Letters to the Editor 10/15/2008

To the Editor:

Re: Demaris Lake: a 'local secret' (The Nugget, October 8, page 30).

What a wonderful article, but it's a little late now to consider keeping this off the general public's radar screen, as it was mailed to me from my niece in Prineville, who received it from her uncle in Bend!

And his e-mail list was well over 30, so if you multiply that by every one that gets it, the whole state will soon know about it. I live in McMinnville, but the Demaris clan is huge and spread out all over the state. Happy hiking!

Carol Demaris

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To the Editor:

As the current Chair of the Sisters Organization for Activities & Recreation (SOAR) I am writing on behalf of the entire board to voice our support for the Local Option levy for Sisters schools. Part of a great community is great schools, and since we work closely with the District this is very important to us.

Passing the Sisters School District local option keeps our schools strong and funded. What could be more important? Sisters is the only district in Central Oregon to have met federal annual yearly progress benchmarks at elementary, middle and high school this past year - strong schools equal strong citizens!

There is direct correlation with the Local Option levy and the success of our students. It allows for keeping class sizes down, hiring and retaining highly qualified teachers, purchasing instructional and technology materials (e.g. new language arts curriculum) and providing a diverse set of electives and extra-curricular activities.

We hope you will join us in VOTING YES on the local school option.

Sue Boettner, Jim Long, Carole "CB" Davis, Peggy Tehan and Bonnie Malone

SOAR Board of Directors

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To the Editor:

Take a moment and ask yourself, "What made you choose Sisters as the place to live?" Was it the breathtaking mountain views, the towering ponderosa pines, the aromatic juniper and sage? Was it the strong sense of community, the close-knit neighborhoods, the volunteerism and involvement? Or, was it the great educational system?

With the exception of the first choice, which is almost a given, we feel the rest are inter-related. We are firm believers that without the excellent quality and reputation of the Sisters School District, this community would dwindle to mediocrity. We truly believe that good people are drawn to a good educational system and vice-versa. This symbiotic relationship is essential for either one to survive.

The Local Option coming up on the November ballot is continued insurance - nothing new on your tax statement but continued insurance - to help our community be the envy of small-town America. This community has always risen to the occasion to support our schools, from the Starry Nights Concert series, to the "Sisters School Raising" when an entire wing of the Elementary School was built by volunteers. In turn, our educational system pays us back by providing such high quality education to our kids that it continually ranks among top districts in Oregon.

So once again, ask yourself: are you here for the strong school system, or is the school system strong because of you? Vote YES to renew our Local Option.

Cory & Joni Stengel

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To the Editor:

I was surprised that the Transportation System Plan (TSP) has become an issue in the city council election. Even more surprising is the apparent support for the couplet option expressed by some council candidates. The TSP Public Advisory Committee of which I am a member has not heard anyone speak in favor of a couplet despite numerous public meetings over the past eight months when those views could have been expressed in a constructive way.

There are numerous advantages to the alternate route via Barclay and Locust vs. the couplet. First, the alternate route gets significant traffic out of downtown, protecting businesses and our village atmosphere without impeding north-south traffic. Second, unlike the couplet, it can be constructed in phases, so not all the money must be raised at once. Third, it costs less than the couplet. Fourth, Cascade will become more pedestrian friendly, with wider sidewalks and safer crossings.

Since the TSP is not yet complete, not all funding sources and options have been identified, but some have. A major part of the cost of both the alternate route and the couplet is the reconstruction of the intersection of US20 and ORE126 plus the bridge east of town. The funding for that section would come from ODOT because those are both state highways. The intersection of US20 and Locust would probably be at least partially funded by ODOT. The city's share of the cost for the intersection of US20 and Barclay would be partially if not fully paid for by SDCs from the new Ray's shopping center.

Wendy Holzman attended most meetings as a member of the public, and Brad Boyd led the Advisory Committee, which unanimously recommended the alternate route. I support Brad and Wendy because they demonstrate vision and leadership of which this is but one example.

Bruce Bowen

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To the Editor:

When I heard that Jerry Bogart and Pat Thompson were jumping into the race with Lon Kellstrom for city council I was very excited. All three are sound-minded businessmen who would look out for the economic prosperity of Sisters.

