Big Timber city officials have voted 3-2 to prohibit the sale of bulk drinking water to external entities, following a special meeting on August 11. The intense session saw significant debate among the public and council members. Mayor Greg DeBoer, a local chiropractor, cast the deciding vote in favor of the ban. This restriction, however, allows emergency water purchases for events like fires and will remain until a specific policy is in place, affecting the Crazy Mountain Ranch (CMR) golf course’s irrigation plans.
Owned by Lone Mountain Land Co., a subsidiary of the Big Sky Yellowstone Club, CMR previously acquired 1,646,400 gallons of drinking water from the city for its golf course located nearly 50 miles away, west of Clyde Park. Big Timber gained up to $1,400 daily for 100,000 gallons, according to city clerk Hope Mosness. The mayor’s vote ended a three-week controversy, drawing applause from approximately 25 public attendees.
“Emotions are driving a lot of this, not common sense,” the mayor remarked during the meeting. “The crux of it is rich people buying water for a golf course.” Lone Mountain Land Co. voluntarily stopped natural irrigation on July 10, just before the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation filed a lawsuit requiring a halt to irrigation until a recreational use permit is issued. Meanwhile, three to four trucks delivered 6,400 gallons per trip, multiple times daily, from Big Timber, according to Buster Bullock of Bullock Contracting LLC.
COUNCIL DISCUSSION
City council member Jeff Davis, who introduced the proposal, cited overwhelming resident support for halting bulk water sales. He emphasized the need for an official policy, absent for the last 30 years. Davis stated, “We are selling [as much as] 100,000 gallons of water daily, taxing our treatment plant unnecessarily.” He also pointed out the outdated $14 per 1,000 gallons rate, unchanged since 2008, while residential rates are set to rise.
Council member Leonard Woehler, despite acknowledging a necessary policy, opposed the motion, stating, “We’re operating in the red,” and noting the income from bulk sales contributes to infrastructure funding. He cautioned against eliminating a valuable revenue stream.
MORE STORAGE
In January, Big Timber secured a $2.6 million Economic Development Administration grant for a new water storage tank, covering 80% of costs. The new tank, costing approximately $3 million, will expand storage from 300,000 to nearly a million gallons, aiming to meet future consumption needs. Public Works Director Kris Novotny assured that daily 100,000-gallon withdrawals don’t elevate fire risks.
Resident Dulcie Rae Bue-Clavarino gathered over 100 signatures on a petition against current water sales, citing that 1.66 million gallons were sold by the city in 2025 alone. “The amount of water we’re sending 50 miles away is what my family uses in just under six months,” she noted. Linda Brunckhorst and Doug Ayers also voiced concerns over unregulated sales and water resource impacts, urging for policy implementation before resuming sales.
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