Salem city councilors on Monday, April 27, discussed several initiatives related to downtown, and approved a motion from Council President Linda Nishioka to look into an ambassador program to help address homelessness. Councilors postponed discussions on Salem’s strategic plan. Salem City Councilor Mai Vang was absent. Read the full agenda here. Downtown ambassadors and vision – Approved The proposal Council President Linda Nishioka wants a downtown ambassador program similar to ones in other Oregon cities, where ambassadors patrol and help respond to business concerns about unsheltered homelessness. The council voted unanimously to move forward on Nishioka’s motion and city employees will now study the feasibility and cost of an ambassador program. Why it matters Downtown safety and cleanliness have been major focuses for city leaders over the past year as a vocal group of business owners have pushed for improvements. The proposal comes as city officials are proposing creating a broader vision for downtown because of the number of initiatives and programs targeting the area, according to a report from Assistant City Manager Courtney Knox Busch. New air service grant – Approved Councilors approved a city application for a $950,000 federal grant to subsidize future commercial air service. That would be combined with a $1.5 million commitment from local business and tourism groups, as well as the city, to subsidize up to three years of operations. “The combined funding would better position Salem to attract a legacy airline by helping to offset the risks of starting new air service, particularly in the early years,” a report from Airport Manager Aaron Ison said. The city airport has been without a commercial carrier since Avelo Airlines ended service on the West Coast in August 2025 after a little under two years operating in Salem. City strategic plan, goals – Removed from agenda What’s going on  Councilors voted unanimously to remove a vote to adopt a strategic plan from the agenda. They had been scheduled to adopt it at the meeting. The plan includes targets for public safety response, infrastructure maintenance, development, environmental conservation and efficient city operations. Among the proposed metrics to evaluate city performance are an ongoing reduction in the crime rate, increasing housing available in Salem and improving business retention and survival rates. Contact reporter Joe Siess: [email protected].  SIGN UP: “Thank you for your fair, thorough, and fearless reporting.” Subscribing to Salem Reporter helps sustain in-depth, local reporting that Salem depends on. Invest in your community’s news. Subscribe today. The post CITY MEETING: Council moves forward on downtown ambassador program appeared first on Salem Reporter. ...read more read less