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Wednesday, June 24, 2015 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
LETTERS
Continued from page 2
composting. The ban in the UK on sale and use of ami-
onopyrlids (Milestone®, et al) resulted after investi-
gation concluded that compost derived from chemi-
cally treated vegetation was being sold as “natural,”
a misnomer at least, resulting in garden crops failing.
Buy only certified organic seeds and soils.
Support organizations that are campaigning on
social and political levels to educate and change
laws to protect our environment from Monsanto,
Dow, and Bayer influence in Congress.
Help bumblebeewatch.org and butterflywatch.
org track migrations (journeynorth.org) by docu-
menting sightings using your cellphone or via
upload of images to their website. Audubon has
a yearly birdwatcher report form also. That 2/3
of American bird species are on the decline is an
important link to poisoned pollinator invertebrates.
Support the local initiative for a Sisters’ Pro
Pollinator Ordinance, at work in committee.
Information will be forthcoming in the next month.
A. Barrett
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To the Editor:
Re: “Sisters man killed in Fryrear Road wreck”
(The Nugget, June 10, p. 25).
I read the sad story of Michael Graham’s acci-
dent. What the story did not include was that people
stopped to help him. When we arrived, a man was
giving CPR while a woman counted loudly to keep
the rhythm just right. Another man stood by ready to
help. When we called 911 they said they had already
received other notifications of the accident.
People helped. It seems important to tell every-
one that people stopped! The emergency crew just
didn’t find him alone beside the road.
Carolyn Russell of Sisters
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To the Editor:
I think that some of the Black Butte Ranch hom-
eowners have the trail issue backwards. These are
the handful of homeowners who are convinced that
somehow their safety/private property rights/privacy
would be compromised if a paved multi-use trail
were built from Sisters to Black Butte Ranch.
In all likelihood, many more people would be
coming from the direction of BBR to Sisters than
the other way around. In fact, quite a number of
Ranch residents have expressed interest in and sup-
port of a paved trail that they could enjoy with their
families and friends.
There is little logic to the fear that “outsiders”
would help themselves to the BBR trails and ulti-
mately the pools and tennis courts if a paved trail
were constructed. Ride 8 miles to play tennis or
swim in a pool when there are multiple opportuni-
ties for recreation in Central Oregon? Not likely.
I fail to see how a bike path that would end at the
entrance to the Ranch, next to the highway, would
impinge upon residents’ privacy rights. Nothing
currently prevents anybody from driving in, park-
ing their vehicle, getting out the bikes and using the
BBR trail. The idea that someone is going to break
in and carry off a load of stuff or a grandchild on
a bicycle is far-fetched. Short of building a 12-foot
wall around the perimeter of the Ranch, there is no
way to keep out all non-residents.
What I object to from some of the letters seen
recently in The Nugget has to do with an underlying
tone of exclusivity and patronage. Not all impacts of
Black Butte Ranch onto Sisters are positive, includ-
ing higher grocery store prices, traffic congestion
and use of our recycling center.
We put up with the annoyances, however,
because we share a reciprocal relationship.
Keep in mind that some of those people riding
from Sisters on a paved bike path might actually stop
in and spend money at one of the BBR restaurants,
thereby helping to fund the Ranch Corporation.
Sounds like a plus to me.
Let’s try to be a little more community-minded
and less exclusive, please.
Sarah Rahm
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To the Editor:
Was anyone else offended by the letter to the
editor of Dianne and Thomas Hart in last week’s
Nugget, June 17?
They wrote “Unless I have something wrong, the
[Black Butte] Ranch’s paths are the Ranch’s business
[not that of Alan Unger, our county commissioner].
It seems arrogant that people who acknowl-
edge they live in Corvallis think that our Deschutes
County commissioners have no business consider-
ing events and impacts that happen in Deschutes
County. Since when did Black Butte Ranch become
its own principality?
Fear of change seems to motivate both the con-
cerns of the Harts and also another BBR resident,
Mr. Andrews (June 10). Mr. Andrews wrote “All I
ask is that public paths stay off our private property.”
Mr. Andrews, your wish is granted. The proposed
path is on Forest Service land, not private property,
specifically not your private property. If someone
trespasses on your private property, I encourage
you to call the BBR police and report them. Mr. &
Mrs. Hart, I want to point out that building a path in
the woods does not constitute “inviting non-paying
non-invited people into our homes.” Mr. and Mrs.
Hart, I have no desire to visit you. I do like the option
of walking/hiking/riding in MY National Forest.
Likewise, I encourage Ms. Baker (June 10) not
to be so overly dramatic in describing the effects of
the path. She wrote “I oppose any type of trail that
will destroy and kill thousands of animals. Frogs,
deer, squirrels, lizards, elk, coyotes just to name a
few would be permanently displaced or killed by
destruction to the forest.”
Ms. Baker, I promise to never go so fast hiking
or later with my walker that I will run into an elk. I
promise. Actually I, too, oppose anything that will
destroy “thousands” of animals.” For that reason I
am a lifetime member in the Sierra Club, as well as
being a member of Oregon Wild, Oregon Natural
Desert Association, and the Deschutes Land Trust. I
treasure our environment and see the path as a way
to bring people out into nature so they will enjoy
and become advocates for the land.
This is not just about having “privacy” for our
homes that happen to be built within the national
forests. The forest is not just for fit, young people.
It is for all of us. We should all have access to our
national forests.
Ken Serkownek
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To the Editor:
I’m writing an update of my previous letter
regarding the absence of bathroom facilities at Cliff
Clemens Park.
I visited City Hall on June 10 to ask why there
was not even a Sanican available at this park, as the
rock is the known place where little boys pee. I was
told that the City had applied for a grant for a rest-
room to be built. I expressed that the current situa-
tion was a public health as well as a safety problem.
They kindly took my number and said the Public
Works Director would call me back. In my conver-
sation with him I was told the only person that could
authorize it was the City Manager, who I was told
was out of town. I proceeded to tell him that due
to the pubic health risk he could use his City credit
card to order it. I also expressed that I was willing to
order it myself and have The Nugget there as it was
delivered.
To my surprise I noticed today, June 15, that
there is now a Sanican at the park. My grandchil-
dren no longer have to go somewhere else to use the
bathroom when visiting the park.
Just goes to know when you’re willing to put
your money where your mouth is, and the truth is
shown, good things can happen.
It’s too bad our leaders fail to see the simple solu-
tions in situations like this.
Greg Stohl