CATS board pleased by housing, trails plans

Bob Grooney and Lorri Craig discuss the future at a CATS meeting.

A new affordable housing project and a community network of trails are on the horizon for Sisters.

Those projects were highlighted in the annual meeting of the Community Action Team of Sisters (CATS), held Wednesday, May 8, at the Sisters Comfort Inn.

Bill Willitts, board member in charge of the affordable housing committee, described the 33 new rental-housing units under construction on Larch Avenue at Tamarack Village.

"These will be two- and three-bedroom units with laundry facilities in a common area," he said. "This will be a sampler of opportunity and provide housing for Sisters' working population and they will have great views to boot.

"The units will be smart-wired and families that want to connect to the Internet will be provided a computer for home use. Programs from COCC and SOAR will provide instruction on participating in today's economic and electronic world," said Willitts.

Rents will range from $235 to $612 per month based on family size and income.

"Banks will make attractive loans available for first-time homeowners as rental families make the transition from renting to owning their own homes," Willitts said. "Mentors will help the turnover of renters moving on to become future homeowners and freeing up rental units."

CATS discussed the possibility that, as new homes are developed in the Sisters area, some portion can be used for affordable housing. Land annexation requirements may allow stipulation for some affordable housing to be built.

Jerry Norquist of the Trails Committee reported on use of high school students assisted by trained mentors to make a survey of existing and future trails tying together the Sisters community.

School superintendent Steve Swisher mentioned that 4,000 yards of chipped material would be available for trail development. The chips come from logging of the site of the new Sisters High School.

Swisher, a CATS board member, also addressed questions about the future of Sisters Middle School. The school will be abandoned as students move into the current high school in 2003 or early 2004.

"That building has a lot of problems," Swisher noted. Built over 60 years ago, the structure does not meet current standards for safety. Future use as a public facility would probably require a major overhaul.

According to Swisher, the property would be valued at $1.2 million if it could be zoned for commercial use fronting on a main roadway. Costs for demolition would be between $200,000 and 250,000.

"It might be possible to save the brick building up front as an historic site," said Swisher.

The brick building was built in 1938-39.

Asked about community use of the facility, Swisher said he felt the school district was open to the process. The possibility of community-centered use must take into consideration traffic patterns, an ODOT transportation plan, costs and the economic impact on Sisters, board members agreed.

The CATS Arts and Culture committee is interested in getting inputs from local artists to further their interaction with the public. A meeting will be held on Tuesday, May 28 at 6:30 p.m., at Sisters COCC. Ideas on marketing, brochures and a virtual gallery will be discussed.

A unanimous voice vote changed CATS fiscal year to January 1 through December 31 and reflects the same fiscal year plan as the Central Oregon Partnership that partially funds CATS. The current yearly budget for CATS is $130,000.

"We have been in operation over three years and I'm proud of the work we have done in so many areas to make Sisters a better community," said administrator Bob Grooney. "We'll continue to work and improve our community in the future."

CATS Board members are: Bill Anthony, Tom Coffield, Kathy Deggendorfer, Jan Gould, Robert Grooney, Vickie Patterson-Hornbeck, Deb Kollodge, Jerry Norquist, Steve Pyke, Emil Smith, Steve Swisher, Charles Warren and Bill Willitts.

For more information call Lorri Craig at 549-CATS.