14
Wednesday, June 22, 2016 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
LETTERS
Continued from page 2
To the Editor:
I am curious when the City of Sisters will
address the affordable housing issue? People
complain about lack of enrollment in the
schools and very few people to fill local jobs
either in the service industry, blue-collar and
white-collar areas.
In my opinion, it is due to the lack of hous-
ing — or to be specific: affordable housing.
There are very few rental residences or homes
to purchase that fall under the USDA rural
loan amount of $244,000.
The seven houses that are going in at Clear
Pine are a joke, at best the bare minimum
so the developer can proceed with the city’s
blessings.
This a real problem in Sisters, and should
and needs to be addressed. If the City wants to
attract people to live and work here, start new
business and bring fresh ideas to Sisters, hous-
ing needs to be addressed.
Chance D. Dahms
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To the Editor:
Regarding Hayden Homes’ request to
renege on their prior approved plans to build
apartments and affordable housing at the
June 16 meeting, I’d like to remind the plan-
ning commission of the City Council’s 2016-
17 Goals & Objectives as you consider their
alternative:
3. Identify Preservation & Enhancement
3.6 Support Elder Opportunities. Undertake
efforts to support elder housing, amenities and
services (in part so residents can age in place
and families can remain in closer proximity).
5. Exceptional Operations, Infrastructure &
Policy-Making.
5.1 Enable a Vibrant Mix of Housing,
Including Opportunity for Affordable Housing.
Pursue policies/standards that foster a vibrant
mix of housing options so more individu-
als/families who wish to live in Sisters have
opportunities to do so (thus providing multi-
plier benefits for the economy/schools & envi-
ronmental/personal wellness benefits).
5.1.1 Adopt Affordable Housing Policies
(workforce/lower income).
5.2 Enhance Transportation Infrastructures
Plan comprehensively to preserve and enhance
the safety and efficiency of the City’s trans-
portation-related assets, so that Sisters is
positioned well for current needs and future
growth.
5.3 Pursue Comprehensive Land Use
Planning & Balanced Regulations. Adopt
land-use plans and development regulations
that balance development with local identity
preservations and that equitably serve current
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residents while anticipating and providing for
longer-term growth.
Thank you for supporting the Council’s
goals.
Diane Goble
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To the Editor:
I would like to thank The Nugget for pub-
lishing a great newspaper that is truly commu-
nity-oriented. We are not Sisters residents, but
spend a few days near Sisters every month or
so, and enjoy reading your paper.
I especially would like to comment on the
guest columnists that appear in the paper. The
opinions expressed by columnists such as
Rachel Marsden (June 1) are based on real-
ity and truth, and as such are the opinions that
most Americans want to read, and should be
reading.
The opinions expressed by columnists such
as Robert Reich are based on a flawed ideol-
ogy that promotes governmental control over
individual rights and freedoms.
I would strenuously encourage you to select
more Rachel Marsden-types of columnists for
publication. I would think that your reader-
ship would appreciate and benefit from that
selection.
Dale Goin
Albany, Oregon
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By Douglas Beall
Correspondent
Raucous, boisterous,
annoying, disagreeable
are just a few terms used
to describe the Steller’s
jay (Cyanocitta stelleri).
Granted much of their
behaviors can be described
as loutish, and appreciat-
ing these forest birds can
be challenging, however the
mixed blues of their feath-
ers are nothing but stunning
and observing their creative
ways is intriguing.
The Steller ’s jay is
a master mimic; crying
babies, red-tail hawks, cats,
dogs and other birds are
just a few calls heard from
these jays. The jay was dis-
covered first in Alaska in
1741 by naturalist George
Steller, who was traveling
on a Russian exploration
ship. The oldest Steller’s
jay recorded was 16 years
old.
They build their nest
mostly high in conifers,
using mud combined with
sticks, moss, and leaves and
then lined with pine needles
or animal hair. Two to six
blueish-green dark-spotted
eggs are incubated for 16
days and in another 16 days
the fledglings leave the nest
when they feast on insects,
berries, and nuts.
A collection of jays is
called a “party” or a “band.”
For more Steller’s jay
images visit http://abird
singsbecauseithasasong.
com/recent-journeys.
s
To the Editor:
Yes, yes, yes!
Bruce Mason’s eloquent letter to the edi-
tor last week regarding the airport situation is
right on. It is a great disappointment to wait all
winter for outdoor summer gardening and deck
time only to be driven inside by the constant
droning noise pollution of skydiving planes
circling all day long.
In addition to the noise, I have observed
various situations that are safety concerns for
operating skydiving so close to town on a road
that services many Sisters residents.
I drive Camp Polk Road to town every day
at various times and was shocked the first time
I saw the skydiving operation located there. It
began very quietly with absolutely no signage
or traffic safety precautions in place. Slowly,
I noticed warning signs going up and a few
orange cones. Distracted driving in that section
of Camp Polk has become a serious issue with
the skydiving is actively operating.
Often times I have seen cars parked in the
bike lane on Camp Polk as they stop to look
up and watch a sky-dive landing. This forces
cyclists out of the bike lane into the traffic
lanes. Some folks get out of their car and actu-
ally stand in the road taking pictures. There
See letterS on page 17
photo by douglas beall
Steller’s jays.
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