At a League of Women Voters forum, Ward 6 City Council candidates said neighborhood parking shortages in North Salem require study and resident input before expanding resident-only parking permits. Candidates described limited driveway space, competing demands from downtown visitors and events, and snow-emergency complications.

A focused review would allow the city to weigh trade-offs and design permit rules that residents want. "If the residents are asking for it, it's something that the city should really examine," said Caitlin Halapa, Ward 6 city council candidate. Halapa noted the city already has resident-permit areas and said Ward 6 residents on streets such as Boffin Street have asked for similar protections.

Robert K. Meyer, a candidate and longtime Salem resident, described conversations while door-knocking. He cited a resident who said, "if she doesn't get home by 06:00, she has 1 parking spot at our house and she has 3 cars. She has to literally park, like, 5 blocks away." Meyer said shortage of spaces, including loss of curb parking near Saint Mary's Cemetery, means stickers alone would not solve the problem.

Marlene Warner, another candidate, said Ward 6 is farther from downtown and "there won't be many tourists," but agreed that supply is limited. Warner urged caution: "Even if you gave out the stickers, there's not enough parking. So, that's gonna have to be something that can be worked out."

All three agreed public outreach is important. Halapa added that permit programs can be "somewhat problematic if you're trying to have guests over," and recommended the city "discuss with the residents about it" before acting. Meyer and Warner urged practical, neighborhood-level conversations and suggested the council investigate parking availability, snow emergency impacts and how to preserve resident access.

The candidates did not endorse a specific expansion plan or provide a formal implementation timeline; they emphasized residents should guide any change and that city staff analysis is needed before restrictions are added.

Ending: Candidates said the city should collect neighborhood requests, quantify supply and impacts (including snow-emergency needs), and return to residents with options rather than immediately expanding resident-only parking zones.