On the agenda: Salem City Council Regular Meeting — surveillance camera (Oct 8)

City of Salem, Massachusetts
Office of the City Clerk
Ilene Simons
City Clerk

Room 1
City Hall

10/06/2026
MEETING NOTICE AND AGENDA
The Salem City Council will hold its regular meeting in-person on Thursday, October 8,
2026, at 7:00 PM in the Council Chambers, 93 Washington Street, 2nd floor for the purpose
of discussing any and all business.
In-Person shall be the primary method of public access to such meetings. A secondary
method of public access may be provided, if technologically feasible through Salem Access
Television, and/or remotely through Zoom. See below for remote access and SATV
information.
Please click the link below to join the webinar:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86753983577?pwd=Is77Ju5aXGUlzdlhEGpajPqX1QOGha.1
Password: 482720

Go to the website link: https://zoom.us/join. Enter meeting/webinar ID# 867 5398
3577 followed by the meeting password above if directed to do so.
Or Telephone: Participants can dial a toll free number at 877-853-5257 (Toll Free) or 888475-4499 (Toll Free). When prompted, enter meeting/webinar ID#: 867 5398 3577 and
follow the instructions to join the meeting. For those dialing in, you may press *9 to raise
your hand to speak if signed up for public testimony or to participate in the public hearing
portion of the agenda (if applicable).
The public may also watch the meeting live on SATV on Channel 22.
Very truly yours,
ATTEST:

MAUREEN ELIZABETH FISHER
ACTING CITY CLERK

“When in person, individuals requiring auxiliary aids and services for effective
communication such as sign language interpreter, an assistive listening device, or print
material in digital format or a reasonable modification in programs, services, policies, or
activities, may contact the City of Salem ADA Coordinator at (978-619-5630) as soon as
possible and no less than 2 business days before the meeting, program, or
event.” Assistive Listening System is available for City Council Meetings. Those interested
in utilizing these devices for meetings at 93 Washington Street may contact the City Clerk’s
Office at 978-745-9595 ext. 41200 or [email protected].

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CITY OF SALEM
October 8, 2026
REGULAR MEETING
“Know Your Rights Under the Open Meeting Law, M.G.L. c. 30A ss. 18-25, and
City Ordinance Sections 2-2028 through 2-2033.”
A Regular Meeting of the City Council was held in-person on Thursday, October 8, 2026 at
7:00 PM for the purpose of transacting any and all business. Notice of this meeting was
posted on October 6, 2026, at 3:40 PM. This meeting is being recorded and is live on
S.A.T.V. and Zoom unless technological issues interrupt the transmission.
Councilors absent:
Council President Merkl presided.
Councilor _________ moved to dispense with the reading of the record of the previous
meeting.
VOTED
President Merkl requested that everyone please rise to recite the Pledge of Allegiance.
Salem City Council Land Acknowledgement
The Salem City Council honors that this land is Naumkeag, or fishing place, where
generation of Naumkeag people from the Pawtucket band of the Massachusett Tribe lived
and passed through for centuries.
We acknowledge that this is unceded Indigenous land and also acknowledge the
Massachusett Tribe, who continue to honor and hold this land into the present.
Salem's City Council is committed to having ongoing meaningful dialogue with the
indigenous peoples who have presence in Salem in order to dismantle the legacies of
oppression and inequities that persist today.
PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Public Testimony not to exceed 15 minutes. Public Testimony is not a public hearing
or question and answer period. Sign up must occur 30 minutes prior to meeting. The
President shall, depending on the number of speakers, set a time limit, not to exceed
three minutes, which each individual presenting testimony must abide.
How to Sign Up:
You may participate in Public Testimony in-person or remotely, if technologically feasible
by either of the following two methods:

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CITY OF SALEM
October 8, 2026
REGULAR MEETING
1. On-line form: https://www.salemma.gov/FormCenter/City-Council-72/City-CouncilPublic-Comment-Registrants--135
This form will be available beginning 6:30 PM on the Tuesday before the meeting and
remains open until 6:30 PM on the day of the Council Meeting. This form requests
information such as your name, address, and whether you will attend in person or
remotely. If the form is not available due to technology issues, you must use option #2. In
addition, if you plan to have signed up to speak on Zoom, we will allow you to speak as
long as it is technologically feasible.
2. You may also sign the roster in the City Clerk's Office not later than 6:30 PM
on the date of the meeting.

