Port Angeles – A decision to renew the contract for the fluoridation of Port Angeles City water moved ahead at Tuesday night’s City Council meeting, after the questions to be used at a public hearing were narrowed down.

City Manager, Dan McKeen, provided a brief background for those in attendance on the process the city is using to gauge public opinion as to whether or not the city should continue to add fluoride to the city’s water supply.

Twenty questions were submitted to city council members, ten for and ten against fluoridation. Council members then rated the questions in order of interest of the issue, paring down three final questions to be used at the public hearings.

In the ”For” category the questions were: What studies and reviews demonstrate the safety of fluoridation? What studies and reviews show that fluoridation prevents tooth decay? What organizations either support or object to fluoridation?

The “Against” questions were: What controlled trial of fluoridation that can support claims of a 30% reduction in tooth decay? In a comparison of Europe and the United States, why has Europe’s tooth decay rate declined equal to the fluoridated cities of the United States, where in Europe, fluoride is not used in the water? What indigestible fluoride sources are available to the public other than the city water supply?

The first public hearing date on the issue is set for Thursday, October 22nd at 6:00 PM, hosted at City Hall by the League of Women Voters.

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