Council Approves Multiple Appointments after Heated Debate Over Police Review Board Reappointment
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Summary
The council moved and approved several appointments and reappointments to city boards and commissions, including an amended motion to reappoint Kyle Hedquist to the Community Police Review Board after debate over his record and CPRB requirements; one councilor recused from a separate appointment vote.
The Salem City Council on Dec. 8 approved a slate of appointments and reappointments to boards and commissions after extended public comment and internal deliberations.
Councilor Vang moved to appoint or reappoint candidates identified in the staff report and to declare one Citizens Police Review Board (CPRB) seat reappointed. The meeting included lengthy public comment questioning the practice of appointing a single individual to multiple advisory bodies; speakers called for transparency and broader outreach to increase diversity on city boards.
A contentious moment focused on a proposed reappointment to the CPRB. Councilor Matthews and others said the board's purpose and the candidate's prior record — described during the boards-and-commissions process — required caution. Councilor Vang and supporters argued for reintegration and the ability of individuals with historic convictions to serve, noting waivers in board bylaws and the potential to accommodate ride-along requirements through waiver by city management.
The council voted first on an amendment to reappoint Kyle Hedquist (transcript spelling varies) to the CPRB and then on the full amended motion to make the remaining appointments and reappointments as listed in staff materials. The roll-call votes recorded multiple 'ayes' and several 'nays' on the amendment, but the overall amended motion carried and the appointments were finalized. Councilor Vang recused herself from discussion and vote on an earlier appointment (Abel Soriano to municipal judge pro tem) because of a disclosed personal connection.
City staff and the city attorney told council members that some CPRB bylaws call for ride-alongs as part of member duties and that ride-alongs can be waived for cause by the city manager; the city attorney also outlined ongoing governance work to modernize application systems and membership requirements for boards.
The council also discussed the low number of applicants on many boards and the need to improve recruitment and the application form to broaden representation. Staff said a governance project and new software rollout will bring back recommendations for board rules and application improvements in early 2026.
Outcome: the council carried the amended motion to reappoint and to make the other appointments and reappointments as described in the staff report.