The 2019-20 Salem-Keizer School Board (Rachel Alexander/Salem Reporter)
Salem-Keizer school board members will consider a property tax exemption for a 30-unit apartment building at their meeting Tuesday, Jan. 13.
Board members will vote on exempting Parke 325, a new building at 325 13th Street NE, as part of the City of Salem’s tax incentive program for multi unit housing. Salem City Council has already approved an exemption.
Board members will also read, but not yet vote on, changes to the policies outlining how the board functions. Those changes include reviewing board performance in non-election years rather than every year. Board members will also evaluate their own ability to govern effectively.
The changes don’t include revisions to the board’s equity lens, a policy requiring the board to consider the effect of decisions on historically marginalized groups and work to improve their performance, rather than simply treating all students the same. The board may revise that policy later this year after working with community groups, board chair Marty Heyen has said.
READ: School board members moved to tears in conversations about racism, equity
On Tuesday, board members will also hear an update on Salem-Keizer’s proposal for state Student Investment Account money, a $35 million investment aimed at improving academic outcomes for groups of students who struggle in school.
A committee of district staff, nonprofit leaders and community volunteers has been gathering feedback for months from parents, students and staff about how to spend the funds and expects to present a plan to the board and Superintendent Christy Perry in February.
Meeting details: 6 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 14 at the district’s Support Services Center, 2575 Commercial St. S.E.
Board members: Kathy Goss, Sheronne Blasi, Marty Heyen, Jesse Lippold, Paul Kyllo, Satya Chandragiri and Danielle Bethell.
Reporter Rachel Alexander: [email protected] or 503-575-1241.
Rachel Alexander is Salem Reporter’s managing editor. She joined Salem Reporter when it was founded in 2018 and covers city news, education, nonprofits and a little bit of everything else. She’s been a journalist in Oregon and Washington for a decade. Outside of work, she’s a skater and board member with Salem’s Cherry City Roller Derby and can often be found with her nose buried in a book.
