While I have an Enumclaw address, I live in the county and cannot vote in city elections.

We learned to our dismay this year that what happens in Enumclaw does not necessarily stay in Enumclaw. The decisions made by the city council and the mayor can drastically impact the lives of those living outside the city limits.

An example is the attempt by Nestlé to enter into an agreement with the city to buy “some” of Enumclaw’s water, bottle it and sell it for a profit. If the Enumclaw aquifer been adequately located, mapped and assessed, it might have been possible for us to ignore the increased truck traffic, the industrial park and other environmental issues associated with a Nestlé industrial plant. Many of us in the surrounding area rely on our wells for our water supply. No one knows for sure what affect pumping millions of gallons of water out of Boise Creek would have had on the water table.

Had the council and the mayor endorsed Nestlé’s plan, our water supply might have been jeopardized. Liz Reynolds was instrumental in publicizing the behind-the-scenes negotiations which Nestle had entered into with Mayor Wise without the council’s knowledge. That information allowed us to become active in helping to encourage Nestlé to go poach water in some other area. While some might argue that Enumclaw lost out on a major financial deal, others of us enjoy the security of knowing that there will be water coming out of our faucets (as long as there is electricity to run the pump).

I would cast my vote for Liz Reynolds for mayor if I could. Liz works hard for others. She has the ability to encourage and motivate others to donate their time, talents and treasure for good causes. I have worked with Liz as she organized civic groups, work parties and individuals in completing projects like Stocking for Soldiers, Arts Alive and Chamber of Commerce charity auctions, Art in the Garden and Art Walk. I don’t believe she has ever been financially reimbursed for the time and energy expended in turning these worthy projects into events which others could attend and enjoy.

So, even though my ZIP code is 98022, I cannot cast a vote for Liz. I hope you will do that for me and elect an energetic woman who loves her town and wants to do the right thing for all of us who live in and around Enumclaw. Liz Reynolds deserves to be the next mayor of Enumclaw.

Janet Berthon

Enumclaw