The Salem City Council and its Committee of Ordinances, Licenses and Legal Affairs took the following formal actions on Oct. 23, 2025. This list summarizes recorded motions, movers, and outcomes as stated in the meeting transcript.

Votes at a glance

- Game Zone — secondhand valuables license (Committee recommendation / Council acceptance). The Committee on Ordinances, Licenses and Legal Affairs recommended the license be granted; the full council accepted the committee report and adopted the recommendation. Motion carried (voice vote in committee; council acceptance recorded). (Mover in committee: Councilor Marceau.)

- Increased retail marijuana licenses — ordinance amendment (Committee). The committee discussed a proposed ordinance to increase the cap on retail marijuana establishments by three (from five to eight) and to prioritize two of the new licenses for state-certified social equity or economic empowerment applicants. The committee voted to keep the matter in committee pending a joint public hearing with the Planning Board and zoning review (motion carried). (Mover to keep in committee: Councilor Cohen.)

- Smart Growth Overlay District (LifeBridge / Harbor Light project) — first passage (zoning). First passage approved by roll call vote (recorded tally: 9 yes, 2 no). Scrivener's error in the ordinance numbering was corrected before the vote; the measure was co-posted to the Committee on Ordinances, Licenses and Legal Affairs for follow-up before second passage. (Mover: Councilor Hapworth.)

- Traffic ordinance (multiple right-on-red amendments) — first passage as amended. Council approved first passage of an ordinance package amending right-on-red permissions at multiple intersections, adopting a mix of police/fire-recommended changes and preserving prohibitions at high-pedestrian locations. Council directed staff to provide engineering and cost estimates for dynamic illuminated 'no turn on red' signs at priority intersections. (Mover: Councilor Harporth.)

- Outdoor dining winter waivers (Bambelina and Witchside Tavern) — referral. A solicitor memo had authorized a waiver to allow two Derby Street restaurants to maintain outdoor platforms through November 2025–May 2026. After DPS testimony urging denial on snow-operations grounds and council debate, the council voted to refer the matter to the Government Services Committee for a comprehensive policy review. (Mover to refer: Councilor Varela.)

- Fiscal transfer: payment of a prior-year invoice ($12,802.65) — motion approved by two-thirds roll call (unanimous). Council authorized payment of a June invoice for the Salem News that should have been paid in FY25 and is now charged to FY26. (Mover: Councilor Merkel.)

- Donation acceptance: Fantasy Island donation ($1,500) to the City Scholarship fund — motion adopted (voice vote). (Mover: Councilor Merkel.)

- Appointments and reappointments — confirmed. Multiple board appointments and reappointments were considered and, where indicated, confirmed by roll call; several mayoral appointments were held under the rules for further consideration.

Procedural notes

- Several motions were recorded as "matter carries" or by voice vote; where the transcript recorded roll-call tallies, those counts are listed above. Where the transcript did not list individual roll-call votes for minor items, the council's recorded outcome in the minutes was used.

Sources and next steps

Council minutes and committee reports will reflect official tallies and postings; items referred to committee (marijuana ordinance, outdoor-dining policy, and traffic ordinance technical work) were directed to relevant committees for engineering, zoning, and policy work prior to final action.