Letters to the Editor 10/29/2008

To the Editor:

Please read your voters pamphlets, and any other information you can find before casting your vote. There is one issue that warranted not one, but two measures - 57 and 61. Read the summary in the voter's pamphlet, check the financial implications, read who is in favor, who is opposed, and think it through.

It sounds good to put criminals in prison. But perhaps some lawbreakers may be better helped through drug or alcohol treatment rather that the warehousing that happens in a "real" prison, where precious little help is available for those with drug/alcohol or mental illness problems. That is one of the root problems inherent in the current prison system in Oregon today.

One big question: who pays for this? We do. Now, and in the future. Wouldn't it be better to get help to defeat drug and alcohol addiction and see someone become a contributing part of our society and to keep families together than to see them enter this revolving door we have now?

The cost of running prisons and warehousing people comes from the general fund. The same place much of our state school funding comes from.

It is good to be in favor of keeping the Local Option and helping to fund our schools, but please don't negate that vote by voting on any measure that short-changes us through loss of state funding. There is probably no way to defeat the oppressive and overly expensive measure 61 except by voting for measure 57. Allow our judges to judge; please do not tie their hands any further with the broad brush strokes of more mandatory sentencing laws.

Vote NO on 61, and YES on 57 as a better alternative.

Nancy Tripp

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To the Editor:

I love this town! Not a day goes by that I don't marvel at the quality of people, the physical beauty, the opportunities for our children and the unique character of Sisters. I feel so lucky to live in such a great town.

One of the things that makes Sisters so exceptional is the variety and quality of products and services our local merchants offer. This year, with the economy weakened and consumers spending less, I have set a goal for the holiday season. I will spend 100 percent of my holiday dollars in Sisters.

I always try to shop locally as much as possible, but this year I think it is even more important. The big box stores will always survive, but I think this is the time that our local shops and artists really need our support.

You might be able to spend less on a gift in Bend, but think of who you want to support, the quality you want to purchase and ultimately who's economic stability is going to help this town.

Please buy locally this season and help ensure the future of our local stores and artists.

Jennifer McCrystal

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To the Editor:

Even after reading multiple pro-prescription fire published newspaper articles, my belief in the USDA Forest Service's Mission, Motto, Vision and Guiding Principle statements is still static!

I am tangled in a mosaic of feelings: long-standing feelings of gratitude for the Forest Service's excellent years of dedicated service and fresh feelings of frustration and helplessness due to "escaped" controlled burns.

Every day the blackened scar of the 1,840-acre Wizard Fire on Green Ridge commands my gaze.

I agree that controlled burns can keep forests healthy and can prevent catastrophic fires in the future. The motto "Caring for the Land and Serving People" that captures the Forest Service mission is a noble statement. However, where is the nobility, the ardent watchfulness, the prudent management of resources and finances when a controlled burn is poorly timed, minimally monitored, or abandoned altogether?

How many more "missing the mark" burns must we be subjected to?

I yearn for assurance that the Forest Service vision statement "The American people can count on the Forest Service to Perform" is applicable.

I ask the Forest Service to endeavor to restore to the minds of the people that they live and work among and serve, belief in their Guiding Principle statement: "We strive for quality and excellence in everything we do and are sensitive to the effects of our decisions on people and resources."

Hollie Foster

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To the Editor:

I hope the disaster planners are looking at the Army Corp study named something like "Hypothetical hazards of a hydrological happenstance at Carver Lake." It found that the flooding would only make it to the Oak street canal. The only copy I could find was out of Portland.

Bruce Berryhill

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To the Editor

I would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to everyone who offered assistance at the scene of our wreck Tuesday morning (October 21). A very unpleasant circumstance was made so much more bearable by the kind, caring assistance of several local residents.

I would especially like to thank Rodney Poyner, who made sure my kids were safe, warm and out of earshot while I dealt with the situation.

I also would like to thank the emergency professionals of the Deschutes County Sheriff's Department, Sisters-Camp Sherman RFPD, ODOT and Davis Towing for their prompt response and kind assistance. The stuffed animals from the RFPD and blankets from Project Linus helped my kids feel so much better in a very scary situation.

