Category Government
Mayor Julie Hoy stands alone as all councilors concede ethics violation
Five Salem city councilors who, along with Salem Mayor Julie Hoy, were found to have participated in an illegal serial meeting in February, now have conceded they violated state ethics laws concerning public meetings. Hoy has insisted she did nothing wrong and hasn’t agreed to a sanction.
Oregon House speaker troubled by Smith findings as Republicans stay silent
Leading Republicans in the Oregon House are staying quiet about the conclusion of ethics investigators that state Rep. Greg Smith repeatedly violated the law at his publicly-paid job. The Oregon House speaker has issued a statement.
Council split on who to appoint to city boards and commissions
Salem city councilors and Salem Mayor Julie Hoy approved several appointments and reappointments to city boards and commissions tasked with shaping city policy last week. The council was split 5-4 on the appointments, with some sharing concerns over Salem attorney Michael Sewell and current police review board member Kyle Hedquist.
Federal funding for Salem-area homeless services in limbo after HUD withdraws controversial policy
After getting sued by 20 states including Oregon for its plan to shift nationwide homeless policy, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development temporarily pulled guidelines for distributing money to homeless shelters that prioritized those that require people to work and be sober before getting housing. Salem-area providers don’t know when applications will be due, or what will be asked of them.
Center Street Bridge retrofit will mean eastbound lane closures, more traffic for six months
Retrofitting the Center Street Bridge to better withstand an earthquake is expected to begin by the middle of next year. State and city officials warn there will be months of traffic disruptions for those crossing the Willamette River into downtown Salem.
Oregon ethics commission postpones vote on whether Rep. Greg Smith broke laws
Oregon's government ethics watchdog concluded state Rep. Greg Smith likely violated the law through his efforts to secure a $66,000 raise for himself at the Columbia Development Authority.
5 things to know: Local governments zero in on Wallace Marine as residents worry about options
Last week, Salem Reporter published a report featuring the perspectives of Wallace Marine Park residents and local elected officials, health care workers and law enforcement who work there. The park will be the center stage for a new collaborative effort to address homelessness from Marion County, Polk County and the city of Salem.
Nishioka, Nordyke settle ethics case, conceding meeting violations
Linda Nishioka, Salem city council president, and Councilor Vanessa Nordyke agreed to a sanction of a letter of education from the Oregon Government Ethics Commission. The commission will consider a final agreement when it meets Friday, Dec. 12.
5 takeaways about Salem’s emergency declaration in response to ICE activities
Salem leaders have no plans to dedicate money toward supporting families affected by immigration arrests and deportations, a step some other Oregon cities have taken in recent weeks.