A special good morning to subscriber Robert Harris
Tuesday, November 8, 2022 • Redmond, Oregon • $1
Redmond
city manager
finalist for
Sisters job
BY TIM TRAINOR
Redmond Spokesman
Keith Witcoscky, Redmond’s current city man-
ager, is one of four finalists for the city manager
job in Sisters.
Witcosky, 54, told the Spokesman that he had
not yet decided if he would take the job if it is of-
fered.
“During my nearly 10 years as city manager,
Redmond has always had smart, informed and
supportive council members,” said Witcosky in
a statement. “I see the 2023 council taking that
to even greater heights. If faced with a decision
to leave, these variables will give me a lot to con-
sider.”
In addition to Witcosky, the three other finalists
for the city’s top job are Sungman “Simon” Kim,
Neil Obringer and Ron Tinseth.
Kim has 15 years of experience in local govern-
ment management, most recently as community
development director for the the city of Starkville,
Miss. Obringer currently serves as budget and
procurement manager for the city of Springfield,
Ore., while Ron Tinseth currently serves as the
finance and administration lieutenant for the Eu-
gene Police Department.
Witcosky has been the city manager in Red-
mond since 2013. He has more than 20 years of
government experience. Before joining the city of
Redmond, he served as deputy director for gov-
ernment relations and public affairs for the Port-
land Development Commission.
Sisters residents will have an opportunity to at-
tend roundtable group conversations with all four
finalists from 6–7:30 p.m. on Nov. 15 at Sisters
City Hall.
City council will also interview all four finalists
and expects to make an offer this month.
█
redmondspokesman.com
@RedmondSpox
FROM WASTE TO WASTELAND
Proposed complex of lagoons aims to use
more natural techniques to meet Redmond’s
sewer and water needs as the city grows
BY NICK ROSENBERGER • Redmond Spokesman
B
eneath the streets of Redmond, wastewater and sewer
lines feed into a system approaching capacity. If maxed
out, it could open the city to potential public health and
environmental consequences and permit violations.
By 2045, Redmond’s population is expected to hit 53,800 residents
who will produce 4.67 million gallons of wastewater every day. Cur-
rently, Redmond’s capacity is 2.8 million gallons a day and, if the
population keeps growing at the same pace, is expected to max out in
three to five years.
With a tight deadline for the rapidly expanding city, Ryan Kirch-
ner, wastewater division manager for the city of Redmond, is heading
the charge toward a new, more natural sewer system called the Red-
mond Wetlands Complex.
The roughly 1,200-acre complex, which would be located at 5801
NW Way, would treat wastewater — used water that requires treat-
ment such as from toilets, showers and kitchen sinks — using ponds
and wetlands. Water would travel from the city collection system,
through screening and five aerated lagoons before being chlorinated.
The water would then be sent to either a storage lagoon for irrigation
supply or to publicly-accessible treatment wetlands, which would
drain into the ground
The $70 million complex is inspired by Prineville’s Crooked River
Wetlands and similar natural treatment systems. The complex would
also create a natural habitat for birds and wildlife as well as offer
walking trails and educational opportunities.
“To do something that the community now can actually enjoy and
Nick Rosenberger photos/Spokesman
ABOVE: Ryan Kirchner, the wastewater division manager, poses Oct. 13
at the outdated Redmond Wastewater Pollution Control Facility at3100
NW 19th Street.
BELOW: the current Redmond Wastewater Pollution Control Facility
on the north end of the Dry Canyon at 3100 NW 19th Street will be de-
commissioned as the city expands and builds a proposed Redmond
Wetlands Complex.
be a part of it instead of just seeing it behind the fence is pretty spe-
cial,” Kirchner said.
The final design includes 90 acres of wetland habitat, four miles of
paved and gravel trails that could connect to the Dry Canyon, educa-
tional kiosks, picnic areas and shelters.
Also included in the design is new wastewater division facilities
and maintenance buildings.
THE COST
The city’s current mechanical system relies on chemical and mi-
crobial treatment. But as the city swells in population it had two op-
See Wetlands / A6
Reporter: ttrainor@redmondspokesman.com
BUSINESS
Sweet opportunity
Redmond welcomes new owners of the
Chocolate Company, A4
OUTDOORS
Welcome winter
Skiers and snowboarders are excited for the
upcoming season, A8
Voting deadline for November election is tonight
BY TIM TRAINOR
Redmond Spokesman
The deadline is approaching for
Deschutes County residents to re-
turn their ballots and have their
voted counted in the November
election.
Ballots will be accepted at drop
boxes all across the state until 8 p.m.
on Election Day, which this year is
on Tuesday, Nov. 8. Voters can also
drop their ballot in the mail, but it
must be postmarked by Election
Day for it to be tallied.
As of Monday, Nov. 7, 71,064 bal-
lots had been returned in Deschutes
County, roughly 45 percent of all
registered voters. As of that same
date, more than 1,080,050 ballots
have already been submitted across
Oregon, or roughly 36 percent of all
of Oregon’s registered voters.
As of Nov. 7 in Deschutes County,
26,912 registered Democratic Party
voters had returned ballots, com-
pared to 24,995 voters registered
with the Republican Party and
13,851 voters who are nonaffiliated.
Here is where to drop your ballots
in northern Deschutes County.
REDMOND
Deschutes County Fair & Expo
Center (northeast parking lot)
3800 SE Airport Way
Available seven days a week,
closes 8 p.m. on Election Day
Redmond Public Library
827 SW Deschutes Ave
Located on west side of Library
Available seven days a week,
closes 8 p.m. on Election Day
SISTERS
Sisters City Hall
520 E Cascade Ave
Available seven days a week,
closes 8 p.m. on Election Day
TERREBONNE
None
The Spokesman is published on
Tuesdays, so there are no election
results in the Nov. 8 paper. How-
ever, up-to-the-minute results will
be posted at redmondspokesman.
com. It is expected that unofficial
results will be available soon after
the 8 p.m. deadline.
█
Reporter: ttrainor@redmondspokesman.
com
WEATHER FORECAST
INSIDE
Calendar .......................................................A2
Opinion ........................................................A7
Coffee Break ............................................. A10
Classifieds ................................................. A12
THIS WEEK’S FORECAST SPONSORED BY
Volume 113, No. 9
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