At the July 8 work session before the regular meeting, Salem City Councilmembers and staff talk about citizen comments brought up at recent Council meetings.
By Meg Hibbert
Contributing Writer
A routine Salem City Council meeting with no citizen comments nor controversial rezoning hearings lasted 13 minutes Monday night.
Mayor Renee Turk and the other four members were present.
Council:
- Accepted the 11-month financial statement ending in May. Councilman Randy Foley pointed out to the audience that the city’s lodging tax revenue was below that of the previous year. “Hopefully, with Moyer Sports Complex opening back up those taxes will expand,” he said. The newly renovated complex, complete with pickleball courts, was dedicated earlier that day;
- Adopted a resolution in support of SMART SCALE Round 6 Funding Applications. Salem is applying for the 100 percent grant from VDOT for signal improvements at Electric Road/Texas Street/Lynchburg Turnpike; and streetscape improvements along East Main Street from Mason Creek Bridge to Parkdale Drive;
- Received an abstract of votes from the June 18 Republican Party Primary Election. Hung Cao received the most votes, 394, out of the more than 700 votes cast;
- Appropriated $36, 278 in state grants from the Virginia tourism Corp. Marketing Incentive Program. The Salem Fair’s $18,000 grant will enhance marketing efforts in Harrisonburg, Richmond and Metro DC. The $18,278 Outdoors Marketing Leverage award will enhance “eating, drinking and sleeping in Salem.” Both grants require a match through the city’s fair and tourism budgets;
- Appropriated $2,500 in AARP grant funds for the Salem Public Library to “implement educational offerings and modifications to make homes safe and comfortable for people ages 50 and over. No local match is required.
Council also appointed to various boards and commissions:
- reappointed Cole Keister for a three-year term on the Fair Housing Board;
- Nathan Routt to fill the unexpired term of Vicki Dalton and Mark Henrickson to the unexpired term of Neil Conner on the Salem Planning Commission;
- Jason Fountain to fill the unexpired term on the Economic Development Authority of Macel Janoschka who has been appointed to the Salem School Board.
Mayor Turk thanked all who applied for vacancies. “I am encouraged by the number of people who applied,” she said.
The Council meeting ended at 6:43 p.m.
