2 Wednesday, May 6, 2020 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon O P I N I O N Editorial… City’s role to grow as Sisters recovers Communication is key as Sisters ‘reopens’ Sisters9 city government will have a big- ger and bigger role to play as Sisters moves from hunkering down and trying to weather the COVID-19 storm toward navigating the changed landscape the storm has left behind. The City used its very limited capabilities to respond to the rapidly-unfolding crisis in a timely and judicious manner, taking early pre- cautions for the health and safety of staff and public; discouraging but not aggressively shut- ting down travel to Sisters; working with sud- denly shuttered or interrupted businesses and out-of-work residents to manage utility billing and the like. Civic leaders and staff have worked hard to make sure that Sisters has a seat at the table, access to resources, and a voice in decisions that will have a profound effect on the commu- nity 4 though Sisters must recognize that we are one very small voice amid a great clamor. Going forward, the City will need to maintain a fine balance between consistency and flexibility when it comes to enacting or modifying policies to help residents and busi- nesses recover. The City will have to commu- nicate very clearly and consistently with local residents, visitors and businesses in an envi- ronment where information can be confusing, contradictory 4 and can change quickly. Effective communication is a two-way street; the City needs to hear from its constitu- ents regarding their circumstances and needs, always recognizing that the City has limited resources and capabilities and is constrained by the requirements of county and state authorities. Right now, it9s easy to get frustrated to the point of fury and despair with government action or inaction that seems confused, out- of-touch and often counterproductive. Here in Sisters, we can make sure that we9re all pull- ing in the same positive direction, working in good faith under profoundly trying circum- stances to do what we can with what we have. Jim Cornelius, Editor in Chief Letters to the Editor… The Nugget welcomes contributions from its readers, which must include the writer9s name, address and phone number. Letters to the Editor is an open forum for the community and contains unsolicited opinions not necessarily shared by the Editor. The Nugget reserves the right to edit, omit, respond or ask for a response to letters submitted to the Editor. Letters should be no longer than 300 words. Unpublished items are not acknowledged or returned. The deadline for all letters is 10 a.m. Monday. To the Editor: I would like to take this opportunity to thank all our teachers who provide such an excellent education to our children. As a grandparent raising three kids I have watched for eight years these dedicated profession- als going above and beyond expectations to expand these young minds. In so many cre- ative and innovated ways they create an atmo- sphere where children are eager to go to school and learn. These days, the schools are closed and we are all learning from a distance. I have heard stories from parents in other districts who say that their children are struggling, that the way lessons are set up is a nightmare. My children have concise lesson plans and a flexible sched- ule. Teachers want their students to continue to learn but not get too stressed out about it. The well-being of everyone is taken into account. I moved here when my oldest grand- daughter was starting seventh grade. The district we were living in had a seventh through twelfth combined middle school/ high school. It was not a place I wanted her to go. I knew the reputation of the Sisters schools and had to get these kids over here for their education. I have never regretted this move. Having been an educator myself for 30 years I realized immediately the dedica- tion these amazing people have toward their students. As we navigate through these strange times our teachers are a lifeline connecting us to a sense of normalcy. They work harder now pro- viding students an education than they did in the classroom. I know how much my kids miss their teachers and classroom and I know how much the teachers wish they could greet their See LETTERS on page 8 Sisters Weather Forecast Courtesy of the National Weather Service, Pendleton, Oregon Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Monday Sunday Partly Cloudy Partly Cloudy Sunny Partly Cloudy Mostly Cloudy Mostly Cloudy 58/32 68/39 75/44 79/49 76/48 71/43 The Nugget Newspaper, LLC Website: www.nuggetnews.com 442 E. Main Ave., P.O. Box 698, Sisters, Oregon 97759 Tel: 541-549-9941 | Email: editor@nuggetnews.com Postmaster: Send address changes to The Nugget Newspaper, P.O. Box 698, Sisters, OR 97759. Third Class Postage Paid at Sisters, Oregon. Editor in Chief: Jim Cornelius By Mayor Chuck Ryan and City Manager Cory Misley During these challenging times, one thing that cannot be overstressed is commu- nication. In that regard, the City is determined to keep everyone as informed as pos- sible as we progress through this pandemic. You can be assured that we are in sync with many decision-making bodies whose guidance and recommendations are being shared daily and the City is committed to present that data in an organized format every week in cooperation with The Nugget. While public safety has been the first priority, our businesses are clearly strug- gling during these chal- lenging times and the City is reaching out to many of them in order to bet- ter understand their situa- tion firsthand. Again, this communication can only enhance informed decision making through this pro- cess. In our next weekly article, we will share some of the key themes from these discussions. But one thing that is clear, the resolve and ingenuity of our small busi- nesses is frankly amazing. Their positive attitude and complete understanding of the severity of the situation is to be commended. In the meantime, let us attempt to summarize the latest thinking from the Governor9s office in regard to the phased re-opening of our economy in Oregon. The Federal Government is giving authority to each state in regards to setting the parameters for re-open- ing of our businesses. The Governor has established a three-phase approach to this re-opening. The first phase includes restaurants and bars, most retail, childcare, outdoor recreation, and other personal services (hair/nail salons, etc.). This phase is targeted for completion sometime in the second half of May but there are prerequisites that must be met before a county or region can initiate Phase 1. While many of these prerequisites are set at the county level, some are set at a health region (Deschutes County is in Health Region 7 that includes seven other Central and Eastern Oregon counties). D e s c h u t e s C o u n t y has been working on a