Mt. Bachelor Ski Patrol Gets Overzealous, Mistreats Loyal Customers
Doug Elliot had a letter titled “Mt. Bachelor Bustin’ ” published in last week’s Source. I, too, found myself at the bottom of Outback at around 9:50 that morning (2/8/14), and I, too, got busted. Doug made some good points in his letter, and I would like to add a few more. First, there was no sign at the top of Red indicating that Outback was closed. While there may have been “closed” signs posted on the way down, I took an unorthodox route and did not see any.
Second, the patroller at the bottom didn’t care that there was no sign at the top of Red, and rudely dismissed my explanation that I didn’t see a closed sign on my way down as a blatant lie.
Third, he made the offenders stand off to the side while the first group of non-offending skiers made a full lap before allowing us to load. While we were detained, he attempted to humiliate us by telling every third skier,”these people over here want you to go first.” He seemed to relish this, as he said it over and over and over as new skiers arrived.
I understand the need for sanctions against people who disregard closed signs, though a week suspension seems a bit unreasonable for a first time offender who meant to follow the rules. But, was it really necessary to treat a “valued customer” like a liar and to take it a step further by publicly shaming us?
—Steve Galgoczy, 11-year Season Pass Holder
In reply to “Not your Grandpa’s Police Department,” (Feature, 2/20) & “99 Problems,” (News, 2/20):
Thank you for two recent, well-written articles. We should welcome Chief Porter’s ideas on recruiting, leadership and department morale and support the new emphasis on scientific criminology and humane treatment of the mentally ill who get into trouble.
“99 Problems,” revealed the key difficulty in how to solve the very complicated Mirror Pond question. If the dam is retained in some form and Mirror Pond continues to exist, what happens to the existing silt accumulation? And how will the continuing flow of silt from upstream river banks be controlled or eliminated? There have been attempts made in the past to stabilize the banks (planting willows and anchoring whole trees along the banks), but those efforts have been ineffective due largely to river flow fluctuations demanded by irrigation companies.
If retention of the dam ever comes before the voters, I will side with those who want to return to a real Deschutes River, which will be a better place for cold-water fishes and moving-water recreation.
—Jack Remington
In reply to Mr. Mahoney (Letter to the Editor, 2/20)
As much as I disagree with the Source nearly every time they mention guns, on this one they got it right. You ask a lot of questions, and eventually they will be answered, but that takes time. This isn’t some TV crime show drama where all the facts are available in one hour and presented for your immediate judgment.
In fact, much of the problem with modern gun policy is because too often important matters are decided on emotional reaction long before the facts are known. So have some consideration for the feelings of the people affected, take a deep breath, and wait for the investigation to present the facts. There will still be plenty of time for indignant outrage, to be sure.
—RJ
A letter to The Source regarding OSU Cascades.
You are to be admired for trying to put a positive spin on the arrival of the OSU Campus. My wife and I are graduates of OSU and were initially open to the idea of a campus in Bend. As more facts emerge, we have become very skeptical, if not hostile, to the idea.
We are originally told there would be 3,000 to 5,000 students. Last week, the OSU President indicated he hoped it would be closer to 8,000 to 10,000. That is more than an insignificant impact on Bend. Although Bend’s power elite (oligarchy) have had numerous conversations about the project, cite one example where average citizens were consulted before the decisions to establish the campus was made.
If even 25 percent live off campus (conservative number) and we use the president’s lower figure, at some point you will need apartments for 2,000 students. Where will you put them, Shevlin Park? This would also mean an added burden on the roads of 2,000 students times one or more trips per day. How many will bicycle in the winter? An efficient bus system would be great. Who will continue to pay for the system once expanded? Will OSU help on any of these expenses?
Consider how the Bend Bulletin introduced the arrival of the new campus. They singled out several businesses that would benefit from increased student traffic. Businesses will encourage students to leave campus in order to purchase their wares=increased traffic. By the way, when did having access to recreational facilities and beer become a key consideration for attending a particular school?
We already have a community flooded with strangers (tourists). Some of our recreation areas are showing the stress of overuse. The Three Sisters hiking trails may eventually be forced to use a permit system. Have you been to Smith Rock or Rumalo State Park when the tourists are here? Now we are going to add 5,000-10,000 more strangers to the mix. We can envision what is going to happen to Shevlin Park on weekends. The kegs will roll.
Consider how effectively the city has dealt with the Mirror Pond issue, traffic on Reed Market Rd., or Juniper Ridge. Our political leadership seems to have no concept for carrying capacity. We have lost confidence that the city will deal with the empending problems effectively. For that matter, visit Corvallis. That city seems to have its act together, yet the OSU campus has had a very negative impact with traffic, parking and invasive apartments.
Finally, no one, including the Bulletin, has provided detailed research showing that the pros of this campus will outweigh the very obvious cons. Now is the chance for the Source to shine. If this information is not provided by someone, it will be apparent that the OSU campus expansion is simply an attempt to boost the economy temporarily with more people and damn the consequences.
—Wishing we would have been provided with the facts upfront.