HEARINGS
Order from National Grid to relocate 1 Jointly Owned Pole on Summit Ave at the corner of
Summit Ave and Eden Street.
Request from National Grid to Cancel this Hearing

Action Contemplated
Councillor King

Moved to Cancel the Public
Hearing

Voted

APPOINTMENTS AND REAPPOINTMENTS
Held from the last meeting, The Mayor's Appointment of the following to the Taxpayer
Relief Committee with Terms to Expire September 24, 2029.
Joe Ferrari 33 Roslyn St. Salem
Kathleen Walker 2 Derby Sq. Salem
Jill El-Ashkar 212 Canal St. Salem
Action Contemplated

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CITY OF SALEM
October 8, 2026
REGULAR MEETING

Councillor Davis

Moved Adopted

Voted

Held from the last meeting the Mayor's Re-Appointment of the following with terms to
expire:
Allie Carufel Food Policy Council 83 Essex Street September 24,2029
Bryan Apito Public Art Commission 11 Cleveland Road September 24,2028
Jim Bostick Public Art Commission 32 Barr Street September 24,2028
Action Contemplated
Councillor Turowski

Moved Adoption by RCV

Yea Nay Abs

The Mayor's Appointment of the following to the Salem Cultural Council with terms to
expire:
Marc Miller 51 Lafayette Street Unit 604 expiring on October 6, 2029
Anthony Barente 263 Jefferson Ave expiring on June 28, 2027.
This is for informational purposes only.
Action Contemplated
Councillor Turkowski

Moved Received and Filed

Voted

The Mayor's appointment of Ans Ishfaq of 58 Mill Street Apt 7, Woburn, Ma to serve as a
Constable in the City of Salem for a term to expire on October 8, 2026
Action Contemplated
Councillor Turowski

Moved Received and Filed

Voted

COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE MAYOR
In City Council October 8, 2026
Ordered: That the sum of One Hundred Five Thousand Five Hundred Thirty-Four Dollars

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CITY OF SALEM
October 8, 2026
REGULAR MEETING
and Fourteen Cents ($105,534.14) be approved within the “Retirement Stabilization FundVacation/Sick Leave Buyback” account (83113-5146) to be expended for the contractual
buyback(s) listed below in accordance with the recommendation of His Honor the Mayor.
Name Department Amount
Ilene Simons City Clerk $53,619.85
Paul DeFranco Fire $51,914.29
Total:

$105,534.14

Suspension of the Rules
Action Contemplated

Councillor

Councillor Davis

Moved Adopted

Objection
Voted

In City Council October 8, 2026
Ordered: That a petition to the General Court, accompanied by a bill for an act authorizing
the City of Salem to impose an excise on short-term rentals dedicated to a Housing
Stability Fund as set forth below, be filed with an attested copy of this Order be, and
hereby is, approved under Clause (1) of Section 8 of Article 2, as amended, of the
Amendments to the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, to the end that
the following legislation be adopted, except for amendments by the Senate or House of
Representatives which conform to the intent of this home rule petition:
AN ACT AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF SALEM TO IMPOSE AN EXCISE ON SHORTTERM RENTALS DEDICATED TO A HOUSING STABILITY FUND
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled,
and by the authority of the same as follows:
SECTION 1. Notwithstanding section 14 of chapter 64G of the General Laws or any other
general or special law to the contrary, the City of Salem is hereby authorized to impose an
annual excise on the privilege of operating a short-term rental, as defined in the City’s
short-term rental ordinance, in the City of Salem. The excise shall be payable by the
operator of the short-term rental in the amount of $1,000 per unit per year for a short-term
rental of a residential unit that is not the operator’s primary residence, as those terms are
defined in said ordinance, and $500 per unit per year for all other short-term rentals. The
City Council may, by ordinance, adjust said amounts annually by not more than the

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CITY OF SALEM
October 8, 2026
REGULAR MEETING
percentage change in the Consumer Price Index for the preceding year. The excise shall
not apply to a short-term rental of a room or rooms within a residential unit that is the
primary residence of its owner while the owner is present, or to a short-term rental located
in a lodging house or bed and breakfast licensed or permitted as such by the City. The
excise shall be in addition to any short-term rental registration fee, room occupancy excise,
or community impact fee imposed under any other general or special law.
SECTION 2. The excise authorized by this act shall be adopted by ordinance of the City
Council of the City of Salem, with the approval of the Mayor, which ordinance shall
establish the effective date of the excise and provisions for its collection, enforcement, and
abatement.
SECTION 3. Notwithstanding section 53 of chapter 44 of the General Laws or any other
general or special law to the contrary, the City of Salem is hereby authorized to establish a
Housing Stability Fund, into which all revenue collected from the excise authorized by this
act shall be deposited. The Fund may also receive appropriations, gifts, grants, and
investment earnings. Any balance in the Fund at the close of a fiscal year shall not revert
to the general fund. Monies in the Fund may be expended, subject to appropriation, only
for emergency shelter, transitional housing, and homelessness-prevention services, and
reasonable costs of administering such programs.
SECTION 4. This act shall take effect upon its passage.
Action Contemplated
Councillor Davis

