Wednesday, October 17, 2018 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
Esterman seeks second term
By Jim Cornelius
Editor in Chief
Richard Esterman was
elected to a two-year term
on the Sisters City Council
in 2016. This November, he
is seeking reelection to his
seat. Like all three candidates
for council, he is running
unopposed.
Esterman told The Nugget
that he would like to see the
City address the question of
housing affordability by cre-
ating guidelines and criteria
for developers interested in
creating such housing and
offering breaks on permits
and fees. He is opposed to the
idea of a construction excise
tax, which the council has
considered in concept.
“I don’t like the CET tax,”
he said. “I don’t see how
it’s going to take care of the
problem.”
He also said that he would
not have supported the
$300,000 subsidy the City
provided to build affordable
apartments, which was agreed
upon prior to his tenure.
“We’re not in the banking
business,” he said. “I didn’t
agree with that; I wouldn’t
have been on board with
that.”
Like other councilors,
Esterman is looking toward
the 2020 expiration of the
City’s contract with the
Deschutes County Sheriff’s
Office for law enforcement
services. He is leery of mov-
ing to reconstitute an inde-
pendent police department at
this time.
“I’m willing to look at
it,” he said. “I can’t say I’m
100 percent for it, because
I’ve seen the (cost) numbers.
Eventually, yeah, we’re going
to need it.”
He said that he would be
supportive of allocating funds
to save for such a future even-
tuality and “gradually move
into it” — as long as the
funds were clearly dedicated
to that purpose.
The councilor would
like to test some small-scale
efforts to smooth traffic flow
through Sisters, including
banning left turns off Cascade
Avenue/Highway 20, except
from dedicated left-turn bays,
perhaps starting with just
doing so on weekends. He
would also like to test regu-
lation of crosswalk traffic
to smooth out the stop-start
effect of unregulated foot traf-
fic across Cascade Avenue.
“There would have to
be some enforcement,” he
acknowledged.
Esterman is pleased that
the City acted proactively to
create time, place and man-
ner regulations regarding
cannabis production and dis-
tribution in Sisters. Voters
will decide in this election
whether they want to allow
such activity in town.
Esterman supported send-
ing that question to voters
and says that regulations will
be ready to go if they approve
the activity — now or at some
future date.
He does not have a strong
sense of which way the vote
will go.
“I think it’s going to be
close; I really do,” he said.
He does not think there
will be a major impact if vot-
ers do approve commercial
marijuana activity.
“I really think if it’s moni-
tored that it will be fine,” he
said.
The councilor noted one
issue upon which he’s had
a change of mind and heart:
vacation rentals.
“I used to think if you
owned a piece of property,
you should be able to do what
you want with it,” he said.
Testimony from fami-
lies who feel they have been
negatively impacted by vaca-
tion rentals in their residential
neighborhoods had an impact
on him.
“It changed my mind,”
13
Entertainment & Events
OCT
17
WED
Sisters Saloon Poker Night 7 p.m. Every Wednesday! $20.
For information call 541-549-7427 or go to sisterssaloon.net.
Cork Cellars Tasty Thursday Hosted Wine Tasting
OCT 5 to 7 p.m. For additional information call 541-549-2675 or
18 go online to corkcellarswinebistro.com.
THUR Sisters Saloon Karaoke Night 9 p.m. to midnight. Every
Thursday, no cover! For additional information call
541-549-7427 or go to sisterssaloon.net.
The Belfry Live Music with Sugaray Rayford 8 p.m.
Old-school vocal blues style. For information call
541-815-9122 or go to BelfryEvents.com.
PHOTO PROVIDED
Esterman is seeking another term
on Sisters City Council.
he said.
Esterman told The Nugget
that he now supports impos-
ing more restrictive zoning on
vacation rentals in Sisters.
FREE
LIVE
MUSIC!
FRIDAY, OCT. 19•9pm
CHEYENNE WEST BAND
Modern Country, Classic
Country and Country Rock!
Prime Rib Fridays 5pm!
