City Council spent some time acknowledging the importance of literacy and reading as a part of their November 23rd meeting. One item on the council's agenda included approval for the relocation of the teen library. The renovation and relocation of the teen library to the current tech services area and former CCTV studios area is an effort to draw teens to the library and its many resources.
"Everybody should be really proud of the Salem Public Library Foundation and the great gift they have giv…
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Added by Public Policy on November 23, 2009 at 8:00pm —
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"Wednesday is a day on, not a day off to thank Veterans and Veterans Day is important to City Council every year," said City Councilor Dan Clem. Clem and other City Councilors thanked all those who have served in the armed forces as a part of Monday night's meeting at City Hall.
City staff and elected officials were honored to begin the evening's agenda. Those recognized included:
- Council President Bruce Rogers, United States Navy (1964-66 - Vietnam)
- Deputy City Manager Sean O' Day, United…
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Added by Public Policy on November 9, 2009 at 9:11pm —
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The following health care reform update was provided by Congressional Action, a publication of the United States Chamber of Commerce
Democratic leaders in both the House and Senate are huddled behind closed doors in negotiations over what type of government-run "public option" they can move through their respective chambers. In the House, Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and her allies have come up short in the vote count for their preferred plan, a "robust" public option that would pay most…
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Added by Public Policy on October 29, 2009 at 9:23am —
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The Salem City Council held a fairly brief meeting on Monday, October 26th which included one public hearing. Council discussed whether or not to approve a city-initiated vacation of a portion of Pringle Parkway SE as a part of the hearing. Businesses located adjacent to the property have expressed an interest in purchasing the property from the City at a later date. Tentative plans include an expansion of parking capacity for area businesses.
"We concur with the staff report as written and the…
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Added by Public Policy on October 26, 2009 at 7:00pm —
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The City of Salem will move through a preservation process for the Union Street railroad bridge which opened as a pedestrian and bicycle bridge earlier in 2009. The City of Salem has secured funding through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) which will result in an estimated 49 jobs, according to City staff. Project work will be focused on truss painting for the bridge.
The team working to finish the project by May of 2010 includes the City of Salem Urban Development and Public W…
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Added by Public Policy on October 12, 2009 at 7:00pm —
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October's Salem Chamber Public Policy Session brought 40 businesspeople to the Salem Chamber for an update on the latest economic development efforts. Ray Burstedt, President of the Strategic Economic Development Corporation (SEDCOR) and Jeff Corner, Principal Broker with First Commercial Real Estate Services expressed the challenges currently being faced in the local marketplace.
According to Burstedt, the manufacturing sector workforce is rapidly advancing towards retirement age, creating the…
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Added by Public Policy on October 1, 2009 at 3:01pm —
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Financial Services
Consumer Financial Protection Agency (CFPA) poised to change credit standards
The Washington Post reports that President Obama headed to Wall Street on Monday to try to breathe new life into efforts to overhaul the financial regulatory system, an undertaking he has said is essential to halting the abuses and failures that led to the current crisis. Businesses have been working to bend the legislation their way -- for example, fighting the proposed Consumer…
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Added by Public Policy on September 21, 2009 at 2:45pm —
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City Council met for over 3 hours on Monday evening, September 14th. A wide variety of issues were discussed including a move to update the City's permitting process for parades and mass gatherings.
In a unanimous vote (with Councilor Dan Clem absent), City Council voted to support the adoption of the ordinance which would give the City the right to cost recovery from events and public gatherings that directly result in the need for additional city staff.
In other news, Council began discussin…
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Added by Public Policy on September 14, 2009 at 9:23pm —
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The 2007 and 2009 Legislative Sessions were two of the biggest years for employment law changes according to featured speaker Randy Sutton, an employment law attorney for Saalfeld Griggs PC. Sutton and Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI) Commissioner Brad Avakian shared their perspectives on what took place this past session and how new laws will impact the world of work.
The Salem Chamber's September Public Policy Session was broken up into various employment law categories. Among those cate…
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Added by Public Policy on September 9, 2009 at 3:39pm —
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Salem City Council was scheduled to meet for a special meeting on Monday, August 31st to consider the creation of a local option fuel tax ordinance.
Councilor Bob Cannon brought the issue forward based on his work on the City's Finance Subcommittee. Concerns were discussed before the special agenda was approved on whether or not the meeting should even take place.
"I don't even want to have this discussion," said City Council President Bruce Rogers. Rogers and other Councilors expressed concer…
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Added by Public Policy on August 31, 2009 at 5:00pm —
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City Council started their meeting on Monday, August 24th with a work session to discuss long-term planning for commercial and industrial lands throughout the region. Community Development Director Vickie Hardin Woods and Planning Commission Chair Dan Dorn presented to City Council about a regional effort to conduct an economic opportunity analysis. The plan involves 3 phases and collaboration with the cities of Keizer and Turner as well as partners with Marion and Polk Counties.
