Lost Cat?

A recent e-mail from GESNA (Greater Endicott Street Neighborhood Association).
If you or anyone you know is missing a cat, please contact Bob at: gesna.salem@gmail.com

Dear Neighbor,

A GESNA member found a cat yesterday on Summer Street and sent me the pictures attached below.

If anyone recognizes the animal and knows who it belongs to, or is its owner, please reply to this message and I will connect you to the finder. We had success at reuniting a cat with its family a few years ago. Hope we can do so again.

Thanks for your attention,

Bob Femino
Co-Chair, Greater Endicott Street Neighborhood Assn. (GESNA) 

Jefferson Ave. Marijuana Dispensary Meeting, April 4

An adult-use recreational marijuana dispensary is being proposed for 38 Jefferson Ave. That location is just beyond Far From the Tree in a building currently being used by United Van Lines.  The business, to be known as Witch City Gardens, has scheduled an upcoming neighborhood meeting along with Ward 3 Councilor Lisa Peterson,  for the purpose of sharing their plans with the community.

The meeting will be:
Wednesday, April 4 at 7:00pm
City Hall Annex, 3rd Floor, 
120 Washington Street, Salem MA

All interested residents are encouraged to attend. Please see the attached flier for more information.

TRAFFIC AND PARKING COMMISSION MEETING THURSDAY, MAY 4

TRAFFIC AND PARKING COMMISSION MEETING
THURSDAY, MAY 4
6:30PM
120 WASHINGTON STREET, 3rd Floor

Late in 2015, a pedestrian required emergency services after being struck by a car and seriously injured on lower Endicott Street at its intersection with Pratt. The vehicle, coming from Marblehead, came across the Margin Street intersection from Mill Street (Domino's, Walsh Insurance). Following this incident, 47 immediate neighbors signed a petition asking the Mayor for help with an unacceptable and steadily worsening traffic situation that you are probably quite aware of.
In December 2015, GESNA (Greater Endicott Street Neighborhood Association) created the Lower Endicott Traffic Sub-Committee (LETS-C) to work with the city to find a solution. It has 6 official members and about the same number of other neighbors assisting. They all live in the affected area (between the intersections of Endicott/Margin and Endicott/Summer).

In early 2016, the city hired an independent firm (the VHB) to conduct a study of the situation. At a meeting in April 2016, the LETS-C learned the results: An appalling 2,400 vehicles enter Endicott Street from Mill and Margin per day. To make matters worse, many of these vehicles travel at speeds that are not appropriate for a neighborhood street. In mid-2016, two "20mph" signs were installed on lower Endicott. While not enforceable, it was hoped that they might slow traffic down. However, with each passing day, lower Endicott becomes a more common short-cut for non-neighborhood drivers looking to avoid downtown Salem and get to points north and west as quickly as possible. GESNA is aware of at least 2 more traffic accidents in the affected area since the first incident. One vehicle, nearly totaled, had to be towed away.

In January 2017, the LETS-C coordinator gave new City of Salem Traffic and Parking Director, Matt Smith, a tour of the problem area. The Director suggested another meeting with the LETS-C and to invite residents of both lower Endicott and Prescott Streets. That meeting took place on April 11, 2017. In attendance were Matt Smith, Mayor Kim Driscoll, Councilors Stephen Lovely and Arthur Sargent, City Engineer David Knowlton, the VHB and 13 neighbors. Several ideas were discussed and will continue to be considered, including having lower Endicott Street become a one-way (down from Summer Street to Margin). The rest of the street would remain unchanged.

One of those ideas is being sent to the Traffic Commission for approval. It is a Pilot Program (test run) for lower Endicott and lower Prescott Streets. If approved, signage that will read "Do Not Enter, 7-9AM, 3-6PM" will be placed at the intersections of Endicott/Margin and Prescott/Margin. The reason Prescott Street would get this restriction along with Endicott, is because traffic that currently uses Endicott might simply adopt Prescott Street as the new short-cut. Thus, the same traffic nightmare plaguing Endicott could be recreated one street over. While this part-time restriction is slightly inconvenient, it is a sacrifice the lower Endicott residents are willing to make for a safer street and the greater good.

This change would also affect those of you who use lower Endicott and Prescott Streets. For that reason, GESNA, Matt Smith, Mayor Driscoll and the Councilors all feel these developments should be shared with the entire neighborhood at this time. If you have an opinion, idea, question or concern, you may want to attend the next meeting of the Traffic and Parking Commission to share them. Again, the Commission will be making the final determination on implementing this one option.

