Document Salem_doc_514cffc96c

Budget Document Survey Your opinion is important to us! Please take a few minutes to tell us what you think about our budget document. Your comments will be used to help improve this document. 1. Readability: Is the subject matter presented in an easy to read format and in terms that are understandable? Please Circle One: Difficult Somewhat Difficult Adequate Good Very Easy 2. Using the following scale, please rate the following sections (1-Very Helpful, 2-Helpful, 3-Not Helpful): Sec 1 – General Overview Sec 2 – City Overview Sec 3 – Budget Overview All Funds Sec 4 – Budget Overview School Sec 5 – Budget Overview Enterprise Funds Sec 6 – Financial Forecasts, Plans & Policies Sec 7 – Capital Improvement Program Sec 8 – Departmental Budgets Sec 9 – Appendix Sec10- Glossary 3. Content: What would you like to see added, expanded, reduced or removed? 4. Overall Impressions: How would you rate the entire document? Please Circle One: Start Over Minimal Help Answered Most Questions Good Very Helpful 5. Comments Please send this page to: Nina Bridgman, Assistant Finance Director City of Salem, Massachusetts 93Washington Street, Salem, MA 01970 [EMAIL REDACTED] Sec 9 - 1 ---PAGE BREAK--- This page intentionally left blank. Sec 9 - 2 ---PAGE BREAK--- Volume 3, Issue 1 Mayor Kimberley Driscoll’s Message from Mayor Kimberley Driscoll November 2009 Welcome to the ninth edition of FYI Salem. Well … we survived another October! This year, Haunted Happenings and Halloween were as successful as ever despite the slowing economy. Halloween, falling on a Satur- day was of particular concern and ended up drawing close to 100,000 people to our City. Despite the larger than nor- mal crowds, most everyone was well-behaved and left the City at the end of the night in an orderly manner. All in all, it was a fun, family-friendly event and an enjoyable month of October. It became a lot more enjoyable for all of us when we found out that the City made a profit of a little over $270,000 - $70,000 more than last year. This fact, makes it a little easier for all of us to suffer through some of the challenges that October can bring. I continue to be amazed each and every year by the spectacle that Hallow- een has become in Salem. Now that Halloween has ended, we turn our attention to the other holiday season— Thanksgiving and Christmas. When your out holiday shop- ping visit downtown and shop at our quality retail and eclec- tic shops. Support our down- town and shop local—you won‘t regret it! Throughout the winter months, there are also count- less events for you to enjoy like Santa‘s arrival from the top of the Hawthorne Hotel organized by the Chamber of Commerce and the Christmas Tree Lighting taking place on the Essex Street Pedestrian Mall at the fountain outside of Museum Place. The His- toric Salem Inc. (HSI) Christ- mas House Tour is set to take place and the outdoor skating rink will also make another appearance on the Salem Common (weather permit- ting). Holiday Happenings in Salem is a great time to enjoy all that we have to offer. In this edition of FYI Salem, you‘ll read about the appoint- ment of our new Police Chief, the funding of the new MBTA Commuter Station project, the new Senior Center moving forward and some positive news on City finances. While we continue to face chal- lenges, I am proud of our City and all that we have accom- plished. Despite the hurdles that exist, we are well poised and in a strong position to manage through them. Money remains tight but what we have is being managed profes- sionally and responsibly. And not only that, private invest- ment and interest remains strong. We are excited about much of this progress and hope you enjoy reading these up- dates! Paul Tucker Selected as New Police Chief A Quarterly Newsletter for the Citizens of Salem Continued to Page 6 To contact Mayor Driscoll write to Salem City Hall 93 Washington Street Salem, MA 01970, call (978) 745- 9595 ext. 5600 or email at [EMAIL REDACTED]. If you are not part of our Connect-CTY automated phone notification system, please register on our home page www.salem.com. MBTA Train Station Becomes a Reality 2 City’s Bond Rating Increases 2 New Senior Center Moving Forward 4 Mack Park Improve- ment Completed 5 Haunted Happenings Turns Profit 5 City receives $1 Mil- lion PWED Grant 7 Salem Public Library: Highest Circulation North of Boston 9 Highlights Inside this Issue: FYI SALEM On October 1st, Mayor Kimberley Driscoll ap- pointed Captain Paul Tucker as the new Police Chief to lead the 80- member Department into the 21st Century. Chief Tucker is well equipped to head one of the premier Police Depart- ments in the Common- wealth. His decorated ca- reer, professionalism and commitment to the job will serve the Department and the City well for many years to come. Chief Tucker has served in the Salem Police Depart- ment for over 20 years – since 1983. He quickly moved up the ranks and led the Criminal Investigation Division for 17 years. His dedication to the well-being of the residents of Salem was self-evident early on and he has earned countless commendations and cita- tions for his heroic actions and meritorious service over the years. His Criminal Investigation Division is held in high es- teem throughout the region as a leader in investigative work and ultimately appre- hending criminals and keep- ing the streets of Salem safe. Before being appointed Sec 9 - 3 ---PAGE BREAK--- Last month, Governor Patrick an- nounced that a new, state-of-the-art Commuter Parking Facility will move forward at the Salem Train Station thanks to a full funding commitment from the state. This project will in- clude close to 1,000 parking spaces, approximately 500 more than pres- ently exist, as well as a wait- ing area for com- muters and visi- tors. The project will be funded through existing Department of Capital Asset Management (DCAM) monies (committed as part of the Courthouse project), federal transit dollars secured by Congressman Tier- ney and state and local sources. In addition to the committed federal and DCAM funds, the state will fund a substantial portion of the total $40+ million project costs and will now work with the MBTA and the City to finalize each party's contribution to the project. The MBTA station in Salem is one of the most heavily used in the system and requires significant investment. It serves not only hundreds of daily com- muters but also is a point of arrival for thousands of tour- ists and visi- tors. The existing surface parking lot is routinely filled before 8:00 a.m. on weekdays and certainly does not meet the needs of the com- muters that use the facility on a regular basis. This project will be transforma- tional to the City, our economy and our commuters. The construction of a new commuter station in Salem has been on the drawing board for over two dec- ades. To finally see it move forward is amazing and a huge credit to Governor Deval Patrick, Congressman John Tierney, State Senator Fred Berry and State Representative John Keenan who all played important roles in keeping this project on track. The Salem Partnership has also been a key advocate to help advance the new garage. The City is very excited and encouraged by this news. City officials are now actively en- gaged and working with state and MBTA representatives on the pro- ject. Fortunately, there also will be plenty of opportunity for residents to share input with the City and MBTA with the design plans at 15%. As the project meets important design thresholds additional public meet- ings will take place. In addition to the MBTA parking garage and train station, the City plans to pursue the development of the City-owned lot adjacent to the MBTA property – the crescent- shaped parking lot on the Bridge Street side. The lot could potentially host a mixed-use building including anything from office space, to retail and restaurant uses. The City is equally excited about the potential that this development holds. New MBTA Train Station Becomes a Reality PAGE 2 FYI SALEM VOLUME 3, ISSUE 1 City’s Bond Rating Upgraded the City‘s work to improve the management of its finances. This is confirmation that, despite the down economy Salem is managing its resources as well as it can. Reasons for the upgrade cited by Standard and Poor‘s include the City‘s improved financial manage- ment procedures which began in 2007 and budget changes that eliminated the negative general fund balance in FY2008 allowing for structurally balanced budgets in FY2009 and 2010. A stable area employment and good household incomes, extremely strong per cap- ita market values and low net debt position are other reasons men- tioned for the bond rating increase. regard to the City‘s approach to budgeting both operational and capi- tal needs. Soon after Mayor Driscoll took Office, the City‘s bond rating was decreased based on inherited practices of financial mismanage- ment and irresponsible spending. Thankfully, working collaboratively with the City Council, the Admini- stration has tightened the City‘s fi- nancial policies, developed more effi- cient ways to deliver City services, reigned in spending and enhanced revenues where feasible. The City‘s Finance Team deserves a lot of credit for their efforts to con- tinue to improve our financial posi- tion especially during these challeng- ing times. The bond rating upgrade is a great acknowledgement of all of The City of Salem recently received some unexpected, very good news. Following a telephone conference call a few weeks ago with City offi- cials, including Mayor Kim Driscoll, and representatives from Standard and Poor‘s, the City‘s bond rating was increased from to based on their view of the City‘s improved financial management procedures and sound budgeting practices. The call was originally scheduled to dis- cuss the City incurring short and long term debt as part of the re- cently adopted Capital Improve- ment Plan. The increased bond rating will help decrease the City‘s borrowing costs and sends a positive message with Sec 9 - 4 ---PAGE BREAK--- The City of Salem recently com- pleted a major intersection im- provement and reconfiguration at Congress, Peabody and Ward Street. This project has been in the works for a couple of years. In 2007, the City received a Brownfields Cleanup Grant from the Environ- mental Protection Agency (EPA) to remediate the property at 61 Ward Street which is at the center of this intersection and formerly was the location of a small building that functioned as a gas station years ago. The cleanup grant totaled $200,000 with a $40,000 match provided by the City. The redevelopment of this intersection was driven by the need to create a safer intersection, remove the blight associated with an abandoned and neglected building, and construct a pocket park in the Point area – one of our densest neighborhoods. Following an extensive public process, work finally began in April of 2009. Cleanup activi- ties included removal of small quantities of lead paint, chemicals, and asbestos con- taminated material located in the abandoned building. Following the deleading and abatement of the aban- doned building, it was demolished and properly disposed of. The intersection was then reconfig- ured to improve safety for both ve- hicular and pedestrian traffic. Con- PAGE 3 FYI SALEM VOLUME 3, ISSUE 1 City Completes Intersection Reconfiguration struction aspects of the project in- cluded improved pedestrian access, including new crosswalks and side- walks, new lighting, seating, land- scaping, and upgrades to the storm- water drainage system. This project also provided National Grid with the opportunity to repair and re- place vintage gas lines located in and around the project