The Salem City Council met on Monday, March 11 to hear testimony about the city’s ambulance service, and approved a grant application seeking additional improvements to the Riverfront Park playground.
Councilor Vanessa Nordyke was absent, making unanimous votes 8-0.
Ambulance service – Vote postponed
Councilors delayed their vote to consider having the Salem Fire Department take over service from Falck Ambulance when their contract expires in 2025.
The Salem City Council will consider the recommendation on March 25. During Monday’s meeting, Fire Chief Mike Niblock said Falck has not met contracted service hours for the past year. A study commissioned by the city said the city would save money if it took over the service, through collecting fees and emergency medical transport funds from the state.
During the meeting, Falck’s regional managing director, David Patterson, said Falck is taking steps to improve its service and address staffing challenges, and urged councilors to take more time considering the decision and its impacts on expenses and turnover.
Riverfront Park playground improvements – Approved
Councilors unanimously approved an application for a state grant that would pay for more features on a replacement playground at Riverfront Park, at 200 Water St. N.E.
The playground, which opened in 1997, “has aged beyond its useful life and requires replacement,” according to a staff report from Deputy City Manager Scott Archer. A $6 million replacement was approved by voters as part of the 2022 infrastructure bond package, and is planned for 2026.
With a grant from the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department, the new design would add more accessible features and incorporate more elements from the 2018 Riverfront Park Master Plan. The additional features would include a slide mound, natural play places, changes to the paths, ramps, surfaces and fencing.
The grant would give the city a maximum of $1 million for the project, which the city would match using around $600,000 from general obligation bonds and $400,000 from parks system development charges.
Sleepy Hollow water supply – Advanced to second reading
Councilors unanimously approved advancing an ordinance that would bill property owners for the cost of converting the private water system serving the Sleepy Hollow community into the city’s public water supply to a second reading and final vote.
The water system served 44 homes and a community center, supplied by a community well. Due to elevated levels of arsenic found in 2012, the community voted in 2019 to connect their water supply with the city.
The work was completed in December 2023 and assessed to cost $5,000 per property, with the full project costing $768,100. The city will pay around $129,000, the state will contribute $414,000, and the rest will be billed to property owners, according to a staff report by Brian Martin, public works director. Property owners would pay with either a lump sum, payment plan or by having a lien placed on the property.
Original Story:
Salem may stop contracting with a private company to send ambulances to medical calls, instead moving the service inside the city fire department.
The Salem City Council will consider allowing the fire department to move ahead with the change at its meeting Monday, March 11. The change is expected to save the department money by reducing the amount of overtime firefighters spend responding to medical calls when Falck, the ambulance company, doesn’t have enough staff on duty.
They will also consider a grant application that would add money to the renovations at Riverfront Park.
READ IT: Agenda
To participate
The council meets Monday, March 11, 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.
To comment remotely, sign up on the city website between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. on Monday.
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.
Ambulance service
Councilors will consider whether the Salem Fire Department should take over all ambulance service in the city, starting July 1, 2025. The city began contracting with private companies for ambulance service in 2005.
“Fast forward 20 years, the current private ambulance service provider faces difficulties maintaining the required deployment levels stipulated in the contract,” Fire Chief Mike Niblock wrote in a staff report. “This has caused the Fire Department to expend $3.3 million overtime dollars to subsidize the (emergency medical services) system to ensure appropriate service delivery to the public, dating back to November 2021.”
Consultant AP Triton did a study of Salem’s emergency services, which included data from Falck, the city’s private ambulance provider. It recommended a model that would have the Salem Fire Department operate the ambulance service, which it said would create “sustainable net revenue” through use of increased fees, potentially around 25%, the use of funds that are only available to public entities and adding single-role medics and EMTs to the fire department.
Councilors will also consider whether to apply for $1.2 million from the Federal Emergency Management Agency grant to buy three ambulances to support the new model.
The city currently has three ambulances, and ordered two more using money from the bond voters approved in the fall of 2022. A total of eight ambulances would be required if the new model is approved, according to a report from Niblock.
“Adopting a city-led (advanced life support) transport model represents a comprehensive approach to expanding the ambulance fleet and improving the quality, reliability, and timeliness of emergency medical services provided to Salem’s residents,” Niblock wrote.
Riverfront Park playground improvements
Councilors will consider whether to apply for a grant that would add more features to a replacement playground at Riverfront Park, at 200 Water St. N.E.
The playground, which opened in 1997, “has aged beyond its useful life and requires replacement,” according to a staff report from Deputy City Manager Scott Archer. The $6 million replacement was approved by voters as part of the 2022 infrastructure bond package, and is planned for 2026.
With a grant from the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department, the new design would add more accessible features and incorporate more elements from the 2018 Riverfront Park Master Plan.
The additional features would include a slide mound, natural play places, changes to the paths, ramps, surfaces and fencing.
For the estimated additional $2 million, councilors will decide whether to approve an application seeking a maximum of $1 million for the project, which the city would match using around $600,000 from general obligation bonds and $400,000 from parks system development charges.
Sleepy Hollow water supply
Councilors will consider whether to advance an ordinance that would bill property owners for the cost of converting the private water system serving the Sleepy Hollow community into the city’s public water supply. The water system served 44 homes and a community center, supplied by a community well. Due to elevated levels of arsenic found in 2012, the community voted in 2019 to connect their water supply with the city.
The work was completed in December 2023 and assessed to cost $5,000 per property, with the full project costing $768,100. The city will pay around $129,000, the state will contribute $414,000, and the rest will be billed to property owners, according to a staff report by Brian Martin, public works director. Property owners would pay with either a lump sum, payment plan or by having a lien placed on the property.
Monday’s vote would move the ordinance to a second reading and final vote.
Other items
-Councilors will hear a presentation from the county about preventing youth tobacco and substance use.
-Councilors will hear a presentation on the city’s short-term rental regulations and how it impacts housing stock, and potential policy changes. According to the presentation, Salem has around 300 short term rentals, which “ do not significantly influence the housing market,” according to Community Planning and Development Director Kristin Retherford’s staff report. “Nevertheless, each unused [short term rental] that could otherwise be utilized for permanent housing may contribute to the overall housing scarcity in the city,” and may drive up rental prices, she said.
-Councilors will hear the annual tree report, which gives an overview of efforts made in 2023 to maintain over 35,000 trees throughout the city.
-Councilors will hear a Planning Administrator decision approving a proposed development of a 405 unit multi-family housing development at 4650 Hazelgreen Rd. N.E.
Contact reporter Abbey McDonald: [email protected] or 503-575-1251.
SUPPORT OUR WORK – We depend on subscribers for resources to report on Salem with care and depth, fairness and accuracy. Subscribe today to get our daily newsletters and more. Click I want to subscribe!
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.
