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 Unpublished items are not acknowledged or returned.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:

Patriots of Sisters, stand up and be counted.

At 10 a.m. on Wednesday, December 27, the Deschutes County Board of Commissioners will hold a public hearing in the Sisters Council Chambers. This hearing, dealing with the proposed urban growth boundary extension and rezone from agriculture to industrial development on the picturesque Barclay ranch property, needs your informed dissent to influence the commissioners to decline this action.

Otherwise, it will lead to a dramatic decline in the quality of living in Sisters.

Along with other concerned citizens, I have been involved for nearly two years to contest this action and have offered an innovative land-use solution in which all parties could win. However, the commissioners have listened to only a few voices, primarily those with a financial interest in this development. I encourage you to be Sisters patriots and stand up and be counted on December 27.

This action will decrease student safety with dramatic increases in traffic, including heavy trucks, on Camp Polk Road/Locust Street, which intersect the elementary and middle schools.

This action will decrease citizen safety by developing industrial complexes near the Sisters Eagle Airport fly zone.

This action will substantially increase north-south traffic congestion on Camp Polk, North Pine, and North Larch, which will further add to the already unbearable Cascade Avenue traffic congestion.

This action will allow for industrial development; large unsightly buildings and associated noise, light, and livability pollution, to be built immediately next to your residential neighbors to the north.

Over the past two years, I have consistently proposed that the city and county work with the Forest Service to exchange Forest Service lands to the west of Sisters for the Barclay Ranch property. In doing this, student and citizen safety, traffic congestion, and incompatibility issues with residential property would be eliminated.

Further, Multnomah Publishers, our leading employer in Sisters, could find the land it needs to expand on with my proposed exchange of these properties.

With our voices, we can do better. Demand it! Express yourself on December 27.

Happy Holidays to all!

Denny Ebner

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To the Editor:

This letter is regarding the front page article about "Sisters High School has significant Damage" in the December 13 issue of The Nugget.

Us "old-timers" remember the controversy which swirled throughout our region. The Sisters High School was erected amidst quarrels and lies.

The early problems that split the town, friends, and surrounding community took years to heal and in some instances still now lay only below the surface.

Those strong divided feelings were propelled by the hurry up, thrown-together attitude and construction which we now all live with. Sadly, even today that rift which I personally felt and now hear again, swirls amongst the snow flakes throughout our town.

In 1993, those of us who were in the construction field had grave reservations regarding the school's design and materials. We were labeled "troublemakers" and our pleas for slowing down and searching out quality construction were met by the principal players as a threat to "the welfare of our children."

Accidents at the old Redmond canyon hill were cited repeatedly as a reason for "pushing through this construction."

I and my building buddies now regret that we did not stick to our original convictions that were based upon experience and a learned hands-on knowledge of this area's unique issues.

We allowed ourselves to be manipulated into silence and I personally now regret this.

I have taught in schools on the East Coast that are 70 years old and except for chipped paint, the structures continue to serve the community in an educational and multidimensional arena.

These buildings continue to withstand five foot snow loads, hail, and humidity on a yearly basis with only budgeted minimal maintenance. The school lesson to be learned might be that they took the time and orchestrated a plan that looked toward a future that would serve those communities throughout generations.

The "we want it now" mentality that moved Sisters in the mid-'90s produced a structure, but its increasing cost factors remain.

This mess could have been prevented if more input from local artisans had been adhered to, local architects' wisdom had been used, and more "research" on this "homework" assignment had been researched. The astronomical "sums" facing our community to "redo" this "project" again and again should not be happening.

Building materials, construction knowledge, and craftsmanship have greatly improved in the past 70 years. The Sisters "classroom" (community) is suffering from the lack of "homework" done on the "assignment."

An "incomplete grade" has been assigned and, as for the "test," this retired school teacher awards the grade of "D" for disgusted.

CC Eckard

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To the Editor:

The north side of Sisters needs a postal drop box. The following are some reasons for consideration:

1. Approximately one half of in-town employees work on the north side, and are required to drive or walk across the highway just to drop a letter in a mail box at the post office.

2. Residents like myself living on the north side, and who are reluctant to leave outgoing mail with bank checks inside our rural mailbox, are also forced to cross the highway through town merely to drop letters at the post office.

3. In each of the situations above, either an automobile must dart across when an opening occurs or, as a pedestrian, the traffic is stopped. And how many times this is multiplied solely because a letter drop does not exist on the north side -- I can't begin to guess. But what is clear is that it is both a hazard and another disruption to traffic flow.

4. During the sewer construction here in town it has been, at times, a guess as to what route will take us through to the post office. I know that this too shall pass, but in the interim it would also make it easier on the construction crew to see less vehicles maneuvering the maze merely to mail a letter.

I hope that this allows some constructive help in keeping our city a positive place in which to work, play and relax.

Respectfully,

Tony Blok

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To the Editor:

Jim Anderson's wildlife column qualifies him for the title of "living legend," and his story complete with photographic proof of his encounter with the great horned owl in the December 6 edition of The Nugget merits special note.

For over 10 years I have enjoyed reading this newspaper.

You give great coverage to the lively activity of the community and introductions of enthusiastic, new business owners but Jim's column provides educational entertainment of the first order.

He brings a special quality to each edition of the paper which highlights the uniqueness of the great Sisters country.

His writings would make an excellent bound edition.

Jim Anderson is a gift to Central Oregon and I know he is real because I have seen him at the Sisters library!

Sincerely, Bill Peterson

Tacoma, Washington