area. The plantings and benches were in- stalled in the pocket park in Sep- tember and the final paving of the new intersection was completed in October. This project was a great success and after 2 years of hard work the City is very grateful that it is completed. This major investment in cleaning- up a blighted area, as well as mak- ing a very tricky intersection safer, is an important accomplishment for the City and the neighborhood. Thinking Outside the Barrel: the Perfect Pick-Up Contest ration of recyclable items. Paper must be placed in a separate con- tainer (no plastic bags) while co- mingled recycling (plastic, glass, aluminum) must be placed in an- other container. Each week one randomly selected household will win $50 just by following these sim- ple rules. Register, either on-line under Trash/ Recycling: the Perfect Pick-Up; or by filling out a form available at Coun- cil on Aging or City Hall. By regis- tering, you are agreeing to take the SalemRecycles pledge for appropri- ate recycling practices. Each Friday a potential winner will be drawn on a random basis. The recycling of the potential awardee will be checked for conformance with the appropriate practices; and if the household conforms they will be awarded a $50 debit card. Each household is eligible to win one prize annually. The contest will continue for 26 con- secutive weeks. has done a great or ―perfect‖ job with their recycling that week. The con- test commences the week of Novem- ber 30 when the first drawing for the weekly $50 prize will be held. The rules are easy. You must first register by agree- ing to take the recycling pledge by completing a form available at City Hall An- nex, 120 Washington Street- 4th floor engineering; or the Council on Aging-5 Broad St; or going to www.Salem.com\recycling. Click onto ―The Perfect Pick- Up‖ and you will find a reg- istration form and a poster explaining the correct sort- ing of our dual stream sys- tem. Each Friday, a com- pleted form will be chosen to poten- tially win the next week‘s prize. This contest will run from December 2009 through May 2010. Call [PHONE REDACTED] with any questions. Just what is the Perfect Pick-Up? It‘s rather simple, it‘s all in the sepa- Salem has been a great success story by significantly reducing its waste and increasing its recycling partici- pation. While average recycling rates have improved from 9% to 19%; Salem still has a long way to go to achieve their ambitious goal of 30%. Sa- lemRecycles, the City‘s vol- unteer recy- cling commit- tee, has con- ducted many initiatives to successfully improve recy- cling aware- ness. The latest SalemRecycles initiative involves the ―Perfect Pick-Up‖, a contest sponsored by North Shore Recycled Fibers, the City‘s recycling/ disposal vendor. This contest will reward a lucky Salem resident who Sec 9 - 5 ---PAGE BREAK--- The owners of the vacant lot on the corner of Boston and Bridge Street have announced they plan to file with the City this month to begin the permitting process for the project to construct a new state-of-the-art sen- ior center. High Rock LLC, the owners of the former Sylvania site have released prelimi- nary ren- derings of the Gate- way Center building that will be home to the City‘s new senior center. The proposed building beautifully wraps around the corner of Boston and Bridge Street at 2-stories. As it moves down Bridge Street it steps up to 3 and then 4-stories. It includes a magnificent atrium enclosed in glass to give an open-air feeling to visitors which will serve as one of the en- trances to the senior center and bridge that facility with a new fitness center proposed for the space at the corner. High Rock LLC is mov- ing forward with this project due to their strong belief that the City of Salem is poised for investment and represents as an attractive place to build a new commercial complex, despite not having commitments in place for full occupancy in the upper floor office space. A new senior center project has been in the pipeline for more than a dec- ade. The current senior center facil- ity is severely deteriorating and is need of significant investment and renovation. It is comprised of 15,000 square feet on three separate levels and only offers 25 off-street parking spaces. The building also has accessi- bility and other limitation that hin- der that City‘s ability to provide new and enhanced senior programming. The new facility at the Boston and Bridge Street site will be 20,000 square feet on one floor and has ac- cess to over 370 parking spaces. The City and developers are hopeful that construction will begin by Spring 2010. New Senior Center Project Moving Forward PAGE 4 FYI SALEM VOLUME 3, ISSUE 1 This year, the City of Salem has raised close to $5,000 to support the Salem Award and its not done yet! In March, Mayor Driscoll requested authorization from the City Council to establish a revolving fund to collect a 25 cent surcharge on tickets to the Witch House, which was also ap- proved by the Park and Recreation Commission. The monies collected by the surcharge are to be dedicated to help defray costs and expenses associated with the annual Salem Award for Human Rights and Social Justice, in particular the care and upkeep of the Salem Witch Trials Memorial. This year through September (not includ- ing October), the City has been able to raise $5,000 for the Salem Award. The Salem Award for Human Rights and Social Justice Foundation was established in 2001 to carry on the work of the Salem Witch Trials Ter- centenary Committee, which pre- sented the first Salem Award in 1992. The purpose of the Award is to encourage an understanding of the lessons of the Salem Witch Tri- als in the context of contemporary life. If one were to study the Salem Witch Trials, it is clear that order was restored to the Salem com- munity by the outspoken pro- tests of a few good citizens who spoke bravely and acted coura- geously in opposi- tion to the pre- vailing chaos that existed at the time. In Salem in 1692, several individuals risked their lives to speak against the op- pression of the trials and to call for order and forgiveness. Today, we continue to depend upon those few individuals who will not be silenced by fear and social disorder. In so doing, the Salem Award seeks to recognize and honor present day champions of human rights and social justice. The Salem Award Foundation, under the leadership of both the City of Sa- lem and Salem State College, works in cooperation with local museums, the National Park Service, members of the business community and the pub- lic at large, to establish selection crite- ria, solicit potential award recipients, and sort through nomination forms. In addition to the Salem Award Pro- gram, there are often accompanying symposiums held which bring to- gether experts to present an in-depth consideration of issues related to the work of the Salem Award recipient. Given the origin of Witch House re- ceipts, it seems fitting that a portion of these revenues go toward funding the Salem Award Foundation and the upkeep of the Witch Trials Memorial, both of which seek to recognize, honor, and perpetuate a commitment to so- cial justice and human rights – an enduring lesson of the Salem Witch Trials. City Raises $5,000 to Support Salem Award Sec 9 - 6 ---PAGE BREAK--- Over the last month, the City has made significant investments in Mack Park and it shows! A little over a month ago, the City completely renovated the play- ground equipment at Mack Park installing a new playground struc- ture. The total project cost was approximately $42,000. The pro- ject was coordi- nated by the Park and Recreation Department and was built by vol- unteers from the neighborhood and inmates from Essex County Sheriff Frank Cousins‘ Department. The old playground was in terrible con- dition and in desperate need of im- provement. A couple of weeks ago, the City com- pleted a second project at Mack Park – repairing the stairs on the Mason Street side of the park. The stairs were in complete disrepair and, in some stretches, were a safety hazard for any- one using them. Pummel Construction was the contractor that conducted the repair work. The pro- ject took about two weeks from start to finish and cost the City $27,000 to re- place and repair the crumbling concrete stairs and railing. Last week, the City contracted with Pummel once again to repair the stone pillars at the Tremont Police Department, under the leadership of first year Chief Paul Tucker, con- trolled spending this year and by doing so was able to save approximately $50,000 in expenses largely attributable to utilizing the Police Station on Margin Street as the operations center on Halloween night rather than the mobile cen- ter usually provided by the North Eastern Massachu- setts Law Enforcement Council or NEMLEC. This year, Halloween fell on a Saturday which drew close to 100,000 visitors to Salem. While crowds were probably larger than they ever have been people were relatively well-behaved and, at the end of the night dispersed orderly and peacefully. On Halloween, similar to prior years the City had specific, strategic entertain- ment throughout the night. Last year, for the first time, a closing ceremony was planned to signal a festive close to the night and to the Halloween season. In addition to entertaining the crowds, the closing ceremony is an important public safety tool, giving the crowd a clear indication that they have had their fun, the night is over, and it is time to go Improvements Completed at Mack Park PAGE 5 FYI SALEM VOLUME 3, ISSUE 1 The City of Salem made a profit of over $270,000 from the month of October this year. This marks an increase of approximately $70,000 when compared to last year and a $150,000 increase when compared to 2006 when Mayor Driscoll first took Office. In total, the City took in a little over $440,000 but incurred close to $170,000 in extra staff- ing, supplies and event expenses associated with the festivities dur- ing October and, specifi- cally on Halloween night. These revenues do not include the estimated $90,000 in additional hotel/motel receipts that the City ex- pects to garner in connection with the visitors that October draws to Salem making the total profit closer to $360,000. The vast majority of the City‘s revenue is collected through parking fees and meters. The City also benefits from higher than average profits at the City- owned Witch House through monies generated from admission and the gift shop. It‘s also worth it to mention that the home. This year, fireworks were once again ignited over the North River viewable from Washington Street as part of Hal- loween‘s closing ceremony. In addition, the City and Destination Salem teamed up with Boston‘s Radio 92.9 to produce a Haunted Happenings finale con- cert. The concert featured Dancing Nancy and Dick and Jane as an open- ing act. The concert was held on a mo- bile stage on Washington Street at Lynde Street. There were other initiatives planned to help ensure a safe and enjoyable Hal- loween. A Safety Enhancement Zone was designated and individuals who violated the law (public drinking, litter- ing, vandalism, etc.) were issued triple fines. Once again this year, this was a highly effective tool for the Police De- partment to deter unlawful and unde- sirable behavior. The City also distrib- uted ―do‘s and dont‘s‖ flyers leading up to Halloween to visitors and residents so that the expectations for a safe and enjoyable Halloween day and night were well known in advance. The City has had a consistent public safety message for the last 3 years now and it appears to be paying off! Street entrance of the park that had recently been damaged by a vehicle at the park. That work was completed