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Votes at a glance: Salem City Council actions on March 13, 2025
Summary
The council approved a mix of appropriations, appointments, donations, zoning actions and referrals. Key roll calls included mayoral pay (6–5), B1 zoning second passage (8–2, 1 recuse) and several unanimous or near‑unanimous procedural items.
Salem City Council met March 13 and completed multiple procedural and substantive items. Below are key actions, outcomes and vote tallies where recorded.
Appointments and confirmations - Confirmed reappointments of Brooks Nagel, Kate Zurao and Rebecca English to unspecified bodies: roll call recorded 11–0 in favor.
Appropriations and payments - Approved an appropriation of $231,370.11 for fiscal‑year 2025 pay increases pursuant to the AFSCME Local 1818 contract settlement (motion adopted; recorded as carried). - Approved appropriation of $42,705.78 from retained earnings (water and sewer fund) for AFSCME 1818 costs (motion adopted; carried). - Approved payment of a prior‑fiscal‑year invoice of $502.35 (National Grid billing dispute resolution): roll call 11–0 in favor. - Approved payment of a prior‑fiscal‑year invoice of $202.50 (Otis Elevator maintenance): roll call 11–0 in favor. - Bond order: appropriated up to $70,000 for feasibility study and schematic design at Bates Elementary School (second passage adopted by roll call 11–0).
Donations and equipment - Accepted a $19,440 donation to purchase a Throwbot micro robot platform for the Salem Police Department (motion carried; not all roll call tallies recorded). - Accepted a $1,500 donation from Salem State University’s Office of Inclusive Excellence to support Black History Month events (motion carried). - Accepted a $1,000 donation from Charlene Long to support the Council on Aging confirmOK wellness calls (motion carried).
Zoning, ordinances and referrals - Ordinance (B1 business neighborhood zoning) — second passage adopted by roll call, 8 yes, 2 no, 1 recuse. - Referred vending ordinance (events/vendors) to the Ordinances, Licenses & Legal Affairs Committee co‑posted with Committee of the Whole (motion carried). - Referred flood hazard overlay district amendments to the Planning Board for a joint public hearing to maintain compliance with NFIP (motion carried). - Referred the community benefits agreements ordinance to Ordinances, Licenses & Legal Affairs (motion carried). - Referred the draft leaf blower ordinance to the Committee on Public Health, Safety & Environment (co‑posted with Committee of the Whole) for hearings and departmental input (motion carried). - Home rule petition to restructure local option excise tax on sale of marijuana and marijuana products: committee recommended adoption; roll call recorded 10 yes, 0 no, 1 recused (motion carried to send petition to state legislature).
Other - Lightbridge/Margin Street project (presentation): committee of the whole recommended the matter remain in committee for further review after public comment.
Where the transcript did not supply an explicit roll call tally, outcomes are shown as recorded by the clerk (“matter carries” or “adopted”). Items referred to committee are pending further hearings and votes.