Moved Adopted

Voted

In City Council October 8, 2026
Ordered: That the Order adopted by the City Council on May 14, 2026, and approved by
the Mayor on May 18, 2026, appropriating funds for feasibility study and schematic design
costs related to the proposed Accelerated Repair Project at the Horace Mann Laboratory
School, 79 Willson Street, is hereby amended by deleting the words “Two Hundred Fifty
Thousand ($250,000) Dollars” and inserting in their place the words “Five Hundred
Thousand ($500,000) Dollars.”

This amendment increases the total appropriation for the purposes stated in the original
Order to $500,000, an increase of $250,000. The additional $250,000 shall be appropriated
in accordance with the funding authorization contained in the original Order.

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CITY OF SALEM
October 8, 2026
REGULAR MEETING
All other provisions of the original Order remain in full force and effect.

Action Contemplated
Councillor Davis

Moved Adopted

Voted

In City Council October 8, 2026
ORDERED: The Mayor is hereby authorized to execute an agreement and accept and
expend $5,000,000 in funds from a Massachusetts Clean Energy Center Green School
Works Grant, $4,798,587 in funds from a National Grid Thermal Energy in Schools
Initiative grant, and $2,483,235 in funds from a Department of Energy Resources Thermal
Energy in Schools Initiative grant. The funds shall be used for the decarbonization and
electrification of the Horace Mann School, including related design and project
management services.
Action Contemplated
Councillor Davis

Moved Adopted

Voted

MAYOR'S INFORMATIONAL PAGE
MOTIONS, ORDERS AND RESOLUTIONS
Motion to Suspend the Rules to take a Reconsideration Vote on the Motion for
Reconsideration of the City Council's September 10, 2026, vote to Adopt the
Recommendation of the City Seal Task Force.
Suspension of the Rules
Action Contemplated
Councillor Flynn

Councillor
Moved Adoption
Or
Moved Denied

Objection
Voted

In City Council October 8, 2026
ORDERED: That the Regular Meetings of the City Council for the Month of November and
December be held on Thursday, November 12, 2026, and Thursday, December 3, 2026.
Action Contemplated
Councillor Hapworth

Moved Adopted

Voted

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CITY OF SALEM
October 8, 2026
REGULAR MEETING
COMMITTEE REPORTS
Councillor Davis offered the following report on The Committee on Administration and
Finance co-posted with the Committee of the Whole to whom it was referred the matter the
Skipper Program and any contracts with Via Transportation Inc., DBA River North Transit,
LLC. Of NY for an on demand rideshare program.
Has considered said matter and would recommend: Action Unknown meeting happened
after Agenda Deadline
Accept the Report
Voted
Adopt the Recommendation

Voted

Councillor Varela offered the following report for the Committee on Ordinances, Licenses
and Legal Affairs co-posted with the Committee of the Whole to whom was referred the
matter of Data Centers.
Has considered said matter and would recommend: adoption for Second Passage as
amended
An Ordinance Amending a Zoning Ordinance Relative to Data Centers
Be it ordained by the City Council of the City of Salem, as follows:
Section I. Section 3.1 Table of Principal and Accessory Use Regulations of the City of
Salem Zoning Ordinance is hereby amended by adding in Section D Industrial Uses, after
“Contractor’s yard; landscaping business”, the following, shown in underlined and italics:
Section II. Section 10.0 Definitions is hereby amended by inserting the following definition
after the definition for “COOP”:
Data Center: A facility, or portion thereof, primarily designed or used to house computer
servers and related information technology infrastructure for the storage, processing,
management, or transmission of electronic data. A Data Center may include, but is not
limited to, server racks, data storage systems, cooling systems, power conditioning
equipment, substations, uninterruptible power supplies, backup generators,
telecommunications equipment, security systems, and associated mechanical and
electrical infrastructure. For purposes of this ordinance, a Data Center shall not be
considered an Office, Warehouse, Manufacturing, or Research use. A Data Center shall
not include such computer servers and related information technology infrastructure that is
accessory, incidental and subordinate to a lawful principal use at the same facility, or
portion thereof. However, this exception does not cover a separate business providing data
storage, server hosting, distributed processing, or similar technology to third parties.
Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, Data Centers are prohibited in each and
every underlying district, overlay district and special district of this Ordinance.
Section III. This Ordinance shall take effect as provided by City Charter

