Annual Newsletter

Click here for a link to the CAN-DO Annual Newsletter that was mailed out last week.

Annual Meeting

We are coming up on our Annual Meeting. It will be held on April 15th at the Salem Conference Center. That is a change of location from what the newsletter printed. We were lucky enough to get the use of the conference center, but unfortunately it was at the last minute and so the newsletter had already gone out.

So, new information:
Annual Meeting of CAN-DO Neighborhood Association
April 15, 2009
6:00 PM
Salem Conference Center
Refreshments provided

Please come join us and be a part of your community!

March CAN-DO Meeting

The meeting for March was held on Wednesday, March 18th at the regular time and location. (See sidebar notice in red for more info).

Highlights:

• Parking issues for downtown residents, including questions about new RP zone numbers
• The process for paying parking tickets - letters are not accepted, you have to go to court
• Police reported a lot of large groups hanging out downtown at night, creating a new "gut"
• City planners presented information about new sign codes. LED signs will be allowed in everything but the downtown historic district. The new code only allows signs to change once every 24 hours, but some billboards have been grandfathered in at 6 second change intervals. That will expire in about 15 years.
• Updates on current sign codes. Sandwich signs are allowed on sidewalk with permits, wall signs are allowed on flat walls, hanging signs are allowed under awnings, etc.

If you have questions about anything, please feel free to contact a neighborhood association member or come to the next meeting on April 15, 2009.

Meeting Tonight

CAN-DO is having it's monthly meeting tonight at 6:00 pm. We will meet, as usual, at the Salem Urban Development office at 350 Commercial St. Please join us if you can!

Railroad Bridge Update

According the Urban Development, the new pedestrian bridge is due to open in March! And I must say it is looking good. The bridge is at the north end of Riverfront Park and runs across the river to Wallace Marine Park in West Salem.

January Meeting

Yesterday was the first CAN-DO Neighborhood Association meeting of 2009. The December meeting was cancelled due to inclement weather, also known across the region as the "Arctic Blast 2008."

So, here's a little taste of what happened at the meeting, in case you missed all the fun and information:

• We got updates on plans that the city has to build an interactive fountain for summer play. It is mostly funded by a gift, although the city will have to pay for maintenance and has also agreed to supply the landscaping.

• We also heard an update on the new pedestrian bridge that is in the works. It will run from Riverfront Park to Minto Brown Park, connecting to distant parts of the city. Also, the pedestrian bridge from Riverfront to Wallace Marine Park is already being reconstructed from an old train bridge.

• Go Downtown asked us to give support for more music at a slightly higher decibel for the First Wednesdays throughout the year. CAN-DO gave their support.

• An interested citizen presented an idea for a building mural at 100 High Street near the Wells Fargo Bank.

• And we were apprised of a group that works with prisoners released into Marion County. It is called Marion County Re-entry Initiative which is a transitional program. They are looking for volunteers and letting people know about their program.

The Executive Board Meeting

We're here at the Executive Board meeting discussing our Civic Involvement Goal. We have already decided that our goals are going to be the topic for our annual work session. Now we are discussing our annual Civic Involvement Goal, which is required by the City of Salem for all Neighborhood Associations.

Our Civic Involvement Goal for this year:

Create awareness of CAN-DO

Join us for our next Neighborhood Association Meeting on Wednesday, December 17th.