News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon

New senior planner to join city staff

In the shadow of an announcement by the city of Bend that they are laying off 10 people from the planning and engineering staff because of the economic slowdown, the city of Sisters has hired a new senior planner in what has been a chronically understaffed planning department.

Pauline Hardie will join the staff at the first of the year.

"She is very impressive and will really add to the planning department. There are a lot of areas that we have not been able to devote any time because we were so limited in staff, and she will allow us to move forward and provide better service to the community," said Eric Porter, Director of Planning and Community Development for the city of Sisters.

Hardie has roots in the area and regards her new post in Sisters as a homecoming.

"I have relatives in Central Oregon, and, although I am from California, I see Oregon as my home. My husband and I really love it there and can hardly wait to relocate," she said.

Not only does Hardie have several relatives in Central Oregon, her parents live in Grants Pass.

"It is only about a three-hour drive to Grants Pass, so we will be able to see my parents a lot more often than we have been able to since we have lived here (in California)," said Hardie.

Although Hardie loves Sisters and thinks that it would be a great place to live, she and her husband have decided to live in Bend for his job and to be close to relatives for her young children.

"I don't think that with the experience that we have had in California communing the short drive to Sisters should be any kind of a problem for me," she said.

Hardie brings to Sisters considerable experience in the area of planning, coming from a community of just over 16,000 with needs not unlike those of Sisters.

"I have been with the city of Oakdale as a planner for about six years, and I was with an engineering firm for a year before that," she said.

The family is looking forward to the sports opportunities in the area, as well as the change in living environment.

"We just love the area and the recreational opportunities there, and having family there just adds to the draw. We fly fish, golf and are going to be able to take up snowboarding again which we had to give up when we came here (to California)," said Hardie.

Another consideration that cinched the deal in the decision for Hardie and her husband to move to Central Oregon are the couple's two young children.

"We are also looking to the area as a great place to raise children. Even the children are excited to come to Oregon," said Hardie.

Hardie was educated at a well-respected university in California and feels that planning is her niche in life.

"I went to Cal-Poly in San Luis Obispo for my degree, and it was a very interesting time with the location being right on the beach, and I found the concepts of planning to be fascinating," said Hardie.

A whirlwind of activity will surround the couple when they arrive in about two weeks.

"We will arrive on December 21. I can hardly wait to be able to have Christmas there. There will be a lot to do, but we are going to get it all done so that we can have a great Christmas there this year," said Hardie.

 

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