2012 State of the City Speech Feb 8, 2012

2012 State of the City Speech
By Anna Peterson, Mayor of Salem
Feb 8, 2012
Good afternoon and thank you all for attending the luncheon
today. I want to especially thank Salem Area Chamber of
Commerce, Salem City Club and Salem Rotary for sponsoring the
State of the City address each year.
I would like to start with some introductions and sincere thank
yous. First, I want to recognize and thank my husband Edwin
Peterson for his love and support, and for his continued
appreciation of Amy’s frozen pizzas. All kidding aside, he has
been my strongest mentor, my best critic, my #1 role model and –
as of yesterday – my husband for 41 years.
You probably noticed some differences in the head table this
year. I asked all Council members to join me for the simple
reason that we are a team. We have worked hard these last 12
months to collaborate and cooperate, to support and mentor one
another. It is their commitment to making Salem the best it can
possibly be, and their professionalism as we work out the issues
before us, that make being Mayor a special pleasure.
Ward 1 – Chuck Bennett, who is also our Council President.
Ward 2 – Laura Tesler
Ward 3 – Brad Nanke
Ward 4 – Rich Clausen
Ward 5 – Diana Dickey
Ward 6 – Sheryl Thomas
Ward 7 – Bob Cannon
Ward 8 – Dan Clem
One of the busiest city departments is Municipal Court. Judge
Jane Aiken has a tireless commitment to dispense fair justice and
partners with community agencies to address the needs of people
who come before her.
As Oregon’s third largest city, we depend on our highly
professional city manager, department heads and Chiefs to
provide the best customer service every day. They, too, are an
important part of our team.
City Manager Linda Norris
Interim Deputy City Manager Peter Fernandez
City Attorney Randall Tosh
Interim Public Works Director Robert Chandler
Police Chief Gerry Moore
Fire Chief Mike Niblock
Community Development Director Vickie Woods
Urban Development Director John Wales
Human Resources Director Connie Munnell
Administrative Services Director Deborah Bond
I also want to thank the employees that work for the City of
Salem. They care deeply about their community, and are at the
forefront of dealing with the everyday tasks that are part of a large
city operation. They recognize the needs in our community, and
regularly sponsor food and toy collections, blood drives, and
volunteer in our community outside of work hours. Thank you,
City employees, for all you do to make life in Salem better.
At the core of our community are over 5,000 volunteers that make
Salem a better place to live. They serve in the Library, at Center
50+, the Police Department, the Fire Department, in the parks,
historic properties, neighborhoods and the airport, and in dozens
of other volunteer positions. They are vital to the smooth-running
operations at City Hall and across our community.
Speaking of volunteers, I want to recognize one of our city’s
strongest leaders and best cheer leaders, former mayor Janet
Taylor. How fitting that she has been named Salem’s 2011 First
Citizen!
In times of need, volunteers, employees, staff, Councilors and
other agencies work together. I saw first-hand how they set up
our city’s Emergency Operations Center and coordinated with the
American Red Cross, Cherriots, and Salem-Keizer Schools to
assist neighborhoods in high water areas. They swung into action
and were a huge help with sandbagging, placing road closure
signs, and directing and assisting people to move into shelters
and away from rising flood waters.
This past year, our Council filled 60 vacancies on City
commissions, boards and committees. These advisory groups
are now stronger, more diverse, and better positioned to advise
City Council and City Management as we develop policies and
programs.
Many people ask if I still enjoy my role as mayor. My answer is:
I enjoy it tremendously, and feel privileged to have this
opportunity. What better time to bring residents together, to
encourage businesses to stay, and new ones to locate here, to
help set the vision and steer the course toward our economic and
community well-being. We will not hold back on the important
work because of the economic downturn, but must capitalize on
what we have, and build upon the many accomplishments of
recent years. And besides, I tell them, we are not broke; we are
not broken; and we continue to move forward.
The highest priority to this Council is economic development, and
I am pleased to report progress in this area, and some bright
spots ahead. Projects in our Urban Renewal Areas and
Enterprise zones do much to maximize our resources and spur
investment.
We created the Innovative Fairview Small Business Loan
Program to assist small businesses in Salem to expand and
create new jobs. The first project provided investment capital to
upgrade a vacant building into one of the most energy efficient
processing facilities in our area. This led to the expansion of
Organic Fresh Fingers and Wandering Aengus Ciderworks. This
loan program fills an important need and more businesses are
looking into it.
The West Salem Urban Renewal District is a promising jewel in
our crown, and the Advisory Board works diligently to bring
business investment, new services and jobs into this area. From
the West Salem Neighborhood Plan, they identified the need for
―mixed use centers‖ to encourage investment by bringing together
residential, retail, restaurants, and public space. Neighborhood
vitality and new jobs are the goals.
