City asks merchants to clean up their acts

Stores that habitually leave merchandise outside after business hours are being asked by the City of Sisters to correct the practice -- or possibly face citation.

At the Thursday, May 11, city council meeting, Mayor Steve Wilson explained that proposed ordinance changes to require businesses to clean up applied to tourist oriented businesses in the more heavily traveled parts of the business district.

According to Wilson, the city is not concerned with stores that traditionally, as common and accepted business practices, keep merchandise outdoors. He mentioned lumber suppliers and hardware stores, as examples.

Leslie Ellis, and her husband K.C., owners of Hucklebeary's on Cascade Avenue, strongly objected to the ordinance. K.C. Ellis complained, "I only heard about this proposal this afternoon." He maintained that many more merchants would have been present at the meeting to disapprove if they had known.

The Ellises were the only merchants present, excepting the mayor.

Leslie Ellis objected to the ordinance as being unfair and singling out certain businesses.

Wilson argued that the effort is to maintain a safe and attractive downtown environment. According to the mayor, if unchecked, the practice would force law enforcement personnel to divert valuable time to ensure merchandise left out overnight was not vandalized or stolen.

The council asked a representative of the Sisters Area Chamber of Commerce to informally poll its membership and share the results. It carried forward the hearing to its next meeting in two weeks.

Contacted later, Ellis said she felt her business was being targeted.

"I got a nasty letter from the city last week telling me I was breaking a city code and giving me seven days to fix it," she said.

"They (the city) are being picky", she continued, " I've had my stuff out there for four years, like a lot of others."

Two other downtown business owners, contacted by this newspaper, voiced their opinions.

Bedouin shop owner Janet Brockway says the ordinance change is "not a bad idea," but she thinks there are more serious issues for the city to address, such as public sanitation. Across the street, Eurosports owner, Brad Boyd, said taking in merchandise at night makes good business sense

"And as a resident", he added, "I'd hate to see a bunch of tarps covering businesses in the evening."