USA - With fluoridation bill passed, decision must be made

With fluoridation bill passed, decision must be made
By Tracy Overstreet
The Nebraska Legislature on Wednesday approved a bill that requires drinking water be fluoridated in cities of 1,000 or more residents. The fluoridation is mandated by June 1, 2010, unless a city opts out by public vote. That vote can either be forced by initiative petition or can be placed on the ballot by a majority vote of a city council or village board.
When contacted Wednesday afternoon, Grand Island city council members were divided.
Half of the council's 10 members were for or leaning toward following the state mandate to fluoridate. Three were adamant for a public vote. One was undecided. One was unavailable.
"Fluoridation is as important to teeth as restricting secondhand smoke is to lungs," said Council President Mitch Nickerson, who also serves on the board of directors for the Central District Health Department.
State Sen. Joel Johnson, a retired surgeon from Kearney, sponsored the fluoridation bill. He called it a key step toward preventing tooth decay.
Nickerson said he used to be an opponent to government mandates related to health issues, but has changed his mind over time. He's for fluoridation after having seen the thousands of residents requiring dental work at the Mission of Mercy free dental clinic in Grand Island.
"This is very important to public health," Nickerson said.
Councilman Kirk Ramsey also believes fluoridation is important to helping and improving the health of the community, particularly children. He would welcome any debate before the city council as a way to educate the public about the importance.
"If I had to vote today, I would not support it going to a public vote. I'd vote to fluoridate," Ramsey said.
Councilmen Jose Zapata and Bob Niemann were leaning in favor of fluoridation, as was Councilman Bob Meyer, who said he's inclined to let the state mandate go into effect.
"I probably wouldn't vote against it unless it cost us a fortune to fluoridate," Meyer said.
The Grand Island City Council voted in 1996 to add fluoride up to the optimum level of 1.0 ppm. It began to be added in 1997, but was stopped in May 1998 after 56 percent of Grand Island voters objected to fluoridation in a public vote.
At that time, the fluoridation equipment cost about $40,000 to install and Grand Island had received an $18,000 state grant for the setup. It cost about $27,000 a year to operate.
Grand Island Utilities Director Gary Mader said he believes the fluoridation pumps are still in city inventory, but the storage tank for fluoridation was used for another purpose when fluoridation ceased.
"I think we'd really need to start from scratch to design the system" and get it approved by health inspectors, Mader said. "It would take probably six months to a year to get it done."
But not all council members are for moving forward with fluoridation.
"I have mixed feelings," Grand Island City Councilman John Gericke said. "I think it should go to a public vote."
Councilwoman Peg Gilbert was also unsure of how to proceed because she "hadn't studied the issue in detail."
Gilbert, who is a registered nurse, said her initial research months ago led her to be in favor of fluoridation, but she has since read material that gave her "a moment's pause."
"I really can't answer it yet it's not like smoking, which I knew," she said.
"Frankly, I'm more inclined to send it to a vote," Councilman Larry Carney said.
"I think I'd let the public decide," Councilwoman Joyce Haase said. "It's a citywide thing.
"I hear good and bad there's more good than bad, it helps prevent cavities, but you worry about the people on medications," Haase said.
The Legislature approved the fluoridation bill, 34 to 8.