Salem citizens are taking advantage of the good nature of the City staff when it comes to using the Community Center. Councilman Brent Hanks reported policy abuses and drinking at the Community Center necessitated some action.

The staff is loathe to be bad guys and allows these pushy types to extend into times they have not paid for.

Council discussion about abuses of rental times and charging for those times divided into two camps. Those who did not want to raise rates and those who felt raising rates was a way of halting some of the abuse of the staff who had to open and close the building. Councilman Terry Ficklin referred to the City s rental by-the-hour contract saying, anybody who abuses the contract should be charged accordingly.

Citizens who rent the building for out-of-towners will have to cease the subterfuge. Salem residents get charged less for the use of the building as they paid for it.Alcohol consumption is illegal in all Salem parks, therefore it is illegal in the Community Center. That has not stopped people from bringing illegal hootch into the center. Police patrols will be stepped up for all Community Center functions to curb this particular abuse. A raise in rates will be studied, discussed and brought up at the next council meeting for a decision.

The city limits of Salem are expanding. Authorization to proceed with annexation was given to Helen Selman. Selman s 32 acres of property are located approximately at 1350 South Loafer Canyon road. Annexation approval to proceed for Karl Francis, with 16 acres at approximately 1500 South 500 East was tabled as one adjacent landowner who has already annexed has not filed the change with the County recorder. Later annexations in that area cannot proceed until that filing is completed. The Sabin family is onboard and their orchard will be in the Francis annexation.

The council held a public hearing for approval of the city budget. No citizens commented. During the regular council session they approved the tentative budget.