Council hires Gorayeb as permanent manager

On a 5-0 council vote Thursday night, the city agreed to hire current "limited-duration" city manager Andrew Gorayeb to fill the post going forward.

"I'm thrilled," Gorayeb said. "Is this the ultimate opportunity for somebody like me that wants to do good in the world to be placed in the position where I can actually be effective and do a lot of good? Yeah.

"Do we as a team of people have some great well-intentioned plans that we believe are going to have significant positive impact on this community? You're damn straight. I'm looking forward to continue to work hard. I'm working with some great, dedicated people. We're going to have fun!"

Mayor Brad Boyd was authorized to negotiate the contract with Gorayeb.

"I'm very pleased," Boyd said. "Andrew is doing a great job. We're moving the city forward. We have all kinds of projects that are going to benefit the residents, and the businesses, and the visitors to this town. This is an exciting time to be on the council."

The council, which had been divided over many issues, including the original hiring of Gorayeb as a limited-duration city manager, has come together.

"This is a council that has vastly different perspectives, backgrounds, and experience, and they are working here to move Sisters forward," said Boyd. "What I see this council doing is saying 'What is in the best interests of Sisters. Are things moving forward?' and the answer is yes. We had some people that were adamantly opposed to Andrew that I believe are now some of his biggest supporters."

Outside his work with the City of Sisters, Gorayeb is a coach for youth lacrosse, and high school ASPIRE volunteer. He is also an elected member of the Sisters School Board and the Sisters Park & Recreation District board. Gorayeb was named "Volunteer of the Year 2012" by the Sisters Area Chamber of Commerce earlier this year.

In other council business: The council approved the planning commission's recommendation to expand the urban growth boundary to include the 34-acre Sisters Eagle Airport site. The urban growth boundary approval still has county and state approvals to clear before the council can move forward on the annexation of the airport into the city. The approval cycle is expected to stretch into October.

As part of an annual process, the city made their recommendations to the Oregon Liquor Control Commission (OLCC) for the annual renewal of liquor licenses in the city. More than 35 licenses were up for renewal. The council recommended that all the licenses be renewed with the exception of the liquor license for Hardtails Bar and Grill, opened by Steve and Darcy Macey in June 2011, at 175 N. Larch St. in the building formerly occupied by Scoots Bar and Grill.

The council recommended against the renewal of the Hardtails liquor license based in part on a report provided by the Deschutes County Sheriff detailing incidents that the sheriff's office has responded to in the past year at each of the liquor license holders establishments.

Patrol Division Commander Captain Erik Utter recommended to the city that the Hardtails license not be renewed based on the frequency and type of incidents reported at that location.

City Manager Andrew Gorayeb followed with a letter to OLCC recommending that the license not be renewed.

The license is valid to the end of September. OLCC will conduct a renewal investigation.