Supporters a conservation easement in Haskill Basin launched a campaign last week to promote a ballot measure on the issue.

Representatives of the “Vote Yes for Water! Protect Haskill Basin” campaign gathered Friday at Depot Park.

“This easement will assure high quality protection of our primary drinking water source, continue the active management of working forests, assure continued public access to this lands and protect the wildlife habitat,” Fred Jones said. “If we don’t act now the future of our drinking water will be uncertain.”

The city of Whitefish is holding a special election April 28 that will ask voters to approve an increase in the resort tax from 2 to 3 percent to help fund the easement for 3,000 acres in Haskill Basin, the primary source for Whitefish’s water.

The nonprofit Trust for Public Lands and F.H. Stoltze Land reached a deal in which the company would sell the property for $17 million. More than half of that has already been secured through federal grants.

Doug Chadwick, Whitefish biologist and author, praised the easement deal for the protection it could have for wildlife. He said he has tracked grizzly bears, wolverine, moose, elk and deer in Haskill Basin.

“This is extraordinary,” he said. “We have this right on the edge of town and guaranteed forever.”

Chadwick said the increase in resort tax is a way to give visitors an opportunity to pay for the protection of Whitefish’s water source.

“I like the idea that our 500,000 visitors per year can also help pay for this,” Chadwick said. “There is fewer of these kinds of lands available across the country — what kind of business will that bring here compared to the few who will drive to Kalispell to shop. This is going to be the economic boon for the town over time.”

The ballot measure has already received criticism from a few business owners who say that while they support protection of the city’s water source, an increase in the resort tax will hurt business.

Mayor John Muhlfeld said he intends to work alongside other community members as part of the ballot support campaign to launch a shop local movement.

“I respect the business owners concerns,” he said. “We want this to be a win-win for all of Whitefish and we don’t want to alienate any group though this project. We’re going to try to help the business district benefit from this project by campaigning the message to shop local — a penny for water.”

Muhlfeld said protecting the city’s water source is the primary benefit of the conservation easement, but it’s not the only benefit.

“There is ancillary benefits to this project that will be realized down the road,” he said. “This will create more formalized recreational opportunities, as well as the protection of the viewshed.”

The city also could ask voters to approve a general obligation bond or City Council could vote to raise water rates to generate funds for the easement.

“This will give voters the chance to decide how they want to pay,” city councilor John Anderson said Friday. “Whether that’s through the resort tax or property taxes or water rate increase.”

For more information on the Vote Yes for Water campaign, visit www.protectwhitefishwater.org.