SALEM CITY COUNCIL
Goals for Fiscal Year 2006-07

1.  Public Safety

     Create a sense of safety for Salem’s citizens by reducing the crime rate, curbing methamphetamine use and improving emergency response times.

Strategies:

A.  Continue support for the “No Meth – Not in My Neighborhood” efforts.
B.  Reduce fire emergency response times.
C.  Maintain police and fire staffing at minimum of current staffing levels and work toward a higher per capita ratio of police officers.
D.  Create a Lancaster Drive Motorist Safety Zone. 
E.  Locate the Police Department into a new building to make use of space at City Hall.
F.  Pursue a police levy for operations or a bond measure for capital construction.
G.  Locate police substations or precincts in two high-crime areas of Salem.

2. Infrastructure and Maintenance

     Attain and maintain adequate infrastructure to ensure livability and economic viability.

Strategies:

A.  Widen Kuebler Boulevard.
B.  Continue efforts to establish a new Willamette River bridge.
C.  Build a Minto-Brown pedestrian/bike bridge.
D.  Implement the Save Our Streets Committee recommendations for street maintenance.
E.  Implement and fund the deferred maintenance plan for city-owned facilities.
F.  Airport air service and infrastructure.
G.  Pursue grants for railroad bridge rehabilitation.
H.  Improve traffic mobility.
I.   Complete the crosswalks near schools and spend more money on pedestrian access to schools. 
J.  Reprioritize street and parks projects to areas of high growth.
K. Develop Marine Drive as a part of the third bridge over the Willamette.
L.  Pursue a bond measure for street improvements.
M. Resurface Sunnyview west of the Fairgrounds.
N.  Improve maintenance work on Olinger Pool, contingent upon participation by the     Salem-Keizer School District

3.  Economic Development

     Increase the number of jobs in Salem and diversify the city’s economy.

Strategies:
A.  Continue with strategies to further reduce Salem’s unemployment rate. 
B.  Increase support for Urban Renewal projects. 
C.  Redevelop the Holly wood Station site so it becomes an anchor for North Salem redevelopment.
D.  Work with Willamette University and others to draw more track and field and other sport championship events to Salem on a regular basis.
E.  Partner with universities, the State of Oregon, Salem Hospital and SEDCOR to attract more family-wage jobs.

4.  Livability and Neighborhoods

     Create an environment where neighborhoods are safe and friendly and where people feel connected.

Strategies:

A.  Determine a new model for neighborhood associations.
B.  Support more neighborhood traffic calming and pedestrian safety measures.
C.  Expand the neighborhood community police concept.
D.  Build more neighborhood parks.
E.  Increase parks availability and usage. 
F.  Build a new ‘wagon wheel’ of ball fields at Wallace Marine Park.
G. Pursue opportunities for organized group sports in neighborhood parks. 
H.  Pursue railroad quiet zones.

5.  Downtown Revitalization

     Continue and expand current downtown revitalization efforts in support of housing, retail, office and entertainment.

Strategies:

A.  Create a downtown Economic/Business Improvement District. 
B.  Work to create a housing project of 100 market-rate housing units in the core downtown area.  
C.  Continue efforts to decrease the downtown vacancy rate.  
D.  Pursue a rubber-tire trolley for the downtown area.
E.  Implement downtown streetscape improvements.
F.  Work to create housing projects to add 100 units of workforce housing in the downtown core.
G.  Implement the Urban Land Institute recommendations in regard to the development of the Boise Cascade property. 
H.  Develop the Vision 2020 Master Plan for the core area.
I.    Build a new parking garage in the downtown area. 

6.  Communication

     Continue to improve public confidence in city government.

Strategies:

A.  Make more use of reader boards during emergencies. 
B.  Develop a system for broad-based neighborhood communication.
C.  Use the city’s website as a communications tool, complete with pod casts and
webinars.
D.  Use water and sewer bills as a way of distributing notices to residents; make better use of billboards, radio and press releases; create a “Salem” book and other promotional items.
E.  Prepare department head newspaper guest opinions on issues. 
F.  Develop a strategy for communicating with Salem residents.
G.  Hold annual work sessions with the School District (school planning and capacity) and Transit (service levels).  

7.  Environment

     Continue to minimize the city’s environmental foot print and impact.

Strategies:

A.  Implement an environmental action plan.
B.  Develop an Environmental Management System.
C.  Provide water-shed support.
D.  Create an off-channel habitat project.
E.  Redo the parking lot at Bush Park.
F.  Work to restore salmon in Mill and Pringle creeks.
G.  Work on habitat issues that won’t make engineers nervous.

8.  Salem’s Image 

     Promote the positive image of Salem.

Strategies:

A.  Market Salem in a way that also appeals to the younger crowd.
B.  Improve the entrances to the city – make Portland Road and the Parkway more appealing.
C.  Encourage/co-sponsor “home town” events.
D.  Add measurable benchmarks for Economic Development and tourism.
E.  Create more opportunities for public-private marketing improvements (way finder, parking lots, finding sponsors).
F.  Pursue urban beautification projects.
G.  Ensure clean parkways.
H.  Place welcome signs at the gateways to Salem. 
I.   Partner with SCVA, Fairgrounds, Chamber and SEDCOR for advertising opportunities.
 
9.  Efficiency in Government

     Streamline processes to create a more cost-efficient government that is user-friendly, credible and supportive of the citizens.

Strategies:

A.  Adopt market-rate bilingual pay incentives for city employees.
B.  Privatize city services when feasible, considering operational needs and the ability to achieve major financial savings.
C.  Use outsourcing as an option for vacancies when the city is unable to successfully recruit due to labor market shortages.
D.  Partner with the private sector on streets and other infrastructure projects.

10.  Annexations and Land Use

     Coordinate planning to create equitable taxation, growth management and provisions within the Urban Growth Boundary.

Strategies:

A.  Annex to the Urban Growth Boundary.
B.  Continue to simplify land use codes.
C.  Review eligible uses of Systems Development Charges for parks and streets. 

11.  Funding

     Obtain more State and Federal funding and grants to support city projects.

Strategies:

A.  Attract more grant dollars.
B.  Hire a grant specialist to seek out and identify funding opportunities for city programs.

12.  Historical Assets 

     Incorporate Salem’s historic districts, historic buildings, a Salem Historic Center and other historic efforts into a cohesive plan. 

Strategies:

A.  Promote additional historic districts and Historic downtown.
B.  Identify support staff for this goal.
C.  Acquire the Amtrak/Freight station.
D.  Develop plans for a Salem Historical Center that potentially includes Native American and Black history.
 

Other Strategies Currently in Process:

A.  Complete the Periodic Review process.
B.  Redevelop the site of the Boise triangle building in conjunction with the Urban Land Institute study implementation.