Letters to the Editor 10/08/2014

To the Editor:

Wendy Holzman is a smart, hardworking, involved Sisters City Councilor. We've talked with her about issues that Sisters faces as a community and without exception, she is a careful listener, and her responses are thoughtful and balanced.

The City of Sisters is moving forward and continues to need her good communication, thorough research, and basic fairness on the council. Please vote for Wendy Holzman for Sisters City Council!

Stephen Bryan and Jane Levesque

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To the Editor:

Sisters has never looked better, and Wendy Holzman has volunteered countless hours as a dedicated citizen to help make that happen. I'm thrilled that she's decided to continue her contribution by running for city council.

I live two blocks from the Village Green, and it's music to my ears every time a new acquaintance says, "Oh, you live in Sisters - I love that little town!" Splash park, festivals, Cascade renovation, access to trails, great schools, restaurants, new business opportunities - Sisters is moving in the right direction, and we need to keep that momentum going.

Please cast your vote for Wendy Holzman.

Dixie Eckford

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To The Editor:

Please join me in commending David Asson for his sterling performance as a city councilor these last two years. You can do that personally, his number is in the phone book, or, in letters of support to The Nugget. Regularly faced with opposition from a council majority and city administration, David has been a clear voice for the citizens of Sisters in matters financial, administrative and operational.

As examples, I'll cite two issues of substance. First, the groundless termination 16 months ago of Eileen Stein, long-time Sisters City Manager. Yes, it was a termination! It was engineered out of public view to encourage Eileen's resignation by paying her $108,000 of the taxpayers' money, our money. Of course, David voted no. Second, he was an early opponent of the ill-conceived and failed amphitheater debacle; an undertaking which, if it had occurred, could have bankrupted Sisters. As a retired CPA, Councilor Asson has the education and experience to oversee and protect Sisters' finances, and he has done so on more that one occasion.

David is running, along with Nancy Connolly and Bob Wright, for the Sisters City Council. I urge you to vote Asson, Connolly and Wright next month!

Lon Kellstrom

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To the Editor:

As someone who lives in "the Valley," I look forward with eager anticipation for any chance to escape to my beloved Sisters. With a last gasp Indian summer forecast of 80 degrees this weekend, I counted down the workweek days until Friday when my three-day weekend would begin. The drive over the pass was stellar and the fall colors sublime.

Imagine my shock and dismay to see all of the area by Black Butte covered with smoke as we descended the pass! I continually monitor forest fires, and had not seen any indication of a fire over here. I had to google it this morning to find out it was a prescribed Forest Service burn that is ruining a weekend of recreation for so many between Suttle Lake and Bend.

I am grateful for what the Forest Service does to keep our forests healthy, and fully understand why the Forest Service does prescribed burns, and the need for a wind-free day. But with all of the cloudy, gloomy, damp days ahead, why in the world did they choose the opening weekend of hunting season and the LAST warm weekend of Indian summer to do this when there have been several damp days during the last few weeks and more unpleasant weather ahead?

Shopping inside in Bend is not how I planned to spend my weekend when I wanted to be out riding a bike, fishing, and relaxing in a hammock! But my lungs can't take this smoke.

Well-played, Forest Service. NOT.

Nadine Kincaid

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To the Editor:

Local beaver and duck fans have a different reason to cheer this fall, with the news that two more miles of land along Whychus Creek have been added to permanently protected preserves.

The expansion of the Whychus Canyon Preserve, purchased and managed by the Deschutes Land Trust, means not only healthier riparian areas for our iconic furred and feathered species.

The acquisition will also help instream restoration projects to benefit native migrating fish like steelhead and salmon.

Less than a generation ago, portions of Whychus ran dry in summer.

I've lived on the creek for 12 years and have seen first-hand the progress made in bringing back the fish.

On the Columbia River, it's the best salmon run in 75 years.

It's exciting that in the near future, historic runs of native fish could also be coming back to home waters in Sisters' signature creek.

Hats off to funders like The Roundhouse Foundation and DLT for making this happen.

Merry Ann Moore

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To the Editor:

I received in the mail a pamphlet titled: "Take a Closer Look at Measure 92." This is full of misleading information paid for with millions from biotech companies Monsanto, Dow Chemical and others. Addressing their point of higher food prices for Oregon consumers, a recent study conducted by Consumer Union estimates the cost to be negligible, $2.30 per year, per consumer.

