Fluoridation question could turn up on city ballot

SANDPOINT — The Public Works Committee is set to examine Sandpoint’s use of water fluoridation on Wednesday, and at least two committee members have said they are in favor of putting the controversial issue up for a citywide vote.

Sandpoint, like many communities in the United States, has added small amounts of fluoride to its water supply since the early 1950s. Endorsed by the American Dental Association and the Centers for Disease Control, the practice is meant to combat tooth decay.

While pockets of local residents have protested the use of fluoride for years, it wasn’t until recently, when the Bonner County Republican Central Committee officially came out against the practice, that members of the City Council began toying with the idea of putting the issue to a vote.

Councilman John Reuter hopes the issue will be added to November’s general election ballot. Although he personally sees water fluoridation as a beneficial practice, Reuter said the final decision should be made by the voters.

“For something as basic as what goes in our water, it’s a question that every citizen in Sandpoint should have the right to weigh in on,” he said.

Reuter said he would not support putting the fluoride question in the hands of the council because the body is no more qualified to judge the practice than the city’s water users.

“I unapologetically have faith in my fellow citizens to make the right decision,” he said. “I trust the citizens of Sandpoint to look at it philosophically, to think about it practically, and to come to the answer that’s right for our community at this time.”

The Public Works Committee will meet at City Hall Wednesday at 5:30 p.m.