Welcome to Neighborhood Leaders

Dear Neighborhood Leader,

Thank you for sharing your time and skills as a leader of your neighborhood association. The work that neighborhood volunteers like yourself do is greatly appreciated in Salem.

Neighborhood associations have made a significant contribution to the Salem community by providing information to decision-makers, acting as a communication link between the City and other citizens, and working to beautify and enhance the livability of Salem. The involvement of neighborhood associations in such diverse issues as parks, crime prevention, nuisance abatement, land use, traffic, and a host of other issues is helping the City of Salem to fulfill the vision of the Neighborhood Services program which was adopted by City Council in 1999:

"A community comprised of neighborhoods where individual residents, families, landlords, businesses, government, schools, congregations, nonprofit agencies, and civic groups work together to identify and respond to local issues and ensure the safety and livability of their neighborhood."

We hope neighborhood associations continue to grow and flourish in Salem. City staff are here to assist you and your neighborhood association in every possible way. To this end, the Community Resources Division staff have prepared this handbook to provide you with useful information as you pursue your goals. In addition, each neighborhood association has a Neighborhood Services Counselor and a Neighborhood Liaison assigned to provide support and communication between the City and the neighborhood associations. The Community Resources Division also provides other technical and support services to neighborhood associations. Should you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact them at 503-588-6261.

Providing leadership to a citizen group can be both challenging and rewarding. We hope you will look back on your service with a sense of accomplishment.

Sincerely,

Robert G. Wells

City Manager