In the North Gateway Redevelopment Area, Council directed staff
to eliminate the overlay zone on a 15 acre property on NE
Portland Road, to encourage neighborhood services such as a
grocery store, beauty salon, dentist, or dry cleaners. Most of
these services are currently unavailable to residents who live on
or near Portland Road, unless they drive a considerable distance
from their homes. Development here could add to the property
tax base, spur further improvements in the area, and create
much-needed jobs for nearby residents.
The Riverfront / Downtown Urban Renewal Area is of major
importance to Council. We revised plans for the Economic
Improvement District, and when property owners voted to tax
themselves to fund an Economic Improvement District, the City
contracted with the Downtown Partnership to coordinate
marketing and special events to draw activity into the heart of our
city. New Downtown wayfinding signs are a huge hit, and the
Oregon Artists Series Foundation and Salem Public Arts
Commission created the Sculpture Park on the Conference
Center’s southwest corner. The lighted holiday tree was frosting
on the cake of a new and lovely downtown feature.
Council is working with staff and the Downtown Advisory Board to
craft a Downtown Development Block Grant program with $1
million to fund projects that will be a catalyst and showcase for
revitalization and redevelopment on a major level.
In the South Waterfront Urban Renewal Area, the Boise property
owners have daylighted Pringle Creek, and unveiled plans for
apartments and commercial space in the area just south of the
creek.
The City Council supports these plans and improvements. I
encourage these Advisory Boards to think big and innovatively.
Maximize the resources to stimulate further investment. My
advice is don’t dream too small, and to investors with dormant
downtown buildings, or underutilized properties—take note—It’s
time to get those plans off the drawing boards and into the
ground. Interest rates are low, workers and materials are
abundant, and this City Council wants to help!!
Less exciting than our vibrant downtown, but just as important in
preparing for the economic recovery, staff and the Unified
Development Code Advisory Committee have completed over 35
chapters and are well on the way to completing this major update
this year. The resulting code will be much more streamlined and
user friendly.
Council will soon be reviewing the Airport Master Plan update. It
establishes a 20 year vision and blueprint for the Airport.
Upgrades to the infrastructure will attract investment and jobs and
further strengthen the Airport’s economic engine for the
community and region. The airport is a vital job creator, even
without commercial passenger air service. The Salem Airport and
its related businesses contribute 2,100 jobs regionally, $65 million
in annual wages, and $240 million in regional business sales.
Investment in the airport and surrounding area is a wise move,
and the State of Oregon and FAA share our beliefs. The State of
Oregon has awarded 2.6 million in Connect Oregon funds and the
FAA has put us in line for funding to extend the runway,
reconfigure the taxiway system and improve airport lighting and
navigation systems. Property development at the south end of
the airport will attract more businesses to Salem Airport, which
will provide jobs, and stimulate local aviation-related economic
activity.
There have been some bright spots in the City’s efforts to add
jobs. We continue to work with the State of Oregon and
SEDCOR to market the Mill Creek Corporate Center, the
Renewable Energy and Technology Park, and other existing
properties ready for occupancy. Recent announcement include:
A long-time Salem business, Garmin Technical Information
Center will hold a job fair at month’s end and will be hiring
additional employees in their Tech Services Center at Fairview
Industrial Park.
A new employer, ECOB, has signed a five year lease for 30,000
sq ft on a railway spur. They plan to start with 50 employees
producing coated lumber products and shipping them to their
markets across the USA. And by mid-summer, there is a good
possibility that Sanyo/ now Panasonic will expand in Salem, so
stay tuned for that announcement.
Scott Casebeer banished blackberry blight and brought car
shopping to a new level by opening a new Toyota dealership and
continuing to build more stores at his site on the Salem Parkway
between Cherry and Broadway. That investment is a huge job
creator and will be a huge boost to Salem’s economy and local
property values.
Several new small businesses have opened in Salem and others
have moved to new locations, made capital improvements, and
added employees. Salem Hospital and several medical clinics
have built new facilities or expanded and upgraded their spaces
to accommodate new doctors and medical staff.
Hand in hand with the City’s economic development activity goes
advancements in technology and energy efficiency. Leading
these accomplishments is our beautiful and much-used Salem
Conference Center, which achieved LEED certification in 2010,
and in 2011 added solar panels to the roof to provide power and
lessen electric costs. The City worked with PGE, Sanyo Solar
and Inspec to plan and install the panels and electrical system.
You can even touch the info screen in the lobby and see how
much energy is being generated at any given time.
