4/19/22 Minutes

Members:  Deb Comini

Organizations: none

City, County and State Representatives: Virginia Stapleton, Ward 1 Councilor;  Matthew Gill, Salem Police Department Community Action Unit  

 

Guests: Linda Nishioka, Ward 2 City Council candidate;  Spencer Todd, Marion County District Attorney candidate

The regular meeting of CANDO was called to order at 6:02 p.m., on Tuesday, April 19, 2022.  The meeting was conducted by Zoom video-conference.  The Chair and Secretary-Treasurer were present.  

The agenda and minutes of the March meeting were approved unanimously.

Sergeant Gill  apologized for recent absences at CANDO meetings and said he or another officer from the Unit would attend regularly in the future.  Although the problems homelessness creates for the police are “community-wide,” the Unit is not “giving up on downtown.”  The police will begin escorting service providers & outreach workers into homeless camps before the camps get “out of control.”  About 70% of the Unit’s resources will be dedicated to the safety of homeless camp clean-up efforts.  There is a new “transparency portal” on the Police Dept website.  The Unit is now fully staffed, and officers will be patrolling downtown on bikes.

Councilor Stapleton reported that a recent internal audit concluded that the City needs to fill 300 staff positions.  Council approved issuing a request for qualifications to set up a mobile crisis response program.  The council will hold a work session on the proposed bond measure on May 16. Currently, $25 million for “affordable housing” is in the proposal.  The Budget Committee begins its series of meetings tomorrow.  Chief Womack has asked for 6 additional officers.  

Spencer Todd introduced himself during the time for comments from interested citizens and invited questions and comments.

The board heard a presentation from Linda Nishioka, City Council candidate for Ward 2 (unopposed) and current Downtown Advisory Board member.  Nishioka said she looks forward to attending CANDO meetings and working with Councilor Stapleton.  Her priorities for downtown are resolution of homelessness problems, public safety, economic development and tourism.  

There being no further business before the board, the Chair adjourned the meeting at 6:45.