Wednesday, April 25, 2018 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
LETTERS
Continued from page 6
Oregon, and lead the state in science and graduation
rates (https://renewforsisters.org,just-the-facts). We
can build upon this even more and without increas-
ing our tax rate. We urge you to vote yes with us on
May 15 for the local option, measure 9-121.
Bob Collins and Cal Allen
Sisters Science Club
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To the Editor:
Please join me in supporting our valued Sisters
Park & Recreation resources by voting “yes” on the
upcoming local option.
So much of Sisters Country is all about our trea-
sured natural resources and outdoor activities that
keep our community young and older engaged. To
ensure we keep pace with ongoing needs, it is criti-
cal that stable, base-level funding be secured.
SPRD has worked funding miracles in the past
years to keep this wonderful resource in place.
However, it is very difficult to build a strong mainte-
nance foundation with so much dependent on events
and fundraising. Lets provide a strong financial base
that will attract and retain SPRD staffing and keep
our investments we have made together well into our
future.
Steve Janego
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To the Editor:
Sisters has seen much change since our families
moved here more than 40 years ago. Our family of
three has had the opportunity to be here for much
of that change, and one of the greatest and most
remarkable changes was the addition of Sisters Park
& Recreation District (SPRD — formerly SOAR).
SPRD programs have been invaluable not only
for our family, but for many other families in our
community.
From its humble beginnings in a leftover modular
classroom (on the current site of City Hall), SPRD
was only able to offer limited youth and after-school
programs. With SPRD’s current facilities and pro-
grams, ranging from daycare to senior activities,
SPRD has been able to accomplish all of this with-
out increasing its original tax levy from 1998. Yes,
20 YEARS without an increase in the tax rate! I am
not sure another organization in the state could say
the same.
SPRD has attained this through generous donors,
fundraising events, and participant fees, which make
up approximately 70 percent of its income. Tax fund-
ing only accounts for about 30 percent of income.
This may sound great, but, unfortunately, SPRD has
become a victim of its own success, as this is not a
sustainable model. Inflation alone should have done
SPRD in many years ago, but the community has
always stepped up to help keep SPRD alive. It is
now time for us to formally commit with a yes vote
for the SPRD levy.
Our son, now 24, may not have had the life suc-
cesses he has had so far if not for the after-school
programs, summer camps, excursions, and middle
school sports (SPRD partnered with the school dis-
trict to keep MS sports going when the district was
almost forced to eliminate them). SPRD has contrib-
uted immensely to our community, expanding its
offerings to people of all aged for over 20 years.
Please join us in voting yes on the SPRD Levy
to continue the tradition of excellence in Sisters
Country.
Darren, Donna and Brennan Layne.
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To the Editor:
Vote “yes” for the SPRD Levy.
“The only thing that is constant is change,” and
that sure has been true for Sisters Park & Recreation
District in the year of 2018. It doesn’t have to be
that way though, and the first step forward is provid-
ing proper funding for the District to operate. SPRD
provides a lot of programs with very little resources,
and it does it to provide opportunities for youth,
teens, and adults.
As a former Youth Program Coordinator for
SPRD I have seen the impact these programs have
on children by offering them physical activity,
hands-on learning, and socialization. I have also
seen the positive impact the special events, such as
the Sisters Shootout Basketball Tournament, has on
local businesses, restaurants, and hotels in times that
tourism is slow.
It is imperative to have a high-functioning parks
and recreation district in Sisters to serve the com-
munity in a positive way. It is time to turn the corner,
starting with the new hire of Todd Garrett, and pro-
pel SPRD to new heights.
Vote “yes” for measure 9-120.
Erik Miletich
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To the Editor:
My husband and I have never had children attend
the Sisters schools, but we are ardent believers that
quality schools are a critical component to the qual-
ity of life we have in Sisters.
We support the renewal of the school levy and we
urge you to join us in voting yes for our schools, our
youth and our community.
Ann Richardson & Clyde Dildine
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To the Editor:
As we move forward into spring, I’m excited to
announce that the Reed Stadium locker rooms, con-
cessions, and public restrooms are complete. What’s
even more exciting is that Saturday, April 28, Sisters
Rotary Invitational Track Meet will be the first event
hosted in the new, completed facilities.
Prior to spring break, the district spent two days
and held 12 various focus groups to receive feed-
back for the mission/vision work that is being done.
The Mission/Vision Committee will meet again on
April 24 to review the response from both the focus
groups as well as the online surveys that were sent
out to parents and staff.
Enrollment continues to slightly increase and is
the highest it has been in the last few years.
Neil Fendall and Mark Stewart reported on
Sisters Educational Options. This program offers
numerous educational options and opportunities
that are available to all resident students. They con-
tinue to provide students custom and personalized
curriculum. This includes families that are currently
homeschooling. If you have questions, please call
Mr. Fendall at 541-549-4045, Ext. 5762.
Spring brings about many outdoor experiential
opportunities for our Outlaw students. We have 8th-
grade students that will be traveling to Ashland for
a Shakespearean play, 7th-graders will hike Smith
Rock for their retreat and 6th-graders are prepar-
ing for three days of outdoor school. All while high
school biology, IEE, and sports medicine classes
prepare for their outdoor excursions as well. And we
cannot forget about the famous 4th-grade field trip
where students are able to experience and study the
famous Lewis and Clark Expedition.
The budget committee and the school board
held its official budget meeting on April 18 for the
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