Minutes 10/21/14

October 21, 2014

Minutes

p	Michael Livingston, Chair	e	Woody Dukes	p	Bruce Hoffman
p	Sarah Owens, Sect’y	e	Bob Hanna	p	Rebekah Engle
p	Erma Hoffman, Treasurer	p	Brock Campbell

p=present a=absent e=excused

Residents:  Neal T. Kern, Jeri Miller,

Organizations: Virginia Slaughter and Margaret Stephens, Salem No-Ivy Coalition, Rev. Emily Goodnow, First Congregational Church, Jason Silverstein, Statesman Journal, Rick Ikeda, First Christian Church (for Bob Hanna), A.P. Walther, Salem Weekly, Gary Obery, Highland Neighborhood

City/County Representatives:  Officer Upkes, Salem Police Department; Councilor Bennett, Salem City Council; Troy Thomson, Salem Public Works Development Department, Planning & Development Division

A regular meeting of the CanDo Board of Directors was called to order at 6:03 p.m. on Tuesday, October 21, 2014, at the First Christian Church at 685 Marion Street NE, Salem.  Michael Livingston was in the chair and Sarah Owens was secretary.

Minutes of the September meeting were approved by unanimous consent.  

Councilor Bennett reported on the status of the proposed ordinance regulating marijuana dispensaries (passed, with a public hearing on the gross receipts tax to be applied to non-medical marijuana scheduled for October 27, at which meeting the Council will also determine the dispensary license application fee), that public hearings have been scheduled on a proposed water, sewer and stormwater service rate increase (October 27), a proposed land use code amendment allowing the use of goats for vegetation removal (November 10)(expected to pass), and a proposal to ban smoking on sidewalks abutting non-smoking facilities (November 17)(also to include Councilor Dickey’s proposal to expand the ban to all city property).  He also announced an upcoming joint work session with Salem Keizer Transit (October 27).  (Secretary’s note: the work session on the Tree Code Revisions has apparently been postponed until after January 1, 2015).     

Officer Upkes reported that the Department’s annual Halloween Dress Rehearsal was coming up, and introduced the long-awaited anti-panhandling campaign developed by the Mayor’s Safe Streets and Parks Task Force by handing out campaign posters:

(See also the Urban Institute Guide to Preventing Panhandling and compare campaigns in Fort Lauderdale, FL, and San Bernadino, CA.)  In response to a question as to whether the City intended to follow through on plans to provide public toilets in the downtown area, Officer Upkes explained that the City had investigated, but had not so far found a solution to cost and safety problems identified in other jurisdictions, and identified Courtney Knox Bush (503-588-6178 or  cknox@cityofsalem.net) as the person to contact with concerns and ideas.  (Secretary’s note: the May 2014 minutes reflect that CanDo was informed at the May meeting that “the Mayor’s Safe Streets and Parks Task Force proposal to provide portable public toilets [in the downtown area] is with the Chief, and has effectively been tabled indefinitely.”)

Virginia Slaughterhouse of the Salem No-Ivy Coalition gave a report, “The Problem with English Ivy.”  Following the report, Erma Hoffman’s motion to support Salem No-Ivy’s project to remove the English ivy from Waldo Park and restore the affected area with native species, and use the project to educate the public about the problem generally, passed unanimously.

Troy Thomson of the Department of Public Works reported on a project (No. 709517) to upgrade the existing traffic signal and intersection (realign to create a “T” intersection) at Liberty St NE - Broadway St NE - High St NE.  Construction is expected to begin in 2016.  (Secretary’s note: The City Council approved the acquisition of the needed right of way in June 2014.)  

Erma Hoffman and Rebekah Engle reported on the successful completion of CanDo’s project to install a bike repair station, thanks in part to a grant from the Salem Parks Foundation.

In New Business, the board agreed by unanimous consent that it would be premature for CanDo to apply for the 2015-2016 Neighborhood Partnership Program, and that there was no policy preventing anyone from electronically or otherwise recording its meetings, as long as attendees were made aware that the meeting was being recorded.        

The meeting of the Board of Directors adjourned at 7:20 p.m.