SALEM — City council voted to seek the renewal of the .25% additional capital improvement income tax levy for another five years in its meeting Tuesday.

Voters first approved the levy in 2015 and renewed it in 2019. Council voted unanimously to approve two pieces of legislation in seeking the renewal, an ordinance authorizing a levy to continue the collection, and a resolution directing the Columbiana County Board of Elections place the levy on the ballot in the May 6 ballot.

Councilman Evan Newman said that while the resolution originally referred to the levy as a renewal, that language is not permitted on the ballot and the resolution was amended to instead “provide for continuation of an existing .25% levy.”

“We can’t use the renewal language that we had hoped to in this, even though it is a renewal,” said Newman.

As in 2019 and 2015, the usage of money collected by the levy would be restricted exclusively to capital improvement projects to city streets, alleys, sidewalks, curbs, parking lots and storm sewers. If approved by voters in May, collection would be limited to five years, after which council would need to place the question on the ballot of voter approval again, and as it is a continuance of an existing tax would not cost voters any more than they are already paying.

During her report, Mayor Cyndi Baronzzi Dickey announced that Salem Amvets Post 45 had donated a $75,000 black granite statue for Lincoln Plaza’s Veteran’s Memorial which was being made by the Richardson Monument Company, and that it is hoped it will be installed in time for a possible dedication at the Memorial Day celebration.

“It will be three service members, a soldier which could be Army or Marines, a Navy serviceman and an Airforce servicewoman and it is beautiful … that’s a wonderful donation they’ve made to our park,” said Dickey.

Council also heard a public comment from Mike Weir who will be running for an at-large council seat in 2026 and introduced himself to council and said he was looking forward to his candidacy.

During pleasure of council Councilman Jeff Stockman scheduled a Rules and Ordinances Committee meeting for 6 p.m. Jan. 21, prior to city council’s next meeting at 7 p.m.