Letters to the Editor 11/18/2009

To the Editor:

Any official who tries to prevent the senior living/McKenzie Meadow project is doing a disservice to the community!

I have lived in the Sisters community since 1990, when I retired from being a developer for a large national firm, personally responsible for the development and/or management of millions of square feet of industrial or commercial space. I have had some experience with site selection. The tone of the recent Nugget articles and letters suggest there are many suitable alternative sites available for this project. This is a very naive way of thinking. From what I read there are ready, willing and able buyers and sellers for this site and a project developer who has identified this location as one that would work.

I don't know all the reasons why this site works for this project but I have not heard of any alternatives, probably because there are none. Available land is no guarantee of a successful project.

I personally know of scores of senior friends and neighbors who have relocated from Sisters due to the lack of senior or assisted-living facilities.

Even if the project start and any job creation is some time away I hope this city council says yes and gets the ball rolling right now.

David V. Douthit

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To the Editor:

When my elderly mom left her home of 45 years to move here in 2001, one deciding factor was the possibility of assisted/senior housing right here in Sisters. To consider a facility in Bend would be way too isolated from grandchildren dropping in and the like. I urge the entire city council of Sisters to seize the current opportunity before them to keep our valued seniors here in the Sisters community. They enrich our community in many ways; have you ever noticed the large number who volunteer around town?

Cindy Uttley

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To the Editor:

Dear Mr. Anonymous:

By taking one of the finest citizens in Sisters and bringing to light his financial challenges you rallied more support for McKenzie Meadow Village Senior Housing Campus than I ever dreamed possible. For each person that spoke favorably there were five more that regretted they didn't have the opportunity to voice their respect and support.

I have good news. If you continue your path as Mr. Anonymous you have tremendous opportunity. Look carefully into my past and you will find a good selection of learning experiences that will embarrass me publicly. Look into each of my children's past and again you'll find more possibilities, as a matter of fact look into anyone's past and you'll find limitless opportunity. Perhaps you've forgotten that we're all just human and we all lead imperfect lives.

What I enjoy most about our community is that we all love Sisters and we're passionate about protecting it for future generations. It was too bad you didn't make it to the meeting. You would have heard diverse voices like Morgan, Malone, Mintiens share one thing in common. Each has the courage to speak what's in their heart.

Thank you for uniting the community in support of our seniors. May you someday learn to practice the golden rule.

Bill Willitts

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To the Editor:

It is really sad to see a longtime Sisters business like Coyote Creek Café close. (The Nugget, Nov. 11). Patron Art Barker hit the nail on the head when he said, "We're doing all this work to bring in business, but we've got to take care of what we've got." Unfortunately, that is not what we are doing.

Are you aware that there are 33 establishments in Sisters that have restaurant licenses? It was 34.

Check the Deschutes County Web site - it's true. Some of those even have national advertising behind them. There seems to be one or two new ones opening every year.

If it were not for the many new restaurants here, perhaps Coyote Creek would have made it through the recession. I suggest that the City of Sisters establish a temporary moratorium on giving any more business licenses to new restaurants. If the federal government can put us all deeply in debt to save Wall Street businesses and General Motors, then maybe local government should be doing something to protect local businesses.

More restaurants, galleries, and lodging facilities will not increase tourism. The pie is just being cut into smaller pieces. On the other hand, in the same issue of The Nugget, Thomas Womack suggested using the Forest Service property for a live performance park. Now that is the kind of thinking that will help the old businesses here prosper again. Another idea would be a large indoor/outdoor water park.

Just don't fill the place with new restaurants.

Jim Veenker

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To the Editor:

I heard many good things about the Stihl logging show.

Though it was cold, I heard from customers where I work that it was fun and very interesting. I would like to put a suggestion out there to the community, to the businesses, the chamber and the rodeo association, of taking this show a step further.

The rodeo association has a large facility that I see as only used a few times out of the year. This country was in part founded not just on farming and ranching but the timber industry as well. Would it not be a tourist draw to do a daily timber show of old, log rolling, pole climbing and so forth, similar to the Timber Carnival of Albany used to be?

