Unions deliver no-confidence votes in service director; residents press council over Ridgewood parking and zoning disputes

Two unions presented votes of no confidence in Salem—s Service and Safety Director and raised allegations of contract changes and withheld pay, while multiple residents urged the City Council to restore on-street parking on Ridgewood Drive and a homeowner sought zoning help for a first-floor bathroom addition.

At the start of public comment, Tony Maniscalco, secretary and treasurer of Local 2701, told council that the service director, Joe Capizello, had "retyped our contract" to change hours for traffic-safety employees from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. to 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., which Maniscalco said broke the union—s contract. Maniscalco said a union member, Scott Lambert, resigned after the change and later did not receive a final paycheck; he said a grievance was filed and that the union had voted a formal no-confidence measure asking council to remove Capizello. "We fear that if he can break the law... he will only continue to retaliate on our union members," Maniscalco said.

A representative from the police union identified as Tanner told council the police union also held a confidence vote in the mayor and the safety director; he said, "As a union we voted also for the mayor or the safety directors no confidence vote. It was 14 to 2." Both union speakers requested council attention; council moved the matter into an executive session for personnel grievances later in the meeting and said no action would be taken during that session.

Multiple Ridgewood Drive residents told council they were surprised…