last week. It‘s great to see these improve- ments move forward at Mack Park. They were very necessary and enhance the beautiful park for all of the neighborhood to enjoy. In all, this year the City has in- vested close to $75,000 in Mack Park. These improvements would not have been possible without careful planning through the City‘s Capital Improvement Pro- gram which funded all of these enhancements. This work is an- other example of the City‘s com- mitment to improving neighbor- hood parks and playgrounds throughout the community. City Profits Over $270,000 from Haunted Happenings Sec 9 - 7 ---PAGE BREAK--- SalemRecycles Named 2009 Municipal Green Binnie Award Winner FYI SALEM PAGE 6 VOLUME 3, ISSUE 1 MassRecycle, the Massachusetts Re- cycling Coalition, named SalemRecy- cles the 2009 Municipal Green Binnie Award Winner. The Green Binnie awards acknowl- edge individuals and organizations for their out- standing contributions to recycling in the state. The awards were presented at MassRecycle‘s 20th Anniversary Celebration & Annual Recycling Awards on Thursday, November 12th, 2009 at the Charles River Museum of Industry and Innovation in Waltham. Decorated head of Criminal Investigation Division takes the reigns Continued to Page 1 SalemRecycles, the City of Salem‘s Volunteer Recycling Committee, began working to increase recycling and re- use through education and idea exchange in early 2008. Since the group‘s inception, the City has seen a 100+% increase in recycling rates and a 25% reduc- tion in trash tonnage. This dra- matic shift is a result of SalemRecy- cles‘ efforts to create a comprehensive recycling outreach program for resi- dents, businesses and local events and organizations. SalemRecycles contributes to local ac- cess TV segments, submits a periodic column to the Salem Gazette, hosted a community book swap and held a shredding day for residents this year. They have also established a Recycler of the Month program to identify and thank residents who partake in the City‘s recycling program. In the Fall of 2008, the group partnered with local organizations to hold a Business Recycling Forum and is now working to develop a green business award. SalemRecycles is currently working with the MBTA to create a paper- recycling program at the train sta- tion. You can learn more about Sa- lemRecycles‘ accomplishments at www.salem.com/recycling. A formal swearing in ceremony took place on Thursday, October 1st at Old Town Hall in Salem. The swearing in ceremony included elected officials and other dignitaries from across the region, including Public Safety Secre- tary Kevin Burke and Essex County District Attorney Jon Blodgett. October 1st also happens to be Paul Tucker‘s birthday and the large crowd enjoyed having a chance to congratu- late the new Chief and welcome him to the new position. Tucker‘s appointment follows the re- tirement of former Police Chief Robert St. Pierre who served in that role for 25 years. tion Unit and is the current Director of the North Shore Drug Task Force. Paul has training in high intensity drug trafficking and other specialized law enforcement edu- cation. In addition to his over 20 years of ser- vice with the Salem Police Department, Paul has earned his Juris Doctor from the Massachusetts School of Law graduating with Magna Cum Laude honors. He also holds Bachelor and Master de- grees in the field of Criminal Justice. Chief, Paul was a leader in the Depart- ment, serving as the most senior, high- est ranking officer under Chief Robert St. Pierre. Chief Tucker‘s professional experience and qualifica- tions are widespread. He is a graduate of the Federal Bureau of Investigation National Academy, the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center Advanced Narcotics Investiga- Soon the Church Street and City- owned MBTA parking lots will be home to new automated parking ki- osks or pay-and-display units. As part of the City‘s Capital Improve- ment Program, a total of $50,000 was appropriated to purchase new auto- mated parking kiosks to install in the Church Street and City-owned MBTA parking lots. Many communities, in- cluding Boston and Lowell are utiliz- ing this technology to make operations more efficient and convenient for con- sumers. 5 units will be located at Church Street and 2 will be located at the MBTA City-owned lot. The ma- chines allow customers to use not only cash but also credit and debit cards for payment. On Church Street, the old gates at the exit and en- trance as well as the atten- dant booth at the exit will be removed. New posts and signage has been installed to identify and number the parking spaces. Once the machines are installed and fully functioning, the City will reap financial savings allowing the lot to operate without employees staffing it full-time. It will also save money on maintenance costs on the existing aging equipment. The City-owned MBTA parking lot will also benefit from new automated parking ma- chines. The new kiosks will replace the old equipment which is not user-friendly and at times not all that functional. The City expects the ma- chines to be fully operational this month. For the first few weeks, the City will have ―ambassadors‖ at each location to assist and educate people on how to use the new machines. City to Install Automated Kiosks in Parking Lots Sec 9 - 8 ---PAGE BREAK--- City Receives $1 Million PWED Grant from State FYI SALEM PAGE 7 VOLUME 3, ISSUE 1 The Massachusetts Executive Office of Transportation has announced that the City of Salem has been awarded a $1 million Public Works Economic Development (PWED) Grant to fund the Lafayette Street Improvement Project. With this funding, the City plans to make infrastructure improvements to and completely reconfigure the intersection on La- fayette Street at Washington Street and Dow Street. The project specifi- cally includes streetscape im- provements along Lafayette Street from Harbor to Washington and Dow Street. The work includes traffic im- provements and sidewalk reconstruc- tion as well as reconfiguring the inter- section to function more efficiently and safer. A report completed by the Central Transportation Planning Staff (CTPS) for the Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization indicated that the Dow, Washington and Lafayette intersection was operating at substan- dard levels - Level of Service D and F during the morning and afternoon peak hours. In addition, the data showed that this location had a high number of accidents, in particular it had a higher number of pe- destrian related crashes. The CTPS report identified a num- ber of shortfalls at this intersection for both motor vehicle operators and pedestri- ans and outlined some suggested short and long term improvements. This grant will support enhanced traffic and infrastructure improvements at this busy Route 114 corridor based on many of the recommendations in the CTPS study. The City is extremely thankful to its state delegation, Senator Fred Berry and Representative John Keenan, and the Patrick Administration for identifying this project for PWED funding. With the former St. Jo- seph‘s Church slated for redevelop- ment these improvements become even more necessary. The Executive Office of Transporta- tion provides PWED funding awards to municipalities for transportation infrastructure improvements that will spur economic development, job creation, smart growth and better pedestrian access. In this latest round of PWED funding, the Patrick Administration will direct a total of $8.6 million in infrastructure grants to projects in eight communities across the Commonwealth. City Solicits Local Businesses to Sponsor Solar Trash Compactors The City of Salem, in collaboration with the City‘s Renewable Energy Task Force, is asking local businesses to sponsor solar powered trash com- pactors the City owns and has placed throughout the downtown. Busi- nesses may contact City Hall to have their business de- sign name or logo placed on a sponsorship ad panel. The cost to sponsor a trash compactor is $500 for a year. By way of the sponsorship ad panels, businesses are not only provided an affordable means of a year‘s worth of advertising, they are also contributing to the current and future beautification and ―greening‖ of Salem. All money raised from the sponsorship of the com- pactors will go towards future renewable energy and energy efficiency projects for the City. Of all the municipalities throughout the country which utilize Big Belly So- lar Trash Compactors, Salem is one of the first to sell ad space on the units. The BigBelly attracts a lot of attention from the general public and the me- dia, making it a great platform for these purposes. Smartly, the City is not only taking advantage of the op- erational efficiency benefits that the BigBelly brings to the table, but also are using them for public service messaging and advertising. The designs for the sponsorship ad panels were approved by the Salem Redevelopment Authority. The City will partner with Digital Imaging to print and laminate the ad panels. For further information about buying a sponsorship ad panel, contact Tom Watkins at (978) 619-5696. SalemRecycles Hosts Second Annual Free Book Swap Over this past weekend, SalemRecy- cles hosted their second annual Book Swap. Salem Recycles, the City‘s Recycling Committee, once again sponsored the free book swap at St. Pe- ter‘s Church on St. Peter Street on Saturday. The crowds this year were even bigger than last years. Many residents participated and shared their old books, CDs, DVDs and videos and took home a whole new selection for their family and friends—just in time for the holidays! Those interested were able to drop items off at St. Peter‘s Church on the Friday before the event and on Satur- day morning. All items were loosely categorized to help in the hunt for free entertain- ment and all ‗unswapped‘ leftover items will be reused or recycled. Sec 9 - 9 ---PAGE BREAK--- reserve balance has grown in each of the prior three years from $538,372, to $1,114,950 last year, and now to $1,261,200. Some of the steps the City has taken beyond frugal budgeting include: regular budget forecasting; improved operating and capital budget procedures; preparation of a Five Year Capital Improvement Program (CIP); preparation of Comprehensive Annual Financial Reports (CAFR), and the adoption of Fiscal Reserve Policies. All of these efforts have been aimed at re- building the City‘s reserves and put- ting the City on firmer financial foot- ing. The result of these actions is that the City now has a level of certified Free Cash that will put Salem in a bet- ter position to deal with current and future revenue uncertainties. The City is by no means ―out of the woods‖ from The Department of Revenue (DOR) has certified the City‘s Free Cash level for Fiscal Year 2010 at $1,261,200. Free Cash is typically derived from unexpended budget dollars and/or higher than anticipated revenues from the prior fiscal year. Upon Mayor Kim- berley Driscoll taking office, just about every penny of the City‘s Free Cash account was used to balance budget shortfalls, leaving the City in a very precarious financial position with little savings to rely upon for unanticipated or unforeseen needs. In fact, in FY06 the City‘s Free Cash reserves stood at just $538,372. Since that time period the Administra- tion and City Council have worked col- lectively to improve the City‘s fiscal health. As such, Salem‘s Free Cash Over $1 Million Certified as Free Cash in Salem a budget perspective, but certainly is in a better position than three years ago and that is important considering the strong likelihood of cutbacks in Local Aid to cities and towns. The increases seen over the last