Settlement agreements address new realities 

   My family has been involved in ranching in the Klamath Basin for 99 years.

   I remember very clearly that my father predicted over 30 years ago that there would be conflict over water and that access to and control of the north and south fork of the Sprague River that flowed through our property would become limited.

   I myself have been concerned for more than 20 years that water settlement talks were not achieving results and that we were endangering our entire community’s economic future due to an unwillingness to compromise and come up with working solutions. The water   shutoffs in 2001 were the confirmation of my worst fears.

   I support the settlement agreements completely. The agreements address the new realities our community has to face.

   The fact is that resources are scarce and times have changed since my greatuncle Dayton “Buck” Williams first arrived here in 1907. The cloud of conflict has been hanging over our heads for too long.

   Settlement will mean jobs, stabilization of local agriculture, development of renewable energy opportunities and restoration of our fragile resources to a sustainable level for the benefit of our children and grandchildren.

   I am so grateful for the effort made by everyone who participated in creating the settlement plan. Most have worked under sustained stress for years on the community’s behalf and have, in many cases, sacrificed personal health and family duties for this important cause.  

   Many of the settlement process leaders have also shown tremendous character by enduring withering political attacks that would have deterred lesser men and women. All I can say to these individuals is thank you.

   I hope that our Klamath County Commissioners do the right thing for our community and support the settlement agreements.