Letters to the Editor 10/01/2014

To the Editor:

Regarding the KTVZ news story of Wednesday, September 24, 2014 about coyotes killing cats in Bend:

There are coyotes living all over North America today eating cats thanks to the actions of the government trappers that started killing coyotes over 100 years ago. They thought they could kill coyotes as easily as they did the wolves, but the coyote outfoxed them.

Indiscriminately killing coyotes only generates more coyotes, a scientific fact discovered in the '60s. The relentless destruction of coyotes in Texas only generated more coyotes that spread to Missouri, and from there to Ohio and from there to Chicago - where they're eating cats. It was the same story for Arizona; trappers and coyote killers there generated more coyotes that slowly spread to the suburbs of Los Angeles, and Sacramento, from there to Medford and the Oregon Coast, then the suburbs of Portland, where they eat cats.

If you want your cat to be safe, bring it into the house and keep it there. Of course it won't like it - cats are genetically engineered to kill things - that's why they like being out-of-doors. But that old adage, "He who lives by the sword dies by the sword," is catching up with them.

In the over 60 years I've lived in Central Oregon I have had only ONE person say to me, "Oh, I love my cats too much to ever let them go outside." Of course there are many other cat-keepers who also feel that way, but most people allow their cats to run loose.

In the census of 2012 there were 162, 277 people living in Deschutes County, if half of those people kept a cat (no one, in my opinion, "owns" a cat) that would mean there were over 81,000 cats in Deschutes County. Now, here it is two years later; no wonder the coyotes are here...

The bottom line is, if you want to have your cats live longer and enjoy them, keep them inside. They'll get used to it in about a month; the cat food and cat litter people will love you - and so will millions of birds and other native wildlife - and the coyotes will head back out to the desert.

Jim Anderson, Naturalist

•••

To the Editor:

In November, Sisters community voters will be asked to vote on a bond measure whose purpose is to maintain and upgrade the existing facilities at all three schools and allow our students to have access to modern technology. The facts of life today are such that substantial capital improvements or investments can't be paid for through normal property taxes, but can only be accomplished by alternate means; a special bond. Our high school is now 11 years old, with the middle and elementary schools even older.

I have been paying Sisters School property taxes for over 30 years. I understand the need to make an investment today to maintain the facilities I have already paid for. I'm sure you don't ignore the need for repair and maintenance projects on your home or residence. This bond measure is to accomplish the same thing.

The excellence of the education provided to students in the Sisters School District has the finest reputation in Central Oregon. We can't afford to handicap our students with their ongoing education. Please research the issues, ask questions, and vote on November 4.

David Douthit

s s s

To the Editor:

I completely support the bond issue for Sisters School District. All the items listed in The Nugget that need fixing sound like a good investment to me. Putting off repairs will just cause more problems down the road.

It is unfortunate if a school employee was unfairly let go last year, but that should not be the reason anyone would vote no on repairing roofs, heating systems or the high school track and field facilities, to name a few. The comfort and safety of the students is very important.

Please join me in voting Yes for the Sisters school bond issue in November.

Sue Edgerton

•••

To the Editor:

Kudos to Bonnie Malone for standing up for what is right.

What happened to Angi Gardinier should have never happened. She is a longstanding resident and employee for the school district and has done a great job for them.

Sheryl McLaughlin

To the Editor:

When my wife and I moved to Sisters there was not a local high school. However, there was still much investment by the community in their children.

As owners of Camp Tamarack we worked closely with several school systems and recognized the challenges that confronted districts. As a member of the Commission on Children and Families I learned first hand the difficulties imposed through the lack of funds that dictated decisions. Some of the necessities of the bond issue we are now facing are the result of decisions made because of the lack of available money. That was the situation then, and we need to accept the reality of what exists today.

One of the organizations that generously support the kids in our school district is the Rotary Club. They do this in many ways; however, two are especially connected to the bond issue. The first is the Rotary-sponsored track meet that traditionally brings competitors and parents from across the state. This event will not take place this spring due to unsafe conditions of our track, eliminating a marvelous athletic opportunity for our kids and an economic contribution to the community.

