Letters to the Editor 01/18/2012

Editor's note: Due to space constraints, The Nugget was unable to publish all of the letters to the editor regarding the conflict between City Manager Eileen Stein and members of the city council in the print edition. More letters may be found online at www.nuggetnews.com.

To the Editor:

I just left the special session regarding the discussion and consideration to terminate our city manager. What a travesty! If the way we, as a city, conduct our business is by forming an alliance and voting someone off the island for no cause, I can honestly say I am ashamed to say I am from Sisters, Oregon.

The council should represent the people, and not their own special interests. From my observations the decision to terminate Eileen Stein was already made before the first constituent even had a chance to speak, and what was said fell on deaf ears. Unfortunately I do not live in the city limits, and cannot vote for city council, but sure wish I did. I hope the council reconsiders their position and takes to heart what the PEOPLE, and Eileen's staff, had to say, and remember who they represent.

Tresa Glatz

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To the Editor:

Apparently there are quite different standards between the public and private sector in the matter of job termination. The gap between standards is nowhere more evident than here in Sisters by the actions of three city councilors to fire Eileen Stein "without cause" because they want a change.

Good luck for pulling that in the private sector - lawsuit to follow.

What happened to a proper review process that addresses goals met and unmet, strengths and weaknesses, and steps for improvement? Why should public officials be exempt from following this process? The law may permit it, but as councilors Weed and Holzman hammered home in their campaign, they would implement transparency and process in all actions. What happened to that here?

Over a three-year period I worked with city employees to address traffic issues generated by the new bridge at Whychus Creek. We didn't always agree, but we were able to work collegially through the issues. The evidence of strong professional leadership was obvious in staff behavior. That leadership starts with Eileen and runs throughout city staff.

As we know the city manager serves "at the pleasure" of the city council. Let's not forget that the city council serves at the will and vote of the people. Their activities are governed by the law and supported by taxpayer dollars. They have a fiduciary responsibility to the citizens. Imagine the taxpayer dollars going to the city attorney to keep these three out of court in this matter, which appears to hide a personal agenda. Why spend taxpayer dollars on a severance agreement when there is no viable reason for termination? Our taxpayer dollars would be better spent sending the council to a team-building boot camp.

Catherine Childress

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To the Editor:

It was obvious to all in attendance this last Thursday morning at the "special" council meeting that at least three of our Sisters City Council members have completely lost their compass.

We could be witnessing the beginning of an extended decline in the positive progress in the growth of Sisters.

It's distressing to witness elected officials who haven't a clue what their purpose as an elected body really is all about.

Isn't a council like a board of directors? Don't they set policy, provide mature oversight to the hired staff, and ensure that the hired leader of the staff, city manager, is the best, most experienced person available? Isn't it the city manager and the staff who are charged with implementing the policy and vision of the citizens who elect the council members? Council members aren't elected to implement their own personal agenda, are they? The citizens know they have a superior city staff led by one of the most outstanding small-town city managers in the region.

Prior city councils have worked hard to build this professional staff and management.

We citizens have witnessed years of positive growth and change during very difficult times.

This has happened because the city manager and her staff have, day by day over the last 10 years, performed in a mature, trustworthy, experienced and unselfish manner.

The only reason these three council members could be taking this action is to promote their own agenda.

They can't get their way, so they seek to remove the one individual who daily protects and advances the progressive operation of the city.

If there were "cause" to remove Eileen Stein as city manager it would be reflected in the quality of the staff, the staff's lack of support for the manager, the environment in the city and its operation.

There are NO negatives in any of these areas.

The solution to this situation is obvious to the observer. Reasonable, mature people sit down with each other, discuss their concerns, articulate to each other their differences and work together to overcome those differences. If the City of Sisters was broken, we would expect changes, but it isn't. We have the best, most experienced management team of any small city in the area. We can't allow three inward-focused people to turn us backward and reverse the good that has been achieved. Our plea is for the council to demonstrate they can be the mature public servants we all thought we elected.

Jim and Judy Mackey

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To the Editor:

Since 1993 I have heard over and over how great Sisters students are. I'd like to add my two cents. Sisters students aren't great after all. They are the absolute best!

Last year I was asked to chaperone the All-Night Grad party.

What a treat that was to observe those students before they took flight.

"Conscientious" barely scratches the surface: polite, kind, helpful, thoughtful, hilarious and goofballs also fit the bill.

I was again reminded that I wanted to brag how great these students were upon last week's "superfans" that graced The Pit at the high school basketball game.

Over-the-top spirited, complete with face paint & new cheers (finally)! The black and white mob was also super respectful - while the other team shot their free throws, our Outlaws didn't jeer or curse (or streak), nope, they quietly slumped, snoozed and froze until the whistle blew.

