Salem Mayor Chuck Bennett took office January 4, 2017. Serving his first term as Mayor, his record of nine years on City Council and dedicated service to Salem resulted in street improvements, the sidewalk replacement program, increased funding for public safety, and other livability initiatives. Mayor Bennett is also a former State Representative and a graduate of Willamette University. He is married, has one daughter, and lives in northeast Salem.
Professionally, Mr. Bennett has been a government affairs representative for public school leaders for 17 years and owned his own government affairs business prior to that. He also worked as a newspaper reporter and editor in the 1970s and early 1980s.
In his tenure as a volunteer with the City of Salem, Mayor Bennett served as president of the city council and chaired several city council committees. He has served on the
Salem Public Library Board,
Cultural and Tourism Promotion Advisory Board,
Budget Committee, and
Planning Commission. He is also a former board member of the Pentacle Theatre and the Oregon Council for the Humanities.
The current priorities of the Mayor are to:
- Promote jobs and economic development
- Reduce homelessness
- Improve streets, sidewalks, and parks
- Increase affordable transportation options
- Support strong neighborhoods