three years are directly attributable to the City‘s responsible budgeting practices and policies, difficult choices made over the last 3 years and cooperative spirit that exists between the Administrative and Legislative branches of govern- ment. A portion of the free cash certified has been transferred – 20% to the City‘s Stabilization Fund and 20% to the Capital Improvement Program Fund – consistent with the City‘s Financial Reserve Policies. FYI SALEM PAGE 8 VOLUME 3, ISSUE 1 Project Lifesaver Program to be Implemented in Salem The City of Salem through its Council on Aging and Police Department has secured funding to implement the Project Lifesaver Program for seniors and others. The Project Life- saver Program helps communities provide rapid re- sponse to save lives and reduce serious injury of adults and children who wan- der due to illness or disability. LoJack will provide equipment, training, cer- tification and support to Salem‘s Po- lice Department to operate the Pro- ject Lifesaver Program. Essentially, the participant is given a bracelet to wear that has LoJack technology built in. There are over 1,000 agen- cies that participate in the program across the United States, Can- ada and Australia. In total, there have been over 1,900 searches in the last 10 years with an astounding 100% suc- cess rate. The program will be funded through a combination of pri- vate sources including $1,250 from the Salem Rotary, $1,250 from the City Trust Fund Commis- sion and $500 from Dominion Energy equaling $3,000 the total cost of the program. The Salem Police Depart- ment, in coordination with the Council on Aging, will be responsible for the management of the program. The LoJack finding equipment will be installed at the Police Station includ- ing 2 locator boxes and 2 handheld devices which will be stored in police cruisers. Each resident who is inter- ested in signing-up for the program should contact the Council on Aging at (978) 744-0924. The City expects the program to be up and running by the Thanksgiving holi- day. Participating residents will be charged a $30 per month fee to pay for the operation, management and main- tenance of the program. City Plans Customer Service Training for Employees In an attempt to continually improve the way in which Salem‘s City government communicates with the public the City has organized customer service trainings for all employees who have regular con- tact with residents. The Massachusetts Interlocal Insurance Association (MIIA) is the City‘s property and casualty insurance provider. In ad- dition to insurance coverage, MIIA pro- vides the City with a wide range of ser- vices including high-quality wellness programs, risk management and claims administration. MIIA specializes in in- surance coverage for municipalities and other governmental agencies in the Com- monwealth. As part of the programming offered to Salem, MIIA is sponsoring two customer service training sessions this month. Sometimes with limited resources, it‘s easy to let the small things fall through the cracks. However, for most Salem residents their main interactions with the City are while registering concerns, comments and requests with various departments. Ensuring that City staff is courteous to all residents and respon- sive to their needs is extremely impor- tant. These seminars will provide partici- pants with specific skills for offering 5- star service in person and on the tele- phone, strategies for dealing with diffi- cult customers, and tips for providing excellent service even when you don‘t feel like it. Sec 9 - 10 ---PAGE BREAK--- The Library offers an amazing array of information, services and other re- sources to residents who have library cards online as well. In addition to their amazing circulation numbers, you can find out what programming options are available at the Li- brary, if the books you are look- ing for are in and determine what museum passes are avail- able to purchase at the Library all from the convenience of your home. The Library is housed in a wonderful building located in Salem‘s historic district. It was originally built as a home for Captain John Bertram and his family. The building was donated to the City of Salem by his wife and daughters following his death and the Public Library opened its doors on July The Salem Public Library had its high- est circulation ever in FY09 with 537,375 books, dvds, and cds borrowed from the historic building on Essex Street. Not only that, the Library in Salem has the highest circulation of any public library North of Boston. This is quite a feat given the size of our community. The Library also has the highest circulation in NO- BLE (North of Boston Li- brary Exchange) an automated net- work of 28 area libraries. In compari- son, neighboring libraries in Peabody circulated 281,863 items, Beverly 401,212 and Marblehead 219,278. With a population of over 42,000 residents, an astonishing 31,956 Salem citizens have library cards. Salem Public Library: Highest Circulation North of Boston 8, 1889. The Library is open seven days a week, Monday – Thursday 9 am to 9 pm, Friday and Saturday 9 am to 5pm and Sunday 1pm to 5pm. You can visit the Library during these times to discover its selection of books, movies, music and more for all ages. The City is so proud of our Library, its amazing staff and the terrific offer- ings we make available to our resi- dents. With limited resources, the Library continues to serve the City at a very high level. If you haven‘t re- cently, please find the time to come and visit the Library to enjoy all of the resources that are available in a very warm and comfortable setting. You can also check out the Library‘s web- site at www.noblenet.org/Salem. FYI SALEM PAGE 9 VOLUME 3, ISSUE 1 Salem Days at the Museum of Science a Huge Success Almost 3,000 Salem residents visited the Museum of Science free of charge during the month of September as part of a pilot program sponsored by the Read Family Chari- table Trust. The City is very thank- ful to the Read Charita- ble Trust whose gener- osity allowed all Salem residents the opportu- nity to visit the Mu- seum of Science free of charge during Septem- ber Salem Days. This first of its kind program has been lauded as a tremen- dous success. On average, nearly 100 people a day took advantage of free admission to the museum's 700 exhib- its and watched one of the five shows playing at the Mugar Omni Theater. Through this program the Museum of Science welcomed nearly 2,800 Salem residents to experience its exhibits, programs, and films free of charge. The City and Museum look forward to continuing the partner- ship with the Read Fam- ily Trust next year. The Read Trust has a long history of generosity with the City of Salem from funding the annual Read Fund Picnic which has added a science education component in recent years to funding science teachers and more re- cently underwriting Read Discovery Science Centers in each of Salem's schools. September was chosen as the month to launch this program to give an opportunity for parents to share learning experiences with their chil- dren to help students get excited about science as they begin their school year. Clearly the numbers show that a wide range of Salem's population took ad- vantage of this program. Museum visi- tors for the month of September totaled 2,743. Six hundred ninety-one visitors being between the ages of 3 to 1l; 1,776 visitors ranged from age 12 to 59; and 276 visitors were senior citizens (60 and up). All involved look forward to continuing to grow this initiative over the next two years. Farmers Market Ends Successful Season In June 2009, the long anticipated Salem Farmers' Market opened in Derby Square to a very successful season organized by Salem Main Streets. The market ran for 19 weeks and hosted 20 vendors. Each week the market was filled with fresh fruits and vegetables from local farms, fresh lobsters from a local Lob- sterman, hand made soaps and even fresh bread and baked goods. Salem‘s own Maitland Moun- tain Farm provided one of the most popular items; fresh eggs. Several thousand people came each week to enjoy the market which ran through October 29th. The market renewed a Salem tradition which first started in 1634, the year Salem was first authorized by the Massachu- setts General Assembly to hold a weekly market. Attendance figures for the 2009 market season exceeded 36,000. In addition to fantastic pro- duce the market served as a commu- nity gathering place enlivening Derby Square every Thursday from 4 – 7 pm. The market hosted many local musi- cians playing soft background music and many Salem restaurants which provided cooking demonstrations and food samples. The market was the re- sult of the work of Salem Main Streets‘ Farmers Market Committee, dedicated local volunteers and coordinated sup- port by City departments. Sec 9 - 11 ---PAGE BREAK--- This page intentionally left blank. Sec 9 - 12 ---PAGE BREAK--- Volume 3, Issue 2 Mayor Kimberley Driscoll’s Message from Mayor Kimberley Driscoll March 2010 Welcome to another edition of the FYI Salem quarterly newsletter. We find ourselves in the heart of the budget season. As I meet individually with each municipal department head it becomes clearer and clearer that we will need to continue finding ways to operate more efficiently and think crea- tively about how to generate additional revenues or risk severe cutbacks in core mu- nicipal services. I‟d like to take this opportunity to high- light a few things that we are actively working on toward this end. I am strongly advocating for something that is called health insurance plan design control. Under current state law, cities/towns can not make any changes to the health insurance plans they offer employees, including changes in co-pays, without approval of a majority of their employee unions. You may remember that last year I asked all 8 of our unions to agree to a mod- est increase in their co-pays from $5 to $15, which could have avoided any reductions in staff and services. At the time, the result was disap- pointing with all 8 unions refusing to agree to a co-pay increase, thus forcing the city to layoff personnel and impact services. This year, mayors and city/ town managers are working hard to promote a change in law that would allow these types of health insurance co- pay changes to be accom- plished outside of the collec- tive bargaining process. In Salem alone, a change from a $5 to $15 co-pay would save close to $1 million. We des- perately need the state legis- lature to act on this matter and change the law to allow cities and towns the ability to manage their health insur- ance costs and preserve ser- vices residents have come to expect and certainly deserve given the property taxes being paid. If you agree, please con- tact your legislators and advo- cate for this change as I have. In addition, the City is close to finalizing an agreement with the Town of Swampscott to regionalize our Purchasing Departments. This regional approach is one that we need to continue to deliver services and conduct city business in a more efficient and effective manner. While last year we encountered stiff opposition to the concept of regionalizing public health services, this year the Board of Health is once again contem- plating the potential benefits of a more collaborative approach with respect to public health. State health code regulations do not stop at our city limits and I believe they could be ad- ministered and enforced in a more efficient manner if done regionally. In this edition of FYI Salem, you‟ll read about the new eleva- tor project at City Hall, a dra- matic increase in the City‟s recycling rates, the Bridge Street/Route 1A project start- ing