"The purpose i…
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Added by Public Policy on August 24, 2009 at 10:04pm —
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Public testimony continued Monday night, August 10th on the proposal to authorize a federal easement on Minto Brown Island Park. City of Salem staff recommended that City Council authorize the City Manager to enter into an agreement with the Natural Resource Conservation Service or NRCS for a permanent floodplain easement.
Originally, public and written testimony was going to be closed as of the end of Sunday, August 9th but Council President Bruce Rogers (in Mayor Taylor's absence) decided to…
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Added by Public Policy on August 10, 2009 at 8:07pm —
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One theme hit home at the Salem Chamber's August Public Policy Session. State Representative guests Vicki Berger, Kevin Cameron, and Betty Komp seemed to agree on the mentality of legislators that drove the 2009 Legislative Session agenda.
"When you walk in and the first question you ask is how can we support government services instead of how can we create jobs, you're going down different paths," said Berger, pictured at right.…
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Added by Public Policy on August 10, 2009 at 2:40pm —
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City staff has asked residents to conserve water over the next week. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is addressing a gate malfunctioning issue at Big Cliff Dam.
Director Peter Fernandez of the Public Works Department announced a Stage 2 water curtailment emergency asking Salem residents to voluntarily stop lawn watering, home car washing, sidewalk washing, and other secondary tasks using water over the next week.
"At this point it is a voluntary curtailment, but we're asking that everyone par…
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Added by Public Policy on July 27, 2009 at 8:30pm —
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The Economy
Geithner predicts economic rebound in “the next few quarters"
On Tuesday, the Financial Times reported Treasury Secretary Geithner sounded an optimistic note on the US and global economy, suggesting a recovery was at hand and saying there was no need at the moment for another fiscal stimulus. Speaking in London at the start of a tour of European and Gulf capitals, he said, “There is a very good chance for seeing the US economy and the world economy get back to th…
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Added by Public Policy on July 21, 2009 at 11:06am —
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Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski signed into law a $733 million tax increase on Monday - an increase Oregon economists Bill Conerly and Randy Pozdena say will cost Oregonians atleast 80,000 jobs over the next 10 years.
You can read the Oregon economists articles through the following URL addresses (copy and paste into your web browser):
http://www.oregoncatalyst.com/index.php/archives/2454-Raising-Oregons-Corporate-Income-Tax-Rate-Will-Cost-43,000-Oregon-Jobs.html
http://www.oregoncatal…
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Added by Public Policy on July 21, 2009 at 10:28am —
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City Council spent most of their time on Monday evening, July 13th discussing amendments to the Sign Code. Updates to the code have been needed for some time to address changes in technology. The Salem Chamber has been an active participant in the City's process and provided recommendations to City Council as a part of Monday evening's public hearing.
Vice President of the Salem Chamber Tom Hoffert and Board Member Jim Lewis addressed the Council.
"Simplicity is key as the City moves forward i…
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Added by Public Policy on July 14, 2009 at 11:00am —
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The 75th Assembly of the Oregon Legislature wrapped up last week on Tuesday, June 30th at 9:45 pm. They worked over the past weekend to tie up critical loose ends including the Education budget, revisions to scale-down the 2008 voter-approved mandatory sentences provisions contained in Measure 57, and a variety of other state agency budgets. Several final bills included a narrowly passed phase-out of field burning over the next year and moratorium on growth of online charter schools. The legisla…
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Added by Public Policy on July 6, 2009 at 9:29am —
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As a part of July's Public Policy Session at the Salem Area Chamber of Commerce, consultant Richard Bjelland shared factual data about how population and demographic data continues to evolve in the State of Oregon and in Marion County specifically.
"There are some significant changes that are taking place these days," said Bjelland.
Bjelland's powerpoint presentation provided a great deal of statistical information from sources including the U.S. Census Bureau to paint a picture for the Chambe…
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Added by Public Policy on July 2, 2009 at 10:40am —
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WASHINGTON D.C., – Oregon small businesses may be eligible for interest-free loans under a new program created by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), announced by Congressman Kurt Schrader (D-OR) today. The newly launched “America’s Recovery Capital” (ARC) program will allow small businesses to take interest free loans of $35,000 to reduce their debt.
“As a small business owner I understand how crippling debt can be for small companies,” said Schrader. “In this economy, lenders a…
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Added by Public Policy on July 1, 2009 at 1:05pm —
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