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Take a pause on library plans

Friday’s editorial cited the deluge of mail regarding the library board races. This is good news as it reflects how important this issue is to Bend, Redmond, Sisters, La Pine and surrounding communities. It also shows that there are many different views about how best to use the bond money and increase the library’s services. Now is the time to take a pause and really understand what the various concerns and issues are before moving forward with construction.

Board members like Ray Miao and Tony Oliver are shining examples of careful thought and consideration of all sides of the issue. We need that kind of leadership. Having watched the library system grow and develop over the last 40 years that I have visited and now live here, I know how important it is for the community. But I also know that I don’t understand all the different positions. I’d like a chance to listen to voices from all over the county and to fully understand this complex situation before I make up my mind about what the right solution is. That’s the position that Ray and Tony are suggesting we do. Without them on the board it likely won’t happen.

As a Bend resident, I support reelecting Ray Miao to give us all an opportunity to take a pause, make our voices heard, and make informed decisions about the library’s future.

— Kelley Platt, Bend

Sherrie Grieef for Bend La-Pine School Board

I have known Sherrie Grieef for over 15 years. She has worked for the best interest of children and families, oftentimes against all odds. I have seen her fight hard for kids to do what was good and right for them. Coordinating with child welfare, juvenile, mental health, schools, biological parents and foster parents for the benefit of the children is not the easiest thing to do, and yet I have seen her do just that, year after year.

She has come up with creative solutions to difficult situations and the ability to get a group of professionals to come to agreement was amazing to watch. She has strived for social, emotional and educational advancement with many of the most vulnerable children in the state. Therapists were amazed with the progress children had made while in the care of homes Sherrie was overseeing and also wrote service plans for. She was always supportive and helpful to biological parents and foster parents. It is not an easy situation.

Sometimes honesty is painful, but Sherrie had a way of being both honest and empathetic while being solution orientated. Oftentimes the solutions were so simple!! The children’s mental health system lost a true warrior when Sherrie retired from the field. It was great to hear that her warrior spirit will continue to benefit children and families in the Bend-La Pine Schools, should she be elected. It is for these reasons, Sherrie has my vote, and I hope she has yours!

— Susan and Chuck Fisher, Bend

Vote for Tony Oliver for Deschutes Public Library Board

It is important to evaluate elected officials by their actions not just their words. And judging by Mrs. Claridge’s actions, she does not support Redmond, although she was elected by the city. She was the deciding vote to the destruction of the Jesse Hill School Library. She was the deciding vote that meant Redmond did not have a branch library in an area that would provide more accessibility to her constituents. She also voted for the new central library to be much larger (100,000 square feet) than it needs to be.

Everything described in the bond measure for the central library could be accommodated in a much smaller building costing less money. The central library location is not advantageous to very many in the county. Redmond needs someone who looks after taxpayer dollars and well as truly represents the city.

Vote for Tony Oliver!

— Lisa Quattlebaum, Bend

We need Ray Miao on the Deschutes Library board

I’ve known Ray Miao for 25 years. We met when he was leading the effort to form our library district. He worked hard with all the Friends of the Library groups and the Library Foundation to win the election forming the Deschutes Public Library District. We won by 64%!

Ray made sure that every community — La Pine, Sunriver, Sisters, Redmond and Bend — received fair and equitable library services. He helped build three new libraries — La Pine, Sisters and downtown Bend and remodeled Redmond and Sunriver. He was instrumental in opening the East Bend Pubic Library that is now the most used library per square foot of all our libraries, twice the downtown library.

Most people I know think the proposed Stevens Ranch central library is way too big. It’s bigger than 12 East Bend libraries and about the size of Home Depot. I don’t think we voted for a Home Depot library. I agree with Ray, the bond measure allows it to be a more reasonable size.

I find it amazing that anyone is maligning Ray’s character and misrepresenting his position. I’ve known him for years and he is an awesome guy who has committed so much time to public service for the betterment of the community.

We need to keep Ray Miao on the library board. He has the demonstrated experience, knowledge and skills to making Bend a better place to live in.

If you love your library, vote for Ray.

— Kathy Blake Bend

Vote no on Bend fire levy

If you have not had a chance yet to read the guest column by Mike Walker from Saturday’s paper, please do. He clearly outlines the math and data associated with the proposed fire levy. I will not repeat it all here because he does a much better job than I could ever do.

However, I will say that all I have seen so far supporting the levy is an emotional appeal, not based on data (and even based on fear tactics, which is shameful): What if you have a fire and we don’t have enough responders? If you don’t vote for this fire levy, your home may be devastated — or worse!

Literally everything I have read that has dived into the data supports the continuation of our current funding level. Even a slight increase would be more than sufficient to maintain a good response time. I would be happy to support a levy that outlines more clearly why we need that much money. Please vote no this time around and let’s wait for a more reasonable proposal.

— Lisa Travis, Bend

Ray Miao for Deschutes libraries

I support Ray Miao and urge you to vote for him too.

I voted yes on the library bond and I also support Ray Miao’s reelection to the library board. I think that his voice on the library board questioning the large central library is one that should be heard. His experience and commitment to the library has been well documented in previous letters to the editor, and I believe his voice would continue to be an important part of any discussion about the future of the library system.

I mainly use the library to check out e-books. Is this the future of libraries. If so, we don’t need a large central library to house electronic books. Looking into the future is always difficult, and having someone like Ray to provide his perspective is valuable.

— Pat Kolling, Bend

Do you have a point you’d like to make or an issue you feel strongly about? Submit a letter to the editor.