Salem city councilors on Monday unanimously authorized a performance evaluation of Interim City Manager Krishna Namburi, setting the stage for hiring her permanently into the job she’s held for five months.

The council also voted unanimously to expand the evaluation to include feedback from members of the city’s executive leadership team which includes city department heads, the police chief and the fire chief.

Council President Linda Nishioka said that while she couldn’t speak for her colleagues or on behalf of the council as a whole, she herself said she hopes to see Namburi get the chance to continue on as city manager. 

She said appointing Namburi would save the city a lot of time and probably money. 

“For me, all I can say is I feel she (Namburi) deserves further time. I believe that she should be awarded city manager, and deserves the opportunity to continue,” Nishioka told Salem Reporter following the meeting. “If my fellow councilors agree, I would like to see her given the opportunity to become our next city manager.” 

The council appointed Namburi interim city manager earlier this year after the abrupt ouster of former Salem City Manager Kieth Stahley in February. Namburi lives in Keizer.

At the time of her appointment, the city council voted to defer the process of permanently filling the city manager role until at least September 2025. 

Councilors said at the time that given Namburi’s experience, she was well suited to serve as a steady hand to run city operations amid both a budget crisis and an appeal to voters to approve a property tax increase to pay for city services.    

The council hires and supervises the city manager, setting broad policy while generally leaving day-to-day operations up to the manager to execute.

Prior to her appointment, Namburi had been a deputy city manager with 25 years of experience working with the city of Salem. 

Now that the council has voted, an evaluation form will be distributed to all members of the council and the executive leadership team to be completed and returned by September. A summary of the collective evaluations will then be presented to city councilors at an executive session meeting in September. 

Other items: 

• Councilors unanimously approved adopting a supplemental budget to reflect a multi-year grant from Friends of Center 50+ to be used for programming at the senior center. The grant would add $230,000 to the fund to support Center 50+ in hiring several part-time, limited duration positions. The new employees would be employed for a year with the possibility of an extension if the funds are renewed. The two positions are anticipated to be two office assistants, an activity assistant, and a volunteer coordinator. 
• Councilors also unanimously authorized the interim city manager to apply to a grant program through the Oregon Department of Energy for $1 million in funding to install solar arrays, canopies, and wiring on the renovation at Marion Parkade, according to a staff report from Salem Public Works Director Brian Martin.

Original story published Aug. 8, 2025 below:

Salem city councilors on Monday will consider conducting a performance audit of Interim City Manager Krishna Namburi as the city works toward permanently filling the city manager role. 

The council appointed Namburi interim city manager earlier this year after the abrupt ouster of former Salem City Manager Kieth Stahley in February. 

At the time of her appointment, the city council voted to defer the process of permanently filling the city manager role until at least September 2025. 

Councilors said at the time that given Namburi’s experience, she was well suited to serve as a steady hand to run city operations amid both a budget crisis and an appeal to voters to approve a property tax increase to pay for city services.    

With September only a month away, the city will decide whether to evaluate Namburi’s performance in the role to inform its decision to either recruit for a new city manager or appoint Namburi, a staff report from Council President Linda Nishioka said. 

The council hires and supervises the city manager, setting broad policy while generally leaving day-to-day operations up to the manager to execute.

Prior to her appointment, she had been a deputy city manager with 25 years of experience working with the city of Salem. 

If the council approves the motion, an evaluation form will be distributed to all members to be completed and returned by September. A summary of the collective evaluations will then be presented to city councilors at an executive session meeting in September. 

Downtown and northeast Salem safety discussion 

Salem city councilors will also hear a report outlining feedback from the council’s July 21 work session, and from two meetings with business owners downtown and in northwest Salem, regarding possible strategies to improve safety and livability, a staff memo from Namburi showed.   

On July 30 about 30 business owners, property owners and representatives from community organizations met at Chemeketa Community College, many expressing they are fatigued from dealing with public safety issues and homelessness. 

Some of the participants said they evict unsheltered people out of their storefronts in the mornings and know of businesses hiring private security to feel safe in the area. 

Those who spoke at the meeting complained of homeless people sleeping or camping outside of businesses and publicly using drugs. 

Homeless advocates told Salem Reporter that such meetings only serve to perpetuate stereotypes about homeless people, and that community leaders have an obligation to temper passions and avoid inflammatory rhetoric.

The impacts of homelessness in Salem have taken the spotlight in recent weeks, after a June 1 mass stabbing at the Union Gospel Mission led to discussions about public safety in the downtown core.

The city is considering a range of responses, including bringing back the downtown police bike team eliminated last year due to budget cuts and partnering ambulance workers with mental health specialists to deal with calls related to homelessness.

But the report indicates city action will come only after months of additional meetings. 

On Sept. 15 the city council will hold a work session focused on funding strategies and fiscal impacts of the various proposals and will explore possibilities for expanding city cleaning crews. 

In October, the results from a public survey conducted by the city will be considered. 

In January, the city council will consider a revised budget proposal to support the strategies for improving safety and livability. 

Other items: 

• Councilors will consider adopting a supplemental budget to reflect  a multi-year grant from Friends of Center 50+ to be used for programming at the senior center, a staff report from Salem Chief Financial Officer Josh Eggleston said. If approved, the grant would add $230,000 to the fund to support Center 50+ in hiring several part-time, limited duration positions. The new employees would be employed for a year with the possibility of an extension if the funds are renewed. The two positions are anticipated to be two office assistants, an activity assistant, and a volunteer coordinator. 
• Councilors will also consider authorizing the interim city manager to apply to a grant program through the Oregon Department of Energy for $1 million in funding to install solar arrays, canopies, and wiring on the renovation at Marion Parkade, according to a staff report from Salem Public Works Director Brian Martin.

Contact reporter Joe Siess: [email protected] or 503-335-7790. 

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