Salem council accepts City Seal Task Force report, refers issue to Committee of the Whole after heated debate

The City Seal Task Force’s final report drew robust public comment and extended debate among Salem City Councilors on Dec. 4. After testimony from residents and civic groups and a long round of council remarks, the council voted to accept the report and to suspend Rule 29b so the matter can be carried into the Committee of the Whole in 2026 for further public engagement and ordinance drafting.

Public comment included concerns that the task force faced harassment and that certain community voices—particularly Asian American and Pacific Islander residents—were not sufficiently centered in the process. Anna Nuncio of the Latino Leadership Coalition and other speakers said the seal’s imagery evokes racist caricatures tied to historical trade practices and urged a redesign. Other public speakers raised questions about process and representation.

Council discussion ran for more than an hour. Several councilors (including Marcello, Stott, Watzenfeld and Cohen) urged a more robust public‑engagement approach, including use of impartial facilitators, a public inventory of where the seal is used, and outreach to youth and outside scholars. Councilor Marcello delivered an extended critique of the task force’s outreach and documentation, saying the report was hurried and that links/footnotes were not adequately summarized. Councilor Cohen strongly defended moving toward change based on historical evidence presented to the task force and cautioned against putting human-rights questions on a ballot.

Other councilors emphasized that volunteers on the task force should not be subject to harassment and advocated for a measured committee process. After the discussion, Councilor Varela’s motion to accept the report and refer it to the Committee of the Whole carried; the council also voted to suspend Rule 29b to allow the matter to be carried forward to 2026 committee work. Council members said the coming committee phase will include inventorying where the seal appears, defining options for a seal and exploring facilitation and public-engagement models.

The council did not adopt ordinance language that night; rather, it accepted the report and directed further committee work and public engagement next year.