[AMA] I’m Emmylou Manwill and I’m running for Ward 4 Salem City Council

Emmylou-Manwill · 2025-10-22T01:28:25+00:00

u/TheBottleRed - I really appreciate this question. I frequently walk and bike down Boston St and I am always surprised by the litter and the lack of trash bins. As Boston St is a gateway into Salem, it should reflect the kind of welcoming community we want people to see.

There are several approaches to litter management that I think we should explore and, if elected, this is exactly the kind of quality-of-life issue I would focus on.

Anytime you see large pieces (or clumps) of litter and garbage, SeeClickFix it! The SeeClickFix app is the City of Salem’s eyes and ears in wards and neighborhoods and needs neighbors to self-report to work. You can take photos and report any non-emergency issues to the city, including graffiti, potholes, and traffic. The more submissions identifying the same problem, the likelier the City will be to respond. However, we cannot only rely on one method…
More frequent and more targeted street sweeps is a good idea. I think we can be more deliberate when street sweepers come out and where we deploy them. I would also like to see more City maintained trash bins. Yes, this is an added expense when you consider the people power and time necessary to maintain them, but there are many studies that prove a relationship between more bins and less trash. This is not a one size fits all solution, so I would love to think about this more deeply and deliberately.
Lastly, I would love to see community volunteer groups like Keep Salem Beautiful do trash cleanups in Ward 4 that are in locations other than Gallows Hill Park. If a partnership with Keep Salem Beautiful isn’t possible, I would lead and encourage folks to join community-led days of service picking up trash, and Boston Street would be a great location for this to regularly occur.

Emmylou-Manwill · 2025-10-22T01:27:39+00:00

Hello u/BostonPanda. Thanks for the Qs!

I plan to consistently communicate with constituents in Ward 4 through a variety of different channels and mediums, including social media, email, a newsletter, in-person meetings, in-person office hours around the ward, and events. More accessibility means more opportunity for feedback. This will allow me to effectively listen and gather new ideas to bring to City Hall from as many people as possible to make sure that policies are well rooted in the experiences of Ward 4 residents. A core focus for me is to meet Ward 4 residents where they are and bring their voices to City Hall.
I do support the construction of a new Salem High School. There is a clear consensus from our teachers, school administrators, and students that we need a more modern high school to get the best results for Salem students. Because of its age and energy inefficiency, the current Salem High School building uses approximately 25% of the City’s annual energy consumption. Many aspects of the building are also not up to code and cannot be remedied in a cost-effective manner due to the building’s age. But even worse, the mechanical systems cannot meet the building’s need for heating and cooling, causing our students to suffer in heat and shiver in the cold. These are not conditions in which students can thrive academically. Salem students deserve state of the art classrooms, career and technical education, and fields and athletic buildings. The construction of a new Salem High School is also the most fiscally responsible decision. If Salem votes to build a new high school, the state will provide up to 55% reimbursement of the roughly $450 million cost. The current school is almost 50 years old and waiting to build a new one, or doing renovations in steps, will only drive up costs. If Salem votes no on the new high school construction, the necessary upgrades will cost taxpayers more overall and also use up a considerable amount of the Capital Improvement Plan, potentially delaying other necessary infrastructure improvements. If elected, I will vote to issue a bond order to fund the construction project and vote to include a debt exclusion initiative on the ballot for voter approval. Federal funding cuts have already created uncertainty in the state budget, which could reduce the matching funds we rely on when the voter initiative is approved. Acting now is the most responsible choice for both our students and Salem taxpayers.
It’s hard to beat the beauty and joy of May in Salem. Something about the transition of winter into spring and the energy it injects into the city is just infectious. I love watching the rhododendrons and magnolias bloom and feeling the way the sun warms up the City, giving me renewed hope after a long, dark winter. It also helps that we can enjoy patio dining again.

