Salem council unanimously overrides mayor's veto of housing ordinance language

The Salem City Council voted unanimously on Jan. 20 to override Mayor Dicki's veto of a recently passed housing ordinance that changed who would appoint positions tied to housing appeals.

Council members spent much of the meeting debating the practical effects of the mayor's veto and how to address conflicting language. Law Director Mr. Zellers told the council that the mayor's veto would strike the entire ordinance and that the options were to override the veto (requiring a two-thirds vote) or to amend the ordinance. Zellers said, "her veto would be then for the entire ordinance." The mayor stated she would not withdraw her veto: "No, I'm not withdrawing my veto," she said during the discussion.

Council members expressed concern that, if the veto stood, housing appeals could remain under the health department until the ordinance is corrected, creating potential administrative confusion. One council member said appeals could be routed to the health department "which would be worse" and urged a near-term fix; others urged discussing technical corrections at the Rules & Ordinances committee meeting scheduled the next day.

A motion to override the veto was made and seconded; the roll-call vote was recorded as unanimous. The clerk recorded all present members voting "yes," carrying the motion 7-0. After the vote, council members said they would work on corrected language in committee and return the revised ordinance for formal consideration.

The override returns the ordinance to city control pending the technical amendments the council plans to make at the committee meeting the following day.