Salem council confirms appointments, approves appropriations and moves traffic and public-safety items

At its Dec. 4 meeting the Salem City Council confirmed a slate of mayoral appointments and adopted a series of budget housekeeping and capital funding orders.

Appointments and confirmations: The council confirmed Gail Kubik as assistant building director; Kubik thanked the council and described her background in architecture and resiliency work. The council also confirmed Karen Cavanagh as tree warden and approved appointments and reappointments to boards and commissions, including Elizabeth Bailey to the Food Policy Council and Gabriela Baca to the Scholarship & Education Committee.

Appropriations and transfers: The council adopted several mayoral orders to appropriate free cash and reserve receipts to special revenue, stabilization, capital improvement, and other accounts. Notable votes included appropriations to reduce the FY26 tax rate (various transfers totaling several million dollars), $265,000 to finish the Salem Police Department rooftop HVAC project (costs exceeded the original budgeted amount), and funding for a portable traffic/pedestrian signal system and six dynamic 'no turn on red' signs to improve safety at hazardous intersections and work zones.

Ordinances and unfinished business: Council gave second passage to an ordinance prohibiting virtual-currency kiosks, and approved multiple traffic and handicap‑parking ordinance items on second passage. The council also scheduled hearings on National Grid and Verizon petitions for conduit installation in January and approved other routine petitions and licenses.

Councilors described many of these orders as housekeeping measures required by the Department of Revenue or as contractual obligations. Several votes were unanimous or near‑unanimous; most items were described as necessary to finalize FY26 operations and capital work.