Good morning Salem! Another productive council meeting in the books. It sounds like there is a LOT going on at the committee level, so if you have thoughts and opinions, that’s the best place to have an influence on council business when it’s being considered and fine-tuned. President Morsillo also mentioned that they were looking to open access to committee meetings by placing recordings on YouTube or SATV. That’s great for transparency, but still–if a topic is burning a hole in your activist heart, try to actually attend. On to the recap…
Money matters all passed without incident, though sometimes the rules create funny situations. Straight majority for the $80K for Salem Public School retiree vacation buy backs; $7.4M free cash to special reserve stabilization fund; $11,600 from full-time salary to contract services; but, 2/3 votes in favor required for a bill for $590. The bill came through in the prior fiscal year, so a special vote had to be taken to use funds from the current fiscal year. Home Depot donated $1K to the Salem Police for community engagement. Any donations $1K or more have to go before council for approval.
The Wetlands Protection and Conservation ordinance and the related amendment to noncriminal violations for wetlands has been referred to Ordinances, Licenses, and Legal Affairs (OLLA), co-posted with the Committee of the Whole (COW). Speaking of the latter, the council also determined to make the COW its own committee, presided over by the president or designee.
Mooring fees went up by $1/foot of vessel per year (from $6 to $7). This small change will generate upward of $30K for the city to cover associated costs for service (Harbormaster, etc.). The fees have not been increased since 2016.
Lots of traffic and parking matters, most parking restrictions (Jefferson Ave. & Jackson; Jefferson Ave. & Cleveland, Leavitt & Prince). The council also approved a handicap zone on Naumkeag and a new stop sign at Cedercrest.
The committee reports were the most interesting part of the meeting. Administration and Finance (A&F) was covered up in money matters. OLLA has been busy! The Green Ordinance, which is sometimes call the Green Building Ordinance, is much more than building. Councilor Riccardi noted that it also covers sustainable purchasing and processing, operations, and buildings. There are a few small amendments left to be worked out, but it sounds like it is getting closer to being ready for the council floor. It will remain in OLLA for now. The Waterfront Industrial Overlay District zoning change was another matter that was causing some debate on social media, and it sounds like there was a hugely productive conversation around the pros and cons of modifying the zoning as suggested by former councilor Josh Turiel. (Note: Councilors are not appointed for life, he is just plain old Josh or Mr. Turiel now. The founding fathers did not like the idea of establishing a new nobility, and there are few positions that retain their title for life - Supreme Court Justices are one. Even the president of the United States is “former president” and only called Mr.,Ms.,Mx. Last Name.) Thank you for entertaining that little sidebar. There was no consensus on if this was the most useful or effective tool. The planning board returned a negative recommendation on the matter. It, too, will remain in committee. There will be a joint public meeting with the planning board on amending the language around buffer zones in the zoning ordinance pertaining to marijuana establishments.
Government services: As you may recall, former councilor Steve Dibble requested a meeting with the city engineer to discuss water main breaks. Well, that meeting happened, so here are some facts that the council covered in their recap: water usage is down citywide. This is most likely due to the reduction in industry and the absence of the power plant. There are NO wood pipes in use, so that rumor can die. Councilor McClain pointed out that a question he is often asked about is water use and development. All new development projects must conduct an impact assessment on how the development will affect water use and pressure. If a new development is going to have an impact on pressure (either in the neighborhood or on hydrants) the developer must provide a mitigation plan to avoid that impact. The matter was discharged from committee.
A few odds and ends: The Public Health, Safety, and the Environment committee will continue to try to get a handle on how much the repairs to city hall will cost. A small strip of land was conveyed from the city of Salem to the Salem Housing Authority. No Place for Hate is now the Salem Human Rights Coalition, and the Committee on Government Services will consider who on council to appoint as liaison. A bond order and the safety enhancement zone both passed a second vote; with a clarifying amendment on the latter.
Respectfully submitted,
Jen Lynch