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About The nugget. (Sisters, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (April 18, 2018)
Wednesday, April 18, 2018 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon 19 By Sue Stafford Correspondent SPRD is hoping to strengthen its financial situ- ation with passage of a local option levy on the May 15 ballot, asking voters to approve a five-year levy for an additional 15 cents per $1,000 of a home’s assessed value. The current tax rate of 22 cents per $1,000 has been the same since the District was established 20 years ago in 1998. In Sisters, the assessed value is usually quite a bit lower than the market value of a home (what an owner could expect to get for selling his home) and is determined by the Deschutes County Tax Assessor. If the levy passes, owners of residential prop- erty with an assessed value of $276,000, about average for the District, would pay an additional $41.40 per year or $3.45 per month. The proposed levy fund- ing distribution is 34 percent for after-school programs, 28 percent for building and park maintenance, 17 percent for District operations, and 21 percent for youth and senior programs. In 2017, there were over 3,000 separate registra- tions for after-school, youth sports, and summer activity programs. If the levy passes, fees for the after-school pro- gram would be reduced by 50 percent and additional funds would be made available for program scholarships. Funds from the levy would be used to expand fit- ness, wellness, and active outdoor programs for adults of all ages. In 2017, more than 1,600 adults participated in current programs. Over 10,000 residents and visitors attended com- munity events in 2017 spon- sored by SPRD, such as the Luau, Glory Daze Car Show, and sports tournaments. Levy funds would be used to design and develop these and other events. With more funding from the levy, SPRD would have increased ability to recruit and retain experienced staff members. There are approximately $270,000 worth of deferred maintenance projects that could be addressed with levy funds, as well as the ability to establish a sched- uled maintenance program for the Coffield Community Center, the skate park, the disc golf course, and the bike park. If the levy doesn’t pass, program fees would increase, some programs would be eliminated, and the pending maintenance and repair of District facilities would not be addressed. SPRD currently utilizes other funding mechanisms in addition to tax revenues, including user fees, grants, donations, and fundraising, all of which account for 73 percent of SPRD’s annual revenue in the 2016-17 fiscal year. Athletes aid monthly food program The monthly “Brown Bag” program occurs the second Correspondent Friday of every month. A d e l i v e r y t r u c k According to Kaping, e m b l a z o n e d w i t h t h e about 70 area families access NeighborImpact logo comes the Brown Bag program in a to Sisters once a month loaded month, which is estimated to with food for those in need. help 235 people per month. Westside Church in Sisters “The goal is to help supple- relies on volunteers to help ment some of the food needs maintain this effort monthly individuals and families in our during the year as the distribu- community may have,” she tion center for Sisters. said. At Westside, Lois Kaping, The monthly event is co-coordinator of the program, highly organized. Volunteers along with Paula Lovegren, arrive ahead of the truck, and has been able to rely on some as soon as it shows up the youthful energy on distribu- church becomes a beehive of tion days from athletic teams activity. Volunteers, includ- from Sisters High School, cre- ing high school students from ating a win-win situation for teams, unload the truck and all involved. begin loading up the tables. The truck pulls up to the Other helpers begin the finer church filled to the brim with organization of items so that around 800 pounds of pro- when the doors open at 4:30 duce, dairy products, and all p.m. things are ready to go. manner of other food staples. Kaping explained the By Charlie Kanzig process: “Food recipients get a number when they sign in and collection of food is then done by a lottery system. Each family member is allowed to “shop” with one bag. Larger families are allowed to take a second turn once everyone has gone through once. If there is food remaining after the first rounds, which there usually is, anyone can shop during the final round. Gary Thorson, athletic director at Sisters High School, came up with the idea of hav- ing athletic teams help out. “I knew about the program from church and really thought it would be a win-win for our students to get involved and provide easy access to helpers for the program,” he said. During the different athletic seasons, Thorson See VOLUNTEERS on page 31 jPRD: District will soon have new executive director Continued from page 1 Keefer went on to say, “From the board’s point of view, there is no animosity. We would welcome Shannon to work as a contracted instructor in our programs.” The point was made by Keefer that the SPRD staff has experienced “a lot of turn- over because of having to do a lot with a little.” He explained the only employee directly supervised by the board is the executive director, who in turn is responsible for hiring and supervising all the other employees. “The board tries not to get down into the depths of the organization,” he explained. The new executive direc- tor, Todd Garrett, is scheduled to take his position at SPRD in May. Until that time, Kris Harwell, who has been the SPRD finance director for the past four-and-a-half years, will continue as the interim executive director, a role she assumed when then-executive director Liam Hughes left to take a position in Pendleton. SPRD is hoping to strengthen its financial situ- ation with passage of a local option levy on the May 15 ballot, asking voters to approve a five-year levy for an additional 15 cents per $1,000 of a home’s assessed value. The current tax rate of 22 cents per $1,000 has been the same since the district was established 20 years ago in 1998. (See sidebar.) Despite its small tax base, in February the Special Districts Association of Oregon presented SPRD with the Outstanding Special District Program Award. This award recognizes member districts for their accom- plishments that allow them to provide better service to the public. SPRD’s operating over 10 special events and tournaments a year has helped provide needed funding to provide more services to the community. Over the past 20 years, SPRD has expanded from essentially an after-school program to a district with 11 full-time employees and a budget of over $1.35 million running 100 programs, five parks, and a community cen- ter with no increase in tax rate since its inception. “Necessity is the mother of INVENTION” If you can’t find what you are looking for in our hand-forged product line, we can design something to fit your needs “Your Local Welding Shop” CCB# 87640 541-549-9280 | 207 W. Sisters Park Dr. | PonderosaForge.com THE GALLERY R E S TA U R A N T A N D B A R Try our Famou s s Fish & Chip Smile, Sisters! Hair & Nails Natural & Artifi cial We’re committed to your dental health! Exceptional Health, Prevention & Aesthetics For Your Family! Trevor Frideres d.m.d. Ben Crockett, d.d.s. p 541-549-9486 f 541-549-9110 541-549-6566 484 W. Washington Ave., Ste. B 410 E. Cascade Ave. • P.O. Box 1027 • Sisters Hours: Mon., 9 a.m.-6 p.m.; Tues.-Wed., 8 a.m.-4 p.m.; Thurs., 7 a.m.-3 p.m. PHOTO BY ALEX JORDAN SPRD seeks to improve finances SOUP OF THE DAY April 18th - 24th Sat..........Navy Bean with Ham Wed ...............Chicken Noodle Sun ........................Beef Barley Thurs ....................Minestrone Mon .................. Potato Cheese Fri Clam Chowder & Vegetable Tues ....................Chicken Rice Breakfast & lunch 6:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Full-service dining in the bar nightly until 10 p.m. (21 & over) 171 W. Cascade Ave., Sisters • 541-549-2631
