Letters to the Editor 06/22/201

To the Editor:

I am also very concerned over the offensive noise pollution from the skydiving business at Eagle Airport.

Each weekend and some weekdays the drone of the skydiving airplanes circling over Sisters Country mimics that of an annoying mosquito circling one's head. It doesn't matter where you are - at home, hiking a trail, biking, shopping, dining outside at a local restaurant - the noise is with you. The constant drone of the skydiving plane gaining altitude becomes difficult to ignore.

When the folks of Sisters voted for the airport to be included within in the city limits I was happy as I thought this meant more oversight. I never thought the airport would be allowed to incorporate commercial operations so close to a downtown core.

Is it safe for skydivers to land so close to Camp Polk Road? This is a very busy artery. I've seen cars dramatically slow down to gawk at the dropping skydivers, an accident waiting to happen.

Is it legal for a commercial business to use the industrial area for skydiver landings?

Should we place the assumed economic benefit before livability? Residents also spend money at local businesses and if we are forced to leave town each weekend due to the offensive, constant airplane noise we are spending our money elsewhere. Many of us work all week long and look to the weekends for some quality time at home or in nature, but we now need to find it somewhere else. Will tourists that come to Sisters in search of tranquility continue to visit or will they seek alternatives? Will anyone want to host outdoor events such as weddings while a plane is circling above?

Unless your vision of Sisters Country includes the drone of skydiving airplanes and the possibility of helicopter and plane tours please contact city officials and the airport now.

Eagle Airport, please give us back our tranquility.

Marie Clasen

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To the Editor:

I am curious when the City of Sisters will address the affordable housing issue? People complain about lack of enrollment in the schools and very few people to fill local jobs either in the service industry, blue-collar and white-collar areas.

In my opinion, it is due to the lack of housing - or to be specific: affordable housing. There are very few rental residences or homes to purchase that fall under the USDA rural loan amount of $244,000.

The seven houses that are going in at Clear Pine are a joke, at best the bare minimum so the developer can proceed with the city's blessings.

This a real problem in Sisters, and should and needs to be addressed. If the City wants to attract people to live and work here, start new business and bring fresh ideas to Sisters, housing needs to be addressed.

Chance D. Dahms

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To the Editor:

Regarding Hayden Homes' request to renege on their prior approved plans to build apartments and affordable housing at the June 16 meeting, I'd like to remind the planning commission of the City Council's 2016-17 Goals & Objectives as you consider their alternative:

3. Identify Preservation & Enhancement

3.6 Support Elder Opportunities. Undertake efforts to support elder housing, amenities and services (in part so residents can age in place and families can remain in closer proximity).

5. Exceptional Operations, Infrastructure & Policy-Making.

5.1 Enable a Vibrant Mix of Housing, Including Opportunity for Affordable Housing. Pursue policies/standards that foster a vibrant mix of housing options so more individuals/families who wish to live in Sisters have opportunities to do so (thus providing multiplier benefits for the economy/schools & environmental/personal wellness benefits).

5.1.1 Adopt Affordable Housing Policies (workforce/lower income).

5.2 Enhance Transportation Infrastructures Plan comprehensively to preserve and enhance the safety and efficiency of the City's transportation-related assets, so that Sisters is positioned well for current needs and future growth.

5.3 Pursue Comprehensive Land Use Planning & Balanced Regulations. Adopt land-use plans and development regulations that balance development with local identity preservations and that equitably serve current residents while anticipating and providing for longer-term growth.

Thank you for supporting the Council's goals.

Diane Goble

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To the Editor:

I would like to thank The Nugget for publishing a great newspaper that is truly community-oriented. We are not Sisters residents, but spend a few days near Sisters every month or so, and enjoy reading your paper.

I especially would like to comment on the guest columnists that appear in the paper. The opinions expressed by columnists such as Rachel Marsden (June 1) are based on reality and truth, and as such are the opinions that most Americans want to read, and should be reading.

The opinions expressed by columnists such as Robert Reich are based on a flawed ideology that promotes governmental control over individual rights and freedoms.

I would strenuously encourage you to select more Rachel Marsden-types of columnists for publication. I would think that your readership would appreciate and benefit from that selection.