A letter to the Mirror Pond Ad Hoc Committee:
I have a recommendation for the Mirror Pond Committee. Take a hike. Well, at least a short one. Take a short break from your obsession with maintaining the Mirror, so-called, Pond, and go down to the Columbia Bank building on Wall St. Walk past Super Burrito on the patio to the end. There you will find in the bank building a rather large commercial space, which appears to have never been developed. Just utilities, no interior walls etc. Now turn around and look out over the Journey Church building and parking lot. You will see some of the ugly dam and the power house. Take a deep breath, close your eyes, brace yourselves and imagine. Imagine no dam, a re-purposed Journey Church building and parking lot, a removed power transfer site and a re-purposed power generating station building. Imagine real river access all the way down to Portland Ave. bridge. Imagine an extended commercial corridor there. Imagine making something out of that site to make Bend proud of.
The Old Mill site was a mess until imagination was called upon and something of real use to the community was developed. Granted the powerhouse site is small compared to the Old Mill site but it is DOWNTOWN, literally. All else about the dam aside, it is ugly, ugly, ugly. Let’s imagine something beautiful there.
Also, the minutes from the Mirror Pond Ad Hoc Committee meeting are available at: mirrorpondbend.com. They make interesting reading.
—David Amasa
Letter of the Week!
David – Thank you for your letter and your close-your-eyes exercise. Now, how about you imagine this: $5 worth of whatever you want at Crow’s Feet Commons. That’s right: You win! Stop by to pick up your coupon.
This article appears in Feb 27 – Mar 5, 2014.
MAKE LOCAL JOURNALISM HAPPEN
Republish our articles for free, online or in print, under a Creative Commons license.
Regarding OSU Cascades. First and foremost I think The Source is doing an excellent job of covering the new campus. I wish it were even more students arriving as this is a huge boost for Bend for several great reasons. For one, it brings necessary jobs and growth to a city that absolutely cannot survive long-term on tourism, retirement and sports. We need growth for jobs, income, and the prosperity of the entire region. Hopefully we will have several big tech companies arrive along with a vibrant college community. This brings diversity, which is desperately needed here, culture, growth, jobs, and hopefully a lot more lively Friday and Saturday nights. Not to mention it helps builders, businesses, and gives Bend a stable, long-term economy. Change is tough, but it’s necessary and this is just one of many ways to do it. The traffic and housing issues will be dealt with. I’d rather have to deal with growth than the alternative. Kudos to OSU and The Source for what will be a great and necessary change for the region!
Dear Nate,
I would welcome an institution for higher learning to this area ONLY IF taxpayers were given a choice as to location, and the ability to vote on what we’re willing to shell out for support systems for this project.
Bend has already agreed that round a bouts weren’t built to accommodate construction traffic…how is the landfill and mine debris going to be hauled out? Where will this junk be put next, who is going to pay for environmental,structural destruction this will cause? Where will additional water come from? The city’s police and fire dep’t are already stressed. Who’s going to pay for increased services?
Property owners here already finance public parks, why should we pay for freeloading students to over load them?
It’s outrageous that an OUTSIDER group from OSU can come here and decide on this project without even involving residents whose lives and budgets will be impacted (no, real estate agents and developers on the ‘site selection’ committee do NOT count!)
I’m beyond done with pollyannas who keep insisting, “oh, it will all work out”, I prefer solutions to mature problem solving before problems inevitably arise!!!
OSU Cascades.
As a conservative, I welcome OSU for the growth potential it can bring to Central Oregon. I am also skeptical of the liberal growth a sprawling educational system brings knowing that a political bias is likely.
Instead of the over zealous salaries faculty will demand that folds over to increased tuitions – let’s be mindful of the infrastructure required by the community to support this institution – and funnel money from within OSU to these infrastructure needs.
Where does PERS fit in to the OSU faculty – unfunded liabilities are through the roof – don’t add any more. Pay to play, so to speak.
Neil
We are recent transplants to Bend and I am dumbfounded that the new OSU campus project has been allowed to proceed as planned. My newcomers’ opinion is that the choice of this particular site is misguided and shortsighted.
We live on the other side of the property and I can say that I am really shocked that this location was chosen. There is already quite a lot of traffic on Century and the Safeway is a zoo (and was even before Ray’s closed). I also understand that the city’s long-term master plan has a designated site for this purpose but that site was not chosen because it is further from the existing COCC campus? That just seems like a hollow excuse to me.
There will inevitably need to be improvements in the city’s public transportation infrastructure and the ease of getting from one campus to another will need to be addressed as part of that plan. In fact, it makes more sense to me to direct traffic from NE to NW instead of along the already congested Century – Bachelor corridor or on Mt. Washington Drive.
Furthermore, we had a horrendous time finding a rental in Bend and I can’t imagine what the future holds when you add 8-10,000 students! Even if one is generous and assume 25% live at home and an additional 25% live on campus, we are talking about needing housing for 4-5,000! That’s insane given the current rental climate in Bend.
An argument I haven’t heard much of yet has to do with property values. NW Bend is a nice place to live and there are expensive properties here. If I were a homeowner on this side of town, I would be extremely concerned about how notorious college flop-houses would impact my neighborhood and subsequently my property values.
I understand the need and desire to offer additional higher-education opportunities here in Bend but all in all, I’m baffled by this project and fear that it will degrade the quality of life we currently enjoy in NW Bend. I hope it is not too late for many of these concerns to be sufficiently addressed.