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 Unpublished items are not acknowledged or returned.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:

Thank you, Mr. Carl Yee, for your balanced and sensible rebuttal to the recent ridiculous, bizarre and humorous verbal assaults launched at the Sisters Industrial Park in this column (The Nugget, January 24).

The well-meaning folks who would like to see our businesses kept 15 miles outside of town so as to provide a Disneyland resort type of atmosphere in Sisters, clearly haven't a clue who or what they are talking about.

The Sisters Industrial Park is in fact a wonderfully diverse and vibrant collection of hard working people and businesses who fix and tow cars, design and build homes, build cabinets, install and repair heating and plumbing systems, store your stuff, build your roads, build boats, create landscaping, publish magazines and books, teach Taekwondo, provide alternative school programs, provide community security, manufacture clothing, vitamins, flashlights and high-tech products, clean medical instruments, provide living-wage jobs, pay A LOT of taxes and constructively engage themselves in their HOME community -- not some shallow fantasy resort playground.

It is these kinds of people and these types of businesses that are the heart, the soul and the backbone of a connected community and its economy.

I am proud to be a member of this esteemed group of citizens, and hope the rest of the Sisters community will judge us by our good works -- not just by our good looks.

Kris Calvin

Earthwood Timber Frame Homes

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To the Editor:

We are appalled by the Sisters City Council's lack of respect to the public.

The council posted notice of a Jan. 25 hearing regarding the 120-foot cell tower proposed for Sisters and urged the public to attend and make comment. When it came time for testimony, the council changed its mind and forbade any comment.

Citizens who came to the hearing to urge the council to protect scenic Sisters from the unnecessary blight of a tall cell tower were shut out.

Perhaps the council didn't want to hear public testimony that they would be violating their own statutes by permitting the tower:

Structures exceeding a height of 35 feet are expressly forbidden in a Public Facilities Zone (see 15.02.191, Sec. 04).

Likewise, perhaps the council did not want to publicly acknowledge they would be violating their own agreement with the county to use the land given by the Forest Service exclusively for a sewage treatment facility.

If the city council persists on a course to allow a 120-foot cell tower in Sisters, they not only go against the wishes of residents, they are thumbing their noses at current laws.

Worst of all, such a tall, ugly tower bristling with antennas and flashing lights will become known as the "golf nets of Sisters." It is something we can all do without.

Michele and Tom Grimm

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To the Editor:

I attended the city council meeting (January 25) in the hopes of offering information and alternatives to the tall cell tower proposed for Sisters.

I'm sorry to say I was very disappointed on how things turned out. Unfortunately, big corporate lawyers find it easy to manipulate the law on their behalf and leave small town folk in the dust.

I don't blame (the council) for having to follow the law regarding procedure, but (there were) a lot of people from the community there to speak about an issue they are very concerned about.

Was it not (the council's) duty to have at least listened to what they had to say? What happened last night only fosters mistrust between the people and those that supposedly represent them.

Most citizens are not lawyers and aren't even aware of legal procedures that must be followed at such meetings.

Even city council members need a lawyer to help (them) interpret legal procedure.

The citizens had an opportunity to speak out at the beginning of the meeting, however, they thought they would have a chance to speak during the appeals hearing. Since this did not happen, many people went away very upset that they weren't given the opportunity to be heard on the subject of the proposed cell tower.

Regarding one of the conditions set forth in the approval requiring that the height of the tower shall be the minimum to meet the requirement of the application, please don't take just the word of the applicant and related parties.

Take the advice of Neil Thompson and consult with Kreines and Kreines before a final decision is made.

It is in the best interest of Spectracite to have the tallest possible tower, but it's not in the best interest of Sisters and the surrounding community, nor is the proposed height necessary for them to serve the area.

If the tower were shorter they would then have to have additional shorter poles to hand off the signals.

Shorter poles are more easily hidden or camouflaged, or antennas can be placed on top of existing power poles.

Linda Moskowitz

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To the Editor:

On November 11, 2000, our loved one, Keith Miller passed away.

I should have written this thank you letter sooner, but it was just too hard. We would like to thank all the people in the community that made his passing a little easier.

Thanks to everyone who offered a hug while he was still able to go "up town" for coffee.

Thanks to everyone who stopped by to see him after he was unable to go out as much. You will never know how much your love meant to him. He was always amazed by how many people cared about him.

Thanks to everyone who brought food through the last week he was alive. It gave us time to just spend with him, loving him and storing memories. Thanks to everyone who provided food at the Fire Hall after the service. While everyone sat around eating, he was there in our hearts when we talked about what he meant to all of us.

Thank you for all the cards. I have a stack about a foot high that I will read again from time to time. My family has been overwhelmed by all of your support. I am so grateful we live among so many caring people. With love and gratitude,

Shirley Miller and Family

P.S. I have a number of dishes left belonging to some of you. I have no idea who they belong to. If you brought food and didn't get your dishes back, please give me a call, so I can return them.

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To the Editor:

Dear friends and customers of Common Threads:

I first moved to Sisters in 1973 and opened a small craft store called "The Cubblehole." I was one of very few young people in town at that time.

Bill Reed was opening his first real estate business and most everyone else was retired. The lake at Black Butte Ranch was just being dug and if my memory serves me at all, the condos were selling for the lofty price of $30,000.

On February 1, I will be handing over the ownership of Common Threads to my dear friend, co-worker and partner, Rosie Horton.

I am so thankful for all of the business and support that customers and friends have given to our stores over the years. This is a wonderful town filled with people that I have been lucky to work with and enjoy as friends as well. I hope that you will all continue to support Rosie in her business endeavors as I have been supported all of these years.

This is truly a special community and she adds much to it. Thank you.

With regards and gratitude always,

Cathi Howell

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To the Editor:

As a member of a family that has vacationed in Camp Sherman for 13 years, and has been considering moving to Sisters for the past two years, I have been concerned about the brouhaha about the horses in Tollgate.

The precise reason that I am drawn to Tollgate is because of the ability to have horses. In my opinion, horses add a lot of charm to the community, and are the basis for all of the street names.

(It is my personal pie in the sky wish to someday be able to return to my horsy roots and once again have a horse).

I would sincerely hope that the few that oppose horses in Tollgate could see the attraction that they are for a family trying to find a user-friendly housing community that offers many activities for kids.

Please don't outlaw them!

Sincerely, Nadine Kincaid, Portland