McDougall seeks council seat

"I like being part of something bigger than me," was Sarah McDougall's answer when asked why she is seeking a position on the Sisters City Council.

She also enjoys teamwork and has seen plenty of that in her interaction with and observation of the City Council, the City staff, and other City boards and advisory committees.

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Sarah McDougall is running for Sisters City Council in the November 5 election.

After 14 years living in Bend, McDougall and her husband, Chris, moved to Sisters in 2020, and McDougall has jumped into volunteering with both feet. She is currently serving on the Sisters City Planning Commission, and is the president of the board of Citizens4Community (C4C). She served on the City Budget Committee in 2023 and 2024 and on the City Parks Advisory Board in 2021-2022. She estimates she spends about 15 hours a week on her volunteer endeavors.

McDougall grew up outside of Burlington, Vermont. She earned her BA in business with a minor in mathematics at Colby College in Waterville, Maine. She went on to receive her MS in management information systems from the University of Virginia. She is also a project management professional.

For 20 years, McDougall worked in information technology leadership, using skills that transfer well to the duties of a city councilor - listening, complex analysis, problem resolution, collaboration, and communication across stakeholders. While in Bend, she worked as a program manager in IT for a Fortune 500 company before leaving that position in 2013. She served as the executive director of Tour des Chutes for 15 months, and worked in retail for five years.

What do you think is the biggest issue facing Sisters?

We can't just close the doors on growth. That is totally unrealistic, and our state land use laws won't allow it. The study on annexation that will follow our Urban Growth Boundary amendment process is important and offers an opportunity to set the percentage of affordable and workforce homes that must be included. But what is the right percentage? And what do we need – apartments, houses, duplexes? The City's housing plan addresses some of those issues.

We need to be able to provide sufficient affordable and workforce housing, and I'd love to see us come together as a community to brainstorm how we could build real starter homes. I don't want to see our workforce need to commute in from Bend and Redmond and beyond. At the same time, we want to keep our small community feel. To have a thriving city we need thriving businesses and organizations with intentional commercial spaces that act as gathering spots or "third places" which help enhance that close community feeling.

What does responsible growth look like for you?

Aspects of responsible growth can be thought of in two categories: technical and human. I believe we need to build structures and physical areas that consider traffic safety, are responsible to the environment, and resilient to wildfire. At the same time, we need to look at what kind of housing we need to build to support people who are part of our community, including those who work here, but can't currently afford to live here. When considering parks, we should look both at specific needs such as sport-specific fields or courts, but also at making spaces where we can gather and share time with our neighbors in a more flexible manner. Responsible growth means continuing to grow, but not losing our special sense of community and caring for one another.

What abilities and knowledge would you bring to the City Council?

I do the work needed to make decisions. While I often have an early opinion on a topic, I am a deep listener and believe other people have ideas that matter. I read relevant documentation, ask questions, and analyze the fine points before coming to a decision.

I am both aware of and involved in high priority topics the City is working on. I have been watching City Council meetings for over two years to understand the nuances of how things work and how complicated some decisions are to make. I sit on the Planning Commission, where we learn about and influence major decisions such as Dark Skies, Short Term Rentals (STRs), and the Urban Growth Boundary (UGB) amendment.

What makes Sisters the place you choose to live and to which you want to contribute?

Sisters has a beautiful sense of place, both physically and emotionally. It's hard to miss how stunning the natural beauty is. And when I interact with others in Sisters, I feel a deep-rooted sense of care.