Salem City Council Holds Public Hearing on New Streetlight Fee
(SALEM, Ore) — Salem City Council has scheduled a public hearing to take testimony about a proposed streetlight fee.
The streetlight fee would appear as a new charge on city sewer and water bills paid by households and businesses.
For single-family households, the fee would amount to $2.80 per month.
The public hearing will be part of the council's meeting at 6:30 p.m., Monday, at the Vern Miller Civic Center, 555 Liberty Street SE.
Revenue collected from the fee would be placed in a fund dedicated solely for the operation and expansion of the streetlight system, including upgrading streetlights to light-emitting diode lights, better known as LEDs.
City officials estimate that the streetlight fee would generate more than $1.76 million in revenue in its first year.
Salem has relied on the gasoline tax for both streetlights and road repairs.
The city's forecast for gas tax revenue, however, shows that gas tax alone won't be sufficient to pay for streetlights and road repairs.
Other items on Monday's agenda:
Recruiting a replacement for Salem City Manager Linda Norris and making decisions about appointing an interim city manager will be discussed.
Norris plans to retire at the end of March.
Councilors will receive a report on a $3.3 million upgrade of the Salem Municipal Airport's electrical and runway system, which was completed on time and on budget in fall 2014.
Federal grants provided about 90 percent of the project's funding, according to a staff report.
The council will vote on approving a three-year collective bargaining agreement between the city and the Salem Police Employees Union.
The agreement would be retroactive to July 1, 2014 and end June 30, 2017.
Source: City of Salem
