Letters, letters, letters

To the Editor:

Shirley Petrie wrote that Sisters had it all (Letters to the Editor, The Nugget, August 5, 1998). I thoroughly agree but for how long? Do the citizens of Sisters actually realize what is going to happen to our community with the advent of The Pines housing development, the Pine Meadow Ranch housing development and the Bruce Forbes housing development on Perit Huntington Road?

PMR will build more than 200 homes, Forbes more than 100 homes and the Pines, 75 houses. At an average of two vehicles per household that will add 750 vehicles to the streets and roads of Sisters and the adjacent unincorporated areas. At an average of 2.5 persons per household that will add 938 people demanding police, fire, school, library and a host of other services.

The tax base these houses will bring in will not support the additional growth, which means the current residents will end up paying more for the services they are already paying for.

And who will profit from all this growth? The Sisters merchants may see a slight increase in business, but many of these households will travel to Bend for shopping as a cost saving measure. The sole persons who will benefit are the developers and property owners.

Will they pay for a new elementary school, the salaries of additional deputies and firefighters and all the other expenses that are going to exist with doubling the size of Sisters? I hope The Nugget will do some true investigative reporting and provide the citizens of Sisters with cost and profit numbers for these projects and talk to someone besides the developers.

Perhaps doubling the size of Sisters should have been put to a vote of the entire population rather than left to members of boards and councils, some of whom will make a tremendous profit from these developments.

M.A. McGregor

Sisters

To the Editor:

Re: Aug. 5th - "Fish thrive in Metolius"

I was very happy to read about the

success of wild fish in the Metolius. It's evident that mother nature, with a little flooding and the absence of fishermen on the upper section of river and tributaries, has had a tremendous healing effect.

In like fashion, Indian Ford Creek has seen similar success despite persistent grazing and water draw. I was surprised though, not to read anything about the tragic killing of wild fish on Indian Ford Creek last month.

Apparently, a property owner's unintentional diversion of water dried up the Creek from Camp Polk Road to Squaw Creek. On July 25 I helped my friends clean up 200 dead fish from the pond on their property alone. It doesn't take a mathematician to estimate the more than 2,000 fish killed in this section of creek.

The problem was corrected, the water is slowly recharging the system, and the fish will return in time. This incident got me thinking that perhaps in years when the creek does dry up, it's not "natural" at all, but rather that the three existing water rights exceed the volume of the creek. I would encourage the three remaining owners of water rights on the creek to consider exchanging their "in-stream" right for an "in ground" right, putting the water back into "flow" as a long-term solution.

One of these could also find an alternative to the introduction of effluent in the winter months. Which leads me to this sage bit of advice: "When fishing BBR in the spring, don't lick your clinch knots!"

John Weber

Indian Ford

To The Editor

Last Friday afternoon, July 31, we experienced a brush fire on the edge of the meadow alongside Old Wagon Road in Sage Meadow Subdivision.

Fortunately, a young man in a white pickup truck detected it near the start, called for help and then proceeded to subdue it using a shovel. Neighbors brought additional tools and buckets of water as two nearby state engines and a Sisters-Camp Sherman team led by Dennis Neel converged on the scene.

I hate to think what might have happened had there not been such a unified and prompt response. Yet, we do not know who the young man in the white pickup truck was. If any of your readers know his identity, I would like to know so that I might personally thank him.

Sincerely,

John S. Newman

President, SMHA

To the Editor:

I'm amazed Kenneth Starr didn't jump in and accuse the President of planning the bombings in Kenya and Tanzania as a diversionary tactic from the Lewinsky show.

I noticed Andrea Kopel couldn't stop smiling as she broke the news to us on CNN. It must have seemed a breath of fresh air after months of speculation on a blue dress.

I haven't turned in an income tax report since 1995. Is there another way I can show my disgust?

Gloria Daggett

Sisters

To The Editor

I just came home from the library with an armload of books. As I carried them in from the car, I realized that the reason that I was stocking up with so much reading material is that our library is closing its doors August 29.

It's hard to believe that our library is actually closing this month, but I guess all I can do now is work hard to get out the vote for the election in September.

Please join me in telling everybody that our library needs their help. Vote for an Open Library in the September election.

Sincerely,

Wayne Kimball

Sisters

To The Editor:

While visiting his home at Camp Sherman during rodeo weekend, Keith Ironsides purchased what turned out to be the winning raffle ticket for the BMW Roadster!

Net proceeds from this raffle are nearly $20,000. These funds will be available to enhance various programs for students in the Sisters School District.

On behalf of the Sisters Schools Foundation I would like to thank Dan Cutter at Carrera Motors of Bend for working with us on the acquisition of the car; Ray's Food Place, Seasons Restaurant, Leavitt's Western Wear, Desert Wings Travel, Sisters Chevron, Black Butte Ranch, The Bend Bandits and Sisters Rodeo for serving as ticket outlets or displaying the car; The Nugget, The Bulletin, X-Press Printing and Dennis McGregor for quality advertising and promotion; and Rich and Cheryle Collins at Sisters Auto Detailing for keeping the car shinny.

Also, thanks to the Foundation board members and Lynn Johnston for their all-around help, and especially Darren Layne for organizing and spearheading the project.

Mostly, thanks to all of you who bought a chance to win the BMW. Because of your participation the real winners are the children in the Sisters Schools!

Thank You

Rod Morris,

Chairman,Sisters Schools Foundation