# City of Salem Council Meeting - August 10, 2026

The City of Salem City Council meeting on August 10, 2026, included reports on public safety initiatives and the first year of city-run ambulance service, along with a resolution on solid-waste policy and several ordinance readings. Fire Chief Dave Gerboth reported that the ambulance enterprise fund operated within about 70% of its materials budget and 81% of its personnel budget. The service recorded roughly $54 million in gross charges and more than $10 million in net collections, while reimbursement timing and about $29 million in write-offs affected reported finances. The department also reported more than $1 million in dispatch costs and a Kaiser Fire District pilot that generated $57,000 in its first quarter. These were informational updates; the transcript shows no ambulance contract award or new purchasing approval. The council also heard an update on the Northeast United public-safety collaboration and recognized Salem’s fleet team, which supports more than 1,100 vehicles and equipment items.

Council adopted Resolution 2026-35 concerning the city’s solid-waste policy, including a goal of reducing waste sent to landfill by 56% from the 2016 baseline by 2050. The council also took second-reading votes on ordinances concerning boards and commissions, a commercial property assessed clean energy program, and annexation and zoning; no specific procurement awards or spending allocations were identified in those actions. Public comment focused in part on a proposed, approximately $5 billion Varys data-center project, community-benefit agreements, and transparency; the meeting did not approve the project or make a related procurement decision.

**Jurisdictions:** sled
**Industries:** Public Safety, Environment
**Topics:** Emergency Response
**Published:** August 10, 2026

### Sources
- [City of Salem Council Meeting - August 10, 2026](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZZzCtzuI3o) - Capital Community Media