Wednesday, January 26, 2022 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
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City snapshot — new
planner, code changes
By Sue Stafford
Correspondent
Lynn Lounsbury’s
water legacy
PHOTO PROVIDED
Lynn Lounsbury’s career has been built around water. He’s spending his retirement out on it, in a raft or with
fishing rod.
By Katy Yoder
Correspondent
Lynn Lounsbury knows
water. How it flows, perco-
lates, rises, and falls. During
his long career managing
water systems, taking care
of Central Oregon9s precious
resource has been his high-
est priority.
Since moving to Sisters
in 1978, he9s managed water
utilities for Black Butte
Ranch (1978-2010), Indian
Meadow Water Company
(1988-2020), and Tollgate
(1993-2022). He9s retiring
from his duties with Tollgate
at the end of this month.
Looking back over decades
of water and sewage man-
agement, he credits his suc-
cess with training, an ability
to find solutions to tough
challenges, and a desire to
keep learning.
Navigating the estab-
lishment of water rights, a
process that can take more
than a decade, served both
his clients and the environ-
ment. His role also required
orchestrating well-drilling
and overseeing the construc-
tion of water systems for
thousands of homes. His
goal was to ensure Sisters
Country9s pristine water,
both above-ground and in
aquifers, remained healthy.
His first job in Central
Oregon began at Black Butte
Ranch (BBR) through an
internship program at Linn
Benton Community College
(LBCC). On the second day
of his BBR internship, he
was offered a full-time job.
When Lounsbury9s boss
left, he was promoted to the
manager of the BBR utili-
ties department for water
and sewer. <There were four
of us in the department. I9d
just finished training at Linn
Benton. I was responsible
for operating the BBR sew-
age treatment plant. The
water on the Ranch was so
good you didn9t have to treat
it, just test it often,= he said,
in the home he shares with
his wife, Linda.
At first, Lounsbury saw
his position at BBR as a
means to an end. The epic
experiences he had work-
ing on a forestry crew as a
seasonal employee from
1962 to 1976 in Yellowstone
National Park, remained a
strong force drawing him
back to the region. He says
that Yellowstone holds many
powerful and meaningful
memories. He worked for
Yellowstone eight months of
the year, then went to school
See LOUNSBURY on page 30
" Matt Martin, formerly
with Deschutes County, has
been hired as the City9s new
principal planner. He will
begin his duties in Sisters as
of February 7.
" Staff will be prepar-
ing some amendments to
the Sisters Development
Code regarding the place-
ment of storage units within
the city. They will go before
the Planning Commission
and the City Council next
spring for approval. There
has been concern that the
City9s limited supply of
industrial lands should be
used by businesses that cre-
ate jobs. Council suggested a
possible moratorium on any
more storage units at this
time.
" Information regard-
ing the housing plan update
and the efficiency mea-
sures being suggested as a
result of the recently com-
pleted Comprehensive Plan
is available on the City9s
website.
" Community Develop-
ment Director Scott Wood-
ford reports that the issu-
ance of building permits
does not appear to have
been impacted by COVID-
19. Single-family residen-
tial permits have continued
to average six or seven a
month. He also reported
that the Sisters School Dis-
trict has submitted their
See CITY on page 9
Sisters School
Board snapshot
By Charlie Kanzig
Correspondent
The January meeting of
the Sisters School Board took
place on Wednesday, January
12, with all board members in
attendance. The meeting was
held in person and offered
virtually.
" Business Manager
Sherry Joseph reported on
the findings of the audit of
the district9s finances as
being straightforward with no
issues of concern.
" A question was raised
regarding pension costs
for Sisters School District
through the state Public
Employees Retirement
System (PERS) program, as
the program changes. Curt
Scholl responded that, for
now, the district does not
anticipate a sharp spike in its
costs with regard to retire-
ment funding.
" Lorna Van Geem, direc-
tor of special programs,
See SCHOOLS on page 12
SISTERS AREA MEETING CALENDAR
East of the Cascades Quilt Guild 4th
Wednesday (September-June), Stitchin’
Post. All are welcome. 541-549-6061.
Sisters Area Woodworkers
1st Tuesday, 7 to 9 p.m. 541-231-1897.
Al-Anon Mon., noon. / Thurs., 10 a.m.,
Sisters Astronomy Club 3rd
Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church. Go Fish Fishing Group 3rd Monday,
Tuesday, 7 p.m., SPRD. 541-549-8846.
541-610-7383.
7 p.m. Sisters Community Church. All
Sisters Bridge Club Thursdays, 12:30
ages welcome. 541-771-2211.
Alcoholics Anonymous Thurs. &
p.m. at Sisters Community Church.
Sun., 7 p.m., Episcopal Church of the
Email sistersbridge2021@gmail.com.
Heartwarmers (fl eece blanketmakers)
Transfi guration / Sat., 8 a.m., Episcopal 2nd & 4th Tuesdays, 1 p.m., Sisters City Sisters Caregiver Support Group
Church of the Transfi guration / Mon.,
Hall. Materials provided. 541-408-8505. 3rd Tues., 10:30 a.m., Village Green
5 p.m., Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran
Park. 541-771-3258.
