Letters to the Editor 06/09/2010

To the Editor:

WOW, the school funding article by Matt Cyrus and Tim Larson was an eye opener.

How does the nearly $82,000 per year teacher salary compare to other districts of similar size? To me this seems very high for teachers. Yes, educating our children is an important job, but just how much should it cost and how much is too much?

Who on the school board negotiated the 17-percent salary increases to the teachers? I do not believe the CPI increased by 17 percent during that same period. The article suggested that the CPI only increased 7.5 percent. Why the extra 10-percent increase? A lot of people only got 1 or 2 percent for that same time period.

Automatic increases; why not pay increases based on performance and not for longevity? Do those alleged negotiators know how to say NO? Do those alleged negotiators have a vested interest in those increased salaries?

I remember being told that teacher class sizes of 20 to 25 are very common and quite manageable, and yet Sisters is at 17. Looks like Sisters should and must take the steps necessary to increase class sizes.

Finally, shame on me for letting this happen. I did not pay attention to what was happening with my tax money. I will not let this happen again.

Dave Marlow

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To the Editor:

I was one of the 500 who attended the VFW/American Legion ceremony in Village Green Park on Memorial Day. 

It was a very nice program but I noticed when it came time to serve the barbecue and try to find a place to sit down to eat, there were not enough picnic tables to accommodate a crowd like that.

I wonder if there is an organization in Sisters that could address that issue?

Diana Raske Lovgren

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To the Editor:

Thanks to The Nugget for the comprehensive coverage of the SHS Senior Celebration ("Sisters celebrates graduating scholars," The Nugget, June 2, page 1). This event is unique to Sisters, demonstrating the community's commitment in support of our youth. As chairperson of Sisters GRO, it is gratifying to be a part of this positive energy.

I am compelled to write not only to express appreciation for the amazing coverage of the event and great exposure to the community of Sisters GRO, but to set the record straight.

Sisters GRO was not founded by Karen Hensley, but rather by a board of drectors: Karen Hensley, chairperson; Laurie Adams, vice-chairperson; Ann Thompson, secretary; Karen Lord, treasurer; Brenda Smith; Bob Macauley; Susanna Harrison; Dan Saraceno; (Marcy Edwards joined the board this year).

Countless volunteer hours by all the individuals on the GRO board have been invested over the past couple of years to the organization and management of Sisters GRO. We are a team and our talents are pooled to create synergy in fulfillment of our mission. It is not appropriate for me to be credited with "founding" Sisters GRO.

Karen Hensley

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To the Editor:

Why is there no consideration by the school district of a reduction in force (RIF) based on merit to meet current and projected budget shortfalls? Letting employees go is difficult but it's required as explained last week by budget committee members Matt Cyrus and Tim Larson.

How can district management claim to be acting in the best interest of students when they refuse to consider merit when downsizing? ORS 342.934 allows use of merit in a RIF and gives school districts complete discretion on how to determine if one teacher is better than another. However, Oregon has more than 190 school districts and none to date has used merit in a RIF;

why?

I've been told the Sisters School District will be sued if it chooses to consider merit over seniority. The public has a right to know if the district has been threatened. Improving the quality and performance of the organization benefits students. Why pay superintendents and principals six figure incomes and not hold them accountable for creating the best organization

possible?

Has the Sisters School District morphed into a jobs program? I spent many years downsizing failed organizations in Silicon Valley. In every case the priority had morphed from the pursuit of excellence to keeping people employed. District management has a duty to improve the organization when possible and this requires consideration of merit over seniority when forced to downsize.

Mike Morgan

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To the Editor:

I would like to tell you what happened to my beloved dog Molly, our 2-1/2-year-old yellow Lab. She was a great companion, loving dog, one of the best... Maybe hearing my story will save

another...

As Sisters does not have a dog park, and I have a small unfenced backyard, I wanted to exercise my dogs. I live close to the dirt roads off 242 so every day, several times a day, for years we would drive to one of the dirt roads in the forest, and I would let my dogs out of the car to run; they would not run next to my car but off in the growth, and I would drive slowly on the dirt roads letting them run for miles. They loved it.

However, on Tuesday, Molly ran back towards the car stopping before she got to my SUV, but my other dog, playing, ran into her and pushed her under my back tire. It all happened so fast there was absolutely nothing I could do about it, but feel the thud, hear her screams, stop, run to the back of my vehicle where she gasped for air and finally died in my arms. She was a very healthy, young dog.

My other dog would not eat, drink, go potty, cried in her sleep for days, until I got a new family member. She still mopes, but doing better. I still mope.

We are warned to tie our dogs in back of pickups with a short enough leash so they can not jump out and be dragged, but we are not warned to not let them run loose like I did and see many others do also while I am out there. Some actually do this on a paved road. It only takes once for the accident to happen, then they are gone

forever.

So please, if you think about letting your dogs run free while you are slowly driving in your car, remember Molly and DO NOT DO IT. I still take my dogs to the forest, however now I am parked and we walk and they run and I throw sticks until they tire.

Please, City of Sisters, put in a fenced dog park. We are one of the few towns in Central Oregon that does not have one. Please.

Sherlei Lestarjette