Salem budget committee votes to keep water on, continue programs in city parks  

Members of the Salem City Budget Committee painted a grim picture of empty, brown lawns, and water fountains running dry in Salem’s city parks Wednesday, but ultimately voted on May 8 to use over $500,000 to keep water flowing to parks and to renew a number of beloved events and programs.

The vote was split in favor of pulling roughly $518,000 from the city’s cultural and tourism fund to be used to keep splash pads,…