Business owners demand action to address Bingen water main break, flooding damages

Mayor Pro Tem Dale Grinstead-Mayle moved to extend the public comment period by an extra 20 minutes, up from its traditional 10, as councilors listened to concerns without offering substantive response. Much to the public’s chagrin, the city repeatedly stated they could not answer questions or offer concrete commitments about the issue due to threatened litigation and insurance constraints. 

Thus, what started tense but civil quickly devolved into a series of shouting matches, out-of-turn comments, and loud gavel strikes from Grinstead-Mayle, with some even threatening petitioned removal of city leadership before the meeting flamed out. 

Flood damages

While digging downtown April 15, GradeWerks Excavating struck a water main, flooding downtown streets and businesses. The dig proceeded using the city’s outdated water line maps, which showed the locate mark five feet away from the main line.  

They were digging with an auger and not using the time-consuming “pothole” method — a slow, hand-digging method to ascertain line locations — which was not a required part of their contract, as reported by Columbia Gorge News.

Chips Bar & Grill and Carmen’s Kitchen have remained closed since the incident, while Mugs Coffee announced its permanent closure and search for a new location on Facebook June 5. 

Public comments

Larry Murphy, co-owner of Murphy's Family Watering Hole and Chips Bar & Grill, said he immediately hired a contractor after the break occurred, who completed a tear-out and drying by late May. However, neither the contractor nor the businesses have been paid or approved to move forward by the city’s insurance, leaving them unable to reopen. “Get in there and help people that need help…work together instead of running around in circles,” he said. 

Diane Murphy, also a co-owner of Murphy’s and Chips, stressed that downtown restaurants are closed with no timeline to reopen, which could result in severe losses during peak tourism season this summer. She also explained how the Association of Washington Cities Risk Management Service Agency is requiring small businesses to front all reconstruction costs — to be reimbursed later — which they cannot afford. 

“Not only do we want our businesses to survive, but we want downtown Bingen to thrive again,” she said, holding back tears. “I’m here today to ask for help: use your problem-solving skills, your creativity, your compassion, and your influence…to work with your insurance partners.”

Several speakers criticized poor or nonexistent communication from the city, citing long gaps between information shares and no direct, positive dialogue with affected businesses. Resident Destiny Felton said that Facebook chatter has driven most of the meaningful conversations surrounding the issue.

Clinton L. Deo, who was defeated in the 2025 Bingen mayoral race, said he was “at the point where [he’s] going to be the bad person in the room,” before mentioning Revised Code of Washington 29A.56, which permits a registered voter to file detailed charges against elected officials. If cleared by the state Supreme Court, petitioners must gather a legally required number of signatures (typically 25% of the total votes cast for that office in the preceding election) to place the recall on the ballot for public vote. 

Meanwhile, resident Jason McKim was taking notes, attempting to gather concrete, realistic steps forward. He warned that having the city front money could amount to a taxpayer-funded loan, stressed there are only limited, policy‑bound choices, and urged people to focus on what is actually possible rather than expecting the city to “snap their fingers” and fix everything immediately. 

McKim’s comments sent the chamber into momentary chaos, including interruptions and verbal sparring before Grimstead-Mayle demanded order. 

The meeting concluded on an apparent dead end, as calls for action, such as improved communication and negotiations with insurers for completed cleanup work, were met with no response.