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About The nugget. (Sisters, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (May 11, 2016)
2 Wednesday, May 11, 2016 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon O P I N I O Support Sisters School Bond For eight years, the Sisters School District has had to make tough financial choices, trying to weather the storm of the Great Recession and a steep decline in enrollment. Through all of that time, the district did its best to keep cuts as far away from classrooms and programs as possible. That meant that maintenance of plant and infrastructure took the hit. With enrollment starting to stabilize, it’s time to catch up to work that has to be done to maintain the public’s investment in its schools. The $10.7 million request that Sisters vot- ers will decide upon in the May 17 election was honed down from a bigger ask, based on public feedback. Voters and taxpayers spoke and the district listened. That’s the way it’s supposed to work. The request is adequate to meet the dis- trict’s needs and to enhance facilities that will help the district attract and retain students. Schools must rely on robust enrollment to stay financially viable. Quality facilities are necessary to help Sisters schools to return to a healthy, sustainable level of enrollment and funding. The safety enhancements called for in the district’s plans are overdue and necessary. Refinancing the district’s existing full faith and credit debt will have an immediate posi- tive effect on the general fund budget, freeing up some $240,000 annually that can be put to use in the classroom. Sisters schools are a central part of the life of the community — and a reflection of who we are as a community. Supporting the bond request will ensure that our investment is maintained and that the heart of our com- munity remains vibrant. —Jim Cornelius, News Editor Letters to the Editor… The Nugget welcomes contributions from its readers, which must include the writer’s name, address and phone number. Let- ters to the Editor is an open forum for the community and contains unsolicited opinions not necessarily shared by the Editor. The Nugget reserves the right to edit, omit, respond or ask for a response to letters submitted to the Editor. Letters should be no longer than 300 words. Unpublished items are not acknowledged or returned. The deadline for all letters is noon Monday. To the Editor: My all-time favorite fictional character Ron Swanson once said, “Honor: if you need it defined, you don’t have it.” If you’re reading this, Mr. Gorayeb, honor doesn’t involve making co-workers uncom- fortable no matter what your definition of appropriateness is and it certainly doesn’t involve accepting $15,340.48 for essentially getting to be on vacation for two months. Furthermore, accepting over $100,000 in severance for leaving a job voluntarily, with a victim mentality to boot, is not only dis- honorable but, as councilman Asson put it, disgraceful. Good luck with your next job. Jayson Berray • • • To the Editor: Hats off to City Councilor David Asson for speaking up on behalf of taxpayers and voting against this expensive settlement with the ex- city manager. Hard not to feel like our community was bullied into it by Mr. Gorayeb’s threats of litigation. Fulfilling his contract’s minimum compensation is more than enough out of our pockets, especially as he resigned rather than accept responsibility for his part in the prob- lems, and refuses to cooperate with the coun- cil’s requirements for self-improvement. This time around, let’s hire someone in- house to lead the city team, someone who’s worked their way up through the ranks and shown they can work amicably with city staff and city council. City staff has many dedi- cated workers who could lead the team better than anyone from outside. Bill Stevens • • • To the Editor: Is it really in the best interest for our com- munity to have all of the gory details of the city manager mess made public, and exactly what purpose would it serve? Based on what details have been offered, See LETTERS on page 8 Sisters Weather Forecast Courtesy of the National Weather Service, Pendleton, Oregon Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunny Sunny Slt. chance t-storms Chance t-storms 75/42 78/43 76/46 67/43 Sunday Monday Partly sunny Partly sunny 67/43 66/na The Nugget Newspaper, Inc. Website: www.nuggetnews.com 442 E. Main Ave., P.O. Box 698, Sisters, Oregon 97759 Tel: 541-549-9941 | Fax: 541-549-9940 | editor@nuggetnews.com Postmaster: Send address changes to The Nugget Newspaper, P.O. Box 698, Sisters, OR 97759. Third Class Postage Paid at Sisters, Oregon. Publisher - Editor: Kiki Dolson News Editor: Jim Cornelius Production Manager: Leith Williver Classifieds & Circulation: