Legalizing chickens in Salem, Oregon

[SalemUnderground]

If anyone out there lives in Salem, Oregon and wants to help legalize chickens here, please contact [email protected]. We have a group of folks (C.I.T.Y. - Chickens In The Yard), working on this issue and will be giving a formal presentation at City Hall in the next month or two.

 

[gardener]

I just signed the petition. When is this going before the city council?

 

[SalemUnderground]

Hi Dan, Thanks for signing our petition. We don't have an exact date yet. It might be February 23rd; I'll post it when I know for sure.

 

[GardenerGal]

Good luck!
We don't have livestock ordinances (knock wood) here in Salem, Mass. and I believe that our West Coast namesake should have the same status.

 

[gardener]

Well the presentation was made tonght it seemed to go very well.
It has been moved to be put on the agenda in near future.
Very well organized and researched.

 

[gardenworm]

It's looking good for us, I hope everything is approved quickly so we have time to raise some baby chicks before summer...they should be arriving in the feed stores soon..I'm very excited about this, I was forced to rehome my hens when I moved here and I really miss those sweet little hens!

 

[gardener]

If all goes according to plan. The begining of June they will be allowed in the city of Salem.

 

[vermontgal]

There was another well-organized effort here recently that LOST.

No matter how well it seems to be going - any governmental decision is all about counting the votes. Do you have enough votes on your council to have the vote go your way?

Here's how to figure out whether you have the votes.

First, if there is someone on the council who you KNOW is a supporter, talk to that person one on one. Ask them what the other council persons think, and ask this councilor whether you have enough votes for the measure to pass.

If the answer is no, or if it is iffy, then you need to do more homework. With the help of the supportive council person, divide the council into groups: people who will vote yes (your way), people who will vote no, and people you are not sure of or who might not have made up their mind. Strategize with your supportive council person about how to make sure that the undecided will vote your way. For example, if an undecided voter has a sister in law who has chickens, is that a postive or negative experience, and is there some way that you could influence the council person via that chicken-keeping family member. Or, if that council person dislike the SIL, you would need a different strategy! What can you do to turn the undecideds into Yes votes? Will you have enough votes then? If not, determine if any of the likely No voters are able to be won over.

If you don't have a supportive council person, you might be able to learn a lot about the council by sitting in on couple of meetings, to watch how they act, what types of questions they ask, and how they vote on certain issues.

This is just a quick note to say - that it is important to prepare good presentations, but it is just as important to count the votes, and hopefully have the right arguments and personal connections to ensure that the vote is sufficiently in favor.