City snapshot

• On Wednesday, November 16, 6 p.m. at FivePine Lodge, Deschutes County District Attorney John Hummel will host a public meeting to share with the community the work that the DeschutesSafe team is doing and to provide a forum for residents to share their thoughts on safety and crime prevention. The initial results from the DeschutesSafe public safety survey will be revealed during the meeting.

• The Sisters Planning Commission will meet on Thursday, November 17, 5:30 p.m. at Sisters City Hall. A public hearing will be held regarding the request from ClearPine subdivision to revise the phasing of the project to enable the construction of nine cottage-style dwellings in proposed Phase 2.

• Three in-city positions on the Planning Commission have terms that are expired and need appointments to fill them. The current commissioners, chairman Dave Gentry, Bob Wright, and Jeff Seymour, have indicated their willingness to serve again. Sisters City Council agreed to open the selection process to city residents who also might be interested in serving. Applications need to be turned in to City Hall by December 2. Please contact Patrick Davenport, community development director, at 541-323-5219, with any questions regarding commissioner duties and time involvement.

• The Transportation System Plan Project Advisory Committee will begin meeting in December. A number of citizens have already agreed to serve on the committee, but there is room for several more members. Contact City Recorder Kathy Nelson for more information at 541-323-5213.

• The Parks Advisory Board has two new members, Jeff Tryens and Carla Merrell.

The showers at Village Green will be in operation through the winter, with $1 for two minutes and $2 for four minutes.

The PAB approved a request from the Sisters Trails Alliance to place another trail kiosk for scenic bikeways near the restrooms at Village Green Park.

The Creekside Campground is closed and winterized until next spring.

Over the winter the existing campground restrooms will be removed and replaced by brand-new facilities that will include more showers.

The East Portal restrooms are closed for the winter.

The sinks and faucets in the restrooms at Barclay Park will be replaced as soon as possible.

• City Forester Dan Galecki of Spindrift Forestry reported to the Urban Forestry Board that he and his co-workers have a couple more weeks of work left to finish the inventory of trees on City property and rights-of-way. When the inventory is completed, there will be a map of the city with each tree mapped and numbered with computerized information about each tree, its GPS location, and an accompanying photo. The health and safety of the City's trees will be regularly monitored.

• The stage at Fir Street Park will be officially named Song Bird Stage to reflect the theme of the metal artwork on the back wall of the stage, designed by local Sisters artist Paul Bennett. Metal letters spelling out the stage name will be placed in an arch over the front of the stage.

• The issue of councilor-elect Richard Esterman's residency will be considered at a special hearing before a City Council meeting at a time and date yet to be announced.

By then, the election results for the Sisters City Councilors will have been certified by the county and forwarded to the Council.

The City Attorney will present the definition of city residency, letters he has received regarding Esterman's residency, what the City charter says about residency requirements, and evidence possessed by the City.

The public will be able to testify regarding the issues.

The Council will then consider all the testimony and materials presented before making a determination as to the validity of Esterman's residency in the city.

• Cascades East Transit will initiate a new bus route between Bend and Sisters sometime in February. They are also exploring the possibility of an actual route in Sisters - with possible stops in the City Hall/library area, further west on Main, at Ray's, and then at Village Green Park.

• Councilors will soon hold a public hearing on the experience of transient merchants during last summer's street fair season. Council had agreed last year when they approved an ordinance regulating transient merchants, that they would do an analysis of how the ordinance worked after the summer was over.

• Hood Avenue from Pine Street to Spruce Street will be closed on Saturday, November 26 from 2 to 3 p.m. for the annual Christmas parade.