I have been a good friend of Jerry Bogart and he continually urges me to get involved with Rotary. Pat Thompson is a strong family man, friend, and goes out of his way to help when I have needs at Sisters Storage and Rental. I have had numerous conversations with Lon Kellstrom over the past three years and I like the way he thinks.

I feel there would be an excellent future for Sisters with these three in City Council.

I have continually been frustrated with the past and current city councils as they frustrate businesses. I own the Garden of Eden, part owner of Haken Cosmetics, and have partnered in other business. I recently started manufacturing Lazy Jake Drift Boats and the City would not let us display them in front of the Garden of Eden on Cascade (a made-in-Sisters item).

We have property in the industrial development that we need to rent out. The City decides to lease public property to HCD. Also how many industrial properties are available and sitting empty? Nothing like helping us out. Garbage trucks will just drive through Buck Run to get to this property as I have been told. Did they decide to rezone to meet their needs and not the people of Sisters?

We need like-minded businesspeople on the city council.

I urge all friends and sisters residents to Vote for Bogart, Thompson, Kellstrom.

Jeff Haken

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To the Editor:

Mayor Brad Boyd has provided excellent leadership for Sisters - one of our last, best places - and deserves re-election.

Brad Boyd's three opponents are well funded from land development interests. Some of the contributors own land on the east and west sides of town outside the urban growth boundary (UGB) and want to bring it into the city for development. Fortunately they've failed because of Brad Boyd's City Council leadership.

Sisters has between 850-1,000 platted but not developed residential lots inside the city limits, and many vacant commercial properties. Assuming 30 new residential buildings per year, a high assumption, an over 30-year supply of buildable land is already available. Bringing more land into the UGB for sprawl development is premature and contradicts state law that requires a 20-year supply.

Greed has weakened many communities. An example similar to Sisters is Ketchum, Idaho. Like Sisters today it was an exceptional and beautiful place 44 years ago when I lived in Idaho. It had a superb history of many colors. You could almost feel Hemingway and the Old West. Now it has the same appeal and appearance of any smallville.

Sprawl would weaken Sisters' central commercial core and its exceptional historic qualities, but provide no more opportunities for growth, business or jobs. Just more profit for a few.

That's why Brad Boyd should be re-elected and Wendy Holtzman elected to the Sisters City Council.

H. Tom Davis

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To the Editor:

Our family has considered bicycling and walking as a defining characteristic of a place where we want to live. We moved to Sisters because it is a small town that would, we hoped, allow us to take our children to school and to run our errands on bike or by walking. After all, Sisters is supposed to be a pedestrian-friendly town - safe, for example, for our kids to walk to school.

We were initially disappointed by the pedestrian/biking situation, but we started to see improvements when Brad Boyd became Mayor. He is really committed to enhancing the image of Sisters as a small town that welcomes walkers and cyclists. In particular, under his administration the city made critical improvements to the crosswalks near the elementary school, and the bike path to the middle school will finally be constructed after more than 10 years of delay.

I feel very fortunate our town has a mayor who acts to enhance the safety of our school kids, making Sisters a much more livable community. Our town needs more of Brad Boyd's kind of vision!

Jana Novotny

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To the Editor:

First a big-money campaign and signs everywhere, some the size of small cars, for a trio of developers. Now a blast of spam, a giant blast presumably. Since I got one and I have nothing to do with any of these candidates. Please take me off your list.

What happened to the good old days when candidates spent small amounts of their own money, arranged meetings to introduce themselves, participated in debates, and took their chances on election day? The builders want it bad, that much is for sure. Welcome to bulldozer politics.

Vote for Boyd and Holzman, and leave it at that.

John Rahm

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To the Editor:

I am writing to urge you to cast your vote for Wendy Holzman and Brad Boyd for City Council.

The current City Council consists of five distinct voices reflecting a range of citizen concerns... a business owner (Boyd) a retired Colonel (Bill Merrill), a builder (Lon Kellstrom), a non-profit affordable-housing builder (myself), and a social service worker with corporate background (Shawna Bell). We all study the issues and come to the table ready to hash out the best decision for our community. There is no majority voting block.