To the residents of Sisters and the surrounding area: emergency services personnel will often carry stuffed animals and blankets in their vehicles. These items are there for situations just like today when a child is scared and needs help.

Snuggling with a teddy bear and wrapping in a warm blanket makes all the difference in the world for a kid who is dealing with a very tough situation. Please contact your local agencies and Project Linus to find out what you can do to ensure there are enough stuffed animals and blankets to continue this small, yet vital service.

Nick Kidwell

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To the Editor:

Does this city need an active Economic Development Department? YES.

Here is a graphic example why. In late 2002 or early 2003 I was in negotiation with a Canadian firm to build an 8,000- to 9,000-square-foot building on property I own in the Sisters Industrial Park for manufacturing and warehousing. The company was to hire 15 to 20 employees.

With the highest possible SDC charges and high permit fees, it was hard to pencil a profit and compete with Redmond or Bend. I went to City Hall to look for help and was referred to the planning department (Mr. Neil Thompson).

After pleading my case, his reply was "What do you want? We just gave you a sewer - that's enough!"

If this city has any desire to provide work for it's citizens you need to wake up to what other cities are doing to promote business.

Ed Johnson

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To the Editor:

We wish to congratulate the Sisters High School thespians for their outstanding performance of Neil Simon's "Fools" this past week.

We thoroughly enjoyed the play. The actors were superb, using their voices, faces and body language to entertain the audience. After the performance, we enjoyed viewing all the artwork of the students in the commons and the halls.

We do not have children in the school district, but try to attend most of the musical and theatrical performances. We always enjoy the excellent quality we see.

Recently we saw the Americana Project at the Sisters Library and were impressed by their talent and stage presence.

Thanks, Sisters School District, for giving the students many opportunities to explore their talents. It is always a pleasure to be able to watch them. We encourage members of our community to attend the school performances, not only to support the kids, but also to experience some fine entertainment!

Paul and Sue Edgerton

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To the Editor:

Much has been made in The Nugget over the past weeks regarding the debate about what kind of economic development Sisters should strive for and the policy levers it has at its disposal to achieve that vision. It is a good, healthy debate.

Whether Sisters is primarily a tourist-oriented destination with a service economy, an attractive haven for active retirees, an expanding arena for light-industrial development with family-wage jobs, a mecca for professionals who are able to telecommute, a viable place for the construction and building trade industry to set up shop, or some combination of the above, at least three of the five have something in common: they will attract working-age families with kids only if the Sisters School District continues to maintain its reputation as one of the best districts in the state. 

It is not surprising that all candidates for City Council and the current members of the City Council have endorsed the Local Option. The Local Option a major factor in what enables Sisters to rise above other school districts in the state.  These academic achievements and our reputation will be maintained only if the programs that make the district what it is continue to be funded. Local option provides a critical piece of that funding.

Excellent schools must be the centerpiece of any plan to foster Sisters' economic viability. If we as a community are concerned about our economic health, then we must make sure the local option is continued.  Little is more important for the long-term viability of Sisters than the action we as a community can take to support the financial health of our school district. 

The local option needs your support and the support of your neighbors.  Please know your vote is vitally important to ensure our Local Option continues.

Cheryl Stewart

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To the Editor:

I have been a teacher in Oregon for 23 years and am the mother of two Sisters High School graduates. I now teach mathematics at SHS, but I worked in two other districts, thus I see how Local Option has been a godsend to Sisters.

In a former district music, art and the elementary PE programs were cut years ago during tough times. Most of those programs have never returned, and the ones that have are struggling to re-establish their roots, never mind blossom. Access to technology is limited and the smaller high schools do not offer the advanced-level courses that are available in high schools throughout our nation.

In a larger district, 40 students in my algebra classes was a common occurrence and as a rule, teachers have 120+ students daily. I recently talked with a former colleague, who informed me that one AP calculus class has 54 students in it!

Compare that to what my daughters received. They had exposure to the arts and had calculus classes of less than 15 students. They had healthy adult-student relationships with teachers who engaged them in meaningful discussions and shared in their triumphs and sorrows.

Compare those districts to SHS; where daily loads of 100+ students are the exception, not the rule, and all students have access to technology that is keeping stride with the technological advances of society.

