Letters to the Editor…

Water table

To the Editor:

What? In the November 13 edition of The Nugget, page 1, Sisters Public Works Director Paul Bertagna says, “We have a robust, powerful aquifer under us. In tests, it recharges in seconds, not minutes. We drilled the new well to create more capacity, not because we’re running out of water.” His remark is regarding water availability for the 359 homes scheduled to be built in the Sisters Woodlands project.

On page 4, under News Nuggets, I see “Wells running dry? Reports of water wells drying up in Sisters Country are increasing. If your well, or a neighbor’s, has petered out, let us know so we can report effectively on the seriousness of the issue.”

I say again, what?

Jim Cline

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Support for Sisters Woodlands project

To the Editor:

Twenty-seven years ago, I moved my company and family to Sisters. My daughter Kelly, who was then in the second grade, now runs the company. We moved up five employees and hired 10 to help us keep up with demand. We were one of the largest employers in town.

We were recruited by the state of Oregon because they wanted companies like ours. I was involved with the Chamber of Commerce for a few years and we were tasked to bring living wage, year-round jobs to town. We targeted clean manufacturing companies.

I just read about the new development that will create housing for the jobs that we talked about over 20 years ago. Hallelujah, we’ve gotten there! Build it and they will come! But wait, how will this new growth affect our town?

I get it, it’s a mighty big deal. I helped a couple of the new companies get started, Personalized Nutrients and Laird Superfood. Laird is now the largest employer in town, and we compete on a daily basis for workers. Hey, we’re as clean as clean can get when it comes to manufacturing, but there just isn’t enough housing available that will fit the needs of our employees. Our employee turnover is higher than it should be and the commute into town remains our number-one reason for that turnover. Daycare is another huge need.

The new development will affect the town of Sisters, no question. I do know that it’s essential that folks who work at these companies are able to afford local housing. It’s extremely hard to find employees who can make the commute from Redmond and Bend. Only 1/3 of our employees are locals. We would like to change that.

The folks who work at Laird Superfood and Metabolic Maintenance have a huge economic impact on the entire town. Think schools, groceries, restaurants, stores; think about the positive economic impact we have on the city and the community.

Please put your weight behind this project. It will change our city for the good.

Ed Fitzjarrell, CEO

Metabolic Maintenance Products

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