The Salem City Council approved a service agreement with Foresight to continue repairs on the exterior of Salem City Hall, with work focused on the south and west walls above the lower roof.
According to the project scope, the work includes removing an existing coating from those walls, tuckpointing the masonry, blocking in existing windows, and then cleaning and sealing the masonry. For mason contractors and restoration crews, that scope signals a full exterior refresh that touches both appearance and enclosure details, not just spot mortar work.
Tuckpointing addresses the mortar joints, and blocking in windows changes the wall surface and its transitions. That combination puts extra attention on matching masonry units, mortar color, and joint tooling so the new infill reads as part of the original facade. With the work located above a lower roof, crews also need a clear plan for access, staging, and protecting adjacent roof areas during coating removal and cleaning.
In other business, the council approved a special use permit for two residential units above the first floor of a downtown building at 123 West Main St., with an inspection required before occupancy. The council also discussed reducing the number of liquor licenses after some were turned in, approved an updated agreement with UMG to manage the city’s natural gas system, agreed to the lowest bid for a new mower, and recognized a public works employee’s 10-year milestone.
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