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About The nugget. (Sisters, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 13, 2019)
18 Wednesday, February 13, 2019 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon ELLIOTT: Two-time mayor saw major changes in Sisters Continued from page 3 serve in that capacity through 2006. It was an era of significant change in the community. As a city councilor and then as mayor, Elliott helped guide the community through a period of growth and densi- fication allowed by the con- struction of a sewer system approved by voters in 1998. <That led to shrinking lot sizes and all the infill,= Elliott recalled. While that change brought development and economic growth, it was also controver- sial, as it changed the charac- ter of the town. In addition to the mas- sive undertaking of installing a municipal sewer system, the City of Sisters also com- pletely revamped its water system and dedicated several new parks. City Hall was then located in a small decrepit box of a building where Fir Street Park is now, and Elliott takes considerable pride in the project that produced Sisters9 current City Hall, which is part of a campus of public buildings 4 including the Sisters School District offices and the Deschutes Public Library 4 which was created during Elliott9s tenure on council. The physical plant wasn9t the only thing that changed. The City moved from hav- ing a City Administrator to a City Manager 4 a reflection of the growing complexity of municipal government 4 and Elliott worked for many years with then-Manager Eileen Stein. There were many contro- versies along the way, and tensions among council mem- bers 4 but Elliott recalls that the diverse group managed to get a lot of important work done. <We agreed to disagree and we moved on and we did a lot,= he said. Elliott also served on the fire district board at a time of crisis and change. Elliott took the reins as board chair after former Deschutes County Sheriff and fire district bud- get officer Greg Brown was convicted of embezzling hun- dreds of thousands of dollars from the district and helped the district restore its confi- dence and morale. He was deeply involved in the voter-approved construc- tion of a modern new fire hall facility on Elm Street and the hiring of Fire Chief Tay Robertson. Elliott resigned on the day Robertson retired and handed the reins to cur- rent chair Chuck Newport. Now Elliott is leaving the town he helped to bring into the current era. His son Mitch, who served for many years as a Black Butte Ranch police officer is now Undersheriff in Wheeler County 4 <and he loves it,= Elliott said. Mitch and Karen and Dave and Janet had been contem- plating purchasing a spread together for some time, and they found their spot at what they call Hilltop Ranch. (The ranch house has) got a big back porch with a rocking chair. Of course, I don’t know how much time I’m going to spend in that… — Dave Elliott Dave, at 70, will maintain the property, where they will raise beef cattle for personal use and where he plans to have an extensive garden. Dave doesn9t feel strange about leaving the town where he lived for four decades and where he served for years. <I9ve been out of it for long enough, and the town 4 what they call Sisters Country 4 has grown so much,= he said. <It9s changed. The small-town atmosphere has changed& We9re just going to go out and retire in the countryside. (The ranch house has) got a big back porch with a rocking chair. Of course, I don9t know how much time I9m going to spend in that&= Girls lacrosse gets new head coach By Rongi Yost Correspondent Sisters girls lacrosse players have got them- selves a new head coach in Shelby Wilcox, who was just recently hired to fill the posi- tion. Wilcox brings lots of player experience and a deep knowledge of the game. Wi l c o x g r e w u p i n Livermore, California, and started playing lacrosse in middle school. She went on to play four years on varsity at Grenada High School. Shelby played on defense all through middle school and her freshman year in high school, and then her final three years played at attack- mid. Wilcox went on to play one year at Utah Valley University on a club team. During her varsity years, Shelby also played on a highly competitive team called Bear LAX, and had the opportunity to play against some of the most experienced clubs in the country, many of which were from the East Coast. Wilcox traveled with Bear LAX to tournaments all over the West Coast, includ- ing Colorado, New Mexico, and California. Wilcox got married to her husband, Derek, in 2017 and they have been living in Central Oregon for the past two years. Shelby has been in search of a coaching position and first heard about the girls lacrosse coaching opening from Peggy Hogue, the LAX Quality Truck-mounted CARPET CLEANING Quality Cleaning 16 years in Reasonable Prices Sisters! — Credit Cards Accepted — ENVIROTECH 541-771-5048 committee chair. <Peggy reached out to me because I9d initially con- tacted Bend, and their coach sent my information to her,= said Wilcox. <Following her recommendation, I inter- viewed with Chad Rush, rec- reation programs director at SPRD (who administers the lacrosse program).= A couple days later, Shelby got a call from Rush, and was offered the job, which she readily accepted. <This is my first coaching job and I9m super excited,= said Wilcox. <Growing up, I watched my uncle coach and teach, and I gained a lot of respect for how integrated he was in the community and how everybody knew and respected him. When this opportunity came to me, he was the first thing that came to my mind, and I hope to be just like him and do the same thing.= Wilcox has moved a lot over the past years, and she told The Nugget that she and her husband <are really excited to plant some roots and integrate into the Sisters community.= Shelby shared with The Nugget where she plans to start. <I9m excited to start build- ing a level of trust and respect with the girls,= said Wilcox. <I9m looking forward to assessing their abilities and PHOTO BY RONGI YOST Shelby Wilcox is the new Outlaws girls lacrosse coach. seeing where we are as a program. I really want us to focus on the basics, because solid, basic LAX skills are a good place to start. <I would love to see a larger integration between the youth programs at SPRD and at the high school,= added Wilcox. <And, I9d love to give these girls the oppor- tunity to consider a college opportunity with lacrosse.= Year-round FIREWOOD SALES — Kindling — — — SISTERS FOREST PRODUCTS 541-410-4509 SistersForestProducts.com POW Zam! In a jam? he Call the Super Boom! Heroes s 541-549-4349 Licensed • Bonded • Insured • CCB#181062 260 N. Pine St., Sisters RESIDENTIAL • COMMERCIAL Licensed • Bonded • Insured • CCB#87587 Let Us s Help You Ge Get et Thro Through T h r o ugh hro h . . . R E T N I W ls Snow S hove akes Roof Snow R very ellets & Deli P l e u F d o o W on Pipe Insulati ore! Ice-melt & M 541-549-0416 Van Handel Automotive Superior Service, ASE Master Techs H Hours: M-F M F 8 t to 5 5, S Sat. t 8 t to 4 4:30, 30 Cl Closed dS Sundays d 440 N. 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