Dale Goin

Albany, Oregon

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To the Editor:

Yes, yes, yes!

Bruce Mason's eloquent letter to the editor last week regarding the airport situation is right on. It is a great disappointment to wait all winter for outdoor summer gardening and deck time only to be driven inside by the constant droning noise pollution of skydiving planes circling all day long.

In addition to the noise, I have observed various situations that are safety concerns for operating skydiving so close to town on a road that services many Sisters residents.

I drive Camp Polk Road to town every day at various times and was shocked the first time I saw the skydiving operation located there. It began very quietly with absolutely no signage or traffic safety precautions in place. Slowly, I noticed warning signs going up and a few orange cones. Distracted driving in that section of Camp Polk has become a serious issue with the skydiving is actively operating.

Often times I have seen cars parked in the bike lane on Camp Polk as they stop to look up and watch a sky-dive landing. This forces cyclists out of the bike lane into the traffic lanes. Some folks get out of their car and actually stand in the road taking pictures. There doesn't appear to be adequate parking, so it is not unusual to find cars parked along the side of the road, complicating traffic and adding to the congestion. We now have skydivers landing in the field across from the airport and then walking across Camp Polk Road with all their gear to get back to the airport. How safe is this really when it involves both sides of a major road so close to town?

I, too, have nothing against the sport or the people involved, but it is for sure a faulty, erroneous location.

Lynne Keller

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To the Editor:

In response to the Susan Tank letter to the editor, concerning Andrew Lustcutoff's perceived slight to fathers the world over for having exhibited such ignorance and insensitivity by mentioning, in his well-written article about three local bike racers, that Shawna Palanuk was a mother early in the text while not identifying Creed Siebel as a father until much later in the article.

Are you freakin' kidding me? Surely we can all agree that devoted moms and dads (oops, now I've done it too) are a good thing and try to remember a time when we weren't looking for imaginary slights and injustices where none exist.

While I consider these thing I'm also going to try and remember a time when a black box lying in the street wasn't seen as "suspicious" and it didn't require an Oregon State Bomb Unit, the Deschutes County Sheriffs Department, the City of Sisters Public Works Department and a water cannon to invade the privacy of an innocent and gender-neutral "portable wood router with some accessories."

Sheesh, get a grip.

Patrick A. Rose

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To the Editor:

Hats off to Jim Cornelius for his excellent historic commentary on the Middle East, "The Long Echo of the Arab Revolt," (The Nugget, June 15, page 25).

We need first-class historical background pieces such as this in order to maintain our perspective amidst violent events.

Bill Stevens

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To the Editor:

In an interesting turn of events I was advised this past Friday by the Deschutes County human resources director and county legal team that (sheriff candidate Deputy Eric) Kozowski's political campaign team has requested to review my now-10-year-old personnel file.

This an apparent response to my critical commentary in the public forum of his qualifications and experience to be elected sheriff of Deschutes County.

Harassment? Intimidation? Poor judgement? Take your pick.

When I related this to friends of mine in Wallowa County their response was illuminating - they are not surprised to hear of the candidate endorsing such a tactic.

Reminds me of the bad old days under Greg Brown.

As for me, I stand by George Orwell who wrote "If you have embraced a creed which appears to be free from the ordinary dirtiness of politics - a creed from which you yourself cannot expect to draw any material advantage surely that proves you are right."

Greg Walker

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To the Editor:

Yesterday, I was walking my dog, in town on a long leash, along an old ditch line right off of Elm Street.

I did not even see the fawn laying in the grass, it was so tiny. My dog has absolutely no interest in deer, never chases or even looks at them. The dog was sniffing the grass, the baby jumped up, crying and bolted.

The doe came out of nowhere. I had not even seen her, and attacked my dog, very swiftly, and kicked him in the head. The dog staggered and was dazed.

The doe gathered herself for a second attack with both front legs. It all happened so fast. I yelled "No!" the dog tried to scramble away as I hauled on his leash (he weighs 85 pounds).

We managed to escape further assault as the doe decided to run after her little one. Thankfully. No serious injury to fawn, doe or the dog.

In the woods I am careful and watch for babies this time of year. This can happen, right in town.

Karen Keady