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 Unpublished items are not acknowledged or returned.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:

Recently, we submitted extensive information to the county about the proposed annexation of 98.2 acres.

Yes -- annex, but only for a $14 million middle School; NOT for a $20.5 million high school.

The January 23 Nugget said I was an anti-annexation activist. I am for the annexation but only for a $14 million middle school.

Mr. Jack Addison suggested misrepresentations were made. Perhaps he will review the following representations from the District's statistics for the past 77 months and then suggest what he would do as a fiscally responsible manager.

Money and high taxes do not seem to be a concern of the school district's leadership; the same leadership that did not annex the land first -- before the $20.5 million bond vote.

City taxpayers can now nix the annexation on the March 12 ballot. City voters should then vote in May to annex but only for a $14 million middle school.

Good education facilities and technology are needed. However, fiscal responsibility is also needed. District bureaucrats insist a sewer system will drive up the population. The writer believes the lack of jobs, and our expensive real estate will deter large population increases of young families, in spite of a sewer system.

Here are the school enrollment numbers from September 1995 to January 2002 -- what would you do?

K-5: (1995) 456; (2002) 400 -- minus 56.

6-8 (1995) 295; (2002) 295 -- no change.

9-12 (1995) 352; (2002) 422 -- plus 70

Total: (1995) 1,103; (2002) 1,117 -- plus 14.

The school district's attorney (Ms. Craven) stated a 10 year period is more representative of future growth. Well, the above 77 month period (a time of economic growth) indicates a 14 student increase in the public school system!

If there is no K-8 growth, perhaps we should ask why i.e. no young families? and/or are families opting out of the system?

Our present high school would last 14 years at current increases.

The writer is pro kids and pro education. But, a $20.5 million Taj Mahal for 700 students, with a 920 seat auditorium, is irresponsible during a time of high taxes, high electric costs, monthly sewer charges, and a slow economy.

I look forward to the school district's response to their above statistics.

Mel Bryan

Editor's note:

The school district's response follows.

To the Editor:

Mr. Bryan correctly notes that our elementary school population has leveled off. From this, he incorrectly concludes that the high school population will also now level off. Why is he wrong?

Between the Sonrise Christian School and the home-schooled children, there are nearly 140 children in K-8. Most of these children enter the Sisters School District at the high school level.

You add in the kids from Black Butte and Camp Sherman and this is why the eighth grade class last year was 106, and the ninth grade class this year is 120. Our high school population nearly doubled over the last 10 years, and with the sewer and all of the new developments, that growth will continue into the future.

We will have room for that growth, because we have planned ahead.

Last year, the voters in this district approved (a high school) bond for many good reasons. Those reasons are still valid today. We cannot legally use high school bond money to build a middle school. To change or stop now would betray the will of the people, a slap in the face of our American democracy.

That is why this project is going ahead, even if we have to build it outside of city limits, without annexation, with our own septic system. We could also build the new school on the current high school property, without annexation.

The upcoming annexation vote will only decide how soon we can build and how expensive the school will be. If we are not tied up with annexation problems and frivolous appeals, we can break ground on time and return over $1 million in interest to the voters.

The only thing Mr. Bryan will accomplish is to use up that interest money with increased costs, thereby raising your taxes. You might want to ask him about that. In the meantime, please vote "Yes." It's still the most cost effective plan.

The Sisters School Board

Heather Wester, Glen Lasken, Jeff Smith, Bill Reed, Steve Keeton

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To the Editor:

I cannot understand how the (high school) bond issue passed. I feel the tax implications, will drive out some of the same young families the school board is trying to help.

I do not understand where the increase of students will be coming from. There are only so many young professionals, that can work from, and in this area.

I know people believe this to be anti-school children, but it is far from that. I also cannot believe parents would have their children respond "that people opposed to the new school are anti-school children."

This comes down to a financial matter. As a young parent and homeowner in Sisters, I have had considerable contact with the youth in Sisters. I am incredibly impressed with how the community and the teachers have touched and developed the Sisters youth.

I do not see the negative impact that the facilities have had on the youth. Let's spend our money on the human touch, this is what makes the difference in young people's lives.

I do not know if the established families understand the financial sacrifice young families are making to stay in this area. I want the best for our kids. I don't want to see the Sisters community, 10 years down the line, thinking we made a mistake.

