Sweet Home Declares State of Emergency In Anticipation of Dam Drawdowns

October 9, 2024 – City of Sweet Home: Facebook Post

Hello Sweet Home, this is your Police Chief and interim City Manager Jason Ogden. As you all know, this year’s drawdown is approaching and the City has been busy preparing. At City Council last night, I shared my thoughts about approving a resolution regarding our water quality, and I wanted to share them with all of you.

As we gathered last night to consider Resolution No. 24 for 2024, declaring a water quality state of emergency for Sweet Home, I can’t help but reflect on the timing of this moment. Over the past couple weeks, I’ve been reading Doug Griffiths’ “13 Ways to Kill Your Community.” The insights from the book have resonated with me, especially as we face this decision. It’s almost uncanny how the themes of this book align with the challenges we’re addressing right now. Griffiths emphasizes that a community’s future hinges on its ability to protect its most vital resources. And there is no resource more precious than water.

Water is the foundation of life, prosperity, and growth. Without it, no community can survive, let alone thrive.

Water is more than just something we turn on at the tap. It’s the foundation of our health, our economy, and our way of life. Griffiths tells us that when a community neglects its water, it’s not just neglecting its infrastructure—it’s neglecting its people, its businesses, and its future.

Communities that survive, communities that grow, are those that have the foresight to act before problems arise. Griffiths reminds us that ‘having poor-quality water is a sure step to failure.’ Today, we’re here to make sure Sweet Home takes the path of strength and success, not the path of failure.

We know that the Green Peter Drawdown will increase turbidity in Foster Lake. While we’ve upgraded our systems and successfully managed these challenges in the past, we cannot afford to be complacent. We must stay ahead of the curve, and that’s why we are here today—to ensure we are prepared for whatever comes next.
This isn’t just about the drawdown. This is about protecting the people of Sweet Home, now and in the future. The decision we make today isn’t just for the next few months; it’s for the long-term health and prosperity of our city.

Doug Griffiths writes that ‘perception becomes reality.’ If we allow the perception that we’re not prepared, that we’re not protecting our water, it can erode the confidence people have in our community. But tonight, we have the opportunity to send a clear message—that Sweet Home is a city that plans for the future, that acts before there’s a crisis, and that puts the well-being of its people first.

In his book, Griffiths shares stories of communities that waited too long to act on water issues, and by the time they realized their mistake, the damage was done. Economic growth stalled. Families moved away. Businesses closed their doors. I don’t want that to happen here.

Declaring an emergency is not a sign of panic. It’s a sign of strength, of leadership, and of wisdom. It allows us to be proactive and ensures we have all the resources necessary to protect our water, our health, and our community. As Griffiths puts it, the best way to protect your community is to be prepared—and that’s exactly what this declaration does.

Our water is safe today, and we are confident in our ability to manage this situation. But we’re not waiting for something to go wrong. By declaring this emergency, we are ensuring that we have every tool available to keep Sweet Home’s water safe, no matter what challenges come our way.

By considering this step, we are showing that we believe in our community and in doing everything possible to ensure that Sweet Home remains a safe, prosperous place to live, work, and raise a family.

Together, we can face any challenge. Together, we can protect our future. This emergency declaration—should it be approved—is our commitment to you Sweet Home. It would be our promise that we will always act in the best interest of this community, that we will always put the needs of Sweet Home first, and that we will always protect what matters most.

The City Council unanimously approved the resolution last night. I am so grateful for the support of this community as I serve in this interim capacity and I will do everything in my power to continue to do what is best for Sweet Home.