175 N. Larch St.
541-549-6114
5
4
hardtailsoregon.com
OCT
19
FRI
OCT
20
SAT
OCT
22
MON
Hardtails Bar & Grill Live Music with Cheyenne West
Band 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. No cover! Modern Country, Classic
Country and Counrty Rock. For information call 541-549-
6114 or go to hardtailsoregon.com.
Cork Cellars Live Music with Eric Leadbetter 7 to 9 p.m.
No cover! For additional information call 541-549-2675 or go
online to corkcellarswinebistro.com.
Sisters Rental Carving Artist Skip Armstrong
12 to 4 p.m. Master wood carver Skip Armstrong will carve
“Sägen,” the god of chain saws into Sisters Rental’s saw
retirement tree. Call 541-549-9631 for more information.
Tower Theatre (Bend) Wild Kingdom’s Peter Gros
7:30 p.m. Use discount code “Nugget.” For more information
call 541-317-0700 or go to towertheatre.org.
Hardtails Bar & Grill Open Mic & Jam Night 7 p.m.
Every Monday, no cover! For information call 541-549-6114
or go to hardtailsoregon.com.
Sisters Saloon Trivia Night 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Sign-up is
OCT at 6:15 p.m. Free, every Tuesday! For additional information
call 541-549-7427 or go to sisterssaloon.net.
23
TUES The Belfry Everything is Genetic Sisters Science Club
presentation by Barbara Handelin, Ph.D. 7 p.m. with Food &
Drink Social Hour before. $5 admission. Call 541-912-0750.
OCT
24
WED
Sisters Saloon Poker Night 7 p.m. Every Wednesday! $20.
For information call 541-549-7427 or go to sisterssaloon.net.
Cork Cellars Tasty Thursday Hosted Wine Tasting
5 to 7 p.m. For additional information call 541-549-2675 or
go online to corkcellarswinebistro.com.
25
THUR Sisters Saloon Karaoke Night 9 p.m. to midnight. Every
Thursday, no cover! For additional information call
541-549-7427 or go to sisterssaloon.net.
OCT
Oct. 18 / Th / 8 PM
Sugaray
Rayford
Old-school vocal blues style,
echoes of Muddy Waters,
Otis Redding, and
Teddy y Pendergrass.
g
OCT
26
FRI
M
8 P
Nov. 10 / Sat / 8 PM
T Sisters
With soaring sibling harmonies,
sassy stage presence, and
inventive songwriting, they
embody a fresh and soulful
take on folk/Americana music.
PUB OPENS 1 HOUR PRIOR TO SHOWS
BelfryEvents.com
541-815-9122
OCT
27
SAT
OCT
29
MON
The Belfry Halloween Costume Party with David
Jacobs Strain and the Crunk Mtn. Boys 8 p.m. For
information call 541-815-9122 or go to BelfryEvents.com.
Hood Avenue Art Artists’ Reception with Breezy
Anderson and Katherine Taylor 4 to 7 p.m. With live
entertainment and refreshments! For more info go to
hoodavenueart.com.
Downtown Sisters 4th Friday Art Stroll 4 to 7 p.m.
Galleries and shops feature live entertainment and
refreshments, every fourth Friday of the month! For
additional information go to sistersartsassociation.org.
Hardtails Bar & Grill Karaoke and Dance Party with
DJ Chuck Boogie 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Free, no cover! For more
information call 541-549-6114 or go to hardtailsoregon.com.
Cork Cellars Live Music with Cuppa Joe 7 to 9 p.m. No
cover! For additional information call 541-549-2675 or go
online to corkcellarswinebistro.com.
Hardtails Bar & Grill Annual Halloween Bash with The
Hwy 97 Band 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Free, no cover! Food & drink
specials all night. For more information call 541-549-6114 or
go to hardtailsoregon.com.
Hardtails Bar & Grill Open Mic & Jam Night 7 p.m.
Every Monday, no cover! For information call 541-549-6114
or go to hardtailsoregon.com.
Events Calendar listings are free to advertisers.
Submit items by 5 p.m. Fridays to lisa@nuggetnews.com
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