Neighborhood Improvement Advisory Council

Neighborhood Improvement Advisory Council - Meeting Minutes Wednesday, December 9, 2020, 7:00 P.M. Called to Order: 7:06 p.m. Members Present: Anne Sterling, Dennis Colbert, Barbara Mann, Dennis Maroney, Barbara Mank, Linda Stark, Marlene Faust, Lori Hart, Chris Hatch, Lucy Corchado, Margaret Crosby, Morgan Sax, Flora Tonthat, Nina Cohen Staff Present: Dominick Pangallo (Office of Mayor Driscoll) Approval of December 9, 2020 minutes: Approved Guest Speaker: Kylie Sullivan (Salem Main Streets) explained what the organization does and its history, both locally in Salem and nationally. Kylie talked about specific initiatives SMS provides to support local businesses downtown, especially the October Information Booth, Salem So Sweet, the Salem Farmers Market, and other festivals. She also discussed how those efforts had to pivot and change in 2020 and going forward into 2021 due to the pandemic. She took questions from members about pop-up ice skating downtown, which restaurants provide take-out service, the status of Cinema Salem, and public restrooms downtown. Kylie closed with a pitch to members to ask their neighborhood associations to support Salem’s local businesses during these especially difficult times. Neighborhood Association Updates:  Northfields: Still interest in a community ice skating rink or pop-up.  Barnes/Clark/Wyman: Two sand barrels missing from neighborhood.  Downtown: Speeding on Charter Street.  Point: Potholes on Peabody Street. Still waiting on return of bus shelter to Lafayette Park location. CDC and Lighthouse projects are on the PNA radar. General complaints about poor plowing after the last storm.  Broad Street: Also plowing issues, especially the Broadway/Dalton Parkway intersection, impeding pedestrian access to traffic signal button. Francis Road residents looking for update on sidewalk work. House decorating contest was a success.  Bridge Street Neck: Trucks idling at Brake & Clutch site, signage in the wrong place and would like it relocated. Trash accumulating next to path from old HMA to train station.  Historic Derby Street: Waiting on final portion of paving on Derby Street. Focus group coming together for Harbor Planning effort. Health Agent will be guest speaker at 2/8 meeting.  Federal Street: Also plowing issues. Traffic calming application being submitted.  Greater Endicott Street: Dumpster pick-up at House of Pizza happening too early.  Common: Holiday decorating went well. DPS finished Fall cleanup and railing issue at playground resolved. Hoping for better communication with Creative Collective on Common backdrops. Graffiti still an issue on playground equipment. New signage is too small, hard to read. Increased coyote sightings. Looking forward to Signature Parks getting underway. Submitting application to Traffic Calming Program. Washington Arch  hardscape/landscape plan before Historic Commission in January, as well as potential bandstand landscaping plan. City Updates:  City offices will continue to have limited public entry until January 21 st, at which point they will reopen to the general public. Call ahead, make an appointment, or use online services until that date.  The City is conducting a survey about COVID-19 through Friday, January 15 th. Find it in English and Spanish at www.salem.com/covidsurvey.  The City is now offering an expanded property tax exemption for income-qualifying senior homeowners. To find out more and get an application form, visit www.salem.com/step or call the Assessor’s Office at (978) 619-5608.  There will be a public presentation on the initial conceptual plans for remediation of Mansell Field at Gallows Hill Park at the next Park & Rec Commission meeting, on January 19th at 6:45pm. A link to the meeting and more information about the project can be found at www.salem.com/mansellfield.  The Bridge Street complete streets project is continuing to advance, with drainage work taking place now. You can follow project plans and updates at www.salem.com/bridgestreet and follow BuildingSalem on Facebook and Twitter for regular updates. Next Meeting: Wednesday, February 10, 2021, 7:00 p.m. Adjourned: 8:19 p.m.