Teresa Mahnken Advertising: Karen Kassy Graphic Design: Jess Draper Proofreader: Pete Rathbun Accounting: Erin Bordonaro The Nugget is mailed to residents within the Sisters School District; subscriptions are available outside delivery area. Third-class postage: one year, $45; six months (or less), $25. First-class postage: one year, $85; six months, $55. Published Weekly. ©2016 The Nugget Newspaper, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. All advertising which appears in The Nugget is the property of The Nugget and may not be used without explicit permission. The Nugget Newspaper, Inc. assumes no liability or responsibility for information contained in advertisements, articles, stories, lists, calendar etc. within this publication. All submissions to The Nugget Newspaper will be treated as uncondition- ally assigned for publication and copyrighting purposes and subject to The Nugget Newspaper’s unrestricted right to edit and comment editorially, that all rights are currently available, and that the material in no way infringes upon the rights of any person. The publisher assumes no responsibility for return or safety of artwork, photos, or manuscripts. N Schools superintendent reaches out students, staff and commu- nity members that partici- Guest Columnist pate in them. Most importantly, I have It seems like just yester- day I was signing my con- discovered a hard-working, tract and trying to figure reflective staff and com- out all the logistics of tran- munity that have a “can- sitioning into Sisters. As I do” attitude and care about approach the end of my first providing top-notch experi- year as the Superintendent ences for our students. This of Sisters School District I is the cornerstone to mak- find myself reflecting on my ing Sisters not just the best school district in the region, experiences. When considering a but one of the best in the move, my wife, Kellie, and state. I feel this fits well with I were looking for smaller towns as we wanted our my personality and edu- four children to experience cational philosophy. As an educa- that close- tor, I feel a knit/com- strong sense munity feel- urgency ing that we I believe I need to hear of to make had grow- we are ing up. I from all of our residents, sure doing the was nervous best we can about mak- not only parents and to develop ing a move. the criti- I wondered family members. cal thinkers if my expe- and life- r i e n c e s long learn- of grow- ers that will ing up in a small town were distorted be able to adjust to our by the “good old days” e v e r - c h a n g i n g w o r l d mindset that we often have w h e n t h e y l e a v e o u r when remembering our schools. Finally, I have realized childhood. While doing research that even with the many about Sisters we discovered community forums, presen- a strong school system and tations to local organiza- a supportive community that tions, and my attendance boasted about strong part- at countless community nerships and volunteerism. events, I still have not had Even though there is always the opportunity to meet all room to improve, what I of the people that are a part have discovered is that the of the Sisters community. I have connected with reality in Sisters is better many community mem- than the research. I have found the research bers to get an understand- does not do justice or appro- ing of the priorities around priately capture the part- education, and I believe nerships with Sisters Folk I need to hear from all of Festival, Sisters Schools our residents, not only par- Foundation, Sisters Park ents and family members. & Recreation District and We all know that great the Science Club, and the schools have a huge impact experiences that these on our graduation rates, partnerships afford our our local economy, future workforce, and property students. These partnerships sup- values. That’s why we need our port programs like the Americana Project, IEE, business and community outdoor education, guitar leaders and retired neigh- and ukulele building, culi- bors to let us know where nary arts, flight science, they stand on school-related Chinese language, and Seed issues. For those who I to Table. Not to mention the have not had the pleasure traditional school supported of meeting, you can con- co-curricular activities like tact the district office as I band, choir and athletic pro- continue to seek partner- grams that round out a com- ships and feedback on how prehensive school system. to improve the experiences These experiential learning provided to our students opportunities are described and the Sisters School as transformational by the District. By Curt Scholl Opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the writer and are not necessarily shared by the Editor or The Nugget Newspaper.
