Wichita City Council to decide whether to approve fluoridation or put it on … Kansas.com

A petition drive seeking the fluoridation of Wichita’s water supply has been declared successful, giving the City Council two options: either approve fluoridation or let the city’s residents decide in November whether they want it.

The council will discuss the options at its meeting Tuesday, and public comment will be allowed. The meeting starts at 9 a.m.

“I think it will be a pretty extensive conversation,” City Manager Bob Layton said. “From talking to the council members, they’ve received a lot of e-mails, so they expect significant public comment.”

In July, amid budget-balancing, council members said that they expected to address fluoride eventually, but that it was not a priority for them. A petition drive by a coalition called Wichitans for Healthy Teeth forced the issue.

The group collected 11,000 signatures on a petition calling for fluoridation and submitted it to the city clerk Aug. 3. The requisite number of signatures was verified Thursday, so state statute requires the council to take one of two actions: approve an ordinance to fluoridate the water, or call for the question to be put to a vote. The council has until Sept. 11 to get the question on the November ballot if it decides to go that route.

“The clock is ticking,” Layton said. “If they’re going to … put it on the November ballot … it means they probably have to start that process on Tuesday.”

Only one council member on Friday – Janet Miller – said outright that she would support an ordinance to fluoridate Wichita’s water.

“I am definitely a supporter of water fluoridation,” Miller said. “I would support either of those options. If there are enough of us that want to go ahead and do it (fluoridation), I would vote in support of that. If the majority prefer to put it on the ballot, I support that.”

Council member James Clendenin said he thought it would be best to put the issue on the ballot.

“This is going to affect a lot of people,” Clendenin said.

Council member Michael O’Donnell said he would support putting it on the ballot as well, “mainly because water affects every person. Water is the most basic resource. … Water is intimate.”

Other council members were noncommittal.

“I’m having some quality conversations with some quality people,” Pete Meitzner said. “We’re hearing from all over the world.” He said he was trying to filter out people who would not be directly affected by Wichita’s decision.

Mayor

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