Letters, letters, letters

To the Editor:

The following is in response to Letters to the Editor in the April 22, issue of The Nugget by Melanie Curry, Allan and Dianne Herauf, Terry Whatley and the Sewer Focus Group.

It must be nice to be wealthy enough to be able to abandon almost new, approximately $8000-$10,000 sand filter systems as shown by the Curry and Herauf families being in favor of a city-wide sewer system. Yes, they have almost new sand filter systems in the new upscale Buck Run subdivision. Both families speak against "sprawl," but are they not contributing to "sprawl" with their almost 1/2-acre lots?

Additionally, Mr. Herauf evidently wants the residents to help pay for his commercial endeavors.

Mr. Whatley does not appear to be a City of Sisters voter. He was not on an April 6 voter printout for the city. Enough said.

The Sewer Focus Group's letter rejecting John Groom's suggestions of investigating small scale alternative technologies shows brainwashing by HGE, the engineering consultant who has tried to sell the same old large scale technology to the city for the last 20 years or more. Does anyone expect HGE to look at anything else?

The Focus Group has not been briefed by "second opinion" experts such as small scale sewer plant companies and university experts.

The Focus Group has been expertly molded by the city's pro-sewer Focus Group consultant. There has been no proof shown that a sewer system is needed from a health standpoint.

Residents should not be stampeded and allow themselves to be bullied by pro-sewer businesses, real estate companies and developers. Vote for what is good for you and what you can afford.

Respectfully,

Pam Emmrich

To the Editor:

Last month, I had the opportunity to attend the annual Oregon Onsite Wastewater Conference held at Umpqua Community College in Roseburg. The conference included scientists, engineers,

professors' representatives from DEQ and other environmental agencies, health department sanitarians, contractors, installers, pumpers and other interested people.

Keynote speakers at the conference included some of the top scientific and engineering researchers in the fields of water and wastewater treatment and environmental protection. As a result of environmental and health concerns, modern technology has developed alternative methods for treating sewage.

I learned that the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is moving away from large municipal treatment plants, toward small decentralized systems. That is, away from big expensive conventional gravity sewers such as the one proposed for Sisters, and toward small cost-effective on-site systems-such as septic tanks with effluent pumps (STEP), and intermittent and recirculating sand filters (ISF, RSF). These newer systems are being widely used in Oregon now.

In other words, modern science indicates that the best way for small communities such as Sisters to treat sewage is by using onsite septic tanks. Residential lots which don't have enough room to replace a regular drainfield, if needed, can use the new technology with small shallow drainfields of approximately 40 square feet. This solves the problem of repairing older systems on small lots in town.

Commercial lots can use these on-site systems too, even restaurants with large water usage. Perhaps the Chamber of Commerce could put in a nice public restroom with a sand filter in the downtown area to serve the tourists who patronize downtown merchants.

Let's not vote for a big expensive sewer when we can use economical up-to-date septic tank methods to treat our wastewater, keep the environment and groundwater clean, and protect public health. Vote "no" on measure 9-57.

Libby Bottero

To the Editor:

We want to encourage voters to carefully consider Measure 9-55 on the May 19 ballot. This measure will create and permanently fund a library district for the library system in Deschutes County.

Think about what this will mean for our library in Sisters: If we approve the measure our library in Sisters will be open every day, we will have more programs for children and adults and our book inventory will increase by 82 percent. Our community needs and deserves high quality library services and this is the way to ensure that we receive them.

Your "yes" vote can help make it happen!

Alice and Colin Adams

To the Editor:

When I was young I once read, "A true university is a collection of books." I thought it to be true then and I still believe it to be true.

Sisters has a true university in its library, small in physical size but enormous in its capacity to acquire information. It not only has its books on the shelves but the capacity to acquire for us books and other literature with information from all over the country.

That information is the most valuable resource that we now have.

The small price that we will be asked to pay to keep this resource is the biggest bargain that we can get. I ask all my fellow residents to support the maintenance of our library by voting "yes" in the coming election.