Hero Quilters of Sisters Thursday,
Church / Big Book study, Tues., noon,
1 to 4 p.m. 541-668-1755.
Sisters Cribbage Club Please call for
Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church /
details. 541-923-1632.
Citizens4Community, Let’s Talk
Gentlemen’s meeting, Wed., 7 a.m.,
Sisters Habitat for Humanity Board
3rd
Monday,
5:30
to
8
p.m.
RSVP
at
Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church /
of Directors 4th Tuesday, 6 p.m.
Sober Sisters Women’s meeting, Thurs., citizens4community.com
Location information: 541-549-1193.
noon, Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran
Military Parents of Sisters Meetings
Church / Step & Tradition meeting, Fri., are held quarterly; please call for details. Sisters Kiwanis Thursdays,
noon, Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran
7 to 8:30 a.m., Brand 33 Restaurant at
541-388-9013.
Church. 541-548-0440.
Aspen Lakes. 541-410-2870.
Oregon Band of Brothers – Sisters
Sisters Parent Teacher Community
Black Butte Ranch Bridge Club
Chapter Wednesdays, 11:30 a.m.,
2nd Tuesday, 6:30 p.m. at Sisters
Tuesdays, 12:30 p.m., BBR community Takoda’s Restaurant. 541-549-6469.
Saloon. 541-480-5994.
room. Partner required. 541-595-6236.
SAGE (Senior Activities, Gatherings
Central Oregon Fly Tyers Guild
& Enrichment) Monday-Friday, 11 a.m. Sisters Parkinson’s Support Group
2nd Thurs.,1 p.m. Sisters Library.
For Saturday meeting dates and
to 4 p.m. at Sisters Park & Recreation
541-668-6599
location, email: steelefl y@msn.com.
District. 541-549-2091.
Sisters Red Hats 1st Friday.
Central OR Spinners and Weavers
Sisters Aglow Lighthouse
Location information: 541-279-1977.
Guild One Saturday per month, Jan.
4th Saturday, 10 a.m., meeting by
Sisters Rotary 1st and 3rd Tuesdays,
thru Oct. For schedule: 541-639-3217.
Zoom. 503-930-6158.
Noon, Aspen Lakes. 541-760-5645.
Sisters Area Photography Club
Council on Aging of Central Oregon
Sisters Trails Alliance Board 1st
Senior Lunch Tuesdays, noon, Sisters 2nd Wednesday, 3:30 p.m., at Sisters
Monday, 5 p.m. Sisters Library.
Community Church. 541-549-6157.
Community Church. 541-480-1843.
BOARDS, GROUPS, CLUBS
Public welcome. 808-281-2681.
Sisters Veterans Thursdays, noon,
Takoda’s Restaurant. 541-903-1123.
Three Sisters Irrigation
District Board of Directors 1st
Tuesday, 4 p.m., TSID Offi ce.
541-549-8815.
Three Sisters Lions Club 2nd
Thursday, 6:30 p.m., Spoons
Restaurant. 541-419-1279.
VFW Post 8138 and American Legion
Post 86 1st Wednesday, 6:30 p.m.,
Sisters City Hall. 541-903-1123.
Weight Watchers
Thursdays, 8:30 a.m. weigh-in, Sisters
Community Church. 541-602-2654.
SCHOOLS
Black Butte School Board of
Directors 2nd Tuesday, 3:45 p.m.,
Black Butte School. 541-595-6203
Sisters School District Board of
Directors One Wed. monthly, SSD
Admin Bldg. See schedule online at
www.ssd6.org. 541-549-8521 x5002.
CITY & PARKS
Sisters City Council 2nd & 4th
Wednesday, 6:30 p.m., Sisters
City Hall. 541-549-6022.
Sisters Park & Recreation District
Board of Directors 2nd & 4th Tuesdays,
4:30 p.m., SPRD bldg. 541-549-2091.
Sisters Planning Commission
3rd Thursday, 5:30 p.m., Sisters
City Hall. 541-549-6022.
FIRE & POLICE
Black Butte Ranch Police Dept.
Board of Directors Meets monthly.
541-595-2191 for time & date.
Black Butte Ranch RFPD Board of
Directors 4th Thursday, 9 a.m., Black
Butte Ranch Fire Station. 541-595-2288.
Cloverdale RFPD Board of Directors
3rd Wed., 5:30 p.m., 67433 Cloverdale
Rd. 541-548-4815. cloverdalefi re.com.
Sisters-Camp Sherman RFPD
Board of Directors 3rd Tuesday,
5 p.m., Sisters Fire Hall, 541-549-0771.
Sisters-Camp Sherman RFPD Drills
Tuesdays, 7 p.m., Sisters Fire Hall,
301 S. Elm St. 541-549-0771.
This listing is for regular
Sisters Country meetings;
email information to
beth@nuggetnews.com