Priceless, really.

Lastly, I was the parent volunteer last night for the Mr. SHS cake-baking extravaganza. What an amazing group of young adults we have. The care, concern and help they gave each other was outstanding. One student volunteered to grab dinner (for 20!), they all helped clean up Mrs. Comfort's six kitchens -spotless, others helped load the cakes into the fridge, while others entertained the masses during some catastrophic baking episodes. In my next life, I want to be an Outlaw from the get-go. In the meantime, I'd settle for an Outlaw to clean my kitchen any day!

Becky Aylor

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To the Editor:

I've had the interesting experience of being a volunteer at the Habitat Restore for the past several months and I tell you that must be one of the busiest places in Sisters. Pick-up trucks pull up with full loads several times a day. Big trucks deliver estate-sized loads. Our delivery truck often picks up a load or two while out making deliveries. People come and go with single items all day long.

It's up to us volunteers and, of course, the amazing Robin, to sort through what these generous people donate to Habitat to help low-income families become homeowners. Every item that comes in has to be sorted, tested, cleaned, priced and put somewhere by the volunteers.

Some of the items that come in are absolute treasures. Many items are practically new or in mint condition. Some come in packages never opened. Often people see new items coming off the truck and buy them before we can get them in the store.

But then there's these other kind of items, such as:

Dirty appliances, like refrigerators, microwaves, toaster ovens, washing machines, dishwashers - don't bring them in unless they are cleaned first (you would not believe some of the disgusting things people dump on our door step... what are you people thinking?)

Broken furniture or electronics and appliances with missing parts or that don't work; sofas, chairs or other furniture with large stains, fabric tears - what makes you think anyone would buy them?

Thingamajigs and whatchamacallits - please label unusual objects because we don't know what they are.

We don't throw out sellable items and even keep some weird stuff artists may want to use, but please consider the above and take your junk to the dump.

Diane Goble

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To the Editor:

What kind of representation is the Sisters City Council showing not only to the immediate area, but to the world?

In my opinion economic development efforts are openly being thwarted by immature actions of several council members and in particular Sharlene Weed. In the issue of Eileen Stein's termination, Councilor Weed's platform of transparency is clearly not being followed. Are we not a community needing development? Does the council not want to be pro-active in supporting Eileen Stein for her proven efforts in support of Sisters City goals?

I don't even want to address the obvious limp reasons given for Ms. Stein's removal from her current position. As a woman raised in a family business and then later owning a business of my own, I would strongly hesitate in starting or moving a business to Sisters where Councilor Weed's actions are clearly not that of a council member devoted to the development of Sisters, but what seems to me to be a hidden agenda negatively effecting and slowing Sisters progress.

Sherry Munion

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To the Editor:

We attended the special city council meeting last Thursday morning and were pleased to see such enthusiasm in support of our city manager who, after 10 years of valuable service, is finding her job in jeopardy.

Sometimes it takes such an event to cause us to appreciate those that work for us and which we often take for granted. No one in the room that day had voted for Eileen Stein as city manager but many voted for or against the city council that was divided in their attempt to remove Ms. Stein from her job.

The council would do well to realize that they are elected to take care of city business and not to turn our dedicated city employees into contestants in a popularity contest. To attempt to terminate someone without cause is evidence that some on the council seem to be more dedicated to stacking our town with employees that they like than conducting the business of governing our exceptional city.

We do owe our thanks to the city council, however, for reminding us that our city employees are hard working and dedicated in their service to us, the citizens of Sisters, and that those in elected positions could attempt to use the power we loaned them to replace those city employees which they don't like simply by terminating them with no just reason or "cause."

Are the city council members representing the will of the citizens of Sisters or their own individual agendas?

Mitchell and Kathy Peterson

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To the Editor:

I had no idea how dysfunctional the Sisters City Council is until I saw their behavior this morning (Thursday, January 12) when I attended the 8 a.m. meeting at City Hall. For the past 28 years I have practiced in the mental health field and know the importance of open, direct, clear and appropriate communication. However, this healthy kind of communication was sidelined by a couple of council members.

To be told by a council member that the public's attendance, voiced concerns, personal experience and will "...is a public spectacle..." and that she (the council member) is the victim since she "...is feeling stressed..." by our presence is shaming and demeaning to the public she is supposed to serve. There was no consideration voiced of the stress this council member has put upon Ms. Stein, city staff, or us, the public.

Thank goodness for the mayor and legal council who tried to keep her on track whenever she defected comments away from the issues at hand. How can any group function well with this type of obstructionist behavior? They can't.

I shake my head in wonder and amazement that the city manager has been able to perform her duties so well, as testified by many persons, in spite of this council. How many of us would have walked away a long time ago?

Sylvia Henderson