Council examines role in aiding Multnomah

The Sisters City Council has begun to flesh out what it envisions could be its role in helping Multnomah Publishers acquire one of the few large tracts of land left within the city's UGB (Urban Growth Boundary).

The Thursday, September 28, meeting was the first of several proposed public hearings the council is holding to take the community's pulse as to whether the city should actively help Multnomah Publishers acquire a 20-acre parcel of U.S. Forest Service land.

Responding to a question from citizen Cheryl Rutgers, Mayor Steve Wilson said he sees the city's role as that of "a... partner at the table... a facilitator between Multnomah Publishers and the Forest Service in the form of an exchange (of property) -- not (the city) purchasing property."

Wilson said the city's facilitation would involve requesting that the Forest Service consider exchanging its parcel for another, more environmentally desirable tract which the publisher would purchase. According to Sisters Forest Service District Ranger Bill Anthony, who was in attendance, the federal agency maintains a list of available properties for this express purpose.

The 13-year old Christian publishing house would need city help in acquiring its parcel because, according to Anthony, the agency does not entertain requests for sale from private parties.

Anthony said that the Forest Service, "doesn't want to become bear-fighters between competing interests in the community."

He added that in his three years in Sisters, many unsuccessful proposals had been presented to the agency. He said that serious agency consideration of any proposal would first have to involve "discussion amongst the community and then a decision by the council...before it comes to the Forest Service."

Anthony said that the agency "...then would weigh its merits...and determine if it's (the property to be exchanged) of high benefit to the public."

Two weeks ago, Multnomah Publisher CEO Don Jacobson first asked the council for help in purchasing the Forest Service land, which lies north of the Barclay Extension. Jacobson repeatedly has advised the council that the publishing house, with its 114 employees, would be forced to relocate if it cannot obtain land large enough to contain its expected expansion.

The only other large parcels of land for sale within the UGB, according to Sisters City Planner Neil Thompson, are Lundgren Mill and Barclay Meadows. The former, Jacobson said, had been looked at by the company several years ago. He said he had the Barclay Meadows acreage under escrow during the past year, but no agreement had been reached.

The second public hearing on the issue will be at the next regularly scheduled council meeting, October 12, 7 p.m. at Sisters City Hall.