The Salem City Council completed a number of formal actions on Feb. 13. Below is a concise listing of measures the council voted on and their outcomes.

• $75,000 appropriation to retirement buyback account for sick‑leave buybacks — Adopted. Councilor Merkel moved; matter carried (voice vote recorded as carrying).

• $37,635.30 appropriation from retirement buyback account for contractual buyback for a public library and school department employee — Adopted. Councilor Merkel moved; matter carried.

• Payment of prior‑fiscal‑year invoice (CivicPlus) for $5,593.43 to be paid from current fiscal‑year appropriation for IT — Adopted by roll call (10 yeas, 0 nays, 1 absent). Councilor Merkel moved; clerk called roll for two‑thirds procedural requirement and motion carried.

• $5,000 appropriation to golf course souvenir merchandise account — Adopted. Councilor Merkel moved; matter carried.

• Order authorizing Salem Public Schools to enter into a memorandum of understanding with state agencies regarding transportation costs under Every Student Succeeds Act — Adopted (voice vote recorded as carrying). Councilor Varela moved for adoption.

• Authorization requested by Police Chief to install video surveillance cameras at specified parks and intersections — Adopted. Councilors discussed locations (Forest River Park, Castle Hill Park, multiple intersections) and confirmed cameras are video‑only (no audio); matter carried.

• $80,000 appropriation for design study and construction oversight for permanent and retractable bollards and barriers on the Essex Street Pedestrian Mall — Committee recommended adoption; council adopted the recommendation. Committee noted design costs only; larger construction request expected later.

• Zoning Board of Appeals appointments and reappointments (multiple mayoral appointees) — Confirmed by roll call (10 yeas, 0 nays, 1 absent).

• Second passage/adoption of traffic ordinance amendments (handicap parking on Wisteria Street; tow zone and parking changes on Wilson Street and Jefferson Ave) — Adopted. Council amended a tow‑zone length on Wilson Street from 110 feet to 145 feet before adoption.

• Affordable Housing Trust Fund annual report for FY2024 — Received and filed; trustees reported low fund balance (~$6,000) and noted prior one‑time ARPA allocation.

• Multiple petitions and race license (Black Cat 10/20 Mile) — Race permit granted; public‑bride license denied; other petitions handled as noted on the agenda.

Why it matters: These routine appropriations, public‑safety authorizations, and committee recommendations handle fiscal housekeeping, public safety tools, and planning for capital work (Essex Street pedestrian safety). The CivicPlus invoice and permissive appropriations were procedural but required council approval to satisfy accounting rules.

What’s next: Design funding for Essex Street is the first step; councilors expect a larger construction request to follow. Police camera installations will proceed per the chief’s plan; the city will continue to refine public notice about camera locations.