Update: After hours of discussion and comments from the public, the Wichita City Council has decided 7 – 0 to put the fluoridation issue on the November ballot.

Eyewitness News Reporter Anne Meyer is following the story, look for updates as soon as they become available.

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The Wichita City Council will have two options this morning, vote to fluoridate the city’s water or allow the public to vote on the issue.

A petition from the group called ‘Wichitans for Healthy Teeth’ is forcing the discussion on the issue after more than 11,000 peopled signed the petition to fluoridate the city’s water.

A recent Factfinder 12 Scientific Survey shows that the majority of Wichitans are in favor of the issue going to a public vote.

Eyewitness News reached out to members of the city council to see where they stand on the issue. The majority are for putting the issue on the November ballot.

Vice Mayor Janet Miller tells us that she supports water fluoridation and would vote to approve it by council action or to put it to a public vote.

Councilman James Clendenin says it’s probably best at this point to put the issue on the ballot because it’s really the only choice of the two options that makes the most sense.

Councilwoman Lavonta Williams tells us that she’s still receiving information and gathering the facts on the issue and looks forward to discussing the topic at tomorrow’s meeting.

If the issue is put to a public vote it would be the first time since 1978. That’s when 54% voted against adding fluoride to water.

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