Wednesday, January 28, 2015 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
PLAnnInG DEPT.:
Hardie will remain
to train replacement
Continued from page 1
City Manager Andrew
Gorayeb reported. “It affords
her the opportunity to work
in a different environ-
ment that is potentially less
stressful (and) offers better
compensation, she avoids a
20-hour per month commute
and can spend more time
with her children.”
Hardie took the position
of community development
director in July 2010, after
being hired in 2007 as a
senior planner.
“Her contributions are
enormous, and she will be
sorely missed,” Gorayeb
wrote in a letter inform-
ing the city council of her
decision.
Earlier Friday, planning
commission member Cort
Horner resigned the position
he took up in July, citing the
need to focus on his other
personal and professional
commitments.
The City of Sisters is also
parting ways with senior
planner Eric Porter and is
looking to hire an associate
planner.
T h e d e p ar t m e n t h a s
come under intense scrutiny
numerous times over the past
several years in controversies
over decisions ranging from
the issuance of temporary-
use permits to the recent staff
approval of food carts sited
at a downtown business. The
City has acknowledged that
staff failed to follow stan-
dard practice in handling the
site-plan review in that case,
and numerous others, and the
Council has directed staff to
come up with clear code lan-
guage in an effort to avoid a
recurrence.
Several people associated
with the most recent contro-
versy have taken a beating
in social media, including
calls from critics for plan-
ning commission chair Alan
Holzman and city attor-
ney Steve Bryant to step
aside.
Mayor Chris Frye
expressed concern that the
climate surrounding the plan-
ning department and City
politics in general is pushing
people away.
“Contention and contro-
versy are to some degree
always going be a part of
the political landscape,” he
told The Nugget. “The con-
centrated effort of a few to
cast aspersion, attack char-
acter, and question integrity
on a personal level is what
is causing these individuals
to leave or think about leav-
ing. Quite frankly it makes
me mad, and it should make
the community at large mad
as well. Anyone who knows
Darren Layne, Cort Horner,
Alan Holzman, Pauline
Hardie, and Steve Bryant
know that these are people of
unquestionable character and
integrity, and they most cer-
tainly do not deserve the per-
sonal attacks that they have
had to endure.
“It saddens me greatly
that Sisters has lost and is
losing such a talented group
of individuals; however, the
well of talent runs deep in
this town and we will con-
tinue on,” he said.
At the same time, Frye
recognized that the City must
improve its work.
“The goal of staff and
this council is to improve
transparency, better public
outreach, engage the com-
munity, and work at ensur-
ing good process is being
followed,” he said. “As we
improve in these areas, I
expect the climate to change.
To receive trust we first must
earn trust and we understand
that takes time.”
The department is
engaged in ongoing efforts
to reform code regarding
transient and temporary
businesses, formula food
establishments, and back-in
parking.
The undoing of back-in
parking on Main Avenue and
a couple of side streets is
of keen interest to many in
Sisters Country, but planners
have not had time to tackle
the issue.
“Back-in parking is still
on the back burner,” Gorayeb
told The Nugget. “We hope
to get it addressed in the next
two to three months, but (it)
may take longer due to unex-
pected disruptions.”
In its hiring notice, the
City described the associ-
ate planner position: “Under
general supervision, the
associate planner conducts
reviews on current develop-
ment applications and sign
permits; works on long-
range land-use plans; writes
findings, notices and reports;
and conducts weed abate-
ment. The associate plan-
ner will have frequent and
direct interaction with the
city council and planning
commission and other advi-
sory groups and the general
public.”
Porter was hired as
Sisters’ community develop-
ment director in September
2007. He stepped back to
the position of “principal
planner” in July 2010, cit-
ing ongoing vision problems,
and Hardie was named com-
munity development direc-
tor, the position she now
holds.
“We will move forward
and find a qualified replace-
ment,” Gorayeb said of
Hardie’s departure. “Pauline
will help train that replace-
ment and the associate plan-
ner position as well.”
25
Girls beat Sweet home on hardwood
By rongi Yost
Correspondent
The Lady Outlaws earned
a big 54-31 win over the
Sweet Home Huskies at home
in Sisters on Tuesday, January
20, but three days later the
tide turned and Sisters fell
41-24 to Junction City.
In Tuesday’s match-up,
six of the Lady Outlaws
combined for 22 points in
the first quarter, including
three-pointers from Boston
Moore and Cassandra Arruda.
The Outlaws played strong
throughout the quarter, and it
was evident they came ready
to play. At the close of the
period Sisters held a 22-11
advantage over the Huskies.
The Outlaws out-scored the
Huskies 10-7 in the second
quarter and closed out the half
with a 32-18 advantage.
In the second half, Sisters
took off their backcourt press
and focused on their half-
court pressure. The Outlaws
worked hard to get good
looks at the basket, hit the
open player, out-scored the
Huskies 22-13 in the half, and
recorded the win.
“I was very happy with
how well we played in the
first half to set the tone for the
game,” said Coach Julianne
Horner. “Our focus has been
on becoming an offensive
threat. We had nine of the
10 players who played in the
game score, and were able
to accomplish that goal this
game. We were able to use
this game to show us what we
are good at.”
photo by JeRRy balDock
Bethany Bachmeier takes her shot against Sweet Home.
Moore paced the Outlaws
with 18 points, and Arruda
tallied nine. Nina Horner
and Bethany Bachmeier
each contributed six points.
Haylie Hudson and Cierra
Mann each pulled down eight
boards and Olivia Stewart
recorded six.
On Friday, the Outlaws
suffered a brutal loss at home
against the Tigers of JC.
Sisters just couldn’t get
their shots to fall, and at the
half they found themselves
down 25-9. The Outlaws did
a better job in the second half,
but the first-half deficit was
too much to overcome.
The Outlaws shot only 33
percent from the floor and 44
percent from the free-throw
line. Players who normally
put up points for the Outlaws
weren’t able to get anything
to drop through the net.
“The girls worked at
getting shots and playing
defense but just could not get
momentum until the last three
minutes of the game,” said
Horner.
Mann led the Outlaws
with 10 points, Moore scored
seven, and Stewart added five.
The Outlaws were to play
at Elmira on Tuesday, January
27. On Friday, January 30,
Sisters will play at home
against Sutherlin.
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