© 2002
The Nugget Newspaper
Sisters, Oregon
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Letters, letters, letters
The Nugget welcomes contributions from its readers, which must include the writer's 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 Unpublished items are not acknowledged or returned.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 noon Monday.

To the Editor:

The more you look into the proposed land exchange that would trade away 690 acres of national forest land just south of Sisters, including one mile along Squaw Creek, for "cow-free" wilderness in the Steens, the more you learn.

Stephen Purchase, assistant director for field operations for the Oregon Division of State Lands, has confirmed my suspicions that other public lands may be on the trading block in this area.

There are 160 acres of state land in Section 20, Township 15 South, Range 10 East, just on the north boundary of the national forest lands proposed to be traded away and directly west of the 50 acres currently owned by Mr. Stroemple.

These lands are not, according to Mr. Purchase, located in Section 29 as apparently shown incorrectly on the 2000 Deschutes National Forest map.

And guess what, the Division of State Lands has been approached by Mr. Stroemple about his acquiring these state public lands in a possible exchange for private lands in the Steens Wilderness Area or other private lands.

So now, we may be up to losing public use of a total of 850 acres along Squaw Creek if these two exchanges are allowed.

For you non-farmers, that's about 1-1/3 square miles.

If you don't like the looks of this and want a full public hearing about trading public lands for the "public good," contact the following and do it quickly:

Rep. Greg Walden, 1404 Longworth House Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20515; greg.walden@mail.house.gov.

Paul Griffin, Rep. Walden's staff; paul.griffin@mail.house.gov.

Steve Purchase, Division of State Lands, 775 Summer St. NE, Suite 100, Salem, OR 97301-1279; stevepurchase@dsl.state.or.us.

Jim Fisher

* * *

To the Editor

I was saddened to hear the Tollgate path vote failed.

I was saddened to hear one of the arguments against the path project was about the perceived loss of private property, which is really common space that some people believe is private property.

I was saddened to hear another one of the arguments against the project was cost. It's unfortunate that a growing number of people in our society only do things that are for their own personal good or gain. What ever happened to the concept of doing things for the common good and benefit for all?

I was saddened when I heard one of the arguments against the project was that there had never been a problem or incident in the past. That's like locking the barn door after the cows are gone.

I am saddened to think that it will take an incident involving a pedestrian or bicyclist and a motor vehicle for the Tollgate home owners association to put in paths.

I am saddened to think that the families of the parties involved in an incident and their attorneys will find the Tollgate home owners association negligent and liable for damages because the home owners association did not do everything possible to prevent an incident from happening.

I am hopeful that the Tollgate home owners association will reconsider this measure in the near future, as it will enhance the safety of the roads in Tollgate and improve the livability of the community in general.

Dave Marlow

* * *

To the Editor:

Maret Pajutee led two great Riverfest walks last week. We walked from the gauging station four miles south of town to the caves.

Everything is late this year so we didn't see as many flowers as last year.

I would like to get together with anyone interested in water, flowers, birds, rocks to hike anywhere on Squaw Creek. I have several plant books including Hitchcock's.

Bruce Berryhill, 420-3730

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