Disputed Sisters jerky stand taken down

Ky Karnecki’s Wild Mountain produce and jerky stand was dismantled Friday, just days after he filed a $2.5 million federal lawsuit against the city of Sisters.

His temporary use permit expired on October 21, and he’s continued to operate without a permit. He said the city gave him a building code for permanent use rather than a temporary one, and that’s where the dispute started.

The Wild Mountain jerky and produce stand has been operating under a temporary use permit since 2011. That came to a screeching halt Friday, when Karnecki’s stand was torn down and taken away without any notice of court proceedings.

“I have felt persecuted for the last two years,” Karnecki said, “Basically my life has been a living hell, dealing with this nonsense.”

Karnack’s lawsuit alleges unlawful practices by the city and personal vendettas against him since he opened up business .

Sisters’ City Manager Andrew Gorayeb told us he had no comment about what happened Friday, but the city didn’t order the building moved.

The property management company that leases the property to Karnecki also declined comment, but Karnecki said he believes that’s who made the call to tear things down.

“It seems to me that their entire intention was to make it so difficult that I just give up and go away,” Karnecki said, “I’m a fairly stubborn person. I believe in the rule of law, and I intend to defend my rights to run my business.”

He also said one city official has called his jerky stand “an eyesore.” Karnecki isn’t sure where the beef comes from, but hopes it can be resolved and both sides can move on.

“All I want to do is be treated equally and equitably, with the manner in which the city has treated other area businesses,” Karnecki said. “That has not been in the case.”

In the meantime, Karnecki said he plans to sell his line of jerky out of his trunk in Bend.