News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Civic leaders and citizens will spend a year and $72,000 in cash and in-kind contributions to develop a “Greater Sisters Community and Growth Strategy.”
The Sisters City Council voted on Thursday, March 23, to contribute $10,000 to the project.
Groups will meet in a series of “community summits” to develop “a vision which portrays a desired future condition for the Greater Sisters Community,” according to plan documents. The project is also supposed to develop a “strategic plan for managing growth and achieving the desired vision.”
“For me this is a very exciting project,” said Councilor Sharlene Weed.
She said the project would help the community be “proactive” in facing the challenges of growth and change.
Judy Trego abstained from discussion because the Community Action Team of Sisters (CATS), which she leads, will be involved in the project. None of the project funding will go to her.
The other councilors were less enthusiastic, though they voted to appropriate the funding.
“I have serious reservations about spending the money,” said Lon Kellstrom. He said he feared the project was “symbolism over substance, a lot of fluff.”
Brad Boyd said it is important that that not be the case. He said he would insist on specific, detailed and actionable plans coming out of the project.
“I am going to vote for it,” he said. “We need some real items, things to adopt and do.’
Similarly, Mayor Dave Elliott promised to “keep on top of” the project to ensure that it produces tangible results. He said the city needed to participate, saying, “We’re going to get out of it what we put into it.”
The first “community summit” is projected for this spring; two other summits will follow in fall 2006 and winter 2007. A community survey this spring will try to tap perceptions of “trends, issues, values, goals and strategies.” The project includes a “community visioning fair” set for fall 2006.
CATS will lead the project, with proposed partners including the Central Oregon Intergovernmental Council; Rural Development Initiatives; and Brand Navigations.
Participants will include the City of Sisters, the Sisters School District, the fire district, service clubs, the library, com-munity agencies and others.
Jim Cornelius is editor in chief of The Nugget and author of “Warriors of the Wildlands: True Tales of the Frontier Partisans.” A history buff, he explores frontier history across three centuries and several continents on his podcast, The Frontier Partisans. For more information visit www.frontierpartisans.com.
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