At a Dec. 4 meeting of a Salem City committee, members moved to clear the committee’s docket by discharging five items and agreeing to continue work on a home-rule petition on ranked‑choice voting.

The committee discharged a task-force report on redesigning the city seal (Item 257), an item tied to the HERO Act general-law clause (Item 483), a proposal to grant public guides a badge-renewal grace period through Feb. 28, 2025 (Item 578), a tracking item relating to the city’s contract with Waste Management (Item 253), and a Jewish resolution (Item 258). For each discharged item, a councilor moved to discharge, another seconded, and the chair recorded the vote as "4 hands plus my own." The chair’s record indicates five members voted in favor and the motions carried.

Why it matters: Discharging an item moves it out of committee and signals no further committee-level action is planned; documents and formal reports may still be filed with the clerk. The items discharged ranged from administrative housekeeping — tracking a pending waste contract and a task-force report — to a short-term regulatory accommodation for public guides awaiting finalized application badges.

Details of actions taken

• Item 257 — City seal redesign: The item, originally brought May 23 to discuss redesigning the Salem City seal, was superseded by a Salem City task-force report that was presented to the committee. Councilor Harvey moved to discharge; Councilor Merkel seconded. Chair Varela recorded the result as "4 hands plus my own," and the motion carried.

• Item 483 — HERO Act (general-law clause): Listed on the tracking form from Oct. 10, 2024, the item was noted as effectively discharged but remained on the tracking form. Councilor Marcela moved to discharge; Councilor Harvey seconded. Chair Varela again recorded "4 hands plus my own," and the committee discharged the matter.

• Item 578 — Badge-renewal grace period: The measure would allow public guides until Feb. 28, 2025, to renew badges while application badges are finalized (rule 36). Councilor Marcela moved to discharge; Councilor Stott seconded; the motion carried.

• Item 253 — Waste Management contract tracking: The item asked the committee to review contract services with Waste Management contingent on a possible new carrier. Committee members said the city has continued the contract with Waste Management and recommended discharge. Councilor Mercillo moved to discharge; Councilor Harvey seconded; the motion carried.

• Item 258 — Jewish resolution: Councilor Marcela moved to discharge the resolution; Councilor Stott seconded; the motion carried.

Votes, procedure and next steps

For each dispositional motion the chair recorded "4 hands plus my own." Where individual roll-call votes were not taken in the transcript, the chair’s statement serves as the committee record for the motions’ passage. Discharged items remain part of the committee record but will not advance in committee unless reintroduced.

The committee also agreed to continue consideration of a separate, substantive item — a home-rule petition for ranked‑choice voting in local elections — by keeping that petition in committee for further drafting and review by the city’s legal staff. The committee adjourned after disposing of the listed items.