Andy Varela City Councillor -Ward 7

03/23/2026

As a part of the City of Salem's celebration of Women's History month, we are proud to honor local hero Shannon Reynolds, local leader, community organizer, and advocate.

"Shannon's selflessness to our community is showcased by her founding of the Sisterhood of Salem, an organization dedicated to inspiring and supporting women in the community. Shannon's advocacy is what makes Salem so unique, inclusive, and an exciting place to live." - Ward 7 City Councillor Andy Varela

Thank you, Shannon, for all of this and more that you do for the Salem community!

This year, Mayor Dominick Pangallo and the City of Salem are highlighting the strength, resilience, contributions and achievements of everyday heroes in our community throughout Women's History Month.

Stay tuned and continue to watch this space throughout the month of March to learn about each of our impressive 2026 honorees.

04/16/2025

If you’re looking for the latest updates on the proposed SSU South Campus 40R redevelopment, I have some great news! You can find all the relevant information, including studies and project updates, at the following website: https://www.forestriverresidences.com/

Feel free to explore, and don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or need further insights. Your thoughts and feedback are always welcome!

Forest River Residences is a proposed redevelopment project to transform part of Salem State University’s 23-acre South Campus into new apartment communities that will help meet the intense demand for housing in and around the City of Salem.

04/14/2025

Meeting Tonight! 6:00pm South Campus, Harrington Building.
Infrastructure & Traffic Study Discussion

02/25/2025

At tonight’s Transportation Commission meeting at 6pm via Zoom, City of Salem Department of Transportation staff and Toole design will present and discuss the updated design plans for Lafayette Street from West Avenue to Harbor View Terrace.

These plans will incorporate bicycle and pedestrian improvements, and it is Phase 1 of the larger Lafayette Street corridor project. Please consider attending the meeting if you are interested in learning more about the project or if you would like to provide public comment.

The link to the meeting is below:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88120207277?pwd=cBZBG4FyL5hoETuGTGCZX71nZParfW.1
Password: 154689

07/30/2024

Hi, Salem neighbors! I’m excited to invite you all to an important community meeting about the redevelopment of Salem State University’s South Campus.

Salem State University South Campus Redevelopment Project Review

Community Meeting

Hosted by: City Councilor Varela

Where: South Campus, Harrington Building
99 Harrison Road, Salem, MA

When: August 12, 2024 at 6:00 pm

AvalonBay Communities, Inc. and WinnCompanies would like to invite you to attend an information session for the proposed redevelopment of Salem State University’s South Campus.

Representatives from AvalonBay, Winn, and Salem State University will be available to give an overview of the project and answer questions.

This meeting is intended for the entire Salem community.

01/30/2024

There is a broken water pipe on Loring Ave, near the diner, and DPS is already on it and been in contact with Andy Varela City Councillor -Ward 7 and myself as our Wards border that stretch of street.

Residents and businesses may experience brown water, so please run cold until clear.

12/30/2023

SSU bike path work
Salem State will be replacing the cooling tower attached to the main academic building in early January and will impact part of the bike path along the Harrington Campus (formerly Central). This work will require some tree trimming and the use of a crane to remove the existing tower and install the new one. The tree work may start as early as this week to prepare for the project, schedule permitting. We anticipate that the bike path traffic will need to be redirected through campus somewhere around 5 or 6 times during this work during construction hours. Snow fencing and detour signage will be in place when the portion of the bike path behind the building is offline. Our facilities team and contractor are working with the city to coordinate this work. SSU’s goal is to have the cooling tower and associated work in place and operating for the cooling season (March/April 2024). Andy Varela City Councillor -Ward 7

11/08/2023

Thank you, Ward 7 for your support!
Appreciate everyone coming to the polls.

11/07/2023

04/30/2023

The support I’ve earned comes from those who know that leadership means being there when needs you - not just when you need Salem.

Join our host committee of City Councillors for our Countdown to Election Day gathering at Maitland Mountain Farm, May 6, 6pm. Let’s keep Salem moving forward! https://secure.actblue.com/donate/dominickpangallo-maitlandmountainfarm