The Salem City Council Monday night began a discussion on the best way to use $947,667 in ARPA COVID-19 relief money.
Mayor Nic Farley noted while not all the rules have been finalized the city will have several options.
“Infrastructure projects will be allowed. There is some language that says they could be used to pay for costs for employees that worked during the pandemic in terms of bonuses and that type of thing. There are also provisions for high-speed internet. As a council, I think we need to look hard at infrastructure. I don’t think we get the opportunity to spend this much money on projects in a normal year.”
Farley says the city staff has come up with three needed infrastructure improvement projects, all costing about $1-million.
Public Works Director Annette Brushwitz has put the replacement of a troublesome water line on South Broadway at the top of the list.
“Gives us the ability to put valves in place to shut the water off in the event of an emergency where now we are shutting entire sections of the southern part of town off. I looked the other day and as far as I can see in less than 2 years we’ve been in this line more than 8 times. One of them was a 36-hour repair where we had to dig several times to actually find the leak. That comes from an old-line where people have scabbed on over the years and we don’t know where everything runs so when something happens we are kind of on a scavenger hunt.”
The other projects include work on replacing sewer lines in the southeast quarter of downtown from Marion to Mitchell to Broadway to Main and the replacement of a portion of the Carlyle Lake Raw Water Line that brings water to the city. Brushwitz saw no need to make a decision now and noted priorities could change if a new major infrastructure problem surfaces.
Farley believes the Carlyle Lake Water Line project can be part of a bigger water system improvement project in the future.
In other action, the council gave first reading approval to a $1.3-million property tax levy for next year. A 1.4-percent cost of living increase is included adding $26,000 to this year’s levy. City Manager Rex Barbee says they are assured of getting that much of an increase, where in the past they sometimes have levied for more but were blocked from receiving it because of tax caps.
First reading approval was also given to a .02-percent increase in the tax levy for the Bryan Bennett Library to be used for maintenance, repair, and alterations to library buildings and equipment.
An additional $48,000 was added to expenditures for this year’s oil and chip program. Barbee says a heavier more expensive oil was used in hopes of getting the chips to adhere better.
Councilman Jim Koehler had attended the Historical Commission meeting prior to the council session and reported on the member’s concern over the deteriorating condition of the William Jennings Bryan Birthplace Home. He feels the city council will be facing some decisions on the future of the home and its use.
