TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: Bond Oversight Steering Committee
SUBJECT:
title
Summary of recent activity and progress on 2022 voter-approved Safety and Livability Bond measure.
Ward(s): All Wards
Councilor(s): All Councilors
Neighborhood(s): All Neighborhoods
Result Area(s): Safe, Reliable and Efficient Infrastructure; Strong and Diverse Economy; Welcoming and Livable Community.
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SUMMARY:
summary
The City has established an oversight committee for the spending and projects to be funded with the voter-approved Safety and Livability Bond measure. Construction on projects funded - in part - within the Bond is underway on the Union Street Family Friendly Bikeway and anticipated to begin soon for the first phase of the McGilchrist Complete Street. Design work is underway for several pavement replacement projects, the first of three bond sales has occurred, and fire trucks and equipment have been purchased. Other projects underway include paving two parking lots at Minto Brown Island Park, and initial conversations about potential priorities for future investment in sidewalks, safer pedestrian crossings, and mixed use paths and trails.
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ISSUE:
Receive a progress report on the 2022 Salem Safety and Livability Bond measure.
RECOMMENDATION:
recommendation
Information only.
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FACTS AND FINDINGS:
Voters approved ’’Salems safety and livability measure <https://www.cityofsalem.net/government/shaping-salem-s-future/2022-community-infrastructure-bond> in November 2022, setting in motion a ten-year plan for $300 million in infrastructure investment in Salem. As part of the community conversation about the measure, voters were assured the City would establish a committee to provide oversight and accountability about spending proposed in the measure.
The ’Salems Bond Oversight Committee <https://www.cityofsalem.net/government/boards-commissions/other-advisory-groups/bond-oversight-steering-committee> includes Mayor Chris Hoy, Councilors Stapleton and Varney, community members Bob Cortright and Mike Herron. Councilor Nishioka serves as an alternate. The Oversight Committee met, for the first time, on February 24, 2023 and is meeting monthly to receive updates and begin developing criteria to prioritize future projects to construct missing sidewalks, repair sidewalks, improve pedestrian crossings, and construct mixed use paths and trail projects. Funding available, through the 2022 voter-approved Safety and Livability Bond, for these types of projects is approximately $22.4 million.
An update to City Council and the community was provided on April 24, 2023. At that time, the Committee reported progress on the first of three bond sales, acquisition of fire trucks and equipment, paving two parking lots at Minto Brown Island Park, and initial conversations about potential priorities for future investment in sidewalks, safer pedestrian crossings, and mixed use paths and trails.
Since the last update, the following has been accomplished:
• Union St. Family Friendly Bikeway: Construction is ongoing from Commercial Street to Summer Street. Design is underway for the portions that connect from Summer Street to 12th, and from Commercial Street to Front Street.
• Pringle Creek Path. In July, the City of Salem was awarded a $6 million grant from the Oregon Transportation Commission. Construction of this multi-use connection from the end of the existing pathways under the Commercial Street SE Bridge to Riverfront Park near the Gerry Frank | Salem Rotary amphitheater is tentatively planned for 2028. From the Community Safety and Livability bond, $3.58 million is also programmed for this project.
• McGilchrist Complete Street. The first phase of the work is to realign the intersection of 22nd Street SE at McGilchrist Street SE, construct improvements to stormwater facilities, and build a replacement crossing over the east fork of Pringle Creek. The Phase 1 construction contract was awarded to local firm. A designer for the second and third phase has been selected and contract negotiations with them are underway, with construction anticipated for 2025 through 2027. More information about the McGilchrist Complete Street project <https://www.cityofsalem.net/government/shaping-salem-s-future/safety-and-livability-bond/mcgilchrist-complete-street-project> is available on the City’s website.
• Replacement of financial reporting and accounting system. One of the technology and cybersecurity projects anticipated in the bond was the replace out-of-date financial reporting and accounting systems. For this project, we are developing the list of requirements, with an RFP anticipated for February. The solution will be acquired July 2024.
• Design Underway. We are staging other projects for construction next summer and beyond. Design of the following construction projects is underway:
o Mill and Pringle Creek Bridges to strengthen bridges to meet new Federal Highway Administration and ODOT load rating requirements.
o Commercial Street, Liberty Street, Silverton Road, and Doaks Ferry Road pavement resurfacing of the roadway and replacing non-compliant Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) curb ramps. Construction is anticipated for these projects in 2024, 2025, and 2026.
o Replacing multi-use athletic courts at Highland, Hoover, River Road, Morningside and Sumpter parks
o Repairing or installing pavement at parking lots serving Minto-Brown Island Park Parking Lot 2 (dog park area) and 3 (river access area)
o Geer Park dog park, shelter and sports fields.
• Civic Center Seismic Retrofit. A master planning effort is underway to develop a vision and blueprint for future use of the building. The master plan will inform the selection of a design-build team to begin working on the project in 2024.
• Safer Pedestrian Crossings, Sidewalk Infill and Sidewalk Replacement. The Bond Oversight Committee has been developing criteria to prioritize projects for construction, with special attention to incorporating equity. The Committee’s recommendation will advance to City Council in September. Next, staff will engage our community to help develop the list of projects for consideration. The Committee will recommend priority projects to Council. The Committee’s recommendation will include a handful of projects near other, early Bond-funded projects to save money by including them with larger construction efforts.
BACKGROUND:
The City plans to issue two more bond sales within the next ten years to support ’Salems safety and livability measure <https://www.cityofsalem.net/government/shaping-salem-s-future/2022-community-infrastructure-bond>, passed by voters in November 2022. In addition to fire trucks and equipment, the bond includes investments in Salem’s streets, sidewalks, parks, two new fire stations to improve responses times, affordable housing, purchase of sites for affordable housing and branch libraries, cybersecurity for City operations, and Civic Center seismic improvements. Because payments for existing bonds are decreasing in the future, and refinancing opportunities, the measure is not expected to increase Salem’s bond tax rate above the current rate of $1.20/$1,000 of assessed value.
Courtney Knox Busch
Strategic Initiative Manager
Attachments:
1. None.