Meg Hibbert Contributing writer
The five members of Salem City Council are meeting restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic in a variety of creative ways.
Mayor Randy Foley and Councilmember James Martin were already working from home. Vice Chairman Jane Johnson closed her R.M. Johnson & Sons jewelry store last Friday, except to meet scheduled customers, she said, and is taking the opportunity to do some online learning.
Councilman John Saunders, who retired from the Salem Civic Center and is a huge sports fan, is “Watching a lot of sports re-runs.”
Councilman Bill Jones said he has “been at home more than I’ve been in 30 years. I’ve been watching a lot of movies.” Jones, who has a compromised immune system, is limiting his contact outside of home.
Martin explained is taking part in a lot of Zoom meetings and videoconferencing for work.
The mayor said he has been working at home starting a month ago doing software sales. “This didn’t change anything.”
Johnson said she is looking into website sales. “It’s challenging,” she added, so she is reaching out to her website developer. Her main goal is to meet payroll for her four full-time employees and part-timers.
She said she and her sons plan to take advantage of free online classes from the American Gem Association. “I’m using this time as an opportunity to learn.”
And, she added, “I’m learning yoga.”
