Letters to the Editor 02/11/2015

To the Editor:

I've learned for every challenge there are at least three solutions. I would like to give kudos to the Nugget's editor for suggesting the same in his February 4 editorial. "Come to the table with a problem, sure. Try to bring along a solution, too."

After learning of an approved paved trail to Crossroads in 2013, requests for dialogue had been rejected for nearly 6 months, until November 2013, when the Deschutes Forest Supervisor provided opportunity to submit an acceptable alternate trail location (bring a solution). Two proposals were submitted, to improve one of the two existing dirt trails along Highway 242.

Early 2014, there was acknowledgement of mistakes made in the trail project processes. Fast-forward to fall 2014, the Sisters District Ranger chose to withdraw her draft decision for the Sisters Community Trails Project. John Allen, (trail) objection review officer, indicated it had become clear that a broader, community-led process would help with a clearer path. Allen supported the decision to withdraw, and anticipated future dialogue about the trails system in the community.

Sisters residents were offered opportunity to engage in a trail committee which was to form this winter. The Sisters District Ranger indicated that she provided the community list to Deschutes County Commissioner Alan Unger and to Chuck Humphreys, who offered to help with the community trails committee.

In last week's Nugget, STA President Humphreys describes his disappointment in "a victory of selfishness over the best interest of the community." It is insulting to area residents who invested time, offering solution with reasonable compromise. Had a broader inclusive community outreach been accomplished, prior to the costly required government processes, the outcome of this project may have been different.

Let's learn from these mistakes, stay transparent, find common ground, sidestep name-calling and practice respect. We all chose to invest our lives in this community and its surroundings; we all should be allowed input in the trails that will impact its future.

Joanne Anttila

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To the Editor:

Boy, talk about sour grapes. Sisters Trails Alliance (STA) President Chuck Humphreys just won't let it go ("Trail advocates honor volunteers," The Nugget, February 4).

As leader of the STA, Humphreys chose to allocate $25,000 of the group's money to pursue an ill-conceived and under-supported plan to pave portions of U.S. forest land. Contrary to Humphreys' attempt to position the project's collapse as a "victory of selfishness over the best interests of the community," the plan ultimately failed on its own merits. The reality is the Forest Service effectively pulled the plug on the plan after concluding that the initiative did not have near the widespread community support that Humphreys presumed his plan would garner.

Interesting to note that Humphreys' adversarial language ("victory of selfishness") re-confirms that STA leadership was never interested in seeking any sort of compromise with any group that stood in opposition to their project. They miscalculated by creating a winner-take-all scenario and consequently came away with nothing.

Economists refer to this type of failure (spending a bunch of money and having absolutely nothing to show for it) as a "poor spend." Patch your flat and move on.

By the way, the section of the forest that stretches between McDonald's and the entrance to Tollgate is still littered with numerous plastic neon flags that the STA was responsible for placing. These plastic flags are nothing more than litter and truly are an eyesore. Perhaps President Humphreys' ambitious agenda for this upcoming year could include cleaning up a mess he left behind last year. There are many selfish residents in Tollgate and others who regularly use the fire trails in the area that would greatly appreciate it.

Greg Werts

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To the Editor:

Last week's www.nuggetnews.com">Nugget Newspaper quoted the Sisters Trails Alliance (STA) president as saying that the Crossroads Property Owners Association's opposition to [a] $1 million paved trail from the Sisters High School to Crossroads was "a victory of selfishness over the best interests of the community." Over a year ago, a Sisters School District representative said that Crossroads, in opposing a trail, was only responding to rumors.

Speaking only for myself and not the association, here are the facts. A review of the facts shows that STA never contacted Crossroads or its more than 170 individual property owners to review their trail plans and to solicit comments. Then four STA members, including the STA president at the time, got elected to the seven-member Crossroads board of directors without revealing any STA affiliation and as a majority of the board continued to deal with the Forest Service on trails. For a time, the STA webpage showed the paved trail entering private property and roads in Crossroads until STA responded to a request to remove this.

Meanwhile, the Forest Service permitted one of their employees to chair the STA trails committee rather than serving as an advisor. He still is the vice chair. The agency approved trails to be built and signed on public lands on all sides of Crossroads with no contact to the association or individual owners.

When opposition continued on the trail entering Crossroads, the agency called our emergency fire exit an "alley" and mentioned using eminent domain to have the trail enter the subdivision. A legal opinion obtained by Crossroads stated that the exit was not an alley or an entrance, but rather an exit for use by Crossroads residents. When this approach failed, plans were discussed to construct the trail right up the Crossroads boundary and let users decide how to proceed. The Forest Service then was advised that if it proceeded with this plan, there likely would be a lawsuit charging the agency with encouraging trespass.

Make no mistake, most Crossroads residents I have talked to do support trails. They have said many times that a trail close to Highway 242 and ending near the Crossroads entrance road would be preferred. This route would provide a safe travel route for both children and adults and would respect private property

rights.

These facts on this issue do not indicate selfishness or a response to rumors.

Jim Fisher