Build a timber show that could be a two-time-a-day event from spring weekends to full-time every week in the summer, could draw more people to the region and make Sisters Country a bigger destination getaway.

We could inspire young people to learn about the business that helped finance this region for generations, bring in pros that still compete in logging shows all over the world as well as draw in income for the community and businesses.

If the rodeo association were to work in conjunction with someone such as Stihl, (they could) design a fun, entertaining and educational show for the tourists to come to and learn what the timber industry meant to this community as well as what it was all about.

I know that it will take time, volunteers and, yes, money, but bringing this to Sisters would bring another added dimension to community that is working to keep it a financially strong destination getaway.

K. McClure

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To the Editor:

With respect to the letter from last week regarding the capability of Representative Walden's brain, I find it sadly typical of the attitudes reflected by many these days.

While we have an overwhelming majority of democrats in the House, the Senate and the White House, it still seems that some have absolutely no tolerance of any type of dissenting or diversity of opinion. Some might actually find it an admirable quality (not a brain defect) to have an elected official cast his vote based on constituent feedback.

As for accusing Walden of being motivated by special-interest money - I think there are also a few politicians in favor of this government health care that have also been known to be moved by special-interest money from time to time.

While some sing the praises of government controlled health care referring to it as the "standard of the world" there are others who recognize that this shining example set by our European friends is really a glaring example of their substandard system.

We all know from experience how well our government administers its current programs.

First and foremost there are huge numbers of republicans, democrats and independents that oppose yet another government power grab concerning a huge aspect of all our lives.

We all agree health care reform is needed but the current plans are not "reform." The current plan is just another in an ever-growing number of government takeovers. Government seems to be more interested in the acquisition of yet more power than instituting the actual changes that would truly "reform" our health care.

Since it would seem that a preponderance of people on both sides of the fence agree that government-controlled health care (and gun bans for that matter) is a bad idea. I for one am glad that Walden is listening to the people that voted him into office.

Steve Taylor

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To the Editor:

I am of the opinion that most of the 2,000-or-so-page House version of the health care bill was actually not read by hardly anyone in Congress, but perhaps actually was read by Representative Walden.

It is Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid, along with Barack Obama, who are desperate to force a health care bill through Congress without allowing anyone the time to carefully review the specifics. Or before 2010, when the democratic majority in Congress likely expires. Passage of this health care bill by the Senate would definitely be historic. Long overdue? I think not.

The United States of America has tremendous health care. We enjoy the highest quality health care in the world. What we don't have is full access to health care (via insurance) for everyone. Health care and health insurance are not one and the same. Few deny (but some do, and thoughtfully) that the health insurance system is worth improving. There are free-market ideas that make great sense. You can read more at the Cato Institute Web page.

Forcing a costly government-run system upon Americans, the majority of whom do not want that type of system (read the polls), is and would be a shameful act by our elected representatives.

For me, the health care debate and how it is unfolding is symptomatic of a much larger problem. The Constitution of the United States of America has taken a substantial beating the last 16+ years, and the current White House occupant is continuing that pattern of abuse. I am appalled at the vast expansion of executive privilege that has occurred in my lifetime. I am very fearful of the current and future Presidents' appointing executive branch officials - without congressional approval - to monitor and restrict things other than CEO pay at Bailout Bank.

What if the next president is Sarah Palin? If you think she's an idiot, as many do, would you want the ever-expanding role and power of executive privilege in her hands? Careful what you wish for.

The independent voters of America are angry.

Matt Wessel

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To the Editor:

The people of the 2nd Congressional District elected Greg Walden to represent their values.

He is the only one of five Oregon representatives who sees fit to actually consider the severe repercussions of a massive expansion of government power and the public debt contained in the presidential puppetmaster's health care takeover.

Along with cap-and-tax and amnesty, we are left to wonder what other "bunnies" the Chicago magician may pull out of his hat.

Larry Benson