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Wednesday, December 20, 2017 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
2017: Visioning process
to get underway
early next year
Continued from page 3
six-month job review, which
included high praise from
the Council, City staff, and
the community, as well as a
$2,500 raise.
According to Ryan, “Some
of the more significant proj-
ects completed or well under-
way include the following:
Newly adopted long-term
sewer and water rates; a kick-
off of our Sisters Country
Visioning Project which will
help define the long-term
strategic vision and decision-
making for Sisters Country;
and significant progress on
the study and update of our
Transportation System Plan
(TSP) which will define long-
term infrastructure and fund-
ing needs in this critical area.”
City Manager Kucera also
noted the TSP, which will be
complete in 2018, as well as
the completion of the water
and sewer rate study, with
new rates set to go into effect
in 2018.
The citizens have been
kept informed on significant
issues of public interest with
outreach meetings regarding
the water and sewer rates, the
TSP, and contingency plans
for the solar eclipse, possible
flooding of Whychus Creek,
and the Milli Fire at the end
of the summer.
The
Community
Development Department,
under director Patrick
Davenport, has successfully
applied for three grants. The
largest grant will allow for
new ADA approaches to
the pedestrian bridge over
Whychus Creek between
Creekside Park and the camp-
ground, as well as riparian
restoration along the creek
banks between the Highway
20 bridge and the Locust
Street bridge.
In conjunction with
Deschutes County, the City
received a grant to con-
duct an inventory of historic
structures in Sisters Country.
Most recently, word was
received of a services grant
for Community Planning
Assistance for Wildfire to
assess how to make the City
of Sisters safer and better pre-
pared to deal with wildfires.
Kucera added, “The City
continues to invest in its
employees, with the majority
attending training within their
respective fields.”
T h e P u b l i c Wo r k s
Department, with Paul
Bertagna at the helm, had a
very busy, productive year.
Early 2017 saw monumental
snow that required Herculean
efforts to keep all the city
streets plowed and sanded.
Memorial Day weekend
marked the opening of the
long-anticipated Highway 20/
Barclay Drive roundabout,
with residents and tour-
ists alike having to learn the
proper etiquette for maneu-
vering the new traffic pattern,
which has improved the flow
of traffic into and out of town.
Completion of the landscap-
ing and installation of the
center artwork will take place
in 2018. The three finalists for
the artwork will be on pub-
lic display and available for
Legacy Realty would
like to wish you a very
Merry Christmas
comment in February 2018.
An early Christmas pres-
ent to the City came in the
form of a donation of quasi-
municipal water rights from
Dorro Sokol’s Pine Meadow
Ranch to the City. Sokol’s
daughter Cris Converse made
the announcement at a recent
City Council meeting. The
gift saves the City $250,000
it was prepared to pay for
the water rights. Converse
told the City Council she
was making the donation in
memory of her mother who
died last January, and was a
longtime resident and avid
supporter of Sisters.
“2017 was not without
its challenges, including the
unprecedented wildfires that
clearly tested the commu-
nity overall,” Ryan noted.
“However, I personally am
so proud of how well we
responded to these challenges
and the tremendous coordina-
tion and efforts provided by
so many selfless people.
“2018 is going to be a
very busy and exciting year
for Sisters,” promised Ryan.
“We will finish our visioning
project by the end of calendar
year 2018, which will allow
us to strategize and plan our
future with the utmost effi-
ciency. We also plan to look
at ways to further enhance our
downtown landscape by using
available Urban Renewal
Agency (URA) funds.”
Ry a n a d d e d , “ Yo u r
Council will continue to
pursue new and challenging
goals and objectives that opti-
mize our city and its finan-
cial and community strength.
There are also other exciting
prospects that will develop
over the year.”
Kucera highlighted the
efforts being made by so
many on behalf of the city.
“It’s exciting to see so
many people investing their
resources and time to improve
the Sisters community. City
Council, staff, and appointed
volunteer committees look
forward to the opportunities
the new year will bring in our
efforts to improve the com-
munity in making Sisters a
desirable place to live, work,
and visit.”
Ryan also looks to the
future full of hope and invites
the citizens of Sisters to
become active or continue
their involvement.
2017 was not without its
challenges, including the
unprecedented wildfires
that clearly tested the
community overall.
— Mayor Chuck Ryan
“I am so excited about our
city and its future,” he said.
“If there is one thing that I
could ask of our great com-
munity, it is to get engaged by
attending public forums and
Council meetings, volunteer-
ing for various committees,
and lending your support
in whatever way you can.
The City needs to hear from
all of you so we are making
informed decisions.”
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