The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

WAITSBURG – "I understand that when an announcement is made that Nestle' is evaluating business opportunities in a community, it raises a lot of emotions. Water is an emotional topic," said Nestle' Waters Natural Resource Manager Bruce Lauerman as he opened his presentation at the city's July 20 city council meeting. In the case of Waitsburg, that may be an understatement.

Even harvesting farmers left their fields early to join the nearly 100 people who filled the chairs, lined the walls, and found seats on the floor in response – mostly to object – to the freshly issued media release stating that Nestle' was exploring Waitsburg as a potential site for a new bottling facility that could employ up to 50 people.

Even though the meeting concluded with an order for Nestle' to cease and desist from all exploratory work in the city's watershed, emotions continue to run high as citizens stage protests, initiate anti-Nestle' petitions, and air their views on social media.

Lauerman said that Nestle' was introduced to Waitsburg through the Port of Walla Walla and that the company had begun, with the permission of the mayor and city manager, to evaluate the spring sources to Coppei Canyon and the city's water supply. He said Nestle' would perform in-depth research, at no cost to the city, that would generate reports and data that would greatly benefit the city.

Mayor Walt Gobel stressed that the council had made no decision regarding Nestle' but said decisions must be based on facts. He said there are five to seven springs spread throughout the watershed, and Nestle' is trying to determine how water gets from the springs to the lines, as well as the quality and quantity of water.

Gobel said the original water maps were destroyed and there is very limited information about the system. He said it would cost the city "multiple thousands of dollars" to do the brushing and digging necessary to clear the area and determine what is going on. He said Nestle' had already found two major leaks, which is a huge benefit to the city.

Several council members, along with the crowd, expressed surprise at learning that Nestle' had already begun physical work at the watershed.

"We went in and did some brushing to try to get to the springs – nothing invasive," Lauerman said. He also said he had been to the springs four times since March to collect water samples.

"This is all news to the city council. I'm just trying to get my hands around when you started and where you got your scope of work," council member KC Kuykendall said.

"Do we have a current contract with Nestle' that would indemnify the city or define the company's scope of work so that we know they're not just going up there doing what they see fit?" Kuykendall said, addressing Gobel.

Gobel said there was no contract directly with Nestle' but that Nestle' had employed a subcontractor and had contracted with the city's engineer, Anderson Perry & Associates, to monitor the contractor's work. He said the city's public works director, Jim Lynch, was on site as well.

Council member Kate Hockersmith asked to go on record to say that even though Nestle' had been in discussions with the city for six months the council first heard of their interest during an executive session at last month's meeting.

"There have been strange things happening, lately, like getting rid of the economic development committee in the meeting before I find out we have Nestle' coming to town, and I'm thinking, wouldn't it be a good thing to have an economic committee when we're talking about something like this? I don't know that I can actually talk about all the questions I have right now," Hockersmith said.

"I really regret that we are here in front of all of our voting constituents without having had the opportunity to engage in a conversation about due diligence and to review whatever contracts – apparently we have none – with Nestle'?" Kuykendall said. "I would never approve a company going up and doing significant work in our primary water source without a mitigation and risk management plan. What happens if they screw up our spring and cave stuff in and contaminate springs."

At the same time, Kuykendall cautioned the council and crowd against being "foolish" in rejecting Nestle' outright. "I think it's a great idea. The cost is nothing for Nestle', a multibillion dollar corporation, to throw $10,000 or $100,000 at this on the chance that it flies and we walk away with a great benefit. I just think that we're being short-sighted, secretive, and that there's a lot of due diligence that we ought to be doing," he said.

With discussions opened to the public, Lauerman fielded one negative comment after another.

Trista Flores challenged Lauerman about why Cascade Locks, Ore. rejected a Nestle' plant. "Why do you want to come to these little towns, employ 50 people, and then go? Because once our source is gone, it's gone. My grandkids will not be able to play in these rivers. If we're a small town, Nestle' owns this town," she said, as the crowd applauded.

Lauerman said Nestle' still has great support in Cascade Locks. Kuykendall confirmed Lauerman's statements, saying he had spoken with the administration of Cascade Locks who confirmed that the majority of citizens and the city council were in "vehement favor" of the bottling facility, but county residents were opposed. He said the city is litigating so that the county will not have jurisdiction over the city.

"I would encourage any of the citizens, rather than relying on social media, to pick up the phone and talk to folks," Kuykendall said.

Kuykendall also confirmed with Lauerman that Nestle's potential involvement would not have an effect on the aquifer because Nestle' would not be drawing on the aquifer, but only purchasing water that has already been collected.

Citizens spoke for nearly two hours with objections ranging from the negative impact of water bottle manufacturing on the environment, to fear of a big corporation "taking over" Waitsburg, to concerns over Nestle's alleged litigiousness.

Farmer Neil Carpenter said he had read his grandparents' water rights agreement with the City of Waitsburg from 1917 which lists what the water can be used for and questioned whether it could even be used for a plant.

"As frightening as the prospect of Nestle' coming into this community and sucking out our water for profit, the more frightening thing is that this council is completely at their wits end that they knew nothing about this transaction going on in our watershed," said former mayor Markeeta Little Wolf.

"Without a contract what do we have? A handshake? It's 2016 and a multibillion dollar company is going to come into this little ... town and shake hands with whom? To whom did you shake hands with?" she added.

Lauerman acknowledged the handshake agreement and said it had been entered into with the mayor and city manager, with the understanding that the city council had been notified.

"It sounds like we may have made some missteps getting started and I regret that. We are here to be completely transparent. If Nestle' meant your grandchildren can't swim, we wouldn't be here," Lauerman said.

The council agreed to require that Nestle' immediately cease and desist all work in the watershed until they are able to evaluate what the scope, duration, and risk implications are to the city.

Nestle' had planned to use their subcontractor's mini-excavator to help repair a leaking water line, which supplies chlorine to the other lines. Instead, the city will contract with the corporation's subcontractor and the city will pay for the work. Lynch was authorized to spend up to $5,000 on the repair.

A community meeting will take place on Tues., Aug. 2 at 7 p.m., following National Night Out, at the Waitsburg Town Hall to discuss the Nestle' Issue further.