Salem City Council voted Monday to accept a $180,000 private donation to fund two police officers for the city’s Homeless Services Team (HST) for six months, with a possible renewal that could double the gift. The motion passed narrowly after a prolonged and pointed debate about transparency, trust, and what one councilor called “a double standard” in how the city handles donations.
The donation came from the Salem Area Chamber of Commerce and Salem’s Main Street Association, which several donors, most choosing to keep their names private. One donor that was named is Larry Takarski, a prominent Salem businessman and longtime donor to local causes, donating millions of dollars each year into the Salem-Keizer community. The funding supports an expansion of the HST program, pairing police officers with outreach teams to address homelessness and livability issues.
The conflict erupted from several community members who spoke during public comment, saying that Mayor Julie Hoy should recuse herself from the vote due to “conflict of interest,” due to Mr.Takarski donating money to her campaign earlier this year. Dan Atchison, the city attorney sought council from the ethics committee, quoted the statues that were in question, found there was no conflict of interest, and stated that the Mayor should be allowed to vote. He ended by saying, “In my opinion, because the donation is to the city and not to an individual, there is no pecuniary benefit to any other person other than the city itself. Thank you.”…