Statement from Cascade Locks Mayor Lance Masters Regarding Ultra-Run Event in Protest of Potential Bottling Plant

Mayor issues statement about possible protest Wednesday of proposed water bottling facility.

cascade-locks.or.us

(CASCADE LOCKS, OR) - Cascade Locks is a great town to visit and we welcome visitors to our community. We are becoming an access point and hub for many outdoor adventure opportunities including sailing, mountain biking, sternwheeler excursions and scenic waterfall hikes. Our visitors frequently comment on the friendly, small town atmosphere that adds to the scenic beauty.

A new group of outdoor enthusiasts has announced their intent to visit our small town on August 1. They have declared their desire to enjoy our wonderful outdoor adventure land, with the purpose of protesting local economic development. This paradoxical intention makes it difficult for Cascade Locks to roll out the usual friendly welcome mat. Like a dinner guest who criticizes the cook before he tastes the meal, we do not appreciate outside special interests visiting our town with a predetermined agenda about what is best for us. Instead, we wish they would take the time to actually talk with us so they can understand our town?s economic needs and our commitment to water stewardship. Hopefully the runners will be in town this week with open minds ready to hear about all of the positive opportunities opening up in Cascade Locks. We are confident they will like what they hear.

We believe the water bottling opportunity will be good for the community, good for business, and good for the state of Oregon. It will bring jobs and an influx of revenue into Cascade Locks that we desperately need. It has the potential to start to revitalize our community which has struggled over the years. We have endured the loss of our high school and many of the school related community events that made our town so great. We have seen a dramatic increase in the number of families receiving help from our local food bank. Local businesses and the pride of ownership have suffered as our residents have found the need to look for work elsewhere. Nonetheless, the investment opportunity in Cascade Locks is rich. We are uniquely situated to provide local jobs and a return on investment for businesses. We encourage investment regardless of the size, but the bottling opportunity is significant in the benefits it will bring to our community and region.

We have been engaged in diligent investigation of the bottling industry over the past few years. That research is continuing today. We invite those opposed to this plant to take the time to talk with us and learn the facts about this situation and what we are doing to protect the town and environment.