News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Tensions between Sisters Mayor Steve Wilson and City Council President Gordon Petrie came to a head in a heated exchange at the end of the Thursday, November 13, city council meeting.
The fireworks were sparked by a series of letters in The Nugget between Ed Beacham and the mayor regarding a proposed sales tax to fund a sewer system.
Beacham sharply criticized the mayor for the proposal and Wilson responded by asking Beacham and other citizens to participate in city government and offer their own ideas.
Petrie then jumped into the fray with a letter saying that Wilson's reply to Beacham was "full of derision and sarcasm" and calling Wilson a "basher."
Wilson asked the city council to let him know personally if they thought his public comments were out of line. He said it was important that the council work together for the good of the city and not get caught up in infighting.
"If any of the councilors feel that I am not acting in an appropriate behavior, pick up the phone and please call me," Wilson said.
Wilson told Petrie directly he would consider Petrie's doing so "a personal favor."
That did not sit well with Petrie, who said Wilson should have called him instead of accusing Petrie of bias in the press ("Sisters' mayor accuses councilman of bias, The Nugget, September 17).
"In the article in The Nugget when you accused me of bias, you could have done the same thing," Petrie said. "You were wrong. You were very wrong."
Wilson indicated that he wanted the council to move past the current contentiousness.
"I'm asking you to do in the future what we should do each time," Wilson said. "If we can't work together as a council, then the city loses."
"You set the rules," Petrie stated.
"I'm asking if we can change the rules," Wilson replied.
"You can't kick me in the stomach one day, then pat me on the head the next day." Petrie said.
The issue was left there as Wilson adjourned the meeting.
Jim Cornelius is editor in chief of The Nugget and author of “Warriors of the Wildlands: True Tales of the Frontier Partisans.” A history buff, he explores frontier history across three centuries and several continents on his podcast, The Frontier Partisans. For more information visit www.frontierpartisans.com.
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