Letters to the Editor…8-23

Emergency shelter

To the Editor:

I would like for those who have strong feelings about the proposed homeless shelter to consider the following:

The town of Sisters has had an operational cold weather shelter for the past five years. This service has been conducted by local churches who are not equipped to provide the mental health services that a proper homeless shelter would.

There is now a precedent set for many of the homeless among us to spend a good deal of time in those areas surrounding the churches and more importantly, schools.

When comparing the locations of the current homeless hangouts to that of something in the industrial area, I would ask you to consider this:

Do you think it is a better plan to have the homeless — many of whom suffer various forms of addiction and/or mental illness — to be loitering around these areas adjacent to the schools and children? There are those of us who live in Village Meadows who routinely have the homeless hanging around in the vacant lot behind our house, next to the Christian school and common areas, rifling through our recycling — sometimes entering privately fenced yards to do so. We’ve had people pitching tents and carrying on at 2 a.m., dealing and doing drugs next door to the preschool at Wellhouse and behind the homes of families with children..

I would respectfully ask you all to carefully look at our priorities as a community. What is more important? The safety of children and homeowners, or the safety of businesses?

It is a very real question and I am not saying businesses are not important. I’m saying that this is a more complex set of issues than just NIMBYs, and children are more at risk than adults operating businesses.

Michelle Ehr

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Houseless kids

To the Editor:

What is the City of Sisters doing or attempting, to help the 26 Sisters children living without a home?

Very concerned regarding the mayor’s comment about the 26 Sisters children that are houseless during the Emergency Shelter meeting.

Carrie Buchanan

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Divisive opinion

To the Editor:

Reading the latest Nugget I see that I’m not the only community member who was concerned by Rullman’s August 2 “Bunkhouse Chronicles” statement that our sitting president is a “demented, octogenarian bigot.” Free speech notwithstanding, that kind of “opinion” is part of what drives people apart. Kudos, however, for getting the “whack job” characterization correct.

Brad Earl