Sisters has historically put our students first, so they get quality educational opportunities, in smaller classes. Continue tradition by voting YES on Local Option, so future graduates get that same quality and so that not one student has to compete with 53 others to get help on a math problem!

Sally Taylor-Pillar

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To the Editor:

I would encourage everyone to support our Local Option.

Our schools are as important to Sisters as our wonderful library and nature trails. These things and many more are all connected and give us the quality of life we so enjoy in our city.

Although we each give different amounts of time and attention to different aspects of our community, the "big picture" of Sisters is how all the parts overlap and support one another.

Times may be tough and choices need to be made by everyone, but if you are able to support our schools it will help to ensure the quality of life we value so much in Sisters Country.

Paul Bennett

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To the Editor:

Our sons and grandsons, our daughters and granddaughters have a future filled with unprecedented challenges.

It is on their shoulders that the trillion-dollar-plus bailouts of today will fall. The solvency of our country's retirement safety net, Social Security, will likely depend on their abilities as productive workers and smart thinkers. The list of such seemingly insurmountable problems goes on and on.

It's easy to feel powerless in such circumstances. But there is something simple we can do as an intelligent response. We can help our young people to get not just a decent but a great education.

Your vote to renew the Local Option matters. Give our youngsters the opportunities they need at school to help them be successful as adults. Please vote yes on Measure 9-67 today.

Merry Ann Moore

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To the Editor:

What motivates voters to support particular candidates in an election? Hopefully it is personal knowledge of the candidates rather than the number or size of campaign ads.

Lacking personal knowledge, we can fall back to "platform" positions; or better yet choose candidates whose self-interest and actions appeal to us. I suggest the later is the most reliable indicator of a candidates' performance in office.

For City Council we have a trio of candidates who are arguably development-oriented, vs. a pair of candidates with a well- documented record of public service to Sisters without development interests one way or the other. One has to wonder what motivated the "development slate" to form a PAC and solicit campaign funding.

I'll speculate it was just a combination of human nature and shared self-interest, and that they are probably fine people. Nevertheless, I will support Holzman and Boyd for City Council, based on their record of public service, open-minded approach, and community vision free of development-based self-interest.

Bob Albrecht

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To the Editor:

If you haven't voted and if you are the least bit uncertain about supporting the Local Option, please read this letter.

The feedback from our campaign is that many people appreciate and value the achievements of our school district, realize that Local Option is a significant reason for this success and understand that Local Option is a small tax that began eight years ago and this is just a renewal at the same rate. However, this same feedback has also revealed concern about the economy and sticker shock from tax statements.

Many of us are uncertain about the economy and unhappy with the government. A "yes" vote on Local Option is a statement that, regardless of what may be wrong with the rest of the country, here in Sisters we still value education and we are willing to pay a few extra dollars for the sake of our children and the good of our community.

This small tax does not support some Federal program that you may not approve of or ever see any benefit from. By making our schools better, this money helps attract new families and businesses to Sisters and maintain property values.

Local Option contributes to economic prosperity here in Sisters, benefitting those who don't have children as well as all of the children and their families.

The loss of Local Option for even one year would mean the dismantling of a good part of what we have accomplished, a blow that would take many years to recover from. Please don't let that happen.

With your support and your vote, we will pass Local Option, we will continue doing the many things that make us a great school district, and our community will continue to thrive and grow.

Glen Lasken

Sisters School Board member

s s s

To the Editor:

After hearing from many of you I am writing today to let you know that I am putting all of my support behind council candidates Lon Kellstrom, Jerry Bogart and Pat Thompson.

I have worked with all three of these individuals and can attest to their commitment to retaining the village atmosphere we have come to know and love in Sisters. All three of these candidates have proven leadership abilities, and a desire to listen to all sides of an issue before making critical decisions on behalf of our community.

These three candidates all work with the public, understand the need for diplomacy and have the skills to build collaborative working relationships with our communities partnering agencies and civic organizations.

These three individuals will make their decisions based on the community's vision and the priorities in that vision, and that is who we should seek out to fill leadership positions in our community. According to the list of over 180 community leaders it seems many of you agree as well, so let's all cast our votes for Kellstrom, Bogart and Thompson on November 4.

