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Growth in Sisters is the issue that divides the five candidates for Sisters
City Council. At a forum sponsored by the Sisters Area Chamber of Commerce
Tuesday, October 22, the candidates responded to eight prepared questions
presented by moderator Rick Ingham of the Central Oregon Intergovern-mental
Council.
Questions about how Sisters should respond to predicted growth in the region
and on procedures for annexing new developments drew the sharpest
distinctions.
Candidates Jean Cooper, Dave Moyer and Steve Wilson indicated acceptance of
growth and urged careful management. Gordon Petrie and Tim Clasen urged tight
control to keep growth modest.
Cooper, currently city council president, said while "I don't see the covered
wagons lined up at the city limits yet," she does believe that Sisters and the
surrounding area will continue to grow.
"If we can manage the change in a productive manner, that will be the best
solution to the problem," she said.
Petrie noted that Sisters has experienced modest growth in the past decade and
he believes that pattern should be maintained. He believes Sisters should not
advertise for growth.
"I think we should keep our hand on the spigot, so to speak," he said.
Steve Wilson noted that growth has already boomed in the area around Sisters
and that most lots in subdivisions inside the city limits have houses being
built or have building permits taken out on them.
Wilson said he envisions Sisters becoming a community that retains its
character, but on a bigger scale.
"It's easy to talk about growth, but I call it people -- people like me who
moved here," Wilson said.
Dave Moyer, the current mayor, advocated managed growth.
"We've got to progress with what's going on around us and not just shut the
door," Moyer said. He argued that if the city does not keep pace with growth,
it risks allowing piecemeal development.
Tim Clasen said that Sisters residents are concerned about the impact of
growth.
"If you go from door to door, they definitely think growth is a major issue,"
Clasen said. "They don't want to lose the smallness Sisters is known for.
"The plans we have now seem to encourage more growth than Sisters has been
accustomed to for the past five years," Clasen said.
The divisions between the candidates became clear when the candidates were
asked how they would vote on Ballot Measure 9-40 which would require approval
of voters to annex any new development into the city.
Moyer, Wilson and Cooper said they would vote against the measure; Clasen and
Petrie plan to vote for it.
"It will give citizens a more direct say in issues of city expansion," Petrie
said. He noted that in communities such as Corvallis that have passed similar
measures, the majority of developments eventually are annexed.
Clasen noted that the initiative reflects residents' frustration with the
city's plans for growth.
"The main reason this is on the ballot is because the citizens weren't being
heard," Clasen said.
Wilson argued that planners must spend hours studying issues such as
annexation. He said that voters in places such as Corvallis (where he lived for
many years) often had to review projects three or four times at the polls
before any action could be taken.
Moyer and Cooper argued that holding up or denying annexation could hurt
Sisters.
"I do not feel this is a way to handle growth," Moyer said. "Growth is going to
happen around Sisters and if it's going to happen, let's control it."
If a project is going to be annexed, Moyer said, it is required to meet city
standards for roads water, and fire protection.
Cooper argued that annexation helps the city through expanding the tax base.
She said that if the city denied annexation to the Pine Meadow Ranch
Development the city could lose an estimated $100,000 in taxes. She also argued
that Ballot Measure 9-40 takes annexation decisions out of the hands of those
who have studied them most closely.
The candidates hold similar positions on the local economy, with all five
agreeing that Sisters needs family wage jobs. All agreed that Sisters should
not depend solely on tourism for its economic base.
All five candidates agreed that, while traffic can sometimes pose a problem,
there are no immediate solutions.
Moyer noted that the issue has been studied for years and that no conclusions
have been reached. Cooper and Petrie noted that a bypass was desirable, but
that a couplet was not. Clasen wants to get citizen input on solutions and
Wilson noted that providing alternative routes for local traffic could buy time
for long-term solutions.