Recently, Cheerios decided to stop using GMO ingredients and changed their label to say so. There was no cost increase. Another falsehood is the statement, "current standards provide more reliable and accurate information than Measure 92 would provide."

The FDA is nearing approval of genetically modified salmon. If approved, the salmon would be the first "transgenic" animal allowed into our food supply.

Non-GMO and organic labeling currently is voluntary. If measure 92 fails, it is unlikely GE salmon labeling would be required.

Measure 92 is a commonsense initiative. We're talking about a label. Pesticide companies can still sell their GMO products; you can still buy them. But we have a right to know what's in our food.

Terry Weygandt

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To the Editor:

Thank you, Jim Cornelius, for the excellent article about the Deschutes Land Trust's efforts to protect Whychus Creek! It's important that everyone in Sisters Country understands the significance of this project.

Of the many conservation projects in Central Oregon, the Whychus Creek restoration is the one that will have the most profound, positive impact on the quality of our lives here in Sisters Country. Whychus Creek is the lifeblood of this community, providing important habitat for wildlife, recreational opportunities, and educational adventures. The efforts of the Land Trust, along with many other organizations, has helped restore the fish runs that had been lost, for a variety of reasons, over the past fifty years. Now we have a very real chance to return Whychus Creek to something close to its original, pure, clean, and natural conditions.

I urge everyone in this community to take the time to understand this project. Check out the Land Trust's website, http://www.deschuteslandtrust.org, to get a good understanding of the group's effort to restore the creek. Go hiking at Whychus Creek Preserve, on the beautiful new trails. Visit Indian Ford Meadow, Metolius Preserve, or Camp Polk Meadow to get a better understanding of how good stewardship affects the land.

The final push to complete this huge 20-year project is upon us, and it's time for this entire community to step up and take part. We can demonstrate, to the whole country, what a strong little community can do for conservation. If we all join in DLT's latest campaign to complete this project, we will be securing the beauty and health of Sisters Country, and make future generations thankful we had the forethought to protect our treasure.

Mary and Geoff Crow

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To the Editor:

The safety of our children in our schools is paramount in this day and age. Many communities in our country, like ours, are trying to address the safety of their facilities due to the many school shootings that have occurred over the last 15 years.

I personally have been involved in multiple school safety site reviews the last few years for other school districts and schools in our state. In reviewing the design and construction of our Sisters schools, you quickly observe that our schools were designed before the start of all the school shootings that are currently a reality in our country. Our local school facilities are not as safe as they could or should be.

The Sisters School District facility bond will address many of the school facility safety issues. The work to rectify this situation needs to be done now!

I also believe it is important to protect the investments we have made as a community in our schools over the last several decades. The longer we defer maintenance in these facilities, the more it will cost in the future to make these and other needed repairs. Degraded facilities and grounds can truly impact the quality of the schools, the educational environment, and in turn the quality of the community we live in.

I have been fortunate to have lived here for 22 years and know that this community cares greatly about the children and in doing what is best for each child as they grow up here. I don't want to pay more taxes. But I am willing to vote yes on the bond to better protect our current and future children and the past investments we have made in our schools. Our children and grandchildren are worth it!

Dennis Dempsey

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To the Editor:

Thank you to the City of Sisters, Mayor Boyd, The City Council, The Chamber and ODOT for transforming Cascade Avenue into the gem that it is. The feedback we have received from customers in our store has been overwhelmingly positive. So many of the customers I visited with this weekend were from out of the area and had not been to Sisters in years. They are enjoying and commenting on the improved crosswalks, benches, flowers and general look of the city.

A few insightful costumers seemed surprised that we did not have a difficult time during the construction process. Our sales did not suffer due to the construction, and thanks go to the City leadership under Mayor Boyd's vision, the Chambers efforts and ODOT's flexibility for making that process as business-friendly as possible.

Visitors are once again coming to Sisters for the day to shop and enjoy the amenities like trails and sightseeing options. We must continue to innovate and grow. Mayor Boyd and the City Council's vision for a better tomorrow in Sisters are good for business. We look forward to helping the next innovation occur.

Catherine Hayden, Neal Halousek, Bonnie Jacobs-Halousek and Cara Hudson

Owners, Your Store