Lyal Asay, MD

To the Editor:

The Deschutes County Library System needs help. Year after year we have seen our wonderful public library get more and more of its budget cut by our county commissioners so that more and more of our tax dollars can go to jails and crime prevention.

It is time that something is done about it.

By making a separate library district, our libraries will finally get funded the way the public wants. In the past the library funding has been a very small part of the county's budget - all mixed in with big government. Now library patrons will have more control over what is important for them.

Please vote "yes" for a separate library district. If you do, you will see an increase in library hours and services - especially in providing more books. Libraries are important to everyone in the community, old and young alike. I know you will join me in voting in favor of establishing a library district on May 19.

Sincerely,

Diane, Kirk and Drew Jacobsen

To the Editor:

Like many native Oregonians, I retired in Sisters after pursuing a career elsewhere.

For me, one of our city's many attractions was its fine public library. I use the library to research the classes I teach for Central Oregon Community College. I use the library to gather information to help the boys of our Sisters Scout troop to earn merit badges. I use the library to be a more effective member of our city planning commission.

I could go on, but my point is that our library is a vital part of our community.

In the May 19 election, we must decide whether to keep our library or to allow it to wither away. Please join me in voting "yes" on ballot measure 9-55.

Sincerely,

Wayne Kimball

To the Editor:

Here's my take on the library district proposal which is to appear on the May 19 ballot:

Vote for it. It's the only practical way to keep the library going and institute some needed improvements.

Sure, Deschutes Country passed the buck to the voters when it decided not fully fund the county library system. Sisters, along with the other communities with libraries in the county, is suffering the consequences of severely reduced library funding - fewer books, shorter hours, etc.

The county should be providing these services without imposing additional taxes. But this won't happen. That is because of a number of factors including the county's need to prioritize services.

The library got left out of the county budget because it did not have enough political clout and was not an emergency service. The answer is the proposed library district which will have it's own funding and cannot be tampered with when the county commissioners and others are attempting to deal with the larger general budget problems.

Sincerely,

Jim McWilliams

To the Editor:

The US Forest Service, the Oregon Department of Forestry, the Black Butte Fire Department and the Sisters/Camp Sherman RFPD wish to thank the citizens in and around Sisters for their patience with us in our spring burning program.

While we still have some burning left to do, the remaining burns will be farther away from populated areas and should not impact the local citizenry to the extent experienced in the last few weeks.

So far this year, we have burned 740 acres adjacent to those populated areas we refer to as the Wildland/Urban Interface. Citizens should take some comfort in the knowledge that homes and property are less at risk from the effects of wildfire than they were a year ago.

We still have several years of treatment remaining to be done, but with continued community support, we will eventually meet the objectives of providing protection to the Wildland/Urban Interface: providing for healthy, resilient forests and providing for public and firefighter safety while reducing hazardous wildland fuel accumulations.

For additional protection from wildfire, we encourage all of our neighbors to look at the "FireFree Program" and participate in this endeavor. Brochures regarding this program can be picked up at any of our administrative stations.

Darrel Churchill, Chief, Black Butte FD

Wayne Rowe, Oregon Dept. of Forestry

Don Mouser, Chief, Sisters/Camp Sherman RFPD

Rock Gerke, Sisters Ranger District

To the Editor:

Mr. Goodwin's letter in the April 15 Nugget brings up three important points:

1. Public pronouncements of politicians cannot be taken as evidence of their personal character; 2. Going to church does not make one a Christian any more than going into a hen house and cackling makes one a chicken; 3. We definitely must be truthful about our country's past in order to benefit from the errors and successes of our forebears, whether or not the truth is politically correct.

Politicians' true character is revealed by their private behavior and by the way they vote on (or veto) issues that impose moral consequences on everyone in our country.