Thank you all for your help, for your support, and for your vote.

Judy Trego

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To the Editor:

I hope by now everyone has taken the time to vote? Yes; my wife Wendy is running and although I've personally never been described as her "better half" this letter is not so much about Wendy (I hope and trust you've all heard about her wonderful skills and accomplishments by now) but more a commentary on the election process itself.

All of the other candidates are indeed honorable men of good intentions... I think there is little doubt on that score. What concerns me is the group of men, business interests and political fund-raising groups that have threatened to turn our local elections into a future process where money just doesn't talk, it swears!

In the past, a candidate for Sisters City Council might spend a total of $50 on his/her election and the associated shoe leather for walking the neighborhoods and knocking on doors.

I just took a look online and found that the Kellstrom/Thompson/Bogart slate has received almost $10,000. Six contributions of $1,000 or more: two from building PACs and four from local builders. These contributors are in construction or real estate... so while the candidates talk about economic development in general, it's clear which business is funding them.

I have heard from the three candidates that they will remain independent and not be beholden to their contributors interests and I do trust them on this. They are all honorable men.

I also know that most folks (including myself) rarely invest large sums of money without expectation of some benefit or return on their investments.

It becomes difficult if not impossible to "wind back the clock" or get the "horse back in the barn" but wouldn't it be wonderful if local elections in Sisters do not escalate in the kind of SPEND SPEND SPEND elections we're seeing now all across the country?

Alan Holzman

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To the Editor:

Our young people are getting a great education and many go on to college, some with scholarships.

The problem is - then where do they go? Sisters is losing the fine education we've gladly paid extra for and the population of Sisters is aging because we can't support them with a job that allows them to start a family and buy a home here.

This brings me to the economic future of Sisters. After losing the only light industry companies we had here, it was recently suggested we don't need industry, but simply need more gift shops, galleries, motels, restaurants, and destination resorts to bring the money into town. Typically, the only high paying jobs here are held by the owners, and some of them barely make it through the winter.

Why has the City Council and the Mayor been doing so little for so long? These needs are not new. Can we wonder why Economic Development for Central Oregon has given up on us because we "have no unifying vision"?

We have a Mayor that now says "we just need to sit down and refocus," is "cautious about what the city can do," that "any tax relief the city could provide is 'miniscule'," but also now says he is "open to discovering what other towns have done to promote economic development."

Now he's open to it? Can we take the risk that even that "refocus" will survive the election, or will it die after the votes are counted?

We have the window of opportunity right now to change the atmosphere at City Hall by our vote. We need a council that is bullish on Sisters, that actively wants to create an atmosphere of equal opportunity and creativity, and will encourage the growth that will serve the current and future generations of Sisters. Vote for Bogart, Kellstrom, and Thompson.

Virginia Lindsey

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To the Editor:

Over the last few weeks many people have asked me, "Jerry, why are you running for City Council?" While I have many reasons for wanting to be on the City Council, the foremost is because I see ways that Sisters can become the city we all want and need in order to thrive and have a sustainable economy.

Our city has many challenges ahead of it, and we need fiscally prudent leadership to handle those challenges. My favorite quote is - "Vision is the roadmap for a community for what they want to become; Leadership is the navigator of the road that results in achieving that vision."

I believe it is the responsibility of the City Council to carry out that vision, and that responsibility includes creating an economically viable environment where companies and businesses can build and grow, providing family-wage jobs that will help pull this city out of its "economic distress" as it has been classified.

The City of Sisters has so much to offer companies, and we must work with local agencies such as EDCO (Economic Development of Central Oregon) and the Oregon Economic and Community Development Department, both of which offer assistance (some in the way of grants) to attract businesses to our city.

Not only is it our job to develop and attract more tourism (which is seasonal), but also businesses that are able to provide our population with consistent, sustainable income throughout the year. This philosophy benefits everyone, from the local Ray's Food Place to Ace Hardware. When our citizens are earning a good wage they will spend it locally.

I share the vision the people of Sisters have created, and if I am chosen to sit on the City Council, I will translate that vision into action.

Gerald "Jerry" Bogart