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City weighs scaling back siren grant after CEMA funding shortfall; FEMA review could delay installs
Summary
City Administrator Sally Burbridge told the board that CEMA asked Salem to reduce its storm‑siren funding request after a shortfall; FEMA review could take 4–6 months, prompting staff to prepare alternate cost scenarios for board review at the next meeting.
City Administrator Sally Burbridge told the Board that the CEMA grant the city hoped to use for two new storm sirens has less available funding than expected, and CEMA asked whether the city could reduce its request (for example by funding one siren instead of two). Burbridge said the city previously applied for CDBG funding and was denied; she noted that FEMA’s review of CEMA submissions can take four to six months, which risks missing another storm season.
Burbridge outlined tradeoffs: installing one siren would leave gaps in coverage that would require some old sirens to remain operational; applying for a reduced grant is possible but may not be reimbursable on a timeline the city can absorb. Board members asked whether the city could front the cost and be reimbursed later; staff said grant rules typically do not support reimbursement and that staff will prepare alternate funding scenarios and bring numbers to the next meeting.
Quote: "They're asking us if we would cut back that basically in half," Burbridge said of CEMA’s request about the siren application.
Next steps: staff will model alternatives and return with costs and timeline estimates at the next meeting so the board can decide whether to proceed with a reduced grant application or pursue local funding alternatives.
