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This year there are two seats for Deschutes County commissioner up for our vote, and we deserve the fresh ideas, wisdom and teamwork that candidates Morgan Schmidt and Oliver Tatom bring to the positions.

Incumbents Patti Adair and Tony DeBone do not represent the majority of our citizens as evidenced in the literature from Oregon Right to Life that lists them both. Do the anti-abortion stances of Adair and DeBone supersede the rights of women?

County commissioners oversee the County Health Department, and it’s essential that our elected officials honor the rights of all citizens to safe and effective health care.

Both Schmidt and Tatom have pledged to maintain quality care for women, as well as those requiring mental health support, the need for which has greatly increased these past few years.

Schmidt and Tatom have consistently demonstrated their expertise in caring for our community. Schmidt founded Pandemic Partners in 2020, creatively connecting those needing food, gas and other support with those who could provide it. Schmidt created an indoor shelter at her church on frigid winter nights and has relationships with leaders who turn to her on our most difficult social issues.

Tatom’s background as an RN and paramedic will bring this much needed experience to the commission.

I love this community.

We’ve lived here for 20 years and we’ll continue to make Bend our home.

Candidates Morgan Schmidt and Oliver Tatom embody the engaged, kind, “roll up your sleeves,” innovative spirit we critically need in county leadership going forward.

— Chelsea Callicott, Bend

I want to thank Morgan Schmidt for her recent Guest Column in The Bulletin about the recent Deschutes County Commission decision for the “Eden” property in the Lower Bridge Valley near Terrebonne (Oct. 9).

The controversial project, which involves the construction of 71 multimillion dollar homes on 10-acre estates, required the rezoning of 710-acres of pristine rural lands which are currently zoned Exclusive Farm Use.

Despite the fact that almost 200 Deschutes County residents (including neighboring land owners) spoke out against the project during the public review process, Commissioners Patti Adair and Tony DeBone voted to green-light the project.

Commissioners Adair and DeBone ignored the fact that the project site serves as important habitat, especially for the mule deer. They ignored the fact that the project site is located in an area with high wildfire risk.

Worst of all, as pointed out by Ms. Schmidt, they ignored the fact that each estate will have an exempt well and that residents will be able to use more than 1 million gallons of groundwater a day at a time when existing wells are running dry.

The project is residential sprawl at its worst, and the latest example of Commissioners Adair and DeBone ignoring the concerns of rural landowners.

For example, in 2019 the County Commission overruled a hearings officer and approved the Lower Bridge Road LLC project.

Luckily that project was ultimately abandoned.

If you want leaders who will be careful stewards of our rural lands, please vote for Morgan Schmidt and Oliver Tatom.

— Adrian Jones, Bend

I’m voting for Oliver Tatom for County commissioner in the upcoming election.

I’ve known Oliver for nearly 30 years. He grew up in Bend, graduated from Bend High, and during the time I’ve known him has always been interested and committed to making our community a better place to live.

His family lost its home to a wildfire when he was in high school, so he grasps the importance of preparing our community for the effects of climate change and its impact on everyone.

Oliver understands the challenging issues that are most important to all of us who love Central Oregon.

Oliver is a listener, a doer, a collaborator, a forward-thinking leader and the right choice for Deschutes County.

He will be an excellent county commissioner.

— Gary Whitley, Bend

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