During the City Council Meeting on Monday, March 25, teens, librarians and community members said they did not want to see deep cuts to the Salem Public Library.
City News
Vast majority of city council say they won’t close the library
Seven of nine Salem city councilors told Salem Reporter they would not vote for a city budget that closed the Salem Public Library, while two didn’t respond. But most said cuts will likely be needed.
UPDATE: Councilors approve public takeover of Salem’s ambulance service
During their meeting on Monday, March 25, city councilors approved the fire department’s takeover of citywide ambulance operations from Falck beginning in 2025.
Library will not shut down, city says, but more cuts on the table
Salem city leaders are preparing a budget that would further cut services at the Salem Public Library and Center 50+ without closing either. The city’s budget committee will continue to debate the proposed cuts until May 8, when they will make a recommendation to the City Council.
With state money, Bridgeway will build long-awaited sobering center in Salem
Oregon legislators gave Salem’s largest addiction treatment provider $11.5 million to open two residential treatment houses and build a new clinic to house a seven-bed sobering center alongside detox services.
READ IT: Mayor Hoy’s full State of the City speech
Mayor Chris Hoy delivered his 2024 State of the City Wednesday, focused on Salem’s budget challenges and the city’s progress on affordable housing.
Hoy pushes for more money for Salem in State of the City address
Chris Hoy’s remarks in his second State of the City speech as Mayor focused on the city’s investments in homeless services and housing development. He urged the community to support new revenue sources that would pay for the city’s police, fire, libraries and parks.
Fans abound for stadium upgrade but critics worry about impact on Bush Park
Willamette University is planning improvements to its baseball stadium adjacent to Bush’s Pasture Park to serve a new summer baseball team. Taxpayers are putting $3 million into the project. Not everyone is a fan of the venture.
Here’s who qualified for the Salem city ballot
After the filing deadline and signature verification, the Salem mayoral race is down to candidates Mayor Chris Hoy and city Councilor Julie Hoy.
Slow ambulance responses trigger possible city takeover
Fire Chief Mike Niblock said that the private ambulance service Falck has repeatedly failed to meet contract requirements. Falck asked councilors to dig deeper into the data before making a decision.