Letters to the Editor 08/11/2010

To the Editor:

While I appreciate the conciliatory nature of Ms. Tehan's response to my July 14 letter to the editor, her response missed the mark.

The intent of my letter was to encourage the Sisters Park & Recreation District to provide programming that serves the needs of all local families beyond just sports programming. Sisters needs youth enrichment and after-school care to support families who do not have other options.

Nowhere in her response did she address the importance of that issue.

Instead she said, "the board encourages Mr. Kemp, or any other individual, to attend (board meetings) and make comment." Good luck with that!

I attended the August 24, 2009, board meeting along with about 25 other members of the SPRD family largely because my wife urged me to attend. She said that one board member was adamantly opposed to any program that didn't already pay its way and his manner of addressing the group at large was dismissive and intimidating to parents who wanted consideration for such programs.

When I left the meeting I understood that I was to draw up an initial fundraising plan for SPRD. I stayed up late that night, developed an initial plan, and e-mailed it to all SPRD board members. The next day I received a copy of the rudest e-mail I have ever received, demanding to know "who is this guy telling us how to fundraise!" His e-mail response was sent to each and every SPRD board member. (By the way, I am a fund development professional with 24 years of experience.)

Given my experience, I would never encourage anyone to attend a SPRD board meeting.

The mantra of the current board seems to be "to run this place like a business." Well, OK. Well-run businesses don't need taxpayer subsidies. Make your (mostly sports) programs pay all of the hard costs, soft costs, and overhead costs just as a for-profit would have to do, just give the taxpayers back their $100,000 subsidy.

Until the SPRD board decides to actively work to provide single parents and others who need after-school care with youth enrichment programs, they should not receive any taxpayer support.

Bill Kemp

•••

To the Editor:

Sisters Park & Recreation District (SPRD) made a brilliant strategic decision to move forward with programs that pay their own way. SPRD provides invaluable services to this community and their good work should be recognized, not inaccurately criticized.

SPRD is fulfilling its mission by providing services to the most people they can. The board works hard, the staff works hard, and to insinuate that they are misusing tax dollars is poor form. An honest disagreement of how the money should be spent is fine, but I am pleased SPRD is offering services to hundreds instead of dozens. To take the tax revenue and provide services to a dozen or so children would not be the best use of those funds.

By providing administration, leadership, and expertise to all of the district and improving the lives of hundreds and indirectly thousands is the best use of those dollars. Consequently, those who do need latchkey programs may actually have them now that SPRD is a fiscally viable organization. The members of the board are good Sisters people, and they have earned my trust through navigating the district back from a fiscal abyss. They have and will continue to do right for Sisters.

I, for one, as a teacher, coach, and school parent could not be more pleased with the responsible manner SPRD is operated and the direction it is heading.

Bill Rexford

•••

To the Editor:

Now that the high metal fence and gate are installed at the Sisters recycling center and a High Country Disposal guard is on duty, the first steps have been taken to shutting down one of the most environmentally sound and "green" programs ever offered by local government.

Closing this wonderful facility is part of the 2011 county budget, although the budget document says that the franchise carrier may continue to transport recyclables and pass along the costs to their customers. Sounds a little more definite than what the public has been told.

Forcing recyclables into the High Country Disposal system will make sure they can justify the 10 percent increase for the big blue box, a fee you will pay even if you don't want it. High Country Disposal is doing this to increase revenue, not as a responsible private company.

It will also greatly increase the dumping of refuse on public and private lands by those who can't afford the service. With glass not being accepted in the blue box, that will place more in the regular home garbage and ultimately into the landfill.

Deschutes County must share the blame for deleting a great program from their budget. Certainly these are challenging times for public and private organizations, but you would think a little trimming of other services could keep this one alive.

The Sisters City Council seems to have had this change programmed from the start. They should have been more proactive in lobbying the county commissioners to keep the recycling center alive and looking at their own options, rather than spending time on the Aspen Lakes Resort issue that affects lands five miles outside the city.

Jim Fisher