Letters, letters, letters

The Nugget welcomes contributions from its readers, which must include the writer's name, address and phone number. Letters to the Editor is an open forum for the community and contains unsolicited opinions not necessarily shared by the Editor. The Nugget reserves the right to edit, omit, respond or ask for a response to letters submitted to the Editor. Letters should be no longer than 300 words. Unpublished items are not acknowledged or returned. The deadline for all letters is noon Monday.

To the Editor:

Don Jacobson and Multnomah Publishing, how refreshing your full page open letter to the community was for me to read.

In this country we are presently struggling to find honesty, truth and integrity amidst secret agendas, suspicion and mistrust especially among the highest leaders of our land. I want to thank you for striving to walk in a manner among this community in those values which your company represents.

You have been a positive light and contributed greatly with your charitable heart and sacrificial giving and support in the way of scholarships and contributions to countless youth, charities and events without any expectation of recognition or thanks.

Thank you for your willingness to share your dream in such an open and informative format and laying it out on the table for all to see equally.

I see your desire is to not just work in the community, but with it and for it. It appears your priority for right relationships with people is far above your desire to build a campus. Thank your for setting an example of honesty and integrity so desperately needed not just for our youth but for us all.

Sincerely,

Jenny Denzer

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To the Editor:

Some thoughts for Thanksgiving:

The recent rejection of the school bond issue isn't all bad! It may wind up with a new, more practical appraisal, hopefully, of school building needs. It may wind up, hopefully, with a new assessment of its assets which, when sold, will considerably reduce the dollars needed.

Look at the site of the proposed abandoned school, the location, the area and imagine an apartment complex --with sewers it is a natural. Two rejections of parcels of the Forest Preserve, hopefully, may result in a proper appraisal of that entire 80 acres and its vital part in Sisters' future -- surely not a 20 acre campus, but a convention center and 250 modest-price homes, desperately needed in Sisters.

I cite Snowberry Village and Mountain View Estates in Bend -- who can fault them for convenience, cost and value to their community?

The recent spate of flaps over land exchanges in general, hopefully, can lead to a reappraisal of that whole process and lead to all that 80 acres, the forests adjoining Buck Run, as well as Sage Meadow and Squawback Woods becoming part of a properly planned, public input part of future Sisters.

All this could lead our City Council, its Mayor and our Senators, hopefully, into combined efforts toward helping Sisters' future -- all its people -- not into evasive efforts which divide us and defeat worthy causes.

The logistics are enormous but not insurmountable, but the talent, the vision, hopefully, is already in place, or at least available.

The future taxpayers, the parents of the future schoolchildren of those new schools, the owners of those new homes will bless you.

Amen!

Russell B. Williams

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To the Editor,

Mr. and Mrs. Fitzjarell's letter in the November 15 issue of The Nugget was right on. We need consistency and predictability in public policy.

What we seem to have is a movement toward corporate welfare that is spreading from the national level and the big cities to the small towns. It surprises me to see a company that is a great example of entrepreneurism and private enterprise working the corporate welfare side of the street in our little town.

If the City of Sisters spent as much time and effort figuring out how it could help the working poor obtain decent, affordable housing as they seem to be spending on the corporate question we could really see city government at its best.

Habitat for Humanity has built 14 homes in this area; seven are in town and seven are outside the city limits. When we have asked the city for special consideration we have been told that if the city did something for Habitat for Humanity the city would have to do it for everyone.

That's fair, but let's be consistent. Cut a deal for big employers, cut a deal for Habitat, cut a deal for everyone who asks.

Or wouldn't it be better to just help everyone use the system that is in place?

Sam Goodwin

Charter member, Sisters Habitat for Humanity

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To the Editor:

Please tell us how a 150-foot-tall metal lattice tower bristling with cell phone antennas and flashing aircraft-warning lights belongs in Sisters?

That's what the Planning Director for Sisters, Neil Thompson, approved on November 15. Yes, a 150-foot-tall tower that's taller than those despised golf nets in Bend.

It will be the tallest manmade or natural structure in the Sisters area, even towering above your beautiful ponderosas.

Where does such a tower fit in with Sisters' Western-town theme; it will only be an unwanted eyesore for visitors and residents alike.

Elsewhere in Deschutes County, we and countless other citizens have been fighting to keep wireless telecommunications facilities (i.e. cell towers) from becoming a permanent blight on our unmatched Central Oregon scenery.

At the present time, the county planning commission has been rewriting the regulations to make certain all new towers are no higher than the surrounding tree line, and do not have lights that destroy our star-filled skies.

Sisters has annexed the property where the tower will stand (the site of new wastewater treatment facility), so your city council has the final say.

We urge every Sisters resident to tell your council members you don't want a 150-foot tower in town -- insist they rescind the permission that was just granted to erect this monstrosity before it is too late. Cell phone service can be provided without ruining the image of Sisters with an ugly and unnecessary 150-foot tall tower.

Michele and Tom Grimm

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To the Editor:

This is about the needs for a middle school. Did I read that in some parts of their building there are no toilets?

I am a feisty, healthy, greatgrandmother and there is nothing I love more than my grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

My mother was a school teacher back in the 1800s in Iowa. My brother would shovel a path to the coal shed. I take my bucket, fill it with coal and dry corn cobs, fuel our two stoves used while mother was cooking a meal.

All of this in the winter, when first snow fall was up to my eight-year-old waist.

We had no toilets in those days, so we went to the "outhouse" and had shoveled a path to the outhouse.

With this, we always had a nice, warm, comfortable school house. You "no" voters, hide your heads!

Eleanor Bucher, Tumalo

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