20
Wednesday, August 17, 2016 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
Nonprofit seeks to honor
‘climate champions’
Early adopters have
always led the way to new
and improved ways of
living.
Already, there are many
businesses, organiza-
tions, and individuals who
have learned that conser-
vation, energy efficiency,
clean energy and trans-
portation, and thoughtful
buying decisions all con-
tribute to increased value
for themselves and the
community.
350Deschutes, a local
nonprofit organization, seeks
to honor these champions
at their upcoming confer-
ence, Climate Change:
Solutions & Opportunities,
on October 3. They seek
nominations, either individu-
als or entities, from Central
Oregon. Suggested names
of nominees may be sent to
actnowforclimate@gmail.
com, along with 35 words as
to why they are being nomi-
nated. Nominations close
August 31.
Three Sisters Irrigation
District is among the cur-
rent nominees for their
efforts in water and energy
conservation.
Climate champions
will be featured on the
350deschutes.org website.
Some of the characteris-
tics of climate champions:
• Installation of solar
or renewable energy that
decreases cost while also
contributing to clean air
and the reduction of harm-
ful emissions from fossil
fuels. This may be a netzero
facility or home whose
energy use equals its energy
savings.
• Buying decisions that
consider costs, and reuse
of materials in order to
lower the environmen-
tal impact of waste and
transportation.
• Installation of energy-
efficient appliances, lighting,
and/or heating/cooling, that
reduce energy use and lower
costs.
• Getting around through
biking, electric or fuel-effi-
cient vehicles, mass transit,
or walking to help allevi-
ate traffic congestion while
reducing pollution and low-
ering harmful carbon emis-
sions. Using electric trac-
tors or other alternative-
fuel vehicles within the
business.
• Integration of sus-
tainable practices into
their business model to
reduce waste, decrease
cost and maintenance,
while helping the bottom
line.
• Lifestyle decisions that
may include a diet of more
plant-based foods, rather
than meat.
“The clean economy
offers value to individu-
als, businesses, and com-
munities,” said says Diane
Hodiak, executive direc-
tor of 350Deschutes.
“These early adopters
have discovered how to
integrate these choices,
or some of these choices,
into their everyday life.
You don’t have to believe
in climate change to experi-
ence the benefits. You only
have to believe that there
are better choices that lead
to healthier and wealthier
communities.”
Quality Truck-mounted
CARPET CLEANING
Quality Cleaning 16 years in
Reasonable Prices Sisters!
— Credit Cards Accepted —
ENVIROTECH
541-771-5048
RESIDENTIAL • COMMERCIAL
Thrift Store
ReStore
$6 BAG
SALE!
50
OFF
ALL ART AND
Punch cards or other discounts
excluded. Clothing only!
541-549-1740
Continued from page 1
of room tax revenues from
33 percent to 50 percent and
increased the rate to 9.9 per-
cent. Frye lobbied lodging
property owners to support
the increase and was gratified
by the response.
“Probably 90 percent of
them supported it, which
was really impressive,” he
said. “The Chamber now has
money to actually do things
(particularly in marketing
the community across the
region).”
He also cited the City’s
assistance in the refurbishing
of the tennis and basketball
courts at Sisters Elementary
School as a gratifying
accomplishment.
“Every time I drive by and
see kids playing, a dad play-
ing basketball with their kids,
it feels good,” he said.
Housing remains a critical
issue that the Council and City
staff will have to address, Frye
told The Nugget. And Sisters
is far from alone in having to
grapple with a tight housing
market, particularly for rent-
als, and with affordability for
the local work force.
“All the cities in the
region are getting crushed
with affordable housing right
now,” he said. “It’s number
one.”
He noted that the City is
meeting this month with a
developer who is planning to
build apartments in Sisters.
Another challenge for the
City is hiring a new senior
planner and strengthening the
planning department, espe-
cially as quick growth returns
to the community. Frye notes
that the planning department
is critical, and virtually all
of the City’s potential liabili-
ties come from that arena.
He hopes the City can hire a
capable planner with Oregon
experience.
Frye presided over a
stressful, months-long pro-
cess earlier this year that
ultimately led to the City’s
separation with City Manager
Andrew Gorayeb over behav-
ior that violated the City’s
“encouraged conduct” but
did not amount to offenses
worthy of termination for
cause. Gorayeb resigned
with a severance package
amounting to slightly under
$114,000 and the City was
compelled to release a poorly
redacted investigator’s report
that revealed individual staff
members and their comments
to the investigator.
Frye was cautious abut
discussing the investigation,
but he acknowledged, “I think
there’s elements of that that
we’d do differently” if given
the chance.
Looking forward, he said
that the City Council needs
to improve its direction of the
city manager.
“We need to look at our
employee manual and some
language to see if it was ade-
quate so that we don’t have to
go through anything like this
again,” he said.
He also said that the
Council needs to create a
more effective and meaning-
ful review process for the city
manager, noting that a review
of the city manager often also
amounts to a self-review of
the Council.
“It’s so symbiotic,” he
said. “You’re not just review-
ing (the city manager) you’re
kind of reviewing yourself.
You have to give adequate
feedback… You need five
councilors who are willing
to do that and coach a city
manager… Being able to
manage people effectively is
important.”
Just getting five councilors
elected is a challenge at the
moment. As of Monday, only
two candidates had filed for
three open positions for the
November election.
Frye said that, with interim
leadership from City Manager
Rick Allen, the City has
reduced the workload and
number of meetings expected
of a councilor. The level of
time commitment is a sig-
nificant factor for councilors,
Frye acknowledged. And the
tumult that has plagued the
Council for several years has
also had an effect on people’s
willingness to serve.
Frye said he believes that
as the Council stabilizes and
focuses on doing what the
people want and being trans-
parent, there will be less con-
flict and “people won’t be as
scared to get into the pool.”
As for his own future, Frye
said, “I think we are all called
to serve in some fashion… I
will continue to serve. I don’t
now what that will look like
right now.”
For the moment, Frye will
focus on his business, the
General Store at Black Butte
Ranch — and a new passion.
“I bought a violin,” he said.
“I’m going to learn to play the
violin in my new spare time.”
No idea what to get them?
Honor them with an ad in the The Nugget!
Birthday? Anniversary? Graduation or Special Occasion?
Licensed • Bonded • Insured • CCB#181062
SISTERS HABITAT FOR HUMANITY
One day only!
Friday, August 19
FRyE: Mayor is
moving outside
Sisters city limits
%
ACCESSORIES
ressed
A well-d rightens
wall b home
your
541-549-1621
541
549 16
141 W. Main Ave., Sisters
254 W. Adams Ave., Sisters
Hours: Mon.-Sat., 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Sunday, 12-4 p.m.
Donations accepted
Mon.-Sat., 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Hours: Mon.-Sat., 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Closed Sundays
Donations accepted
Mon.-Sat., 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
T
A
H
T
S
’
O
H
W
L?
R
I
G
Y
P
P
A
H
Come
e
Celebrat
Karen’s
!
Birthday
A way to share
with
the Sisters com
munity
how special th
ey are!
Love is Life’s Gre
Adventure… atest
r 6
!
l
a
i
c
Saturday, Decembe
o
S
e
i
P
5 & 7 p.m.
It’s a
Drop in between
The more pie the
of Hood & sha Fir
• Corner can
re.
Eurosports
bring one to
you
have a fave,
merrier! If you
t it together!
We can help you pu
FREE!
re
a
s
e
ic
rv
se
n
g
si
e
D
Th ank you, Ann
,
incredible love & for 25 years of
epic adventures
.
Call Karen Kassy at 541-549-9941