Longtime readers know of my antipathy towards Nestle, the predatory multinational that tried to railroad a million square foot water bottling plant into McCloud.
The original contract was negotiated and approved without the benefit of any real public input, Nestle’s Environmental Impact Report was more prank than serious document, and the company took an absolute battering.
Now – with the contract dead and Nestle angling for a new deal, a series of public meetings are going to be held in an attempt to avoid the nastiness of the past.
The first is this Wednesday (Oct. 22), and to help those rushing from work, the McCloud Watershed Council is hosting a FREE PIZZA-fest prior to the meeting (those are words that will warm the heart of any fly fisherman). Here’s an email from the Watershed Council:
Nestle hired Kearns and West, a public involvement firm, to facilitate a series of public meetings regarding Nestlé’s new project proposal. This is a perfect opportunity for all perspectives to give their input into a new process.
To encourage attendance, and in an effort to bring McCloud residents together, the McCloud Watershed Council is hosting a FREE “Pre-Nestle Meeting” Dinner. If you don’t have time to cook and also make it to the meeting, then please come to the free pizza dinner at 5pm in the courtyard on Main Street next to the McCloud Hotel.
What: Community Meeting About Nestlé’s Proposed Water Bottling
Plant in McCloud
When: Wednesday, October 22nd, 2008 at 6:00 p.m.
Where: McCloud High School Gymnasium, 133 Campus Way, McCloud
Why: Everyone who has a stake in the future of the McCloud community, economy and the McCloud River watershed deserves to have their voice heard.
Sadly, I committed long ago to teaching a class on Wednesday night, so I won’t make it to this meeting. Damn.
Still, locals – and anyone up visiting who worries about this (and other) threats to the McCloud watershed – should try to attend (free pizza).
See you there next time, Tom Chandler.
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
One guess as to the free beverage of choice…
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Pizza provided by the Watershed Council, so you won’t see any bottled water being handed out…
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Thankfully they did not provide “Lean Cuisine” items… Nestle is recalling some items in that line today.
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