… In other action, selectmen held four public hearings. Six local residents spoke in favor of removing fluoride from the public water supply. Voters in Boothbay, Boothbay Harbor and Southport will decide on Election Day whether Boothbay Region Water District will continue adding fluoride into the drinking water. Boothbay residents Julie Roberts, Eve Jamieson, Jon Lewis, Stevie Hale and Skip McPhee were joined by Boothbay Harbor resident Anna Christina Rogers who all supported a “No” on the Nov. 8 local ballot question, “Shall fluoride be added to the public water supply for the intended purpose of reducing tooth decay?”

All opponents stated health concerns regarding ingesting fluoride. They believed applying fluoride “topically,” as in toothpaste, is a safer means of preventing tooth decay. Rogers described sodium fluoride as the only chemical added to the drinking water as a medical treatment. “All others are added to improve water quality or safety,” she said. “Sodium fluoride is the most corrosive chemical the water district uses. Its handling takes extreme safety precautions, personal protective equipment and its own sealed room for storage and infusion.”

This is the only local question on Boothbay’s ballot. This was the first of two public hearings on the fluoride ballot question.

… Selectmen meet next at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 14 in the conference room.

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*Original article titled Aqua Ventus discussing ‘benefits package’ with community group is online at https://www.boothbayregister.com/article/aqua-ventus-discussing-benefits-package-community-group/164528