Speaking of costs, the Salem Conference Center continues to be
a fiscal pleasure. It operates in the black, and continues to be an
economic engine. Over 80,000 people attended events here in
2011, many of them coming into the city, staying in our hotels and
motels, and spending money in our restaurants and stores.
The City completed energy efficiency conservation upgrades at
City Hall, in both Libraries, and at the City Shops. We placed
solar powered compacting trash cans in City Parks and
developed the commercial lighting loan program.
The City recognizes that residents are conscious of fuel saving
advancements in the auto industry. We installed 14 electric
vehicle charging stations at six public parking lots in Salem. We
were one of the first cities in Oregon to have charging stations
installed as part of the Electric Vehicle Project.
Last fall, we installed a programmable LED decorative lighting
system to illuminate the Union Street Railroad Bridge with
combinations of colors and patterns. At the suggestion of the
Mid-Valley Women’s Crisis Service, purple was the first color, in
recognition of Violence Awareness Month.
Public Safety continues to be a major emphasis for the City
Council and City of Salem. Our first responders – the Fire
Department, the Police Department, and our partner Rural Metro
Ambulance do an outstanding job of providing emergency
response and keeping our community safe. Many of us on
Council have ridden along with all three and encourage everyone
here to do the same.
The Fire Department improved citywide emergency response
times in 2011, reaching our response target of 5 ½ minutes or
less, 74% of the time. Salem experienced a considerable
reduction in fire loss from approximately $7.2 million in 2010 to
approximately $2.4 million in 2011. The City completed all fire
station seismic upgrades, including the administrative
headquarters, with final remodeling projects currently underway.
Salem Police Department reports that the crime rate is down for
6th year in a row. They have just completed the 28th Citizen's
Police Academy and the 29th is underway. Last year, they
received grant money to help fund police activities and programs,
most specifically 4 police positions and 8 CSO positions.
Community members have created the new Salem Police
Foundation, led by Diane McLaran, to raise money for activities
and projects not funded by tax dollars.
Code enforcement is an important part of the City’s health and
safety system. Last year officers responded to 4,328 cases
including reports of abandoned vehicles, dangerous buildings,
and a sub-standard and hazardous multi-unit property. Despite
what the public sometimes thinks, code officers don’t drive around
town looking for tall weeds. They respond to complaints, and
believe me, there are enough to keep them busy without going to
look for it.
A major public safety issue continues to be the number of people
with mental illness or addiction issues that our law enforcement
officers encounter daily. Kudos to Judge Jane Aiken and our
Police Department for recognizing this problem, and for drawing
together professionals in mental health, addictions and recovery
services and Veteran’s groups to collaborate on meeting the
needs of people who end up in Municipal Court because of their
illnesses.
Salem is a community of natural resources second to none in the
state. We have an abundance of open and green spaces,
waterways for habitat and recreation, and parks with a wide
variety of sports facilities and spaces for community activities.
Recreation and community use of these spaces creates jobs, and
increases the value of adjacent properties.
We have completed first year construction of the 70 acre wetlands
project at the Mill Creek Corporate Center to provide flood
control, storm water detention, and enhance water quality as
surrounding properties are developed.
City Council and staff worked extensively on issues related to the
Minto Island bridge and trail system, including easements and the
agreement with the owner of the Sternwheeler. We look forward
to the day that a pedestrian and bike bridge links Minto Brown
Island Park with Riverfront Park and downtown and on to West
Salem and Wallace Marine Park.
Salem hosted more than 21 regional, invitational, national, and
world class level softball tournaments and continued its standing
as ―Softball City USA‖. We were awarded the ―James Farrell
Award of Excellence‖ by the American Softball Association (ASA)
for conducting five of the highest rated ASA National
Championships in 2011.
We completed construction of Bryan Johnston Park – doesn’t that
name bring back a lot of wonderful memories. Enthusiasm was
high as we cut the ribbon and dedicated the park on one of the
wettest days but to one of the largest crowds ever for a park
opening.
Work is underway on the new Battlecreek Park in that very active
area of town, within a short driving or walking distance of many
neighborhoods and families looking for recreational opportunities
in South Salem. Kale Park is on the horizon in NE Salem.
Many neighborhood associations and community groups have
joined the City in developing or improving our parks. Last year,
Nelson Park, the lower Leffelle parking lot at Bush’s Pasture Park,
Bill Riegel Park, Eastgate Basin Park and McKay Park all
benefitted from community members working with city staff.
As dearly loved as Salem’s parks is our Salem Public Library.