Some are now working to pass a bill, under the guise of "Campaign Finance Reform," that is a cleverly disguised attempt to shut off public communications by groups of concerned citizens - "special interests" who pool their contributions to inform you how politicians vote. Most of us can't have much effect acting individually. To learn the details go to http://www.nrlc.org/campaign.html.

Do you really believe these politicians will shut off their supply of contributions from wealthy individuals and corporations? Their version of campaign reform will allow them to continue imposing their agenda without the pesky public knowing how they vote and bothering them about it. Let your legislators know your thoughts about this tactic. We do need reform, but not government-imposed repression of the people's constitutional right to freedom of speech.

Respectfully,

Lorene Richardson

To the Editor:

On Easter Sunday, it was the only opportunity I had to move "stuff" to a storage space in Sisters. I had a friend give me a hand. He brought his little bit up pickup and we loaded it as carefully as possible.

On the way over to Sisters from Black Butte, just passing the turn off to Black Butte Stables and beginning the climb on the road, the wind caught one of the box's flaps shaking it and making it slide off. A second box followed the first containing kitchen items. As luck would have it, it was my 1996 tax box filled with a million documents!

Before you knew it, there were papers flying all over the road.

I was hopeful to have written this note sooner to thank every one of the Good Samaritans who stopped to give us a hand. In a matter of a few minutes, totally indifferent to the dangers posed to them in the highway, they all chased flying papers and picked up broken dishes.

I hope they or some friend reads this letter and makes sure that they know how thankful we are for their kind assistance.

Sincerely,

Luly MacPharlaine

To the Editor:

To the ladies and gentlemen from Sisters High School who competed in the statewide Vocational Industries Clubs America conference held in Portland last weekend:

Congrats on a job well done; you are all winners. It was my pleasure to be a part of it.

Teri Ast

To the Editor:

I've created a challenge for myself and the local community. I have committed us to running a 26.2-mile run and to raising $1,500 to donate to the Leukemia Society of America. With great support I have almost reached the fund-raising goal, but I need your help!

Come show your local spirit at the Leukemia Society yard sale on Sunday, May 3, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., located at 187 Jefferson Street in Sisters. If anyone has done their spring cleaning already and would like to make donation for the sale, please contact Carol Davis at 549-2002.

All proceeds will go to the research and programs of the Leukemia Society of America. Thanks for your support!

Kelly Davis

To the Editor:

Imagine meeting your best friend for a time of quiet reflection in a place of beauty...a place of peace (where there are no telephones, no TV, no pressing demands), and finding replenishment for your spirit and a restful state of mind.

Such a time happened recently in the picturesque nave of the Episcopal Church here in Sisters. Our "best friend" was ourselves as we joined together for a day of inner connection and silent contemplation led by Kevin Thew Forrester from Prineville.

As a guide to focus our minds and hearts Kevin introduced each of four icons (religious images) during the day using centering music, stories and the beautiful images of the icons themselves to gently draw us inward. Through journaling, drawing, creative clay work, outside walks and silent meditation each of us drew on our immediate personal experiences to find an expanded depth of connection with our selves and our God. At a simple quiet lunch some present shared their responses to the icon images.

Many thanks to the Church of the Transfiguration for hosting a rare time of quiet reflection. Thank you Kevin for your guiding assistance and thank you to all who came to enrich their own spiritual journey in this community setting. There will be other such opportunities as the future unfolds and all are welcome to participate as we celebrate God's presence in each moment of our lives.

Faith Adele

To the Editor:

I love The Nugget and have enjoyed reading it many years prior to our move to Sisters. We were receiving weekly issues, thanks to our daughter, Melissa, who was writing a weekly column. We had always looked forward, not only to the column, but to all of the news and goings on in this community.

What I really wish to do here, is to compliment you on the April 22 issue. All of those articles on gardening, landscaping etc., with the good "down-to-earth" helpful advice for rank amateurs and non-native Oregonians like myself, is most welcome and appreciated.

I am sure that I am not the only reader who exerpted all of that good information.

Thank you,

Elayne Clarke