Council defers on failed intersection

The Sisters City Council wrestled Thursday with how to deal with the failed intersection at Locust Street and Highway 20.

At a July 5 workshop the council was forced to revisit the very real prospect that the failure of the intersection at Locust and Highway 20 "...could be a total moratorium on building on this (east) side of town because of the failure of that intersection," said councilor Wendy Holzman. (See "ODOT holds reins on large developments," The Nugget, July 11, 2012.)

The intersection at Barclay and Highway 20 is on the council's formal tracking list and will get further attention within the next two weeks in meetings with ODOT, the city, and with new input from the freight industry. However, there are no plans or projects or budget allowances or estimates in the city, county or ODOT budgets for the intersections at Barclay/Locust or Locust/Highway 20.

The scope, complexity and potential costs of these projects have stalled the city's efforts in putting together a plan of attack, or even putting the projects on their agenda.

In Thursday's meeting, City Manager Eileen Stein said, "It is a critical conversation without there being a funding solution to it. Is there funding available for that improvement or any other improvements that are envisioned in the TSP?"

"What I think is that even if the funding isn't there for the intersection, if ODOT is saying 'it is your problem, city,' then that is an issue that the city has to address, because when those people (developers) come to us and say 'what are you going to require of us,' we have to have an answer. If we don't have the money (to fix the intersection) what are we gong to say?" said Councilor Sharlene Weed.

Councilor Pat Thompson said, "I think there is a bigger picture. I think maybe a better way is to track and follow implementation of the city's TSP (Transportation System Plan) which encompasses that intersection, and the alternate route, and the Barclay/Highway 20 intersection, and the roundabout at Barclay and Locust."

Arguing that the issue should not yet be put on the tracking list, Mayor Lon Kellstrom said, "It is obviously a massive problem that will take a lot of time. It is so amorphous, it is real easy to criticize, it is real easy to say 'why wasn't this done?' It is real hard to say 'what do you want me to do?'."

In the end, Stein was charged with the task of coming up with an item description to be discussed at the next meeting.

The related issue of an economic development strategic plan update, and a decision on how to address the soon-to-be-open economic development manager position, was a hotly debated topic at the July 19 workshop, with the job opening to be advertised no later than July 28. That plan was cancelled the following day. It was not a subject of Thursday's meeting.

In other news, Community Development Director Pauline Hardie reported that her department is processing seven new residential building permits, and the council awarded $11,000 in community grants to a number of local organizations.