Letters to the Editor 09/22/2010

To the Editor:

Jacki Shepardson has been my very best friend since the day we met, which was 35 years ago this month. We have been through everything together; from mid-term exams and first dates to marriages and the births and raising of our children. I love Jacki like a sister; in fact, we refer to each other as "Sis" and always have.

I wish everyone could know Jacki as I know her. She is, first of all, both the strongest and the most compassionate person I know. She is highly intelligent, tremendously loving, down-to-earth, kind, and caring. She has the ability to take on even the most convoluted situations, gently and patiently make sense of them, and come up with the most practical, fair, and sensitive solutions. She is an amazing mother, and she has spent her life seeking out ways to help others (with no expectations for anything in return).

Jacki's incredible fortitude, intelligence, and compassion could only greatly benefit anyone who may have the honor of knowing and working with her. I couldn't be more proud of my "Sis," and I have no doubt that she will be a fantastic asset to Sisters' City Council and the citizens of Sisters.

Jodi Farm

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To My fellow Sisters Citizens,

Signs are starting to go up around town advertising city council candidates. When you see them, please think of Wendy Holzman, Jacki Shepardson and Sharlene Weed, who are also running.

They have decided not to raise money for signs but for the Sisters Kiwanis Food Bank, and so far their campaigns have raised over $2,500.

I know these three candidates personally. I served for 20 months on city council with Sharlene. She is truly a voice for all of us in Sisters. She is not afraid to ask the hard questions and demand answers. She believes in open, transparent communications between the council and the citizens.

Wendy was at the Sisters visioning process a few years back, as was I. She made a decision then and there to "show up" to help shape Sisters' future. She stepped up to serve as the chair of the Committee for Citizens Involvement (CCI) and acts as the liaison to the city council. She participated in the Ford Family Leadership class. Wendy asks smart questions and has a strong commitment to enhancing our downtown core to keep it vital and charming.

I have known Jacki personally for several years and she is an intelligent, caring individual. She runs the Brown Bag food program in Sisters that provides much-needed fresh produce and food for folks that are struggling to make ends meet. She really loves to delve into an issue to research and find solutions.

These are three strong independent thinkers that are only accountable to you and I as city residents! I am proud to support them for city council and recommend that you consider them as well when you are marking your ballots in November.

Shawna Bell

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To the Editor:

Enough already!

Almost every article I have read about the upcoming election for Sisters City Council includes a non-flattering comment about the new, terrible "voting bloc" on the council. This bloc supposedly virtually shuts down any meaningful debate prior to voting. Assuming most of the votes cast were 3-2 from their comments, I decided to get some accurate information from the city to verify this. These are the astounding numbers I found.

Since the beginning of the currently seated council, January of 2009, there have been a total of 133 votes by the council. Of those, 121 were voted on by 5-0 (91 percent of the votes!), five were voted on by 4-1 (another four percent), leaving six votes voted on by 3-2, and one vote by 3-1 (the last 5 percent). I know the 3-1 vote was missing one of the presumed "bloc" members so the third vote was by another council member. Isn't it time we concentrated on the best way to bring more year-round jobs to Sisters for our citizens and stop such nonsense?

Virginia Lindsey