Mayor appoints three to planning commission

Mayor Dave Elliott has appointed three citizens to fill vacancies on the Sisters Planning Commission.

Dominic DeBari has been an independent tile contractor for over 30 years. He is interested in being involved in guiding the pattern and direction of growth in Sisters.

"As a downtown resident it seems important to be as involved in development planning as possible," he said.

David Gentry offers 24 years of experience in state government, including 21 years as a software engineering manager.

"I believe my skill set can make a significant contribution to the Planning Commission's success," he said.

Carey Tosello, with family in Sisters for almost 30 years, has seen big changes during that time.

Regarding the rapid growth that Sisters is experiencing he said, "Balancing the demand for growth with the preservation of the small town character that drew all of us here is a challenge -- one that I would like to be a part of."

All vacancies were "in-city" positions, requiring applicants to live within the city limits. The four members continuing their terms on the commission are Ted Johnson, David Marlowe (Chairman), Kevin Miller, and Bob Temple (Vice Chairman).

Mayor Elliott expressed his appreciation for the applicants coming forward.

"I'm glad to have a full commission again," he said. "When the new commissioners learn their roles they will be ready to tackle some hard decisions that will be coming up. It will be a challenge."

Orientation will follow with the new commissioners starting official duty on November 1.

In other council business, Sisters Movie House, part of the FivePine development, was approved for a liquor license at a meeting on Thursday night, October 14. Although she does not expect to open until May 2005, Lisa Clausen explained that beer and wine sales are an integral part of her plans and she needs early approval to follow through on her financial applications.

Although the fee had already been dropped from the October utility bills, the council officially dropped the $6 bond fee from city water bills, (Resolution 2004-17).

This week's city council workshop on October 21 at 8 a.m. will concentrate on Street Fund Revenue options.