Candidates vie for commission nod

Sisters-area resident Richard Esterman is going up against incumbent Tony DeBone, seeking the Republican nomination to vie for a seat on the Deschutes County Board of Commissioners.

One of the two candidates will face Democrat Bend City Councilor Jodie Barram in the November general election.

When it comes to issues that directly affect Sisters Country, the gap between the candidates is not wide, at least when it comes to policy. Approach to that policy turns up some differences.

Esterman lays out his positions pretty starkly. Regarding events on rural properties, he believes owners of farm properties should be able to host small events (500 people or fewer) with a minimum of restrictions. Concerts, he believes, should be held in other venues.

"The neighbors have rights, but I'm looking at the big picture," he said. "I'm thinking of tomorrow. If these farmers can't get extra revenue, what's their options? They'll either go bankrupt or sell out, and if they sell out somebody comes in and buys it and it could be worse."

DeBone has similar sentiments.

"I love the idea of being able to supplement your income," he said.

However, he acknowledges that state law imposes some restrictions on how that can be done.

"You can't make more money off community events than you do farming," he said.

Barram, too, supports events on rural land.

"I think events are a great opportunity for landowners," she said.

She says that policies and the permitting process need to be reviewed to ensure that what is in place is what the community wants. She cited her experience on the Bend City Council in working out competing values surrounding the issue of noise from events.

"You have to sit down and respectfully work through that," she said.

Esterman has come down in support of the Cyrus family's efforts to convert their Aspen Lakes development into a destination resort. That effort has been controversial, with the Cyrus' twice recently seeking state legislation to make it possible. "Destination resorts like Cyrus, that's going to bring jobs to the community," Esterman said. "The flipside, the people who are against it, they're not thinking that if (the Cyrus family) don't do it and big money comes in, they're going to get it done anyway."

County staff has opined that the cluster development cannot be converted to a destination resort.

"I disagree with that," Esterman said.

DeBone says the key question in the Cyrus case is whether it's an "unfinished facility" or not.

"There's not a clear path for it," he said.

"I respect the Cyrus family and their request there. They have an interest and they want to get something done, so they went around us to go to the legislature... I'm not opposed to having a conversation about what the next steps would be."

Barram said, "I get concerned when our state legislators are doing site-specific legislation," she said.

She wonders if there may be a "third way," a broader legislative fix that might allow the Cyrus family to construct some overnight accommodations to enhance the viability of their facilities.

"That's going to be an interesting one to follow," she said.

Esterman criticizes DeBone for not taking "clear stands." For his part, DeBone says he isn't sure Esterman has "done his homework" on the requirements of the job. Barram emphasized that it is her intent to represent all of the diverse interests of the whole county.