Mayor speaks on "State of Sisters"

Mayor Steve Wilson thinks things are going pretty well in Sisters.

"Sisters is on fairly solid footing right now," Wilson said, "and the city has been running smoothly over the past three years."

Wilson spoke to a Lunch and Learn group at Sisters Central Oregon Community College Center last week.

The city's sewer project drew most attention. According to Wilson, the backhoes should roll on the project in July. From that point, there is an 18-month completion date for the $12 million project.

"We'll do the job section by section so the whole city is not torn up at one time," Wilson said.

The city is still working toward capping monthly fees at $39 per month per "equivalent dwelling unit."

Asked why the city didn't opt for a secondary sewer treatment plant, the mayor responded that they wanted to get the primary plant in position first.

"DEQ has already approved us for upgrading if and when the city decides to go to a secondary treatment facility," he said. "The cost would be about $200,000."

Wilson pointed out that there are already 400 new home sites approved for Sisters.

"They could be built today but they are on hold because cost of on-site individual wastewater units, used for a short period before the sewer system was on-line, plus the cost of sewer hookup makes it somewhat impractical," said Wilson. "However, once the sewer system is operating these home sites will be developed and some people may misinterpret this as growth due to the sewer plant opening."

McDonald's Corporation, scouting new locations, has made three visits to Sisters in the last 10 years according to Wilson. They may or may not open here "but economics, not a sewer system creates growth," he said.

"We can tighten up ordinances but we can't control what businesses come or go in Sisters," he noted.

Wilson envisions substantial growth in the coming years.

"There are 700 lots for building in Sisters," he said. "I see a population reaching 3,000 people in Sisters over the next 20 years. "We're likely to be a bedroom community for Bend and Redmond."

Audience comment also came about careful planning and future development at Sisters' airport. Wilson agreed that experts in this area would be consulted and plans carefully studied.

Concerning public safety, Wilson said that Sisters puts a high priority on pedestrian safety and making Sisters a safe town to walk. Deschutes County Sheriff Greg Brown will be here to discuss safety issues with local people and city council members this month.

"Truck traffic has increased in recent years through Sisters," Wilson said. "A bypass is not a reality at this time from the state's perspective. A traffic light on Cascade is a possibility, and we'll have an answer about that in 8-10 months."

Another issue on the city council's plate is the Sisters Library. Presently, the land the library sits on is owned by the city. According to Mayor Wilson "the building also technically belongs to the city because of documents signed by the city."

The library has plans to expand in 2004 but officials worry about putting money into a facility the library does not own.

On the lighter side, Mayor Wilson spoke about "fun" things going on in Sisters. The new covered bridge in the park is a nice addition.

There will be a community barbeque on the Saturday before Memorial Day weekend.

"Come and have a burger on us," Mayor Wilson offered.