The Salem City Council gave second and final passage on Thursday, January 22 to the $447,385,518 bond order for a new high school at 77 Willson Street, by a roll call of 10 to 0 with Ward 7 Councillor Andrew Varela absent, and adopted the order for the May 5 special election on the debt exclusion that will pay for it. The votes followed a Committee on Administration and Finance session that Councillor-at-Large Kyle Davis said answered most questions.
Davis said the committee was unanimous but that members asked for more transparency about the effect on taxpayers and renters, and expressed disappointment that the project does not include a project labor agreement. Ward 2 Councillor Andrew Smith said the city is looking at ways to limit the cost to taxpayers, including a sales tax measure, and that the interest rate is not yet known. The presentation is posted at salemma.gov/salemhighschool.
Ranked choice voting
On the Committee on Government Services’ recommendation, the council directed the city solicitor to draft a home rule petition asking the Legislature to amend the city charter to allow ranked choice voting in local elections, and to return it to the committee for review. Ward 1 Councillor Erin Turowski, the committee chair, said Greg Dennis of Voter Choice Massachusetts had explained how the system works in multi-seat races and that the vote was only a first step. Ward 5 Councillor Lydia King said that once filed, such petitions “might just sit there for years” and that any change would go to a citywide vote; Salem voted 52 percent in favor of the 2020 statewide ranked choice question. Ward 4 Councillor Timothy Flynn said the system could confuse voters, including his elderly parents, but that he would not deny residents the choice.
Also at the meeting
- The council authorized a $250,000 grant agreement with ICLEI, Local Governments for Sustainability, to develop a public-private financing plan for projects that cut greenhouse gas emissions and benefit low-income communities. No city match is required.
- A home rule petition to increase the duty-related disability pension of retired police officer Kathleen Rocheville, injured on duty on November 2, 2015, to her full regular pay was referred to the Committee on Ordinances, Licenses and Legal Affairs. The committee recommended denial in March after an executive session.
- $29,540 for poll workers and overtime for the special election was approved, along with $55,000 within the retirement stabilization fund and $25,000 for council advertising.
- The $325,000 bond for the North Street fire station received second and final passage, and three traffic ordinances on handicap zones and parking got first passage.
- Alexander Brumfield was appointed to the Salem Human Rights Coalition, and Transportation Commission, Historical Commission and constable appointments were held or confirmed under the rules.
The minutes are here.