The other is The Magical Voices of Christmas, an opportunity for students and community members to shine, providing seasonal music and entertainment. It is also an opportunity for the Rotary Club to give a sizable monitory contribution to the music departments of our schools. However this event, along with many others like it, requires an audio system that is up-to-date and well-maintained. This is currently not the case.

As a longtime Rotarian and citizen of the Sisters School District, I urge you to vote "Yes" on the school bond issue. It is not just for the kids; it is an investment in our community.

Ted Jones

•••

To the Editor:

In 1990 when the Sisters community chose to build a new high school, we did not hesitate to invest in the facilities that would keep our children safe, secure and back in our own community. Now, nearly 25 years and another new school later, we are being asked to continue our commitment to these facilities and the high-quality education of our students in Sisters.

Without the ability to be competitive in an educational marketplace, our schools and community will not thrive because our students and their families will not stay.

The ability to attract families and sustain student enrollment and quality programming starts with the safety and security of the facilities in which those services are delivered.

It is unfortunate that the high school needs a new roof and that the track has become unsafe for use.

It is inexcusable that the stadium cannot be accessed by handicapped individuals, and it is imperative that students have the technological tools to remain current in the world they are stepping into.

Addressing these and other issues included in the current bond measure is crucial to our continuing success.

As the bond committee stated last week in the public forum, these facilities belong to us, not the school district employees or the school board. The state of these facilities and the opportunities available for students directly reflect our community pride and commitment to educate our children. These are non-negotiables in our community. Vote YES on the school bond initiative in November.

Debbie Newport

•••

To the Editor:

As a former member of the Sisters Schools Facilities Task Force, I was able to see first-hand the condition of the infrastructure of all the school buildings. While the maintenance has been excellent, some of the systems are older than many of the teachers at the schools.

This bond is absolutely necessary for long-needed repairs and system replacement to prevent catastrophic failures, which will only cost us more money. The people in the Sisters schools maintenance department are some of the hardest-working people I know and they have kept these systems running in spite of the fact that many are at 200 and 300 percent of their normal life expectancy. This is not fluff; it is for repairs that, given a normal economy, should have been done a long time ago. We have dodged a bullet and borrowed time thanks to herculean effort by the maintenance folks, and now it is time to pay the fiddler.

Please join me in voting Yes in the upcoming election.

T.W. Scannell

•••

To the Editor:

As I read all the conflicting views on the "tent city" in the former Chevron lot, I try to have an open mind. I understand local businesses' complaints about not paying license fees nor having to comply with Western themes. Their compliant is justified. But suppose that the leaseholder could get a large trailer shed-type of structure, decorated with Western themes, built! Then all businesses who want to do business there could each purchase a city business license and have a series of open booths. This would accomplish several things: give the city income, comply with Western themes, and do away with the "vacant lot" on the heart of our now-lovely downtown.

It is like going back to having outhouses in place of our modern facilities to have a ratty "tent city" in the midst of our newly remodeled Cascade Avenue. We can't eliminate the competitive aspect; we can't have "just one" of each kind of business ... one service station, one restaurant, one bicycle shop!

The answer for local businesses is service, variety, customer service, convenience, attractive shops; these aspects would determine business success, not tents! This was okay in olden days before they could provide structures! I don't see many horse-and-wagons on Cascade Avenue, do you? Let's not go back to them!

Russell B. Williams

•••

To the Editor:

Re: Guest editorial "A trail for everyone," by Chuck Humphreys, The Nugget, September 24, page 2:

Thanks for expressing the many benefits of the proposed paved trail between Sisters and Black Butte Ranch, and the ideas behind why it should be a great addition to the Sisters area.

I happen to agree with pretty much all that you wrote, and having had access to similar trails bordering multi-million dollar homes in other parts of the world, they tend to be very well received once people see how they affect their lives for the better.

The fears expressed about security and environmental harm seem to evaporate once the trails are built and used by residents of all abilities. And frankly, I'd just as soon my tax dollars go to a local project as have them support some other project in this or another state because their leaders knew how to make something happen.

Thanks again for such a well-reasoned article, and good luck in identifying and securing the funding to help finally get this asset built!

Randy McCall