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CITY OF SALEM
October 8, 2026
REGULAR MEETING
Councillor Varela

Accept the Report

Voted

Adopt the Recommendation

Voted

COMMUNICATIONS FROM CITY OFFICIALS
In City Council October 8, 2026
ORDERED: In accordance with Massachusetts General Law, Chapter 268A, Section 20(b)
the City Council hereby declares that John Tejada has met the requirements for exemption
as set forth in this Section and may be retained to work part-time as a Tutor for the Salem
Public Schools, not to exceed 500 hours in a calendar year.
Action Contemplated
Councillor Turowski

Moved Adopted

Voted

In City Council October 8, 2026
ORDERED: In accordance with Chapter 32, Article 5, Section 32-121 of the Code of
Ordinances of the City of Salem, the Salem Police Department respectfully requests
authority to install temporary video surveillance cameras at several key, high traffic / high
profile areas. The cameras are the property of the Massachusetts State Police (MSP) and
are intended as a security enhancement during the City's Haunted Happenings festivities.
Anticipated removal of the cameras in November 2026 at the conclusion of the festivities.
Action Contemplated
Councillor Turowski

Moved Adopted

Voted

PETITIONS
A Request from National Grid to install 1 Single Owned Pole on Bridge Street at the
intersection of Bridge Street and Flint Street.
Action Contemplated
Councillor Smith

Hearing ordered on October
22, 2026

Voted

Petition from the Residents of Chestnut to hold a Block Party from Summer Street to Flint
Street on October 31, 2026 from 4:30pm-8pm with no rain date.
Action Contemplated
Councillor Smith

Moved Granted

Voted

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CITY OF SALEM
October 8, 2026
REGULAR MEETING
Request from the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Salem to hold the Wild Turkey 5 Mile Run
on November 26, 2026 from 8am-10am.
Action Contemplated
Councillor Turowski

Moved Granted

Voted

The Following License Applications:
Public Guides:
Aaron "Mason" Amnott 34 Loring Ave Salem
Action Contemplated
Councillor Varela

Moved Granted

Voted

Claims
Yoselin Cruel-Cabrera 7 Rawlins Street Salem
Matthew Gifford 10 Cedarview Street Salem
Action Contemplated
Councillor Varela

Moved Refer to the Comm.
on Ord., Lic. & Legal Affairs

Voted

The following bond
Ans Ishfag 58 Mill Street Apt 7, Woburn
Action Contemplated
Councillor Varela

Moved Refer to the Comm.
on Ord., Lic. & Legal Affairs
and returned approved

Voted

UNFINISHED BUSINESS
Layed on the Table from the last meeting September 24, 2026
ORDERED: Per Salem’s Traffic Ordinance Section 20A – Experimental regulations for the
purpose of trial, Dodge Street shall be one-way in an east bound direction from Dodge
Street Court to Lafayette Street. This condition will be in effect from October 1 to October
31, 2026.
Action Contemplated

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CITY OF SALEM
October 8, 2026
REGULAR MEETING

Councillor King

Moved Adopted

Voted

#387 Section I. Amend Section 5.1.8 Table of Required Parking Spaces by
a. Deleting the phrase "Dwellings, two-family;” in the first row of the table
B. Adding to the phrase "Dwellings, two-family;” to the second row of the table, so it reads:
�
Use
Required Parking
Dwellings, two-family; Dwellings,
None
multifamily
Section II. Amend Section 6.11.8 Parking and Loading
a. Inserting the phrase "and two-family dwelling units" after “For multifamily dwelling units”
at the beginning of the section.
Section III. Amend Section 8.7.8.4 Development Standards. Parking Standards
Section B. Parking Ratios, section i by inserting the phrase "and two-family dwellings"
after “For multifamily dwellings”
Action Contemplated
Councillor Varela

Moved Adopted

Voted

ADJOURNMENT
On the motion of Councillor Hapworth, the meeting adjourned at

P.M.

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CITY OF SALEM
October 8, 2026
REGULAR MEETING