News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Sorted by date Results 1 - 6 of 6
On Friday, January 17, the Sisters City Council gathered for our annual goal-setting session. The council unanimously had set five overarching goals to provide direction and vision for this council. The adopted five goals are: 1. Strengthen city finances; 2. Increase community and private-sector asset base; 3. Encourage economic development; 4. Improve connectivity; 5. Improve public outreach. During last year's goal-setting session, more than twice the numbers of goals were created. However, a realization was made that many... Full story
I first ran for city council eight years ago because I worried that the Sisters we know and love was at risk. ODOT's "couplet" policy threatened to destroy our downtown. As mayor, I worked with a broad array of citizens to adopt an alternate transportation plan, preserving the integrity of our downtown. I also learned what it takes to be a successful city councilor. Things like listening respectfully to all views, creating true consensus, and providing clear leadership to city staff. After four years on the outside, I am agai... Full story
Recently, the Sisters City Council voted to create an enterprise zone. While many arguments have been raised about the effectiveness of these types of programs, I think that any program that encourages and rewards the creation of year-round living-wage jobs should be encouraged. So if your company is responsible for three or more new jobs in Sisters that pay a living wage - approximately $20 per hour - then you should be eligible for economic incentives. Unfortunately that is not what the council approved. Under their... Full story
On January 8, a new city council will be seated in the City of Sisters, and my term as Mayor will come to an end. The Nugget has graciously given me this space to reflect on the changes of the past few years and thank some of the people who have moved the City forward. When I ran for City Council, my biggest concern was identifying a transportation plan that would serve us well as the city grows. For the first time in over 25 years we now have a Transportation System Plan (TSP) that is supported by both the community and... Full story
The city's recent discussion of garbage service has inspired a lot of discussion around town and in The Nugget. It has even been suggested that our current garbage service is a good source of city revenue. Others are worried that we aren't really going to save money at all. As a guy who has run a successful business in Sisters for 20 years, I am very familiar with making decisions to maximize revenue and save costs. But as Mayor, my job is to provide the best possible city services for the lowest possible price. Or put... Full story
Recently two issues have generated a lot of attention locally. I am talking about the possible relocation of Gutenberg College and the concerns of a few developers with the performance of the city's planning department. Before I tackle these issues, let me share with you some of my thoughts on the role of city government. As mayor I am tasked with upholding the constitution (both state and federal), all applicable state and federal laws, the city charter and local laws. Within this context the council represents the will of... Full story
