We want to know how you feel about the hot-button issues of the day. That, and polls are a great way to kill time and make fun graphs! You may have noticed the results in this week’s issue of our recent poll on the Grand Jury decision not to indict the police officer who shot and killed Michael Brown in Ferguson.
This week’s poll addresses the current political drama over councilor-elect Casey Roats’ qualifications for Bend City Council. Let us know if you think City Council made the right decision, and we’ll print the results in next week’s issue.
This article appears in Dec 4-10, 2014.
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From everything I’ve seen and heard Casey Roats has been an active member of this city for many many years. Not only did he choose to build a home within the city limits but he assisted in the whole process. Casey has given his time to numerous committees within this city. I’d say he’s a pretty dedicated person to our community. Sorry to see such a great member of our city have to go through this. I’m sure it’s taken away from his huge accomplishment. It’s sad that so much time has been wasted on trying to bring down an active member of this wonderful community.
So is this whole thing about Casey not being a resident of Bend (Within the Bend City Limits)… or is there some other underlying agenda going on here?
Here’s a 4th generation Bendite, who during his run for council was in the process of constructing a home, and while under construction he and his family stayed at his parents’ house (which is still in Bend, just not within the “Bend City Limits”). It sounds to me his intent was always to stay in Bend, so why is he being penalized for having his family stay with family, isn’t that what family is for? Were they supposed to pitch tents on the property and weather the elements while construction was going on?
This whole thing is ridicules and a waste of time. It sounds to me like there are some pretty sore losers out there, who feel that since they recently found their little slice of Heaven here in Bend that they can develop it the way they feel fit, while shutting the door behind them and burying those who aren’t on board with their agendas. Wish someone would had shut the door earlier before letting these newbies come in and try and make Bend the next Eugene or Portland.
i think people get scared that someone representing the city and taking a salary, however small, repeatedly made mistakes on state forms. It doesn’t matter how “deep his roots are” if he isn’t aware and can’t follow the election law
To answer some of Buddy’s points, yes Roat’s was expected to pitch a tent on his property and live there, if that was where he told the state he was residing. Residing at a different address and then telling elections officials that you reside at a third address, is not allowed, at least under current statutes
Also, keep in mind, when Roat’s wears his other hat as the heir to his family’s water-company, he makes quite a bit of money from Bend’s “newbies” who create the continued demand for his utility… I doubt he would want to shut the door on them, as much as you do
Reside: “to dwell permanently or continuously : occupy a place as one’s legal domicile.” (Merriam-Webster).
So point out the current statue that explains this particular situation. Casey wasn’t dwelling permanently at his parents, that was not his legal home… His legal home was under construction with every intent to permanently and continuously dwell there once completed. There seems to be a bit of a gray area in the law, and for good purpose, for life is not black & white.
Also, as for Casey being “the heir to his family’s water-company,” and making quite a bit of money… give me a break. This is a Blue Collar family man, who rolls up his sleeves and works for what he has. So what if it’s a family business and his father ran it before him and his grandfather before that. They must be doing something right.
And as for the earlier “newbies” comment, my complaint was directed at those who have recently moved here and and want to shut the door behind them. I’ve lived here for quite some time and I know that growth here is inevitable, the population has more than doubled in my tenure. So we should invest in the future infrastructure of this town, not just shoot down proposals and projects you don’t agree with and then give no adequate solutions or options (take your pick of issues). I remember when the Express Way was a hot button issue and how so many opposed it, now just imagine Bend without it.
One more thing. Why don’t we hear anything about the parties that are making a stink of this whole Casey Roats issue… who’s filling the Lawsuits, what are their motives, did they back an opposing candidate who didn’t win, etc…? Come on Source Weekly, lets do some unbiased investigative reporting 😉