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About The nugget. (Sisters, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (March 2, 2022)
Wednesday, March 2, 2022 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon ADAIR: Sisters Country resident will be on the May 17 ballot Continued from page 1 the usual reserved and intro- verted image of accountants, as she exudes an entirely dif- ferent personality. During the 2018 gen- eral election she learned that her grandfather had been an Umatilla County commissioner. <I guess being a commis- sioner is in my genes,= she said. It took some number of years before she competed in political life, but she has long been politically active, including two years as chair of Deschutes County Republicans. The Nugget asked Adair9s thoughts on the grassroots movement to make Deschutes County commissioners non- partisan. It was the only time in the conversation where she demurred on a subject. Otherwise she was energetic in discussing her role as com- missioner and at times pas- sionate in talking about her favorite projects or goals. She is most proud of her work and lobbying in secur- ing two more Deschutes County Circuit Court judges, and helping jumpstart the recently completed Veterans Village project for homeless veterans. =And not raising county property taxes,= she said. If reelected Adair intends to push for an unused portion of Deer Ridge Correctional Institute to be turned into a psychiatric hospital. The prison is located in Jefferson County. Initially her goal was to see a new facility increase the county9s psychiatric bed capacity, then saw potential in Deer Ridge after touring the facility in August. Thus far, with the fil- ing date for candidacy a few weeks away, Adair9s Position 3 has also drawn a filing from Morgan Schmidt, a Democrat and youth pastor. Adair often gets into the weeds of an issue and can be relentless in pursuing a solu- tion or change such as the long-festering parking prob- lem at Smith Rock, which attracts nearly one million annual visitors. Her advocacy for even seemingly small issues is part of her <brand.= She likes to think that she is pragmatic and collegial. <Raising three boys and horses has been good training ground for serving as a com- missioner,= she said. Her list of current member- ships and affiliations is reflec- tive of her hands-on approach to problem solving. Locally she has served on the Sisters Vision Implementation Team and Sisters Park & Recreation District Budget Committee. Over the years she has coordinated various fundrais- ing projects, serving in lead- ership roles ranging from schools to hospitals. Her advocacy for small business often takes her to stores, cof- fee shops, restaurants, and mom-and-pop businesses where she finds she can relate. <I had my first job when I was 5,= she said. <Working a ranch has given me a lot of respect for the little guys, the family-owned businesses that make up so much of the Deschutes County economy.= Workforce housing, an issue that is oft discussed in Sisters, is one that Adair has added to her list of problems to solve. The position held by Commissioner Tony DeBone, a Republican, is also up for election. He is being chal- lenged in the May Republican primary by Tom McManus, a retired health and safety con- sultant, and Scott Stuart, an insurance agent associated with the People9s Rights orga- nization. The winner will face Oliver Tatom, a Democrat and primary care clinic manager. The primary election is May 17 in Oregon. PHOTO PROVIDED Patti Adair keeps in touch with her country roots. She is running for reelection to the Deschutes County Board of Commissioners. Spri ng Cleaning! FREE ESTIMATES! • Window & gutter cleaning, power washing • Residential & commercial screen cleaning/repair & glass restoration • Housekeeping & deep cleaning • Monthly, bi-monthly, m v ve mo e i in/out n/ / o ou u t move Mendoza’s Cleaning Services LLC 541-610-5760 • Cesar • Large organic produce selection • Huge organic & natural selection storewide Local is what we are. Local is who we love. • Meat cut & ground fresh daily • Huge bulk-foods department • All your favorite local brands & items • Only 20 minutes from Sisters Located in the Cascade Village Shopping Center, Bend Open every day, 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Isolated shopping hour: 6 to 7 a.m. • Proud to be 100% locally owned & operated TELLING THE STORIES OF THE SISTERS COMMUNITY Through boom and bust, good times and hard times, for more than four decades. THE NUGGET NEWSPAPER VALUES OUR READERS We’re here for you and we deeply appreciate your support. Your supporting subscriptions help make it possible for Nugget staff and freelance writers to continue telling the stories of the Sisters community through changing times. The Nugget Newspaper 541-549-9941 • 442 E. Main Ave., Sisters 17 Readers who would like to make a fi nancial contribution to keep professional community journalism thriving in Sisters can visit www.NuggetNews.com and click on “Subscribe & Support” or drop a check in the mail to: The Nugget, PO Box 698, Sisters, OR 97759