Port Angeles – In a 4-3 vote, Port Angeles City Council members voted in favor of keeping fluoride in the city’s drinking water supply.

That vote by council members came despite the survey returns by city water customers. A 56% majority did not want fluoride as an additive in their water supply. Port Angeles City Manager, Dan McKeen, gave KONP the results of that fluoride vote.

The vote breakdown showed Cherie Kidd, Dan Gase, Patrick Downie, and Brad Collins in favor of continuing the city’s fluoridation, with Lee Whetham, Dan DiGuilio and Sissi Bruch opposed.

Cherie Kidd opened the comments by council members by citing that those who did not participate in the survey, acquiesced to the continuation of fluoride.

Kidd went on to say that the city should utilize “best practice” for the public, and based her decision to vote for fluoride, citing input of the medical community. Her motion to continue fluoridation was seconded by Councilman Gase.

Councilman Lee Whetham issued his support of the survey as a means of supporting the will of the voters.

Councilman Dan Gase then gave his opinion on his support for the fluoridation.

9,762 polls were mailed out back on November 6th and 43% of those were returned for processing. 41% of the respondents voted for fluoridation while 56% were against the measure. 74 people had no opinion on the matter.

The City’s contractual obligation of fluoridation of the municipal water supply runs through May 18th of 2016. The current motion approved by the city council will extend that for 10 years until June 2026.

Print PDF