Spending $250,000 in opioid settlement funds for a new drug treatment and recovery program is among the considerations on the agenda for Salem city councilors on Monday, Feb. 23.

Councilors will also hear an update on the deep drawdown of Detroit Reservoir expected later this year, a report on a recent survey gauging residents’ perceptions of safety and livability, and  information about an estimated $2.4 million in costs incurred after December windstorm the city hopes to recuperate from the federal government. 

Opioid treatment and recovery 

What’s happening? 

• The city has $250,000 it can put toward a new opioid treatment and recovery program at the Salem Housing Authority, a staff report from Salem Chief Financial Officer Josh Eggleston said. 
• The program would be run as a pilot shelter and recovery program at Redwood Crossings, a 31-unit supportive housing development at 4107 Fisher Road N.E. 
• The program would include support for people experiencing substance abuse and as well as help with mental health, housing, transportation, childcare, education and employment.

What are opioid settlement funds? 

• The city gets a steady drip of opioid settlement funds from a nationwide settlement reached in 2021 through lawsuits against major pharmaceutical distributors and manufacturers.
• The funds are allocated to help pay for programs to address opioid addiction and issues related to opioid addiction in the community.
• The Salem Police Department’s Homeless Services Team, which responds to homeless encampments, and the city’s Substance Use Prevention and Outreach Program, among others, are funded using opioid settlement dollars.

Also before the council

Detroit Reservoir 

• Councilors will also get an update on the drawdown of the Detroit Reservoir which is expected to start late this year, according to a staff report from Public Works Director Brian Martin.
• Since declaring an emergency over the drawdown in July, the city has successfully sped up work to ensure the water system will meet average wintertime water demand of about 25 million gallons per day during the drawdown. 
• The city is currently working on a number of resiliency measures, but Martin said if any of the measures happens to fail, the city’s water system may not keep up with demand.

Safety and livability

• Councilors will also see the results of a recent survey that gauged people’s perceptions of safety and livability in Salem since city investments in public safety and cleanliness, according to a staff report from Courtney Knox Busch, the city’s strategic initiatives manager.
• The survey showed that people generally feel safer in Salem at night with the biggest improvements in north and northeast Salem.
• Despite the improvements, over half of people still feel unsafe after dark in north and northeast Salem.

Storm damage 

• In December, a windstorm caused an estimated $2.4 million in damage to public infrastructure including the city’s wastewater treatment facility on North River Road, a staff report from Martin said.
• The storm, which began Dec. 16 and lasted through Dec. 20, brought high winds and heavy rains to Salem causing widespread power outages and flooding.
• The city has reported those costs to the Federal Emergency Management Agency through Marion and Polk counties and the Oregon Office of Emergency Management seeking federal financial assistance.

2025 city financial audit 

• Councilors also got the results of an audit into the city’s finances for 2025, a staff report from Eggleston said. 
• The audit found that reporting of certain awards under the Community Development Block Grant program were not submitted on time under the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act. 
• Eggleston said there were no recommendations for improvement from the audit which is available online here.

Contact reporter Joe Siess: [email protected]. 

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