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Salem council accepts private donation to fund two homeless‑service officers despite public opposition
Summary
After hours of public comment and council debate about privatized policing and the mayor's unrelated petition on camping laws, the council voted 6–3 to accept a $180,000 private donation to fund two additional Homeless Service Team officers for six months to expand coverage from four to seven days a week.
The Salem City Council voted Oct. 27 to accept a $180,000 private donation intended to fund two additional Homeless Service Team (HST) officers for six months, a move that drew extensive public comment and divisions among councilors.
City Manager Krishna (referred to in meeting comments by first name) had presented the council’s “safety and livability” pilot package earlier: a mental‑health co‑response (CARE) model, expanded HST coverage from four to seven days per week, and expanded cleaning services. The package’s total general‑fund cost was estimated at $626,000; the $180,000 donation would reduce the city’s share for the six‑month pilot.
Chief Trevor Womack, Salem’s police chief, described the Homeless Service Team as two specially trained, trauma‑informed officers who aim to meet people where they are and connect them with services rather than to make arrests. Womack said the team’s goal is mitigative and not to be a solution to homelessness; adding two HST officers would extend coverage citywide to seven days a week.
Public comment ran long, with dozens of speakers. Opponents urged the council not to accept private money to fund public safety positions, citing accountability, the risk of private influence over deployment, and concerns about the mayor’s prior acceptance of campaign contributions from a known donor linked to the proposal. Supporters and some councilors argued the donation would enable a needed pilot to demonstrate whether seven‑day HST coverage improves outcomes and could inform future budget decisions.
Council debate focused on transparency, donor influence and whether council should have a written donation policy before accepting such gifts. Some members, including Councilors Nordyke and Matthews, proposed delaying acceptance to craft a donation policy; others, including Councilors Teigen, Gwynn and Varney, argued accepting private funding to pilot the program was preferable to leaving the package unfunded. City staff said donors did not attach operational strings and that the HST officers would be city officers assigned citywide, not dedicated to downtown.
The motion as written: “Accept the donation to fund two police officers for the Homeless Service Team for six months with the potential for an additional six months of funding.” Roll call: Teigen (Yes); Nishioka (Nay); Matthews (Yes); Gwynn (Aye); Brown (Nay); Vang (Yes); Nordyke (Yes, reluctantly); Varney (Nay); Mayor Julie Hoy (Yes). Motion passed 6–3.
Councilors and staff said they would pursue a formal written donation policy in coming weeks to address transparency and oversight questions raised during the debate.
Evidence: staff explanation of the package, chief Womack presentation of HST model, extended public comment, council debate and roll‑call vote.
