My own personal response to this is…
I hear it can be difficult to schedule a check ride with a DPE at times. There aren’t that many, and there’s a lot of people getting licenses and ratings. ANY DPE that wants to serve the Bend Airport should be WELCOME.
As for CFI’s, we have a few independent CFI’s at the airport, and most of them have YEARS of experience. When you take a BFR or get instruction, you’ll get more for your time and buck with a seasoned CFI. Our flight schools have CFI’s, but many of them are relatively new pilots.
As for independent A & P’s (And inspectors), I found it a good practice to have different persons looking at my plane at annual inspection time. Independents expand the list of choices. Also independents are often willing to come to YOUR aircraft for repair work or inspections. Last, you may find an independent to have a lot of specialized experience with your aircraft type and brand.