Salem Community Resolution Regarding
the Proposed Salem Police Facility/Civic Center Project

 

WHEREAS, __________________________________________________ [print name] recognizes the urgent need for a larger, safer, and more efficient Police Facility along with seismic strengthening of the Salem Civic Center and the Library to save lives in the event of an earthquake, and

WHEREAS, the City of Salem proposed in October 2013 to build a new Police Facility at the Civic Center and seismically strengthen the City Hall structure only, and

WHEREAS, the City of Salem proposal requires at least a $70 million bond measure in 2014 to fund these capital improvements and the Library also needs seismic strengthening, which could raise the cost substantially, and

WHEREAS, the City of Salem has chosen the current Civic Center location for a new Police Facility, requiring destruction of valuable assets such as the Peace Plaza, Mirror Pond, north parking, Council chambers, and atrium, and

WHEREAS, the City of Salem has failed to evaluate alternative community sites for a Police Facility that could provide a more secure perimeter and a better emergency vehicle distribution point at a much lower cost, and

WHEREAS, City staff have not adequately involved Salem citizens in the planning and site selection for the proposed Police Facility, and

WHEREAS, the City of Eugene recently built a similar-sized Police Facility in a separate location from its City Hall for $17 million by renovating an existing building, and

WHEREAS, seismic strengthening of the Civic Center and building a new off-site Police Facility can be accomplished at a much lower cost than the City of Salem proposal, potentially saving taxpayers many millions of dollars, 

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that _________________________________________ [print name] recommends that the Salem City Council not proceed to a bond levy vote as currently proposed until it has (1) evaluated lower cost alternative site locations for the Police Facility, (2) planned a seismic strengthening of the entire Civic Center, including remodeling of the Council Chambers, and (3) assured the preservation and enhancement of existing Civic Center green spaces. This will potentially reduce the proposed bond levy by $30 million or more. 

 

Approved by: ____________________________________________ on ________________
                                            (print name of group or person)                                  (date)

Signature: ______________________________ Email/phone: ________________________

 

 

Return to: Salem Community Vision ℅ Geoffrey James, 

4676 Commercial Street SE #8, Salem, OR 97302