and a new street sweeping schedule. As Spring unfolds, I remain optimistic about the City, our continued progress and what lies ahead. I hope you do too. Please enjoy reading the up- dates contained in the pages ahead. New Businesses Still Coming to Salem A Quarterly Newsletter for the Citizens of Salem Continued to Page 6 To contact Mayor Driscoll write to Salem City Hall 93 Washington Street Salem, MA 01970, call (978) 745- 9595 ext. 5600 or email at [EMAIL REDACTED]. If you are not part of our Connect-CTY automated phone notification system, please register on our home page www.salem.com. City Hall Elevator Project Underway 2 City Recycling Rates See Dramatic Increase 2 Kernwood Country Club Makes Donation 3 Bridge Street Construction Begins 3 Anti-Speeding Campaign Planned 5 Wind Turbine to be Installed at Winter Island 9 Changes to Street Sweeping Program Announced 10 Highlights Inside this Issue: FYI SALEM Despite the economy, the City of Salem is still at- tracting a slew of new busi- nesses. Over the last few months, a number of new retailers and restaurants have chosen to invest in our City. The list is quite im- pressive. Greenland Café, located next door to City Hall on Washington Street, is under construction and hopes to open for service by late Spring. Greenland Café expects to serve coffee and pastry in the morning and gourmet sandwiches and tapas for lunch and dinner. The build-out of the restau- rant is coming along quite nicely and will be beautiful once completed later this Spring. Hip Baby Gear, a new store located in the same block as Greenland Café in the Kins- Sec 9 - 13 ---PAGE BREAK--- A long awaited elevator for Salem City Hall is finally under construction! The elevator will replace the current chair lift system, which provides limited accessibil- ity to the second floor of the building. The eleva- tor will be housed in a small addition at the rear of City Hall where the current ramp into the building is located. The elevator project has undergone several re- designs and delays over the past 20 years; pri- marily due to financial constraints. The project is now moving forward with the assistance of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds. In July of this year, the City of Salem received $305,977 in Community Development Block Grant-Recovery (CDBG-R) funds from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Eligible uses of the CDBG-R funds include handi- cap accessibility improve- ments, such as the construc- tion of an elevator. The elevator design was most recently updated by Gray Ar- chitects of Salem in 2007. The new design calls for the removal of the existing handi- cap ramp. In its place will be a glass enclosed lobby. The lobby will be entered at ground level, with elevator stops at the first and second floors. A variance was received from the Architectural Access Board (AAB) from a third floor elevator stop, as this floor is not used for public purposes. The elevator addition went through a design review process because it is located in the City’s Urban Renewal District. It was approved by the Salem Redevelopment Authority in July 2007. In October, the City released a Request for Bids for the construction of the eleva- tor. The lowest bidder for general con- tractor services was New England Build- ers, of Methuen. The construction super- vision will be led by Gray Architects. The elevator is slated to be completed by May 1, 2010. The new elevator addition is a long over- due improvement to the City Hall build- ing, the second oldest operating City Hall in America. This addition will greatly enhance City Hall’s accessibility and, as a result, our ability to better serve all of Salem’s residents. Salem City Hall Elevator under Construction PAGE 2 FYI SALEM VOLUME 3, ISSUE 2 Salem Recycling Rate Hits New Milestone cling do‟s and don‟ts for paper and co-mingled items. For paper you can recycle anything that rips - magazines, catalogs, phone books, paper back books, dry food and medicine boxes (cereal, aspirin, crackers, etc.) You cannot recycle any type of plastic bags curbside, but do return them to your grocery store. You cannot recycle foil juice boxes, milk and juice car- tons with the plastic spout (carton is recyclable if the spout is removed), wax cardboard, or foil laminated paper (chip bags). Salem also recycles what is de- scribed as co-mingled-aluminum cans (soda), steel cans (food), plastic bottles and plastic containers with a 1-7 recycling symbol, and glass bot- tles. You cannot recycle plastic without a number, Styrofoam, or light bulbs (please return to Home Depot or Whole Foods), aerosol cans or plastic bags. Any molded plastic cannot be recycled (yogurt, sour cream containers) even if there is a 1-7 within the recycling arrows. The Newark Group also offers free recycling drop off and confidential shredding at 53 Jefferson Avenue. tee has also initiated and partnered with other community groups and businesses on a variety of educational events. They have branded the Salem- Recycles logo and produced educa- tional information including post- cards, fact sheets and book marks. In early December 2009, the City of Salem and SalemRecy- cles in collaboration with North Shore Recycled Fiber, a division of the Newark Group, unveiled the latest initiative - the Perfect Pick-Up contest. Salem resi- dents can register online at Sa- lem.com/recycling under Perfect Pick- up. One household is drawn weekly, and upon verification of good recycling practices (via in person inspection with photo) the winner is awarded a $50 check by the Newark Group. To date there have been nine winners, who are also invited to participate in other city-sponsored „green‟ initia- tives. Thanks to all the Salem citizens who participate in the curbside recycling program and helped Salem achieve the 21% December recycling rate! Please help the City to maintain this great recycling rate by following recy- In December, and for the first time since Salem began its curbside recy- cle program, the City has achieved a 21% recycling rate. This means that 21% of curbside collection represents materials that are recyclable: paper, plastics, metal and glass. For calen- dar year 2009 the city achieved a recycling rate average of 18% comparing very favorably to other North Shore communi- ties. Two years ago the Massa- chusetts Department of Environ- mental Protection reported that Sa- lem had one of the lowest recycling rates on the North Shore at around At that time the City put out to bid and negotiated a new solid waste and recycling collection and disposal contract that limited household trash pickup to three 35 gallon barrels, and increased recycling to weekly pickup. In addition, SalemRecycles, the City‟s Recycling Committee, began an aggressive education and aware- ness campaign to inform residents of the new curbside pickup guidelines and to disseminate information on best recycling practices. The commit- Sec 9 - 14 ---PAGE BREAK--- The Kernwood Country Club has gen- erously donated $6,200 to the Salem Police Department allowing them to purchase state-of-the-art technology aimed at preventing graffiti. This piece of equipment called the FlashCAM-880 will provide the Police Department another “tool in the tool- box” to deter vandalism and anti-social behavior including graffiti, illegal dumping and other illicit activity. The camera senses motion of up to 100 feet away and then begins taking high- resolution digital photographs along with a bright flash of light and loud voice message warning intruders. It is portable and can be moved from place to place which will allow the Police Department to target problem areas across the City. A few years back the Kernwood Country Club made another generous donation which allowed the Department to pur- chase the very successful 3- wheeled T-3 vehicles. The T-3 vehicles have vastly improved our community policing efforts and this new equipment will allow us to take advantage of available technology to con- tinue this trend. Last year, they donated a similar amount to the Fire Depart- ment toward the purchase of emergency preparedness equipment. Taking advantage of technological ad- vances has been a recent focus of the PAGE 3 FYI SALEM VOLUME 3, ISSUE 2 Kernwood Country Club Makes Donation to help City fight Vandalism City‟s Police Department as part of their ongoing efforts to accomplish as much as possible with limited re- sources. Over the last two years, in addition to this camera and the T-3 vehicles already men- tioned, the Police Depart- ment has purchased a digital license plate reader and installed sur- veillance cameras in our downtown. As a City, we extend our sincere thanks to the Kernwood Country Club for this gener- ous donation and continued commit- ment to the community. You can read more about this impressive piece of equipment at www.qstartech.com. Bridge Street/Route 1A Reconstruction Project Begins 3:30 PM, Monday through Friday, and started last week and will continue through early December. No regularly scheduled work will be allowed on holi- days or weekends, except if given writ- ten permission in advance by the City. The City Engineering Department will be coordinating the construction work with MassDOT‟s Resident Engineer, Mr. Bernard LaVita, who is responsi- ble for the day to day oversight of New- port‟s activities. Mr. LaVita‟s tele- phone number is [PHONE REDACTED] and residents can call him directly if they have any questions relative to the pro- ject. National Grid Gas and Electric crews have been working on Bridge Street for the last month to relocate and replace their conduits to avoid conflict with the Bridge Street work and to ensure utility upgrades are completed before the new pavement is down. To keep resident and businesses up- dated on the construction schedule, the City plans to utilize the local newspa- pers, cable television, CTY-Connect and the city website. There may be short periods of time between con- struction activities that the road is left with a rough surface or manhole struc- tures are raised, prior to final paving. Residents and drivers on such streets are urged to use caution as it is an active construction site. ess, through many neighborhood meet- ings. The businesses and residents of Bridge Street are ready for these im- provements to the roadway. Once completed, the new roadway will pro- vide the base for a revitalization of the entire neighborhood. The construction work will consist primarily of removing the top 18- inches of roadway, re- grading the road sub- base, then reconstruct- ing the road. In addi- tion, new utilities in- cluding drains, water mains, and sewers will be rebuilt as neces- sary. New sidewalks, curbing and street and intersection lighting will also be installed. Finally, a new bike path shall be constructed from the end of the existing path at the by-pass road to the existing path at Cross Street. Businesses and residents of the neighborhood are cautioned that this type of heavy construction will likely be dirty, noisy and dusty; however, the construction oversight team is dedi- cated to minimizing impacts and re- sponding to concerns. Businesses will remain open in the area and continued patronage is encouraged. Hours of construction shall be 7 AM to The City‟s next large-scale roadway improvement project has begun. The reconstruction of Bridge Street 1A, from the Salem-Beverly Bridge to the Bypass Road, is the next in a long suc- cession of roadway improvement pro- jects that have been completed under the administra- tion of Mayor Kim- berley Dris- coll. New- port Con- struction, of Nashua, New Hampshire, was recently selected by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) to con- struct the project at a cost of $6.9 