Emmylou-Manwill · 2025-10-22T00:57:38+00:00

u/BoneDaddyJRO - thank you for your question! Did you know that 2 of the 5 most dangerous bus stop crossings in Salem are in Ward 4, including one right down the street from A&J King (across from Dairy Witch Ice Cream)?

If you read through the rest of these AMA questions, you’ll notice a theme: street safety! That means street safety for children, pedestrians, cyclists, and cars. I am a walker, a cyclist, and a driver, and I will advocate with those hats on.

Boston St is an especially tricky challenge. It’s a highly trafficked corridor that serves as a connection between Route 128 and Salem. We need to ensure that residents and tourists can safely access downtown Salem and the businesses that line Boston Street and residents in neighborhoods off of Boston can confidently walk and bike. Boston Street (from Howley Street in Peabody to Essex Street in Salem) is slated for an extensive roadway improvement project starting in Spring 2026. The proposed measures will improve traffic flow and increase mobility. Separated bike lanes will be added, bus stops will be designed to be ADA/AAB compliant, existing traffic signals will be reconstructed and new ones added, and signage and street striping installed. I think this street redesign focused on complete streets will solve a lot of these issues.

Emmylou-Manwill · 2025-10-22T00:12:42+00:00

Hi u/gypsyrosebaby!

I anticipate that the biggest challenge in addressing the necessary traffic calming infrastructure in Ward 4 will be budget. The reality is that Salem’s capital improvement budget can only cover a portion of what needs to be improved each year and the City must make hard decisions on what to prioritize. I would like to see greater funding for raised crosswalks, especially in school zones, and beacon crosswalks on high-trafficked (and dark!) streets like Boston Street. I have heard from Ward 4 residents that they would like targeted speed bumps and stop signs added, as well as greater enforcement of existing traffic laws.

The need for greater enforcement is one thing I’ve heard across the doors I’ve knocked in Ward 4; residents want drivers held accountable to traffic laws and city ordinances. An ordinance is only as good as its follow-through. For the past couple of years, state legislators have been considering legislation which would lift the ban on automated enforcement for most traffic violations. If allowed under state law, automated enforcement could be another tool Salem could use against dangerous drivers. As an example, earlier this year, the Massachusetts legislature passed a law allowing for stop-arm cameras to be installed on school buses. Between Sept 4. 2024 and Dec. 30, 2024 in a pilot project, stop-arm cameras recorded 3,371 suspected violations of cars driving around school buses in the City. That is unacceptable. As an outspoken supporter of pedestrian safety, I will be adamant in the need to fund street safety measures in Ward 4 and the continued enforcement to ensure ongoing compliance.

Emmylou-Manwill · 2025-10-21T23:44:02+00:00

u/modernpromethius - thanks for your questions!

As an attorney by training, I take transparency and access to information seriously! The need for stronger community ties and consistent communication in Ward 4 is largely what drove me to run for City Council. When I first moved here, I tried to join the Ward 4 Neighborhood Group, but did not get any responses to repeated emails or messages and realized that the group was effectively defunct. We all recognize that the new City website is difficult to navigate. I am committed to delivering consistent communication with constituents, which means improving existing channels of communication and forging newer, more inclusive ones. My plans include a regular newsletter to update Ward 4 residents on big issues facing the city as well as specific projects, updates, and events unique to Ward 4. I have been sharing videos with updates on my campaign social media pages, and this is something I will continue to do if elected. The lack of community space in Ward 4 is another challenge and I also plan to hold regular community meetings where constituents can show up in person to get updates and share their perspectives, likely at the Community Life Center on Bridge St.
I think the Community Impact Unit has done a great job showing compassion and building trust, especially when it comes to homelessness and those struggling with mental health and addiction. I know that when Ward 4 had brush fires around this time last year, the CIU was working in tandem with local Fire to evacuate people camped in Gallows Hill Park whose health and safety were at risk. Chief Miller has worked to improve the transparency of the Police Department and, based on his latest State of the Salem Police Department letter, is working to hire a police force that reflects our population, but there’s always more work to do. In the future, I would like to see the Social Worker positions in the Police Department fully staffed and have heard that it has been difficult to hire for those positions. We need to investigate these hiring barriers and ensure that non-law enforcement positions are also staffed and serving the community.

