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Wednesday, February 14, 2018 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
LETTERS
Continued from page 2
With additional funding for fire-prevention
work and restoration projects and support from
these partners, we can continue the pace and scale
of improving the health of our forests and protect-
ing our communities.
Unfortunately, even with our local efforts, each
year, firefighting costs consume more of the USDA
Forest Service’s budget. In 1995, firefighting costs
accounted 15 percent of the Forest Service bud-
get. In 2017, it was 57 percent. If the current rate
of growth continues firefighting may consume 67
percent of our budget by 2021.
This will result in fewer funds for USDA Forest
Service programs and services, including recre-
ation, visitor services, and, as I mentioned, much-
needed fire-prevention work that reduces the risk
of catastrophic wildfires in the first place.
The Forest Service is required to fund its entire
emergency management program through its
regular appropriations. In the Pacific Northwest,
this funding model means projects, like those
on the Deschutes National Forest, designed to
decrease the severity of wildfire are being delayed.
Additionally, maintenance of recreation sites and
critical infrastructure is being deferred.
While on the Deschutes National Forest we will
continue our work with elected officials, local and
state agencies, partners and volunteers to leverage
resources and accomplish more than we could by
ourselves; our current fiscal path is unsustainable.
In the end, I want to express my appreciation
for the many people in Central Oregon, includ-
ing our local elected officials, who are working to
find solutions to the fire-funding challenge for our
agency and for all the support we receive in man-
aging these important public lands for the benefit
of current and future generations.
John Allen
Forest Supervisor, Deschutes National Forest
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To the Editor:
After viewing the art proposals of the finalists
chosen by the Art Selection Committee for the
US Highway 20 and Barclay Drive roundabout, I
believe that only one of the three, Danae Bennett-
Miller’s “A Land of Contrasts,” represents Sisters
as the “Gateway to Central Oregon.”
The many visitors who pass through our com-
munity, and particularly those who arrive from the
west, are here for the scenic beauty of our land and
what our mountains, forests, deserts and wildlife
have to offer. “A Land of Contrasts” reflects all
these. More than the other two selections, it will
effectively block the view of the opposing high-
way and serve to slow traffic down as drivers and
other vehicle occupants view its scenes. Children,
in particular, will enjoy and identify the animals,
which are a major part of the installation. While
slowing down traffic, Bennett-Miller’s work is not
so excessive in detail or its design so abstract to
require drivers to fully stop to see what it has to
offer or comprehend what it represents. It requires
no explanation and its appeal will be universal
— or fairly close to it. The other two proposals,
however, would be more fitting for the grounds of
a gallery or museum, or a college campus, where
they may be viewed and discussed with leisure by
those who enjoy that type of work.
Danae Bennett- Miller lives and works in
Central Oregon, just down the road in Tumalo, in
fact. She is one of us. Sisters residents and mem-
bers of other local communities must live with
the choice of the Art Selection Committee and the
approval of the Sisters City Council, and what vis-
itors see will reflect on us. Hopefully the selection
will be one which we understand, enjoy and can
all be proud of.
Bill Bachman
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To the Editor:
A big shout-out of thanks to the City of Sisters
leadership for definitively spelling out the guide-
lines for tree-cutting/removal to all!
Kay Payne
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To the Editor:
Once again, Craig Rullman, The Bunkhouse
Chronicle (The Nugget, February 7) would like
you to believe that Republicans and Democrats
are equally corrupt. He also suggests that both
candidates and both parties tried to manipulate
votes in the 2016 election. The thing is, there is
absolutely no evidence that Democrats, the FBI or
“corrupt attorneys in the Department of Justice”
attempted to influence the election in favor of
Hillary Clinton. To believe that, or even to sug-
gest it as one possible scenario, is so ridiculous it’s
laughable.
Mr. Rullman, you have a platform. Instead of
repeating the incredibly dumb, paranoid narra-
tive from right-wing media about deep state con-
spiracies and witch-hunts, you could do a little
research. I suggest listening to Pod Save America.
Start with the February 1, 2018, episode “An insult
to banana republics.” These guys are funny and
smart. They break down the reckless and desper-
ate Devin Nunes memo and discuss how the GOP
obviously doesn’t care about their role to protect
the Constitution, the Rule of Law or our institu-
tions as long as they can distract from and muddy
the waters of the Mueller investigation and protect
Trump.
In the end, if Mueller’s investigation, with com-
plete transparency and due process, issues more
indictments, elicits more guilty pleas, exposes
more meetings with Russians and more lies
under oath by the Trump administration than we
already know, will the American people demand
the Trump administration and his enablers in the
Republican Congress be held accountable? I doubt
it because people don’t care. They believe the nar-
rative: both sides are corrupt so what’s the point?
And without Paul Ryan and complicit Republicans
willing to stand up to protect the Constitution,
Russia will continue its slow-motion efforts to dis-
rupt our government, our democracy and our val-
ues. But we don’t need the Russians to tear down
our democracy, the Republicans are doing it all by
themselves.
Terry Weygandt
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To the Editor:
Finally, the promised infrastructure bill.
My favorite definition of infrastructure is “the
basic facilities and installations that help a govern-
ment or community run, including roads, schools,
phone lines, sewage treatment plants and power
generation.” (yourdictionary.com/infrastructure)
Basically, the United States is one big com-
munity. Our schools, roads, bridges, water and
sewer systems, electric grids, power generators,
and communication systems do their best to hold
us all together. But much of our infrastructure is
See LETTERS on page 24
PHOTO BY GARY MILLER
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