mil- lion. This project is expected to take close to two years to complete, with most of the heavy roadway work com- pleted by the end of the 2010 construc- tion season. After investing significantly in the design and engineering, the City has made this project a top priority and sought construction funding from the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act through the state Transportation Improvement Program. We‟ve in- vested over $500,000 in the design, permitting and public approval proc- Sec 9 - 15 ---PAGE BREAK--- Thanks to the hard work of Con- gressman John Tierney, the City of Salem has been awarded $250,000 to fund regional efforts to pool re- sources to better solve crimes, ad- dress criminal trends and train officers. Last May, the Salem Po- lice Department, in col- laboration with the sur- rounding communities of Beverly, Danvers, Hamil- ton, Wenham and the Sa- lem State College Campus Police, jointly prepared a request to fund a regional approach to law en- forcement. The $250,000 appropria- tion is expected to fund improve- ments in the fields of crime, informa- tion technology as well as fingerprint and video evidence analysis. The City is very thankful to Con- gressman Tierney for his advocacy to secure this funding in Congress‟s annual spending bill. Given the cur- rent financial situation affecting the state and many communities, without this funding we could not afford to implement this regional approach which un- doubtedly will save money over the long term and make us more effective and efficient at solving crime in Salem and the North Shore. This regional project is intended to reduce the financial impact on indi- vidual departments by sharing the cost of technological support person- nel and equipment. As an added benefit, this will also foster a more collaborative approach to investigat- ing crimes and training law enforce- ment personnel. Police departments are making great strides in sharing information as criminal activity con- tinues to cross community lines; how- ever, we need additional technology and the personnel to support it to effectively provide police support ser- vices in a rapidly changing, highly technological time. When the economy declines we know criminal activity tends to increase, so this funding is more important than ever. It ensures that the involved agencies have the ability to work col- laboratively on resolving issues that cross city lines and use technology to our advantage to better analyze and address criminal trends. This annual spending bill (H.R. 3288, FY 2010 Consolidated Appropria- tions) was recently approved. Salem Awarded $250,000 for Regional Policing Efforts PAGE 4 FYI SALEM VOLUME 3, ISSUE 2 The City of Salem, in collaboration with the City of Peabody, has been awarded grant funding through the District Local Technical Assistance program of the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC). The Cities of Salem and Peabody will collaborate on the develop- ment of a consistent corri- dor plan to redevelop and improve Boston and Main Street. This corridor is a major roadway connecting the two communities, spe- cifically connecting Salem to downtown Peabody. While the final scope of the project is still being finalized, it will include components like analyzing various land use issues and developing a shared plan for revitalization of the corridor through enhancement of existing retail areas, identifying housing/mixed use opportu- nities, potential rezoning, and multi- modal transportation improvements. This plan would be the first plan for Salem and Peabody that crosses mu- nicipal boundaries. Currently, a mix of retail and residen- tial uses exists along the entire stretch of Boston/Main Street. Salem and Peabody propose to review the existing and historic land use and zoning along this corridor in both mu- nicipalities to determine where there are inconsistencies and opportunities for renewed vitality. The exact boundaries of this project area will be the intersec- tion of Boston and Bridge Streets in Salem to Pea- body Square (intersection of Main/Lowell, Foster/ Central Streets), approxi- mately one mile in length. Issues to be ana- lyzed include land use, zoning, economic develop- ment opportunities, hous- ing, open space, and pedestrian and bicyclist safety. Residential areas will be assessed to better understand the current housing stock, as well as the housing demands in this area. The plan will identify areas where mixed use development, including housing and retail, would be appropriate. Undergraduate students from Salem State College will assist MAPC with this project by completing the initial data collection, including demographic information, current and historic land- use patterns, zoning, and observations of current multi-modal transportation circulation. The students have already begun to collect the data and will share the information with MAPC throughout the project. Residents, businesses, and other stake- holders from both communities will be included throughout the process. The final result of this initiative will hope- fully include a joint agreement on goals and objectives for the corridor, a concept plan for the enhancement and redevel- opment of the corridor, support for zon- ing ordinance amendments that would ensure that redevelopment is consistent between the two communities, and identification of multi-modal transpor- tation priorities that extend across mu- nicipal boundaries. This is great example of how the Cities of Salem and Peabody can benefit from working collaboratively on common in- terests. It is vitally important that both communities have seats at the table in order to reach agreement on how we would like this important entrance cor- ridor to look in the future. Salem and Peabody Awarded Grant Sec 9 - 16 ---PAGE BREAK--- Based on extensive commentary received at neighborhood meetings held this past Fall, the City and the Salem Police Department are work- ing on the implementation of a city- wide Anti-Speeding Campaign. This Traffic Safety Campaign enti- tled, Go Fast, Get Fined, will com- bine enhanced police enforcement with education and awareness aimed at reducing the number of motorists speeding on Salem road- ways. This Spring, the City of Salem Po- lice Department will be conducting city-wide anti- speeding satura- tion patrols as part of an effort to remind motorists of the need to slow down in Salem neighborhoods. In addition, resi- dents, neighborhood associations and municipal officials are also be- ing asked to take on an active role in the anti-speeding campaign by alerting friends, family and neighbors about the enhanced enforcement activ- ity and reminding all motorists that speeding vehicles and traffic violations impact overall safety and erode the quality of life in our neighborhoods. Nearly every neighborhood has identi- fied speeding as a problem in need of attention. As part of the campaign, new speed radar signs will be installed to alert motorists of travel in excess of the posted limits. Speeding cars are a big problem and a leading cause of traffic accidents. The goal of the Go Fast, Get Fined cam- paign is to remind residents to slow down and help keep city streets safe for pedestrians, cyclists, and other motorists. The best way to tackle a city- wide problem like speeding is to work together in a collaborative way to in- crease enforcement, educate motorists about the need to slow down to keep their neighborhood safe, and make sure residents are aware of the impact that speeding cars have on the overall qual- In conjunction with Salem neighborhood groups, the City has taken aim at double telephone poles and the pace at which utility companies work to remove them. Legislation has been filed in both the State‟s House of Representatives and Senate, House Bill 3060 and Senate Bill 1543 respectively, that would establish a procedure for cities and towns to impose fines when utility companies have not complied with the 90-day time period mandated by law to remove these so- called “double poles.” To advocate for the passage of this bill, the City‟s Neighborhood Improvement Advisory Commission is helping to coor- dinate a postcard and letter writing cam- paign. To date, close to 100 postcards from Salem residents have been gener- ated and mailed to the State House in support of this important measure. Double poles cause several problems in our community including issues with City Plans to Launch Anti-Speeding Campaign this Spring PAGE 5 FYI SALEM VOLUME 3, ISSUE 2 access for the disabled, pedestrian con- cerns, safety hazards and are often the source of blight. Unfortunately, at this time the 90-day period is not adhered to and communities do not have any way to enforce this regulation. This bill would change that and allow cities and towns to assess a fine of no more than $1,000 per occurrence. We hope this will motivate utility companies to re- move double poles within 90 days. You may have read a recent article in the Boston Globe which highlighted this problem and focused on the north of Boston region. Salem was listed at the top of the list as the community with the most double poles north of Boston. If residents are interested in helping the City change this dubious distinction and pass this important bill they should contact the Mayor‟s Office for more in- formation and for copies of postcards. ity of life in our City. The main objective of this initia- tive is to deter speeding. We need your help to make this a success! Please tell your neighbors about the Go Fast, Get Fined effort and encourage them to spread the word to their friends, family and co- workers. Please work with the Salem Police Department to iden- tify the roadways and areas that you are most concerned about when it comes to speeding and traffic violations. The Police De- partment has a very good list al- ready, but the more we hear di- rectly from you about these trouble spots, the more effective enforce- ment efforts can be. Lastly, and most importantly, please don‟t speed. Many times when the Police Department par- ticipates in selective traffic en- forcement, we end up ticketing residents and neighbors of the very street that we have received com- plaints about. City works to Remove Double Telephone Poles Sec 9 - 17 ---PAGE BREAK--- Community Schools Program Unveiled FYI SALEM PAGE 6 VOLUME 3, ISSUE 2 This past fall the City‟s Park, Rec- reation & Community Services De- partment partnered with the Salem School Department to offer enrich- ment programs in the schools di- rectly after dismissal. Programs have been offered at Heights Elementary, Bates Ele- mentary, Saltonstall Elementary, and Bentley Elementary. Pro- grams started at Horace Mann Ele- mentary in January. Business Investment Alive and Well in Salem Continued from Page 1 Many of these Community Schools Programs have proved to be a suc- cess, often generating a waitlist with requests from parents to offer addi- tional sessions. Some of the pro- grams that have been offered in- clude: Develop Your Creativity Through Painting & Crafts, Rockin‟ Romans, Explore The World With Food & Crafts, and Young Artists/ Famous Artists. The City is looking to add to the pro- grams currently being offered next school year. The School Depart- ment is distributing flyers to stu- dents and parents to promote the programs and to allow them to reg- ister early as these programs are popular and fill up quickly. If you have any questions or are interested in leading a program, please contact Eileen Dunn at (978) 744-0180, ext. 20. And lastly, Coven, a new café/dessert bar (and highlighted in another story in this newsletter) is planning to open at 281 Essex (the last spot in the former Tompkins Furniture building). The owners