Statesman Journal – Salem, Or.
Carol McAlice Currie
Jul 25, 2008

Marvin Sannes doesn’t like to be called a developer.

But what should you call someone who, years ago, after his mother passed away, took the $1,400 and change she left him and parlayed it into a small but profitable real-estate investment business worth a couple of million?

“A restorer,” Sannes said. “That’s what I am, a restorer, not a developer.”

Many Salem residents disagreed this week after Sannes made headlines for persuading the Salem City Council on Monday night to overturn terms of a 1989 deed and allow him to fell several mature trees on the site of the former West Salem City Hall on Edgewater Street NW. [...]

Statesman Journal – Salem, Or.
Michael Rose
Jul 22, 2008

A black walnut tree had its day in front of Salem City Council, but councilors were unimpressed.

This particular tree is a rogue that hurls walnuts and trips children, argued those calling for its removal. City Council on Monday agreed that the tree, on a pre-school playground in West Salem, didn’t warrant special protection.

The owners of the old West Salem City Hall building on Edgewater Street NW asked councilors to rescind terms of a property deed, which prohibits cutting any large, healthy trees on the site.

Councilors voted in favor of dropping the restriction. The city in 1989 sold the property to Marvin and Lois Sannes. [...]