Vote for a high-functioning city council

Sisters voters will, in the November 4 election, select three city councilors to serve them for the next two to four years. Voters must choose a council configuration that can work effectively together and with their constituents to preserve and enhance the quality of life that is vital to Sisters' well-being.

Five candidates are running for three positions - David Asson; Brad Boyd; Nancy Connolly; Wendy Holzman; and Bob Wright.

All of the candidates are to be commended for their willingness to step as volunteers into an often-thankless job that opens them to criticism for virtually anything they do or don't do.

A lot has gone right in the City of Sisters over the past two years. And there is room for improvement in some areas. Sisters looks and feels vibrant. In part, that can be attributed to an improving economy, but the City has taken an active role through aggressive urban renewal, annexation of Sisters Eagle Airport, renewed attention to detail in cleaning up the streets and rights-of-way and the enhancement of public spaces, from work in existing parks to the creation of the new Fir Street Park.

Staff is more empowered and proactive, and the City's finances are in good shape.

On the debit side of the ledger, the City burnt up good will and political capital with a ham-handed rollout of the proposed amphitheater project, and complicated what could have been an appropriate renovation of Creekside RV campground through a needlessly hostile response to critics.

To its credit, the council leadership and city manager have recognized mistakes in those instances and have moved to improve public involvement through more active use of citizen committees. The pledge to take major initiatives to the voters is also a wise move.

The City should not shy away from trying to do big things - but the leadership needs to be sure that its vision aligns with the values of the community they serve. A vigorous public process can actually aid the City in getting things done by building consensus and minimizing messy and time- and energy-consuming fights. However, an over-emphasis on process can lead to paralysis-by-analysis, which the City can ill afford.

The Nugget believes that Connolly, Holzman, and Boyd offer the best combination of skill sets and temperaments to continue to move the City forward while improving its relationship with its citizenry.

Connolly's commitment to public outreach will be welcome on a council that has had a spotty record in that area. Connolly also recognizes that public involvement has to have a timeline and that decisions can't be pushed off indefinitely while more input and facts are gathered. Connolly is new to involvement in City government and will need to ramp up quickly. In order to be an effective councilor, she will have to more fully develop her understanding of City issues and grow into the role.

Wendy Holzman has grown as a councilor and has played a valuable role in interagency relationships. She is an excellent collaborator and has vision for what Sisters can and should be. As a senior councilor, it is time for her to step up into more of a leadership role and assert herself more firmly in council deliberations.

Brad Boyd has excellent qualities as a city councilor. It's true that he sometimes reacts poorly to criticism and he doesn't always listen well to opposing viewpoints from members of the community. In order to be an effective leader, he must work harder at being inclusive and building consensus. But Boyd has vision, is always well-prepared and has thorough command of the issues. Voters should keep him on the council.

Sisters needs a high-functioning council that gets important things done, works collegially - including vigorous debate in good faith - and respects and works with all of its citizenry. Electing Connolly, Holzman, and Boyd provides the best means of achieving those goals.

Jim Cornelius, Editor