants at the Oxbow Slough. They’ll also talk about public outreach efforts in the past year.
Contact reporter Abbey McDonald: [email protected] or 503-575-1251.
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Abbey McDonald joined the Salem Reporter in 2022. She previously worked as the business reporter at The Astorian, where she covered labor issues, health care and social services. A University of Oregon grad, she has also reported for the Malheur Enterprise, The News-Review and Willamette Week.
