Salem — At a special meeting Jan. 6, 2025, the Salem City Council moved to organize for the year 2025 and later elected Councilor Konrad J. Proznywski as council president.

The council first voted to proceed with organization by roll call. Councilor Alice Merkel moved adoption by roll call; the clerk recorded the motion as passing 11 to 0. "This is a special meeting of the city council being held for the purpose of organizing city government for the year 2025," the meeting record states.

Councilor Cohen nominated Konrad J. Proznywski for president. "I'm proud to nominate, Councilor Conrad Prozniewski to be council president for 2025," Councilor Cohen said during nominations. Councilor Merkel nominated Alice Merkel for the presidency; both nominations were placed before the body. After roll-call voting, six councilors cast votes for Proznywski, three voted for Merkel, and two announced "present." The clerk announced that "Council Prozniewski is elected president for the year 2025."

After the vote, Councilor Hackworth moved that the vote be recorded as unanimous; the presiding officer noted "the vote is not unanimous." The motion to have the tally recorded as unanimous therefore did not carry.

Other procedural motions during the meeting included a motion to close nominations and a motion to adopt the council rules and regulations for 2024 as the rules for 2025 (both were moved on the record). The transcript records the motions and subsequent proceedings but does not specify a roll-call outcome in the text for the rules-adoption motion.

The council proceeded with the evening's agenda after the organizational items and later adjourned.

Ending — The council began its work for 2025 by choosing a presiding officer and completing initial organizational steps that set leadership and procedure for the year.