SALEM Committee actions

Salem council's finance, utilities and rules and ordinances committees took these actions during meetings Monday.
Finance committee: Agreed to a 2.5 percent raise in 2006 and 2007 for about 30 full- and part-time workers who are not in a union. The move mirrors a similar proposal that council approved for department heads for the same period.
Utilities committee: Agreed to allow the purchase of eight acres off Depot Road in Center Township. The wooded property adjoins the site of the city's reservoir. Utilities Superintendent Don Weingart said the property would cost $20,000.
Rules and ordinances committee: Referred a proposed ordinance back to Councilman Justin Palmer. Palmer had proposed that city officials be notified within 30 days of annexations. The committee wants an even shorter deadline for notification. A pole barn burned down several weeks ago on property that had been annexed into the city from Perry Township in late 2005. Salem police did not respond because their information was that the property was still in the township. Perry Township firefighters eventually responded. City officials disagree over whether the information was properly passed on. The city is conducting an internal investigation.