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Holly Wells, a mediator for Neutral Ground Mediation Services, on Monday proposed to Cascade Locks City Council a conflict resolution session over Nestlé’s proposed water bottling plant. Joining her at the speaker’s table was Margie Curtis of Cascade Locks.
Holly Wells, a mediator for Neutral Ground Mediation Services, on Monday proposed to Cascade Locks City Council a conflict resolution session over Nestlé’s proposed water bottling plant. Joining her at the speaker’s table was Margie Curtis of Cascade Locks.
Cascade Locks City Council heard a pitch Monday from a professional mediator who aims to resolve the furor among citizens and city leaders over Nestlé’s proposed bottling plant.
Holly Wells of Neutral Ground Mediation Services, based in Portland, proposed a “community-wide gathering to transcend the conflict” between residents in favor of and opposed to the city's potential deal with the corporation, which would sell a portion of spring water from nearby Oxbow Springs to Nestlé for commercial bottling.
Since 2008, Nestlé Waters North America has attempted to site the plant in Cascade Locks, sparking the opposition of environmental advocacy groups and the overall support of city officials, who argue for the potential economic benefits of new jobs and tax revenue.
Along with Wells came four Cascade Locks residents Monday night in favor of the mediation work: Margie Curtis, Ken Wittenberg, Marva Janik and Gary Munkhoff. Former city manager Bernard Seeger also expressed support but wasn’t present Monday.
Wells said she was inspired to offer mediation services after attending a June town hall meeting at Cascade Locks City Hall where concerns from each side “weren’t being heard.”
“This could be a way for people to hear each other, that’s what’s needed here. You can pass facts around as long as you want to and until there’s trust, they’re not going to hear,” said Wells.
The session, titled “Cascade Locks: Toward an Alternative to Adversarial Debate” would convene community members in hopes of settling on facts and principles they agree upon. It would start as a session for city residents, though Wells said a new county-wide ballot measure could require a broader discussion in the future.
Wells referred to a voter petition filed Sept. 21 to block large-scale commercial water bottling operations in Hood River County, which is under legal review — the deadline to file opposition in circuit court is Friday, Oct. 16. The ballot title, prepared by District Attorney John Sewell, asks citizens if the county charter should be amended to “prohibit the commercial production of bottled water and the transport of such waters.”
For mediation services, Wells originally proposed to charge roughly $10,000. City Administrator Gordon Zimmerman said if that price is accurate, the council would be legally obligated to consider two other mediators before moving forward with Wells’ company.
To give a scope of the cost, Zimmerman said the city has put aside $20,000 for legal negotiations with Nestlé. “Are we willing to spend half of it on this kind of process?” asked Zimmerman.
Wells pitched another option for $6,000, and suggested other forms of revenue such as crowd sourcing be included to make up the cost.
Five out of six members made up the council on Monday, Oct. 12 — Deanna Busdieker, the sole councilor who has vocally opposed Nestlé, wasn’t present.
Councilors present agreed that Wells’ mediation services could prove valuable, but they weren’t ready to take any action until the cost and funding source was clear.
“I think it’s a wonderful idea — now we would need to think of how to fund it. Definitely this community could use some of what you’re selling,” said Councilor Bruce Fitzpatrick.
Mayor Tom Cramblett was less enthusiastic about the concept.
“The opposition is going to have a hard time convincing me,” said Cramblett. “Nestlé to me is hope. I’m not willing to let that slow down … the process.”
Councilors Bobby Walker and Glenda Groves said the deal with Nestlé was not complete — or even under negotiation yet — and thanked Wells for her proposal.
“One of the assumptions is that everybody on the council is all for (Nestlé) and we haven’t even started negotiating,” said Councilor Bobby Walker.
“We’re not just sitting back … We’re not going to say, ‘Okay you can build, you do what you want.’ We aren’t that way,” said Groves.
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