are relocating from New York and have de- scribed their concept as having a 50‟s retro/comic book vibe. Please frequent these new businesses, as well as our veteran stalwarts, and support the City‟s local economy. Our business community is second to none on the North Shore and the more we, as a City, support it the better off our overall community will be. at 196 Essex Street. Up until now, Valverde has imported coffee beans mostly over the internet but now plans to run his own shop. Adriatic Restaurant, which will be occupy- ing the space for- merly housing Edge- water Café, is ex- pected to open this April offering Medi- terranean fare with brick oven pizza. Roost Urban Country Design recently opened its doors at 40 Front Street. At Roost, you‟ll find an original mix of art, furniture, gifts, accessories, light- ing, jewelry & bath products. man Building, recently completed renovations and is open for business offering clothing and products for ba- bies and young children, including classes and lectures geared for new parents. Mud Puddle Toys, based out of Marble- head, is opening a Salem store on the pedestrian mall in the former Digital Imaging space next to Rockafellas. Mud Puddle Toys sells eco-friendly products and offers a unique selection of toys for kids big and small. Café Valverde Coffee Roasters is a new café that has opened up in the former Fuel site, also on the pedestrian mall Last month, the state announced that the Massachusetts Clean En- ergy Center awarded $200,000 for the City of Salem to fund a 12- month feasibility study that would examine potential reuse options for the current Salem Power Plant site currently owned by Dominion En- ergy. The purpose of the study is to ex- amine the facility‟s short and long- term capital plans and environ- mental compliance investments, as well as exploring potential clean energy and green technology alter- natives which may be utilized at the facility. In addition, the study will examine the facility‟s role in the context of electric supply and related reliability needs for north- eastern MA and within the NE-ISO region. Finally, the study will exam- ine potential costs involved with remediation and decommissioning of the plant in the event of a potential closure. Lastly, and very importantly the study will examine the issues with an eye toward the impacts associated with jobs and tax revenues gen- erated at this site The City of Salem will be issuing a Request for Propos- als (RFP), in coordination with the Executive Office of Energy and Envi- ronmental Affairs and the Clean En- ergy Center, to select a consultant to conduct this study. The City is close to finalizing the RFP and will be is- suing it soon. As part of this study, the City will be establishing an advi- sory group of important local stake- holders to help move this study ahead. This study is critically important to Salem in planning for our future. Having a strong under- standing of the power plant‟s short and long- term plans is the only responsible course for the City. It will help us better understand our financial and development planning efforts in the years ahead. City Receives Grant for Power Plant Study Sec 9 - 18 ---PAGE BREAK--- Common Cause Recognizes City’s Website for Fourth Straight Year FYI SALEM PAGE 7 VOLUME 3, ISSUE 2 For the fourth year running, the City of Salem‟s website has once again been recognized by Common Cause Massachusetts as one of the best in the entire state. The City is pleased to have been con- tinually recog- nized for our efforts in open- ing up the process of gov- ernment. Since taking office, we have been able to achieve many improve- ments to the City‟s website from post- ing meeting agendas and minutes to automatic email notification capabili- ties, all of which make information easier to access and keep citizens in- formed. For the past four years, www.salem.com has been recognized by Common Cause Massachusetts with their e-Government Award. How- ever, this year marks the second year in a row that Salem‟s website has been recognized with the e-Government Award with Distinction. In order to be recognized by The Mas- sachusetts Campaign for Open Govern- ment, a project of the non-partisan group Common Cause, with the e- Government Award with Distinction, city and town websites must post es- sential information including Govern- ing Body‟s Agenda, General By-Laws or Ordinances, Governing Body‟s Minutes, City/Town Budget, Archived Governing Board Agendas & Minutes, Zoning By-Laws, School Com- mittee Agendas & Minutes, Public Meetings Calendar and Agendas & Minutes for at least one other Board/ Commission. Of the Commonwealth‟s 351 cities and towns, only 49 community websites were recognized with the e-Government Award with Distinction. In addition to these online resources, Salem‟s website has seen significant improvements to its email subscriber list, Mapping & GIS webpage, Commu- nity Calendars, and basic general infor- mation. Residents and visitors may even view online community videos. New this year, is the City‟s Web Q&A Constituent Services Center where residents can log requests and track their status and communicate with departments online. This recognition demonstrates our commitment to keep residents in- formed and aware of what‟s happen- ing at the local level. We know folks lead busy lives, so the easier we can make it to connect to City Hall, the more able residents are to become active and involved citizens. Salem was recognized for this achievement at a ceremony in the State House on Tuesday, March 16th 2010. This event occurs during “Sunshine Week” when media outlets throughout the country focus on is- sues and ideas for making govern- ment more transparent. For more information please visit www.maopengov.org and/or www.commoncause.org. Beautification Committee Hosting Plant Sale Join the Salem Beautification Com- mittee as they hold their third an- nual Plant Sale fundraiser on the Salem Common. The event is planned for Saturday, May 15, 2010 (rain date: Sunday, May 16) be- tween the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. You‟ll be amazed at the wide assort- ment of home-grown perennials, a variety of annuals, and a selection of hanging baskets. Rain barrels, com- posters, water con- servation garden spray nozzles and recycling bins will also be available for purchase. Please come and take advantage of these wonderful offerings and, at the same time support the amazing efforts of the Salem Beautification Committee. The money raised from this event allows this important Committee to continue their work to make Salem a cleaner and more beautiful community. Greg Mortenson to Receive the Salem Award The Salem Award for Human Rights and Social Justice, established in 1992 as part of the Witch Trials Tercente- nary, is awarded each year to keep alive the lessons of the Salem Witch Trials of 1692 and to recognize indi- viduals whose commitment to social justice and human rights has allevi- ated discrimination and promoted tol- erance. In recognizing and honoring them, we publicly acknowledge the powerful sig- nificance and practical consequence of their work and join them in fostering acceptance, compassion and reconcilia- tion. The Salem Award Foundation also sponsors lectures, panel discus- sions and other programs on topics related to promoting human rights and social justice, and supports the public Salem Witch Trials Memorial. The Salem Award for Hu- man Rights and Social Justice Foundation, com- prised of a cadre of dedi- cated and hardworking residents chaired by resident Meg Twohey, has worked tirelessly on this year‟s pro- gram. The award ceremony will take place on May 1st at Salem High School and this year‟s recipient is Greg Mort- enson, author of Three Cups of Tea, a book detailing Mr. Mortenson‟s danger- ous and difficult quest to build schools in the wildest parts of Pakistan and Afghanistan. This is a bestselling book and the City is excited about Mr. Mort- enson‟s visit to Salem to accept this award. Given the popularity of this best selling book the ceremony is already sold out. The Foundation is still accepting names to place on a waiting list in the case that tickets be- come available. Salem residents may obtain free tickets at Salem City Hall at the Legal Department. There is a limit of two tickets per resident. Sec 9 - 19 ---PAGE BREAK--- Business Spotlight: Coven Dessert Bar & Café FYI SALEM PAGE 8 VOLUME 3, ISSUE 2 The downtown Salem area has been rapidly on the rise, and no where is this development more evident than on Essex Street. Just on the other side of Washington Street are a crop of excit- ing new businesses. The latest to this burgeoning scene is Coven. Part ar- tisanal market, part cafe & dessert bar, Coven is a foodie‟s paradise. Taste buds have already been tantalized by the mention of the foods and desserts that will be available when Coven opens this Spring. Owners Robert Trezza and Jennifer Vourlos promise to provide their customers with an array of local produce, dairy and unique foods such as an olive bar, a cheese table, gourmet pasta, condiments, oils, spices and more. The market has literally grown from requests made by prospec- tive patrons that stopped by the store or joined their Facebook fan page. For those who don't have the time to cook all the ingredients offered up, but are still seeking a home style meal, they can grab a freshly prepared meal from the menu of grab-and-go items ready to be heated up at home, includ- ing organic rotisserie chickens. Those who frequent the nearby health centers, will be happy to see the healthier choices available such as fresh salads and reduced fat meals. In addition, Jen is working on creating some gluten free, vegan, and sugar-free desserts. If looking to grab a bite to eat while shopping one may want to try out some of their fresh made soups such as french onion soup with a ba- con custard and gru- yere tuille, red wine tomato with grilled fontina bites, or signa- ture sandwiches, such as the short rib & gru- yere sandwich, the Merguez sausage and pickled fennel sand- wich or for vegetarians perhaps the sweet potato and ricotta sandwich will hit the spot. What meal is complete without dessert? Coven will be offering a dessert bar fea- turing modern twists on some old favor- ites such as Twinkies, Cheesecake and uniquely flavored Cannolis. For the creative a “Top Your Own” cupcake bar is sure to please with its vast as- sortment of toppings. Everything is made in house, from scratch using only the finest ingredients...no short- ening or box mixes here. Jen and Rob, self-proclaimed children at heart, have found a way to make the guests in their cafe feel like a kid again. In addition to other yummy breakfast items such as quiche, crepes, and fresh sweet cream waffles with warm maple butter, they will also feature a cereal bar offering twenty different types of cereals. Utilizing the toppings from the cup- cake bar as cereal toppings to create unique concoctions is not only al- lowed, it is strongly encouraged. Coven hopes to begin their epicurean gathering in early Spring this year. Until then stop by the Facebook site www.facebook.com/covensalem and see just what all the excitement is about! City Plans to Host Clean Salem, Green Salem Event To celebrate Earth Day, Salem Recy- cles has once again collaborated with the Beautification Committee to host the Clean Salem, Green Sa- lem event on May 1st. This collaboration has resulted in an expanded event that incor- porates additional 'green' initiatives and activities. Beginning at 8:30 am, volun- teers are welcome to meet our team leaders at Riley Plaza, the YMCA Parking Lot, or the MBTA Train Station the morning of May 1st. There are also groups from each