Letters to the Editor 05/21/2014

To the Editor:

This is my very first letter to the editor. I have owned a home at Indian Ford Ranch since 1972, so I have seen all the changes in Sisters, both good and bad. This letter is concerning the proposed roundabout discussed in The Nugget of 5-14-14, the form of traffic control favored by the City of Sisters and ODOT. Do the residents of Sisters and surrounding areas have any say in the matter that will drastically change their driving patterns?

Spokesman Peter Murphy states that in their opinion, stoplights on highways are dangerous, as there is the potential of rear-end collisions. That doesn't seem to be a concern for Highway 97 going through Bend and Redmond.

Can you imagine the bottleneck there would be with 18-wheelers and extra-long "super loads" traveling in opposite directions trying to negotiate a roundabout along with regular vehicles? It is interesting that there is only one other roundabout on a highway in the state. Why pick on Sisters to see if a construction of one can accommodate the heavy truck traffic going through town? We don't need that added congestion.

The Statewide Transportation Improvement Plan set aside $1.4 million for the project. Some right-of-way property would have to be required. It is my opinion that all we need to control traffic are two stoplights: one at the junction of Locust and Hwy. 20 (which would ensure the safety of children going to school) and the other one at Barclay Drive and Hwy. 20. I don't believe the cost of installing the lights would be anywhere close to costing $1.4 million. The money saved could be used to repair roads.

The "temporary" stoplight installed at Barclay Drive and Hwy. 20 during construction of Cascade Avenue was a blessing. It took all of the stress out of crossing that intersection, and it didn't cause a single collision.

We don't need a roundabout. To keep traffic running smoothly, we only need two traffic lights, a simple solution for less intrusive disruption, and less costly.

Donna Holland

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To the Editor:

I am shocked, disgusted & offended by the audacity of ODOT's Peter Murphy, Sisters' City "Manager" Andrew Gorayeb and the elected folks on our city council! Every single one of them needs to be recalled.

They are definitely NOT listening to what the citizens of Sisters want, as stated in black and white in the May 14 Nugget; "Sisters still on track for a roundabout" and I quote "a roundabout is still the form of traffic control favored by the City of Sisters and ODOT." Nowhere in that sentence do I see the words "and the citizens of Sisters."

In the paragraph just above, it says, "some folks would like to see the signal stay..." Most residents I have talked to want the signal to stay, but far be it from Andrew Gorayeb, Brad Boyd, McKibben Womak and the rest of those elected who are supposed to be representing the PEOPLE of Sisters, to actually listen and do what WE want.

Please, Mr. Gorayeb, for once, try to show a bit of transparency and let Sisters know about your agenda, quit trying to hide it, just let us know outright. I am guessing that Sisters is a training-ground for your pet projects. Grant money, i.e. taxpayer money, is being thrown at you to "try" things out, such as the roundabout.

Mr. Murphy, if stoplights on highways are dangerous, please explain all the stoplights on Highway 97 in Bend, Redmond, Madras, etc.? I'm guessing you'd better hurry up and get rid of them to stop all those potential rear-end collisions!

Mr. Murphy, really, do you think we are that stupid? Just a bunch of country yahoos that don't know what's good for them until you people tell us and show us the way? Sounds a hair bit too much like Marxism if you ask me.

My solution would be for you to remember that the name of this town is still Sisters, not Gorayebville.

Brenda Hartford

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To the Editor:

If a roundabout is better than a signal light on Highway 20, then why didn't they put one in for construction?

Maybe because it ISN'T better? Oh, just keep the lighted intersection. It is so much better for vehicle, bike, and pedestrian safety.

Calliope Fleming

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To the Editor:

I agree wholeheartedly with the sentiments expressed by Ray Kenny in last week's Nugget. I'm glad you saw the wisdom in his argument for making digital recordings of City meetings available on the City's website and that you editorialized to that effect.

As for your defense of forester Dan Galecki, however, I am unmoved. The two hundred citizens who signed the petition protesting the tree-cutting in Creekside Campground knew an abomination when they saw it. That Mr. Galecki inspected the aftermath and still supports the City's actions is, for me, reason enough to question his suitability to be the City's contract urban forester.

I'm glad we have those pesky citizen activists that inspire you to editorialize for better government.

D.E. Kaufman

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To the Editor:

As I read the pros and cons of public input into municipal problems-information-misinformation, and some stretching of the truth by municipal officials, I keep in mind how we got into this mish-mash. When we bought our then-new home in Indian Ford Meadows (then Squawback Woods, now a more sophisticated Sage Woods!), moved in January 1989, we noted some unfinished interior trim.

When we inquired as to the reason, our Realtor told us that the builder had gone home for the winter because "no one buys a home in Sisters in the wintertime" - normally two a winter! In 1989 that became 11! We all know where that sits today; Sisters had 410 people, Redmond approx. 6,000, Bend approx. 23,000. Most of "old Sisters" consisted of single-wide trailers with an assortment of little old widows and bachelors, just "waiting it out," not worried about kids in school or what happened to the trees in the park! What is now The Pines, a lovely modern housing area, was just an accumulation of old logging shacks!

Most of us recall what our schools and the old City Hall and the Library consisted of. Now what do we have? Over 2,000 modern residents, modern schools, a first-class library, and our new City Hall. These are no longer a few blocks of "old folks" with no worries about municipal affairs, but a group of up-to-date folks who want to know where their city, schools, undeveloped land, and yes - park trees - are going!

City sewers changed all that forever. Information about what our city officials are doing (or NOT doing) is part of their rights. We have a large enough problem trying to keep our State and Federal officials honest without having all this on a local level! If we can't ask for honesty and openness in a place Sisters' size, how can we vote properly on State and Federal levels? Open city (and park!) management are the least we should accept. Keep up the pressure, Sisters Voice!

Russell B. Williams