SALEM — The Salem Parks Commission further discussed ongoing efforts to promote the renewal of the department’s 1-mill operational levy in the upcoming May 6 primary election in its March meeting.

With early voting set to begin Tuesday, Parks Director Kelli Pastore said that friends of the parks had “been busy putting out levy renewal signs,” and that all eight 4-foot by 4-foot signs and approximately 40 yard signs had been placed. Pastore said that she was hoping to have all signs posted by the weekend, and that anyone interested in placing a sign in support of the levy in their yard should contact the parks office at 330-271-8913, and the staff will have a volunteer place the signs. She also said that she had gathered general information about the levy, which had been made into a handout and given to volunteers to pass out when out and about in the parks.

Pastore said that most of the feedback volunteers are receiving from residents surrounds Lincoln Plaza, and that there still seems to be “a lot of confusion where that project is concerned.” While parks department officials and city administrators including Mayor Cyndi Baronzzi Dickey have stressed several times that Lincoln Plaza is a city project and not a parks project, many residents still incorrectly believe it falls under the department and was funded with levy funding. Pastore and the commissioners again stressed that Lincoln Plaza is 100% a city project and that the department, which operates as a semi-autonomous entity with a separate budget from the city, has not, and does not contribute any department funding to the Lincoln Plaza project or its upkeep.

“The parks department wants to stress that no parks funds were used in the creation or maintenance of Lincoln Plaza,” said Pastore.

The commissioners unanimously agreed it was of the utmost importance to provide accurate information to residents about which properties are part of the department and which belong to the city ahead of the election. Pastore said that she would post the informational handout to the department’s Facebook page and address concerns about what projects are funded using levy money through the department’s social media.

Salem voters last voted to renew the operational levy in 2020, and should it be renewed in May it will collect approximately $224,000 for the department annually, and as a renewal would not cost residents any more than they are already paying. The operational levy is one of two levies the parks department operates on as it does not receive direct funding from the city’s general fund, with the other being a 1.3-mill recreation levy last renewed by voters in 2022 which currently generates approximately $224,300 for the department annually.

The parks commission will meet next at 5 p.m. April 23.