of Salem's schools and various neighborhood or- ganization targeting areas throughout the City. If you want to find a group work- ing in your neighborhood or organize a group to help clean up another location, please contact Ellen Talkowsky at 978- 619-5676. In keeping with the 'green' theme, volunteers cleaning various sites will be separating recyclable ma- terials from trash and debris, which will be picked up by Northside Carting and delivered to the city‟s recycling processor North Shore Recycled Fibers. Volunteers are invited to the Salem Common for a community pizza party at noon. This year Salem Recycles has arranged for the following four recycling programs to take place on the Common from 10:00am to 1:00pm. First, a Northside Carting dumpster will be on-site to promote our e -waste recycling program. Eve- rything from household batteries to ipods to cell phones can be dropped off and recycled. For a full list- ing of what will be accepted please visit www.salem.com. In addition, a used-bicycle collection will be held for "Bikes Not Bombs". Bikes Not Bombs is a Boston-based non-profit that ships used bikes and parts to undeveloped countries. Most old two-wheelers are retooled to do things like pump water and grind meal, or repaired for trans- portation uses. Remaining bikes are repaired and sold by inner-city teenag- ers as part of a vocational training pro- gram. A $10-per-bike donation is re- quested to defray storage, processing and shipping costs. Receipts for cash donations and the value of each do- nated bicycle will be provided. North Shore Recycled Fibers will have receptacles for residents to drop off their plastic grocery bags. The plastic bags collected will be made into more plastic bags. Included in the list of plastics that will be accepted are: gro- cery and produce bags, plastic cover- ings used on multi-packs of paper tow- els and placed over dry cleaning from your laundry. Lastly, the Big Brother Big Sister Foundation will be collecting donations of used clothing and small household items. Items they will ac- cept for donations are: Clothing; Shoes; Accessories, Jewelry, Handbags, Purses; Jeans; Coats, Hats, Gloves; and small household items (anything smaller than a microwave such as pots, pans, dishware, and knick knacks. Please keep checking www.salem.com for updates on this event. Sec 9 - 20 ---PAGE BREAK--- who have freed themselves from abuse; supporting those still working toward freedom and honoring those who remember a loved one whose life was lost to violence. How you can get involved in the Walk for HAWC on Sun- day, April 25th in Salem: Create a team (or walk with the Mayor‟s Striders) to raise money and support for HAWC‟s free services Distribute and hang posters to publi- cize the Walk throughout the North Shore Organize a group at your work, school, place of worship or other or- ganization to educate others about Join Mayor Kimberley Driscoll and this year‟s Honorary Chair, Robert St. Pierre, Retired Police Chief of Salem on Sunday, April 25th for the 18th annual Walk for HAWC. The walk is HAWC‟s only annual fundraising and com- munity awareness event, raising $180,000 to support HAWC‟s free services for victims of domestic violence and their children. HAWC is the only compre- hensive domestic violence agency on the North Shore. By participating in the Walk for HAWC on Sunday, April 25th, you are taking to the streets to send a loud and clear message: celebrating those Walk for HAWC Scheduled for April 25th ways they can help prevent domes- tic violence Hold an event to raise money for the Walk To register your team or for other information about the Walk, please visit HAWC‟s website at www.hawcdv.org or call Alicia Weaver (978) 744-2299 ext.27. The walk is a five mile loop through historic downtown Salem and is a family-oriented, festive event. There will be music, food and entertain- ment before, during and after the walk. So, gather your friends, fam- ily, colleagues, children and dogs to join us in making a statement to end domestic violence on the North Shore! FYI SALEM PAGE 9 VOLUME 3, ISSUE 2 Micro-Wind Turbine to be Installed at Winter Island This month, the Park and Recrea- tion Commission approved the placement of a combina- tion street light/micro- turbine wind energy unit near the Harbormaster‟s Office at Winter Island. The turbine will be in- stalled at no cost to the City by Deerpath Energy of Marblehead. Specifically, Deerpath En- ergy has proposed to in- stall a 4.7 mi- cro-wind turbine not to exceed 50 feet in height. Energy produced by the turbine will be the City‟s energy at no cost and all data collected will be shared with the City to help advance our green energy efforts and goals. The proposal also includes help in evaluating other areas of the City for potential power generation via wind and mi- cro-turbine. This project will be advanta- geous to the City in a variety of ways. This highly visible wind energy demonstration project will help promote green initiatives and will hopefully be a centerpiece of a larger public education and outreach effort. Over the long-term, it also may be a perfect complement to other green initia- tives at Winter Island, including the potential development of a commer- cial-scale wind turbine. The City has made a great deal of progress over the last few years in the area of green and renewable en- ergy. Most recently, in addition to this latest development, the City has brought on a grant-funded Energy and Sustainability Manager, and are currently close to entering into a con- tract with an Energy Services Com- pany to improve the energy efficiency and overall condition of City facili- ties. Lastly, we are actively engaged in becoming a Green Community under the Green Communities Act allowing access to additional funding and even greater energy conserva- tion. The Friends of Winter Island (FOWI) is being organized by Salem residents to promote and guide the preservation and restoration of his- toric resources on Winter Island. They include the Light House, former Coast Guard Air Station buildings, Waikiki Beach, and Fort Pickering itself, with its 366-year history. Members of FOWI will also seek to beautify the island and pre- serve its natural habitat by removing invasive vegetation and by planting trees, flowers and shrubs that are both native and sustainable. FOWI anticipates working with the City and all Salem municipal preser- vation partners to preserve this pub- licly owned resource. Toward this end, FOWI will work to raise major funds to finance preservation projects; will organize volunteer work parties to restore grounds and buildings; and will publish a newsletter to inform mem- bers and the public about preservation developments. FOWI shall work closely with other preservation part- ners, such as the Plummer Home, Es- sex National Heritage Commission, National Park Service, Salem State College and Conservation Commission. Friends of Winter Island Formed Sec 9 - 21 ---PAGE BREAK--- FYI SALEM PAGE 10 VOLUME 3, ISSUE 2 New Street Sweeping Program Announced The City‟s Street Sweeping Pro- gram for entrance corridors will begin on Thursday, April 1st and a brand new intensive cleaning ini- tiative within our neighborhoods will begin on Monday, April 26th. The City has reworked the sweep- ing schedule and made a commit- ment to clean our neighborhoods of all the winter sand and debris faster, more effi- ciently and more effectively than in previous years. Entrance Corri- dor Street Sweeping will begin on Thurs- day, April 1st and continue through April 14th. Resi- dents should con- sult the No Parking/Tow Zone signs posted along each of these entrance corridors that notify drivers of what day parking restrictions are in effect. Sweeping schedules alter- nate between the odd and even sides of the street so residents are able to park their cars on the oppo- site side of the street during sched- uled sweeping days. In these areas, parking is prohibited from 5:00 a.m. to 7:00 a.m. except for the even side of Essex Street, from 98, which will be swept as posted on Wednesday, April 14th from 7:30am to 9:00 am. For a detailed schedule, you may consult www.salem.com under the Public Works Department page for the 2010 sweeping schedule. After April, these entrance corridors will be swept on an as needed basis and will no longer have parking restrictions unless a special posted no parking sweep is neces- sary. The City will still have our sweepers out on a regular basis dur- ing the summer and fall months, but by removing the tow zone restric- tions, our residents will not be inconven- ienced every two weeks of the month for a six-month period. The Point Neighbor- hood and 1-178 Derby Street will also now be incorporated into the new residential sched- ule. Beginning Monday, April 26th and running through May 7th, a new in- tensified residential street sweeping program will take place. Under this new program, we will be able to clean all of our neighborhoods in just two weeks. Each neighborhood will be posted with temporary No Parking Tow Zones signs and sweep- ers will be sweeping both sides of the street on the same day. Streets will be still swept the day after your trash pick-up day. The days prior to your scheduled sweep is a perfect time for residents to remove the sand and debris from their side- walks into the curb line on the street, just please do not make mounds or piles, as they are more difficult for the sweeper to pick up. City streets will be broken down into two zones. Streets in Zone One will be swept during the week of April 26 -30th, and streets listed in Zone Two will be swept during the week of May 3-7th. Residential sector sweep- ing will take place from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Residents will be able to use the previously swept entrance corridors as alternative parking ar- eas on the day of their sweep. An- other neighborhood sweep is sched- uled for July 12th through July 23rd. Resident cooperation is vital to the success of this program. You must remove your cars from the street on your designated sweeping day. The fewer cars on the street, the better we can clean. Our goal is to clean the streets not to tow cars, so please park accordingly during scheduled street sweeping days. The City has contracted with Min- uteman Power Sweeping, Inc. to en- sure that this aggressive schedule will be executed effectively. Minute- man has contracts with several neighboring cities and towns and has 30 years of experience sweeping streets. One of the greatest chal- lenges our DPW crews face is get- ting pulled away from the sweeping routes because of other public works emergencies. Other than inclement weather, the contractors will be on the street sweeping routes. Weather cancellations will be posted on www.salem.com Mayor’s Annual Easter Eggs-travaganza Planned for April 3rd The Salem YMCA, in conjunction with the City of Salem, is once again hosting Mayor Kim- berley Driscoll‟s An- nual Easter Eggs- travaganza. This year‟s event will be held at the Nathan- iel Bowditch Elemen- tary School at 79 Willson Street (same campus as Salem High School) on Saturday, April 3rd from 11 am to 1 pm. Be sure to join in on the fun, festivities, and prizes! Our Easter Eggs-travaganza includes over 1,200 egg give- aways! There will be fun for children of all ages, including a bouncing house, arts and crafts, games and prizes, face paint- ing and a special guest- the Easter Bunny! Pictures of children with the Easter Bunny will be taken. Candy and prizes are being donated by Wal- mart. The event is free and open to the public. Year after year, this event has grown in popularity and now has become a family favorite. You don‟t want to miss it! Happy Easter! Sec 9 - 22