SALEM – The city council honored its outgoing 2025 members in its meeting Tuesday.

The city council honored former At-Large Councilmen Jake Gano and Andrew Null, whose terms ended in 2025, with two resolutions formally commending them for their years of service on city council. Gano served on city council for nearly five years from Dec. 16, 2020, through Nov. 4, 205. Gano opted not to seek re-election in November but ultimately resigned prior to the end of his term. 

In his letter of resignation Gano cited “increased work-related travel commitments that will prevent [him] from attending the remaining council meetings” in 2025 and a belief that it would be “in the best interest of Council and the residents of Salem to step down” so the seat could be filled by someone “able to fully participate through the end of the term” as the reason for stepping down.

Null served on city council for nearly 10 years from June 21, 2016, through Dec. 31, 2025. Null also decided not to seek re-election to the city council, bringing his lengthy tenure on the council to and end with the conclusion of his term on Dec. 31.

The council also approved a routine resolution to accept a $20,000 donation from the Columbiana County commissioners to defray the costs of assigning an officer to the Columbiana County Drug Enforcement Task Force.

Tuesday’s meeting also saw City Council President Evan Newman announce that there would be a special city council meeting at 6 p.m. on Feb. 3 to act as an orientation meeting for the council’s new member prior to the city council’s next regular meeting at 7 p.m. Feb. 3.

During her report Parks Director Kelli Pastore told the council that the parks department’s application for a NatureWorks grant through the Ohio Department of Natural Resources to renovate the pavilions at Centennial Park had been approved, and that work was underway. She also said that the fence installed on the nature trail at Waterworth Memorial Park through a Martin Luther King Junior Day of Service Grant was complete except for paint, which will need to be finalized once the current Winter weather conditions improve. 

She also announced that a large box elder tree stump at Memorial Park, which she estimated was between 10 and 12 feet tall, would be carved into a chainsaw sculpture by Tennessee based workshop Woogity Wood Works, and social media influencer the Chainsaw Bunny.

“They are going to make a sculpture with a bald eagle, a dove of peace, Salem’s establishment dates, Ohio state symbols like a buckeye tree, a cardinal, a groundhog, all the state things, and an America 250 banner will be carved into that,” said Pastore.

The city council will meet next at 7 p.m. on Feb. 3.