City snapshot: Finance manager to depart

News clips of happenings around town:

• Lynne Fujita-Conrads will be leaving her position as City of Sisters Finance Officer on January 25, after eight years at City Hall. She plans to pursue other interests. Lynne has been training her replacement, Joe O'Neill, to help get him onboard.

• Sisters School Board will hold another public forum on Monday, January 25, at 6:30 p.m. at Sisters Elementary School to explain the repair, maintenance, and update needs in the schools, answer questions, and hear the public's opinions. The School Board is considering floating a bond in May for these expenses, but wants to hear from local residents first.

• A resolution was approved by a 5-0 Sisters City Council vote at the January 14 meeting to adopt changes to the City Master Fee schedule to more accurately reflect actual costs to the City of impacts on the parks from large events. Fiscal year event-fee revenue is estimated to increase by approximately $4,600 with the new fees.

Prior to the vote, during visitor communications, local event promoter Richard Esterman asked Council to consider grandfathering in long-established events, thus facilitating his ability to hold his summer events. He contended that the new fees were "trumped up by the Public Works Director and City Manager" and aimed directly at him, calling the new fees "a clear act of discrimination." Esterman said he felt "threatened and discriminated against" and asserted his belief that "there is no accountability at City Hall."

He argued that he leaves the parks and restrooms cleaner than before his events. Public Works Director Paul Bertagna explained the costs associated with bringing the trampled grass back to its usual lush green.

• City Council will be meeting on Thursday, January 28, in an executive session, to conduct their annual job performance evaluation of City Manager Andrew Gorayeb. His job description will provide the evaluation criteria. Executive sessions are closed to the public.

• The Affordable Housing Work Group, headed by Patrick Davenport, community development director, is continuing their meetings to investigate innovative ways to attract developers to create affordable housing projects in Sisters. At their last meeting, January 14, they reviewed data and offered suggestions for fine-tuning the housing needs analysis being completed by Davenport's department as part of the larger urbanization study that will be used to update the City's comprehensive plan. One recommendation destined to come out of the analysis could be for the establishment of a housing policy board.

• The City has been able to save $673,000 over the next seven to 25 years by refinancing municipal bonds. With savings already realized by refinancing the City's loan at Bank of the Cascades, total savings amount to over three-quarters of a million dollars.

• With no discussion, City Council approved as part of the consent agenda an expanded-use liquor license for Eurosports, owned by former mayor Brad Boyd. His previous OLCC license was for limited on-premises liquor sales. The new OLCC license is for the additional privilege of off-premises sales and a 90-day temporary authority.

• Council approved reducing the rent charged to the Sisters Area Chamber of Commerce to zero from the current $750 per month. A portion of the premises, located on the corner of East Main Avenue and North Spruce Street, shall be available for public meeting space.