Electing a majority of folks with development interests (or any one interest) is unwise and could result in decisions being made that do not represent the will of the citizens as a whole.

Electing Boyd and Holzman will keep the balance on council that has provided a more positive, proactive, representative and responsive city government.

Sharlene Weed

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To the Editor:

Hello. My name is Mike Ahern. I am currently running for State Representative District 59 which includes Black Butte Ranch and Camp Sherman. The recent Wall Street bailout has demonstrated what I have said since the beginning of my campaign: that is, the economy is the major issue in this election.

As a Jefferson County Commissioner for six years and a Madras City Councilor for four years, I have a solid record of supporting economic development and creating new jobs. As a small businessman I have met a payroll and dealt with government red tape.

As a member of the majority party I will be in a strong position to deliver for our district. This will be an improvement because our area and our values have been ignored at the State Capital.

I am proud to say that I initiated a clean campaign pledge with the opposition incumbent John Huffman, which he accepted. This is one positive thing that we both can claim to our credit as our whole country would be better off with more positive campaigns.

My wife Jane and I would like to thank your community for the many kind comments and the support we have received. I am asking for your vote and am looking forward to representing you.

Mike Ahern

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To the Editor:

I find it disgusting that the Forest Service has deteriorated into pyromaniacs with their controlled burn policy. It has proven uncontrollable and I call it a scorched earth policy.

The person that ordered that controlled burn at Camp Sherman should be fired immediately and charged with criminal destruction of public property - our National Forest.

This burn was a stupid decision for many reasons: We hadn't had rain since early July. Fire danger was extreme to critical at the time. Winds were scheduled to pick up later in the day. Humidity in the area was below 14 percent. Daytime temperatures were in the 70s.

Collateral damage would be severe to standing trees, shrubs and greenery at these conditions of heat, humidity and wind.

(There was) no real pressing need to reburn this unit. Why now?

You are not lowering fire danger by burning this unit.

Anybody with an IQ of 10 knows there is an updraft against Green Ridge in the daylight hours.

Same thing happened here in 2002 - a Forest Service "controlled burn" in the same area. The fire raced up Green Ridge. These people never learn anything!

Whatever happened to the safe, sane policy of burning after the first snowfall?

Even then they patrolled the fires for any outbreaks or underground burning that can lead to more fires.

The Wizard Fire has been a $2 million test and proof that "Controlled" burns do not stop fires when conditions are ripe for wildfires. (This unit had been burned at least twice before!)

Investigating what went wrong with the fire is a waste of time and money. Forest Service disregard of public safety and common sense in their burn program is the problem.

Clarence Childry

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To the Editor:

As relatively new residents of Sisters, we were surprised to read about other people's displeasure with the recent change in our garbage/recycling program.

We are thrilled to be getting curbside recycling!

Maybe we're overly optimistic, but we believe this will encourage more recycling and a result in a cleaner city. Thanks to all city employees and citizens who researched the cost benefits of this service and are bringing us into the 21st century with this forward-looking decision.

Kay and David Grady

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To the Editor:

I recently reread Mark Twain's "The Man Who Corrupted Hadleyburg." I came to the paragraph:

"There is nothing in the world like a persuasive speech to befuddle the mental apparatus and upset the convictions and debauch the emotions of an audience not practiced in the trials and delusions of oratory."

This clearly brings Barack Obama to mind.

Mr. Obama is a self-absorbed narcissist who portrays himself as a political messiah - the anointed one who by virtue of being elected will usher in a new kind of politics. One of his campaign slogans is "We are the ones we've been waiting for." It captures the messianic tone, hubris and fundamental immaturity of his movement. It's all about him and his supporters and their supposed greatness.

The most vivid illustration of Mr. Obama's celebrity fantasy politics was his speech in Berlin. He said the greatest danger was not Islamic terrorism, the proliferation of nuclear weapons or the rise of China and Russia. Obama says the greatest danger is America's image.

We owe the world no apologies. Perhaps spending the next eight years in the U.S. Senate would be good for Obama.

Steve Coltin