The Marion County Board of Commissioners on Wednesday unanimously approved hiring construction executives to oversee wastewater and drinking water system improvements in the county’s largest unincorporated community.
Commissioners approved a $181,000 contract with Salem-based Slayden Constructors to supervise the construction in the Brooks-Hopmere area. The two communities are on opposite sides of Interstate 5 north of Salem and Keizer.
A 2021 county study found improved water and wastewater services were among the changes needed to boost the area’s economic development and make it a more vibrant place to live. The report also found that the I-5 interchange between Brooks and Hopmere needed upgrades, and the area had no local committee or group tasked with advocating for its growth.
READ IT: AGENDA
Jail services
Commissioners unanimously approved adding $355,500 to a contract with Keefe Commissary Network to provide commissary services at the Marion County Jail.
People in custody can set up trust fund accounts to buy snacks, beverages and personal care items through the commissary. The new contract will total about $1.07 million. The county is paid 23% of all commissary sales.
Data safety
The board unanimously approved adding $249,000 to a subscription through a contract with SHI International Corp. for software intended to mitigate the risks of a data breach.
The software helps protect health records, criminal justice information, financial information and identities of county employees and citizens, according to the agenda item.
Also on the agenda
Commissioners unanimously approved a $190,000 contract with Mid Valley Excavation to install curve warning signs on several Marion County roads that don’t meet federal standards.
They also unanimously approved reducing a contract with Keizer-based Pelton Project by about $152,500 and extending it to October. Under the contract, which now totals $750,000, the company will develop and operate a residential treatment home in Salem or Keizer.
The company provides community-based mental health services, according to its website.
The board unanimously approved or advanced all other agenda items, including designating the week of April 1-7, 2024 as National Public Health Week in Marion County and appointing Alton Hoover as vice chair of the Marion County Parks Commission.
Contact reporter Ardeshir Tabrizian: [email protected] or 503-929-3053.
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Ardeshir Tabrizian has covered criminal justice and housing for Salem Reporter since September 2021. As an Oregon native, his award-winning watchdog journalism has traversed the state. He has done reporting for The Oregonian, Eugene Weekly and Malheur Enterprise.