How long has the new high school been standing?

Dan Brand

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To the Editor:

As children we learned a poem that started, "I think that I shall never see a poem as lovely as a tree" and ends "only God can make a tree."

No matter. The big, beautiful ponderosa pine in front of Reed Bros. Realty is no more (see story, page 1).

I was concerned last week when I saw they were removing some limbs but figured it was for safety reasons and clearing the area over the old roof and future new construction. Wrong! a few days later it was gone.

I doubt it was diseased, damaged or dangerous. The new foundation forms go almost up to the sidewalk. Guess the Reed brothers figured a few more square feet of retail/office space is worth more than the tree.

A stately ponderosa epitomizes the Western spirit of Sisters far better than all the fake facades on our buildings. What a shame! Respectfully,

Mickey Duehren

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To the Editor:

Bravo to Bruce Berryhill (Letters to the Editor, January 23) for his insistence on a pedestrian path to the Three Wind Shopping Center, although in most respects I disagree with his statement that Sisters is "hard to walk around."

For its population, Sisters is amazingly convenient for the pedestrian, more so sometimes than for the motorist.

Still, as Berryhill reveals, improvements could be made. I long for the day when a pedestrian/bike path connects the shopping center to downtown Sisters, separated from the highway and shaded by aspens or ponderosas.

Walking at night (in this season, any nonworking hour for us 9-to-5 office rats) is another dangerous prospect. The route from the highest-density urban residential blocks (the Adams Roost and Mountain High Apartments) to downtown is hardly lit at all.

Streetlights on Main Avenue and Elm Street north of Cascade would allow pedestrians to stay off the pavement, where they are now driven for the sake of secure footing.

My final vision for improvement is a pedestrian bridge across Cascade Avenue. This could be a simple log structure with a Western look. It could be a skyway like those today's cities build to connect their downtown malls.

Or it could be a Sisters-style Ponte Vecchio, combining traffic flow and commerce, lined with friendly vendors selling glass beads, cheeses, cigars, and rabbit pelts. Rather than keeping our main street a slush-spewing chasm to avoid crossing at all costs, this would reunite the two sides, rewarding foot traffic with an enticing new public space.

Stephanie Barker

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To the Editor:

I would like to respond to Mr. Berryhill's letter regarding the lack of pedestrian paths.

A group of Sisters area residents with a vision for a network of safe, accessible trails that connects neighborhoods within the Sisters School District to downtown Sisters, schools and regional trails within the Deschutes National Forest have been meeting for several months to make that vision a reality.

To accomplish that they need the ideas, advice, expertise and energy of the people who live here.

Sisters area residents are invited to attend an open house to learn about efforts to develop a community trail system for hikers, bicyclists, walkers, cross-country skiers, equestrians and others. The open house will be held on February 21 at the Sisters Athletic Club, 413 W. Hood Ave.

The meeting begins at 7 p.m. Food and drink will be served.

The evening's festivities include a talk by Catherine Ciarlo, executive director of the Bicycle Transportation Alliance -- a statewide organization working to promote bicycling in Oregon -- on safe routes to schools and livable communities.

There will be an overview of the Trail Committee's vision, mission and goals by committee member Jim Craig.

After the presentations, there will be plenty of time for attendees to ask questions, give input, peruse maps and chat with committee members.

For more information, please call the Community Action Team of Sisters at 549-2287.

Lorri Craig

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To the Editor:

How did we ever get so lucky? Jim Anderson's article, "The Cascades remain sleeping giants," was so well written and answered so many of the questions I've had about the subject.

I always love his work. It is the main thing I read in the paper, but this piece on the volcanoes was one of his best. It's really wonderful to have access to such great work, while living in the middle of paradise.

Thanks.

Jean Nave

Black Butte Ranch

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To the Editor:

This weekend the Ray's employees put together an "Appreciation Dinner" for the crew that was held at the Comfort Inn.

We wanted to make it special so we asked local businesses if they would like to offer a "prize" to be given to each employee as a thank you. We had over 25 businesses supply us with amazing gifts and gift certificates.

Now we would like to take the time to thank all of THEM for making our party extra special. Thank you from all of us at Ray's Food Place!

Kerry Klatt and Bobbie Tafte