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About The nugget. (Sisters, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 13, 2017)
24 Wednesday, December 13, 2017 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon Sisters salutes... RUNOUT: Homeowners association paid for removal Continued from page 1 Leaving the property paved would have put the HOA out of compliance with its condi- tion of approval to have 65 percent of the subdivision’s land be in undeveloped open space. The HOA members decided to pay for the project to bring a resolution to the matter, Newman said. “Ultimately it’s just a shorter path to get it done so people can get on with their lives in the HOA and in the neighborhood,” he said. The area in question was mapped as part of a wetland, but the Department of State Lands inspection of the prop- erty last spring determined that it’s not actual wetland. Newman noted that the department cleared the HOA to undertake the removal project. Airport co-owner Julie Benson told The Nugget that Eagle Air Estates had origi- nally approached the airport in 2014 “about constructing a drainage feature at the end of the runway on HOA property to allow surface water to flow unobstructed.” Benson said that “removal of the drain will cause surface water to back up against the unpermitted taxiway (from EAE) and flood the runway, like it did before. EAE will again be liable for damage to the runway, which is why EAE initiated the project.” PHOTO BY CODY RHEAULT An excavation crew from Robinson & Owen Heavy Construction removed a 300-foot section of paved runway runout at Sisters Eagle Airport last week. The question of what type of project was desired and initiated for the spot and how it came about is not clear. Newman said, “there’s never been a clean reason as to how and why it went in there.” Flooding has continued to be an issue. The area flooded last year, with the runout in place. Newman emphasized that the purpose of the pavement removal and return to natu- ral grade is first to allevi- ate flooding and second to resolve the open space issue and move on from the con- tentious matter. Benson contends that “removal of the overlay will reduce the safety factor of the runway. Although it was not designed or constructed to support the weight of a land- ing aircraft, it has been used for emergency situations.” Benson told The Nugget that “since (the runout’s) construction, there have been four known instances of emergency use.” Newman told The Nugget that the area will now be left alone. “We’re just going to let the natural ecosystem take it back over.” The demolition of the runout resolves one of sev- eral recent issues involving the airport. No resolution has yet been made regarding a demand from the Oregon Department of Transportation that Sisters Eagle Airport return some $377,152 in ConnectOregon V grant funds, which ODOT claims were misused. When The Nugget inquired into the sta- tus of the matter in October, CHOPS Bistro Hair & Nails Natural & Artifi cial 541-549-6566 484 W. Washington Ave., Ste. B ODOT spokesman Dave Thompson said the issue was under discussion by attor- neys of the parties involved and that he could not com- ment. Airport co-owner Julie Benson also declined comment. • Sisters Middle School Student Outlaw of the Month Awards for November were given out on Friday to two students in each grade. These students were recognized for dem- onstrating what being an Outlaw is all about: showing compassion for others, a willingness to help those around them and to put others above themselves. Congratulations to fifth-graders Sophie Rush and Brohgan Staudenmaier; sixth- graders Gracie Vohs and Evan Martin; seventh- graders Laura Torres and Danny Jones; and eighth-graders Audrey Henderson and Colin Palmer. Happy Hou r Specials 4 to 6 p.m. LIVE MUSIC Fridays & Saturdays, 6 to 8 p.m. Book your . p.m 8 to 5 s ay nd Su , Bill Keale offi ce & holiday ty ial ec sp d an d Join us for amazing foo m. cocktails in our lounge or dining roo parties now 370 E Cascade Ave. | 541-549-6015 1 Lounge open daily 4 p.m. to close | Dining Room daily 5 p.m. to close a nonprofit charity that provides fully guided and outfitted trips for disabled Veterans at no charge more than 2,000 veterans were served last year All guides and board members are disabled veterans. There are no paid employees. Warfighter Outfitters is 100% volunteer-based and only spends donor dollars on basic operating costs of fuel and food. All operating costs are funded by donor dollars. Would you consider making a donation to Warfighter Outfitters today? warfighteroutfitters.org Warfighter Outfitters • 541-719-0565 • 501(c)(3) Nonprofit
