As of Monday night, Salem City Council meetings are now being broadcast live on the city’s YouTube channel.
“I would like to commend the city manager, assistant city manager and the administration for doing something that has been four years in the making,” said Councilman Hunter Holliday at the close of the July 27 meeting.
Council meetings can be accessed on the city’s website governmental page, so people can follow along live or view later.
After the meeting, City Communication Specialist Clark Ruhland explained people can go to the official City of Salem governmental page and click on the YouTube channel. People can even subscribe so they can be notified when there is a new city posting.
The full link is https://www.youtube.com@CityOfSalem-CityHall/streams.
Communications Director Mike Stevens added this information. “In the spring, a vendor installed new Council microphones, streaming hardware and software, and a camera in Council chambers.”
At Monday’s meeting during the Citizen Comment period John Breen asked the city to do something about protecting its historic lands and structures, and for rezoning process to be more transparent.
City Manager Chris Dorsey summarized an update of happenings in the city, including:
* That night was the first to live stream Council meetings. “While we encourage citizens to attend in person, this is another way for those who cannot get to the meetings to still be part of the process” ;
* July 9 the city began voluntary water conservation “until the river rises and our ground water levels approve”;
* August 8 will be the 52nd year of the Salem Distance Run with 5 K and 10 K runs. Holliday said he would be presenting special awards to Coach Richard Browder, Coach Darr Graham and Tom Roth. He noted the Salem Distance Run is the oldest road race in the Roanoke Valley;
* August 15 will be Picking in the Park with Junior Sisk headlining Picking in the Park, free in Longwood Park. Admission is free;
* Summer Music Games of Southwest Virginia to be July 29 at Salem Stadium. Proceeds benefit the Salem High School Band;
* Construction projects, some planned and some emergencies, Dorsey said. Those include a block of South Market Street will closed for another week or so, he said, for Verizon to replace an underground diesel storage tank Closed Mill Lane because the sewer line collapsed. He estimated a week from Wednesday it should be repaired and reopened.
In other actions, Council:
* Held a second reading and approval of revisions to the Intergovenmental Agreement Regarding the Roanoke Valley Greenway, changing it from a commission to a committee of the Roanoke Valley-Alleghany Regional Commission.
* Approved sale of a surplus 2000 GMC truck for $10,000 to the Roanoke Valley Resource Authority to use to plow the road to the regional landfill.
During the Council work session preceding the meeting, Salem Economic Development Director Tommy Miller and consultants Matt Brown and Carrie Cousins of LeadPoint Digital presented proposed economic development branding looks for the city. Those included stained-glass type logos of featuring Blue Ridge Mountain blue, maroon – Salem High School and Roanoke College colors, and a stylized dove reminiscent of an origami bird, as Vice Mayor AnneMarie Green said.
Council went into a closed session for the purpose of discussing the City Manager’s annual evaluation and that of the Assistant City Manager. Mayor Renee Turk said there would be no action that night.
The regular part of the meeting ended at 6:53 p.m. Four Councilmembers were physically present, with Councilman John Saunders participating remotely due to a temporary medical condition.
