City snapshot — changes afoot in Sisters

•?Two new commissioners have been appointed by Mayor Chuck Ryan, and confirmed by the City Council, to fill two in-city open seats on the Planning Commission.

Scot Davidson will fill the remaining 18 months left in David Gentry’s term.

Mark Hamilton was appointed to a full four-year term previously held by Daryl Tewalt, who served as a commissioner for 16 years.

Davidson is retired from a career in business leadership and management.

He is an Oregon residential contractor with experience building in Sisters.

Hamilton has 15 years experience as a real estate appraiser.

There were five applicants for the two positions.

One withdrew due to schedule conflicts and one didn’t show up for the interview.

The Planning Commission meets the third Thursday of every month, with workshops at 4 p.m.

and public hearings at 5:30 p.m.

•?The Planning Commission and Housing Policy Advisory Board will hold a joint meeting on Thursday, July 18, 4 p.m., to review the final drafts of the newly completed Housing Needs Analysis, Buildable Lands Inventory, and Housing Measures Report before they go to the City Council.

•?The City has signed a three-year economic services agreement with Economic Development for Central Oregon (EDCO), which includes the services of manager Caprielle Foote-Lewis. Previously, the City provided $60,000 per year toward the cost of the contract. The new amount is $50,000 from the City. Each year for the next three years, the Sisters EDCO advisory board will be responsible for privately fundraising $8,000, $10,000, and $13,000. The section of the contract dealing with the advisory board has been expanded and the role of the board clarified.

•?The City and the Central Oregon Intergovernmental Council (COIC) have signed an intergovernmental agreement for COIC to facilitate the Vision Project implementation during FY 2019-20. In late summer, an event will be held for the public to hear implementation plans.

•?A new project coordinator, Troy Rayburn, assumed his duties in the Public Works department as of July 1. He is replacing Nicole Abbenhuis and will have broader responsibilities in the newly created position. He comes from Redmond, where he worked in the community development department as an urban-renewal program specialist. Former employers include Clark County, City of Aspen, and the Oregon State Legislature.

•?The Community Development Department has published their work plan for FY 2019-20. Their priority tasks are those mandated duties of processing land-use applications and consents for building permits, walk-in customer service, responding to queries from the public, code enforcement, and floodplain administration. As time allows, they will address the next round of Development Code text amendments, Comprehensive Plan map and text amendments, zoning map amendments, Comprehensive Plan update process, municipal code updates, and implement updated/new wildfire hazard mitigation regulations.

•?Following a study using approved methodology, staff is recommending increases to the water and sewer system development charges (SDC) paid by builders of new residential and commercial projects. A component of that study was an annual inflationary adjustment derived from the Engineering News Record construction cost index. For FY 2019-20, that adjustment is a 3.04 percent increase.

•?Hot off the press are copies of the Sisters Country Vision – Our Community, Our Future. The colorful brochure is professionally printed, outlining the strategies identified to support the four major components of Sisters vision: prosperity, livability, resilience, and connection. More details on the vision are available at http://www.sistersvision.org.

•?Workers are currently being hired locally for the 2020 national census. A great deal of work, like checking physical addresses, takes place ahead of the census date of April 1, 2020. Enumerators are paid $14.50 an hour and field supervisors are paid $16 an hour. There is work right at the time of the census and also after the census for any needed follow-up. More information and applications are available on the website at http://www.2020census.gov/jobs. 2020 will be the first time that people have the option of completing the census by self-reporting via phone and internet. The results of the census impact financial appropriations received by the county and congressional representation.

•?The Urban Forestry Board approved removal of three large ponderosa pine trees located in front of the First Interstate Bank on Main Avenue. The roots of the trees are causing heaving and breaking up of asphalt and concrete. There are scars on the trees where they have been hit by cars. They are compromised due to those conditions and there is evidence of pitch moth infestation. The UFB determined there was no viable solution other than removal of all three trees. First Interstate will be required to plant two mitigation trees of a different species more appropriate as street trees.

•?There are “alarming signs” in the Hayden Homes subdivision that a 42-inch diameter significant ponderosa has died. The Urban Forestry Board recommended immediate removal due to bug infestation to keep them from spreading to other trees. There is evidence of a lightning strike to the tree. There is no evidence of any excavation around the tree.