Contact info:
MATT SMITH, Traffic and Parking Director
msmith@salem.com
978-619-5697

Dumpster Diving

If you have lived at 24 Norman Street for a while, you will occasionally see homeless people from the local shelter going through the recycling bins looking for recyclable items. Although not condoned, and officially trespassing, Markwood generally overlooks this behavior as long as it is taking place during regular daylight working hours, and the people doing the scavenging don't disturb the peace or leave a mess. 
Dumpster-diving however, is another matter entirely. The dumpsters by definition are containers for garbage and other non-recyclable trash. This trash is often wet, dirty, smelly and frequently, dangerous. Broken glass, wood with nails, sharp pieces of metal, etc. Besides the fact, do you really want someone scavenging through your trash?
This presents serious potential liability for 24 Norman Street.
If you see anyone climbing into, on or around the dumpster, who is not an employee of Northside Carting, or a resident of 24 Norman Street, please call the police immediately.

CITY OF SALEM TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS TO ESSEX STREET PEDESTRIAN MALL

The City of Salem is moving forward with making improvements to the Essex Street Pedestrian Mall.

The work consists of removing three landscaping beds in front of 197-201, 213, 215, and 226 Essex Street. These areas will be filled in with brick to match the existing pattern.

Mayor Kimberley Driscoll said, “The pedestrian mall is an important amenity downtown, and I’m pleased to move forward with this needed work. The project will make it safer for pedestrians and will increase visibility for businesses.”

In response to requests from merchants, the City adjusted the construction schedule so no work would occur during July or October. In addition, the City has minimized construction in August as much as possible. Construction will begin on Monday, August 20, 2012 and will end no later than Friday, September 28, 2012.

Design discussions focused on the next phase of improvements will be held this fall. Elements that may be included in the next phase are removing the fountain at Washington Street and redesigning the area, removing the kiosk and other landscaping beds, addressing the treatment of the cobblestone areas, proposing new street furniture, planting trees, and opportunities for public art.

People interested in receiving updates on the project can sign up for e-mail updates at www.salem.com under the “E-mail Subscriber” button.

Important Parking Information for Norman Street Residents

The Salem parking office is being inundated with frustrated Norman Street residents and their parking tickets. Here is the official statement on the parking changes:

Parking placards, 1 per Unit, currently issued to 24 Norman Street residents and paid for by the Association are good for parking in RILEY PLAZA ONLY.
New parking permits will be issued to the Association in January 2013  and will be sent by Markwood Management to each homeowner.  These new permits will be valid for RILEY PLAZA ONLY.
Parking passes that permit parking on Norman Street and surrounding areas are available from the parking office in the PEM garage WHILE SUPPLIES LAST.  These permits cost $25/month/pass.  They are NOT available through the Association.
The tickets that are being issued for parking on Norman St. ARE NOT FORGIVABLE!  Residents should pay the fines within the 21 days required or penalties will apply!

BACKGROUND:
The 24 Norman Street Condominium Association is obligated, per the Master Deed and an easement granted by the city, to purchase 1 permit per Unit for parking in Riley Plaza.
In the past, parking on Norman Street was unrestricted.  Anyone could park there pass or no pass.
The recently revised parking regulations for downtown Salem have resulted in parking restrictions being placed on Norman St.

Markwood Management will issue a document that is more succinct and post it in the building, as well as send the information to owners via email and letter for those tenants Markwood does not have email addresses for.  We appreciate that this has been confusing, but in fact there has been no change to the Condominium parking permits, the change has been to the status of Norman Street parking.

City Launches New Parking Website

Riley Plaza will be one parking location where rates and rules will change.

The City of Salem has posted new pages on its website focused on changes to the parking system.

Quite simply, their stated goal is to have parking work better for you.

For the past three years the City has been involved in a comprehensive program to study, develop, and implement a dynamic, new parking system to serve the diverse needs of people parking in the downtown area.

Throughout the process, the city listened to input from residents, employers, employees, customers, and visitors about the parking system. They heard about a lot of issues. They also heard a lot of suggestions. Some suggestions conflicted with each other. After all, parking is very personal, and each person has his own feeling about how much he is willing to pay and how far he is willing to walk.

They did their best to listen to the different ideas and balance the needs of the different user groups—residents, employees, customers. Salem thinks the system being rolled out will improve parking for most people. They know it won’t be perfect, and there will be further tweaks needed once all of the changes are implemented. They will have an intensive 90-day evaluation period to see where the system is operating as desired, and where changes are needed.

The website explains the changes that will be implemented in the coming weeks and the parking options people will have. Changes to the system include a new rate structure, discount monthly passes, and new enforcement hours and fines.

Visit www.salem.com and click on the “Parking in Salem” logo, or go directly to the website by clicking here:

 Please submit your comments to parking@salem.com.

Take the Salem Police Department Community Survey

The Salem Police Department is conducting this survey to get a better understanding of how its residents feel about crime, safety and the performance of the Police Department. This is your chance to help us learn more about how you view your neighborhood. We will use your answers to improve the Department. Your responses are strictly anonymous. The survey can be found HERE.