75% of our community members hold active library cards. The
Library welcomes 2,000 patrons daily, totaling almost 700,000 in
2011, to access over 500,000 items, seek reference help, attend
programs, and use computers.
The Library’s new Teen Scene area, opened in March 2011. The
Salem Public Library Advisory Board, Salem Public Library
Foundation, and Friends of the Salem Public Library invested
more than a quarter of a million dollars in the shared goal to
dedicate space to the educational, informational and
entertainment needs of middle and high school-aged youth.
Our Public Works department completed the 2011 list of projects
for the Streets and Bridges bond measure, including widening
Kuebler Boulevard, paving Liberty & High Streets in downtown,
replacing the bridge on Fairway Avenue SE, and improving many
of our downtown sidewalks with bulb outs and updated ADA
ramps. They were extremely busy during the flooding and now
have a long list of repairs and replacements to add to our already
extensive list.
Speaking of bridges, City Councilor Dan Clem, city staff, and our
regional partners continue to work on the third bridge across the
Willamette. Council supports this bridge, because it will benefit all
Salem residents.
So far in this address, I’ve given you a smattering of the City’s
accomplishments during 2011. Now let’s talk about the budget,
and why I say we are not broke:
Careful budgeting and streamlining and reductions in 2008, 2009
and 2010 left the City of Salem in much better financial situation
than many cities and states across our nation. In 2011, we did
not spend down reserves and jeopardize our bond rating, and we
have not continued to spend as if the projected revenue has
arrived. It hasn’t.
City Manager Linda Norris has administrative authority to make
cuts to the 2011-2012 budget because property tax revenue is
$1.1 million less than projected, and the forecasts for coming
years is for less income from property taxes and flat revenue from
other sources. She has been frank and open in her financial
decisions, and Council has agreed with and supports the changes
being made right now to prevent red ink from blemishing our
financial health and AA- bond rating.
After these mid-year adjustments, Salem has reduced 30.45
positions, with total reductions since January 2008 totaling 67.45
positions in the General Fund.
As we begin the budgeting process for 2012-2013, we invite you
to testify at budget hearings, or e-mail city councilors, other
members of the Budget Committee or myself, to make your
thoughts and wishes known.
I would be less than honest if I told you that Salem can continue
to provide all the services and programs the public would like to
have. Or that Councilors hold dear. For example, when I was
told that Salem would begin laying off police officers, it felt like a
stab in my heart. To preside over a budget that cuts at one of the
areas I personally pleaded for in past years made me feel
ashamed. I felt like I was not fulfilling my promises to our
community.
But on reflection, I am proud of being on the team that will not run
this city into the red. We must not favor our own choices, over the
good of the whole. We must not be ashamed to stand up to those
who lobby us for their favorite city service, to the lack of other
needs. Yes, we Councilors will ask tough questions, and probe
for answers, and listen attentively to community input, but at the
end of the day, it is this team plus the 9 volunteers who make up
the Salem Budget Committee, who will make the tough choices.
Will we manage the reality, or manage to duck our responsibility?
Will we leave a legacy of favoritism, or will we be remembered for
our strength?
Beyond crafting a balanced budget, reducing costs across city
departments and programs, we are mindful that union contracts
must be carefully negotiated fairly and according to state
regulations.
Last year, the City negotiated with three unions. Of high priority
to the City Council and management has been asking employees
to pay a larger portion of the monthly health care premiums and
higher deductibles.
Another valuable job creator in Salem are the arts and cultural
heritage facilities and activities. The dollars spent at these
venues add to our economy and provides paychecks spent here
every day. Congratulations to Salem Art Fair for being
recognized as one of the top 20 art fairs in the United States!
Our growing population has turned Salem into an international
city, with people moving here from all over the world. They are
working, living and participating in our community, and have
become an excellent resource as we learn more about cultures,
religions, and traditions from other lands. These international
contacts are fueling businesses and helping Salem to attract
businesses and trade from around the world
I would be remiss if I did not celebrate our distinction as Oregon’s
state capital. Easy access to elected officials, the legislature,
state agencies, appellate courts and other state facilities is an
advantage that makes Salem a great location for any business or
organization that does business with the State of Oregon. We
work closely with our Representatives and Senators, and are
fortunate to have their support on issues affecting City
government and our community.
In closing, I would again like to thank Salem City Club, Salem
Rotary, and the Salem Area Chamber of Commerce. Our Rotary
Club members have a tradition of raising funds for our good works
projects by ―ringing the bell‖ to announce good news, family
accomplishments, or when our photo appears in the local paper.
Well, I am prepared today with my check for the Salem Rotary
Foundation, and I’d like to present it to our President Rene
Campbell.