Letters to the Editor 11/04/2009

To the Editor:

Councilors Merrill and Weed are to be commended for their position on the annexation of McKenzie Meadows.

As others have pointed out, there is a vast oversupply of undeveloped land in the city and there are serious questions about the economic costs and benefits to the city if the annexation went forward.

By focusing on these threshold issues, Merrill and Weed rightly conclude that annexation is not right for the city at this time. They are doing exactly what we should expect of all elected officials: paying attention to the details and watching out for the interests of the entire city.

Calling them obstructionist is unwarranted and is based on unsupported wishful thinking. There is nothing to support the position espoused in last week's op-ed that annexation would be a silver bullet that would provide jobs, keep citizens in the community and relieve them of credit card debt.

Not surprisingly, the authors offered no facts or analysis to support their claims. But there is plenty of evidence to refute them. For instance, two large projects were approved over six months ago - each with financing-Black Butte Crossing and the Sisters Village Hotel, and there is no sign of any jobs from either.

By contrast, the McKenzie Meadows project remains largely a concept, still unfinanced, with details a moving target. The lack of jobs in our community is not being caused by the absence of buildable land - there is an abundance of vacant commercial space, vacant commercial and industrial land. And there are around 100 properties in foreclosure. If land were all that we need, the city would be brimming with construction and jobs.

Merrill and Weed have done their homework and have taken a hard position. They should be praised, not criticized.

Doug Hancock

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To the Editor:

As citizens, shouldn't we demand the truth from our city government? As such, I believe we deserve nothing less.

It is obvious that Sisters is in no need for more buildable property. And it is obvious that the city will not be saved financially by one project.

If annexation of McKenzie Meadows becomes reality, then we are creating nothing more then a band-aid for an already bleeding section of Sisters' economy.

There will not be "thousands of jobs" created now or in the future from this project. It will only serve to line the pockets of a few businessmen who have chosen to use inflammatory rhetoric to get what they want.

I ask them to be responsible and forthcoming with their true motivations. I ask them to think of the greater good. I ask them to think at a community level. The City of Sisters and her citizens deserve all this and more.

Leslie Newbold

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To the Editor:

I read the letter written to the editor on October 28 about the charter academy.

All I have to say is if you are suggesting that we should continue to pay tax money so your child can have a teacher for each four children, that is a lot to ask. Do you have any idea what the real world is doing out here trying to pay our bills and raise our children?

We have one of the best school systems I have ever seen. I for one am going to write the state and request they stop paying for this.

Sammy Corfield

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To the Editor:

The economy is in fact down. Brought down, arguably, through the actions of something I'll define as "The Development/Banking Complex." (Remember the "Military/Industrial Complex" of the '60s & '70s?).

We had people who wanted houses who couldn't afford them; builders who wanted to increase building, and bankers who wanted to increase lending. The problem was that the consumer (us) couldn't afford it. Their "solution" was to hide (through mortgage-backed securities) the fact that there were not enough financially qualified buyers for their product. They were very successful and became wealthy. The number of builders, mortgage brokers, and Realtors grew rapidly.

Now a coalition of development interests have succeeded in electing a majority to the city council through a well-funded political action committee. They want to resuscitate their businesses by doing more of what they know how to do. This is not about the desirability of an old-folks home in Sisters. It is about the business of development. That is why the vast majority of the proposed DEVELOPMENT is normal single-family houses.

I fail to see how the way out of our economic malaise is to build more houses in the midst of the greatest glut of repossessed and unsold houses in a generation.

I commend councilors Weed and Merrill for their skepticism, and encourage the city council to defer consideration of the McKenzie Meadows annexation until financial and economic conditions will support such a project.

Bob Albrecht

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To the Editor:

It appears that the 62-acre Forest Service property, located in Sisters, will be back on the sale table next year.

One of the questions is what might the property be used for. I'm sure there will be a variety of suggestions from various public and private agencies.

My suggestion is to devote part of the 62-acres for a public Sisters swimming pool. This would be used by citizens of all ages and could provide healthy exercise for seniors, workers in the area, and children. The latter could receive swimming lessens as well as recreation, particularly during summer vacations.

But where would the money come from for such a facility? First, I would suggest some of our federal and state taxes come back and directly help a community. What a novel idea! Also, part of the land sale money could be used for a public swimming pool. This could be augmented by local donations from willing people.

What do you think? Would such a facility be of benefit to our entire community or should we allow only commercial and government buildings be used on the property? It's your call, it's your tax money, it's your community.

Conrad Weiler