That is all
Dear Editor:
The restraint that comes from respect for life.
Susan Crampton
Twisp
MAMA says ‘thanks’
Dear Editor:
A hearty thank you to all who participated in our fourth annual Methow Acoustic Musicians Association (MAMA) fundraiser for The Cove Food Bank. We called it “MAMA Goes Live: Vol IV!”
There were over 100 people at the delightful TwispWorks Pavilion on an amazingly smok-free Sunday evening. Twelve valley musicians got up and did some amazing short sets of songs, to the delight of the audience: Lauralee Northcott, Betsy Boyer, Mark Uihlien, Mark Tesch, Randy Thordarsonn, Garret Stout, David Gottula, Dwight Filer, Byron Odion, Jerome Bowler and Ken Bevis, all did short sets of fine music. Bill White made an unexpected cameo as a stand-up comedian too!
Thank you to Old Schoolhouse Brewery for sponsoring, TwispWorks for the great facility and The Cove for all you do. We raised $1,250 in cash contributions into the jar or the hat at the event! Wow. What a community. Thank you for being there and thank you for being Methow!
Ken Bevis
Twisp
Growth and wildfire planning
Dear Editor:
Like many residents of the Methow Valley, I recognize that housing is an important part of Twisp’s future, and thoughtful planning can benefit us all.
As projects such as the proposed Mill Town Planned Development move through the necessary approval processes, they also present an opportunity to ask an important question. How well are we considering the infrastructure needed to support the community we are building?
Twisp alone is adding Skylstad, 72 apartments, Orchard Hills, 53 homes and up to 137 dwelling units in Mill Town. This increases demand on water, sewer systems, storm facilities, parks, schools, law enforcement, fire protection, emergency services and long-term maintenance of public infrastructure. These are not arguments against development, but reasons to ensure that growth and infrastructure advance in a compatible way.
Perhaps one of the greatest issues to plan for is wildfire!
The Methow Valley has repeatedly experienced wildfire emergencies and evacuation orders. Most residents understand that evacuation is not a theoretical exercise; it is something our valley has lived through. Every additional neighborhood means more residents, more vehicles, and greater demands on the very limited road network, especially during an emergency.
For that reason, I believe every housing development should include a comprehensive wildfire evacuation impact analysis. Hopefully this is already taking place? This analysis should evaluate evacuation times, traffic capacity, emergency access, coordination with fire districts and Okanogan County Emergency Management, and the cumulative effects of existing and planned developments throughout the Methow Valley.
The purpose is not to delay housing. It is to ensure that when the next wildfire threatens our community, we have confidence that our roads, emergency responders, and evacuation plans can safely serve both current and future residents.
We should continue welcoming new neighbors while making sure that infrastructure keeps pace with growth and that public safety remains at the center of every development decision.
Barb Maygers
Twisp