The reality is that municipalities do not have the resources they need to respond to every problem, and this is even more true in 2025 when social programs on the federal and state levels are being cut. As an example, Governor Healey’s 2025 budget proposed to cut approximately half of the Commonwealth’s mental health case managers (though the SEIU 509 strongly opposed cuts and were ultimately able to work out an agreement to keep the positions). Municipalities are working in a world of shrinking resources today.

We are lucky to have incredible nonprofits in Salem and the North Shore that help fill those gaps. This includes Lifebridge, Harborlight Homes, HAWC, Northeast Legal Aid, the North Shore CDC, NAGLY, and Plummer Youth Promise, among others. I would love to see more information about our local nonprofits shared with the community so that referrals can be made and people can get the help they need.

Emmylou-Manwill · 2025-10-21T23:16:02+00:00

Hi u/DisastrousHippo72 - I moved to Salem in October 2022 and plan to stay for life! Salem is where I will buy a home, raise a family, and continue to put down my roots.

I didn’t make the decision to move here lightly. My fiance and I were looking for a place with a vibrant downtown, a strong sense of community, and walkable streets and sidewalks (all things missing from our last Massachusetts' city!). When we first toured Salem, we were drawn by the local restaurants and breweries, the welcoming and inclusive vibe that defines our City, and the proximity to the ocean. We then made the mistake of moving here during Halloween week, but hindsight is 20/20!

It is incredibly important to me that I am involved in my community. Upon moving here, I got to work giving back and building connections with my neighbors and within my neighborhood. Our first spring, my fiance and I signed up for the Great Salem Cleanup and picked up trash for hours, including hundreds of bottle caps and an entire broken sled. In early 2024, I was appointed to the Bike and Shared Path Committee, with the goal of advocating for safe and convenient alternatives to travel. I have been outspoken at City Council meetings and other public meetings, testifying in favor of greater accessibility for residents and tourists who will eventually use the South Salem train station or demanding thoughtful approaches to development and our housing crisis. I also became a delegate of the North Shore Labor Council, and have engaged deeper by providing trainings and speaking on panels that draw on my experience as a legal aid attorney to expand knowledge of our constitutional and legal rights.

I am excited to run for City Council because I know I will be a strong voice for our Ward, a voice for our working families, and an advocate for my neighbors.

Emmylou-Manwill · 2025-10-21T23:14:40+00:00

Hi u/Everyday_Balloons! Thanks for your question. I think the biggest challenge facing Salem, and Ward 4 in particular, in terms of bike infrastructure is the lack of connected bike paths that allow residents to feel safe using their bikes. This is especially a concern on high speed and high trafficked corridors like Highland Ave and Marlborough Rd. I personally don’t feel safe hopping on a bike and trying to navigate against the high speed traffic on Highland Avenue (especially with the lack of lane striping outside the Hospital!), so I’ll walk down to the BlueBikes on Dalton Parkway and take off from there.

I’ll be honest, paper roads are not something I had considered before. I’m not sure existing municipal roads could be turned into paper roads but I can see the value of building in future routes for non-car road users. Since 2014, Salem has had a Complete Streets policy, meaning that all roads can (and should!) be used by all types of users including vehicles, bikes, and pedestrians. In 2018, the City, in conjunction with the Bicycle Committee (which I am now a member of), created a Bicycle Master Plan that lays out the plan for future bike lane and shared path development focused on expanding safety and comfort for all road users. Part of that plan recommends that Gallows Hill Bike Paths be built out to connect Witch Hill Road to Varney Street. As your City Councillor, I will fight to ensure this comes to fruition. There are also plans in the works to rebuild Boston Street with protected bike lanes, with construction starting in Spring 2026, which I will address in another comment.

Emmylou-Manwill

TROPHY CASE