The DeForest Village Board voted 5-2 in favor of directing village staff to begin the process of reintroducing fluoride additives to the community’s drinking water on Tuesday, Jan. 20.
Trustees Taysheedra Allen and Jim Simpson were the dissenting votes that evening.
Ten individuals attended to speak on the issue as a part of public comment. Seven were against going back on the board’s previous decision, while three urged trustees to reconsider.
Some were residents of DeForest or Windsor while others were from other municipalities, with one man calling in from Massachusetts to voice his opposition to the decision.
Former trustee Rebecca Witherspoon reminded the board of the information they based their initial decision on over a year ago.
“The decision was cautious and reflected evolving science, ethical responsibility and respect for public health,” Witherspoon said on Jan. 20.
Organizers of the movement to recall former trustee Bill Landgraf also came to share their experience hearing from residents on the topic, which was one catalyst for their efforts in 2025.
“I can tell you from my own personal experience walking the village during the recall effort how many residents said, ‘And what the heck happened with fluoride?’” recall organizer Marc Storch said.
Board members drew on existing knowledge and studies to make their decision. A majority of the board seemed to agree that rehashing hours of testimony and public discourse would not be of benefit.
“Through the previous process, there were things like listening sessions, public comment, emails,” Village Administrator Bill Chang said when asked about reopening the discussion to the public, “Engage DeForest was utilized and that really turned out to be a black eye for the village, I believe. It really pulled some negatives from participants.”
The crux for at least one trustee was the misrepresentation of results from studies that have found a connection between fluoride and health risks like lower IQ scores among children.
“All of the studies were at 1.5, or even up to six times the levels that we provide in our water system,” Trustee Brad Cords said.
In addition to public comment and their own discussion, the board also heard a presentation from Chang on a report regarding the cost and logistics of reversing the decision.
The report states that village staff reached out to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) for guidance on the necessary improvements needed if the board were to reintroduce fluoride.
Currently, the village’s water system serves lands within its own limits, and the Towns of Vienna and Burke. DeForest merged its two, previously separate, water systems in 2020 by adding a booster station with a pressure-reducing valve.
Prior to the decision to remove the fluoride additives, just the northern portion of the water system was being treated.
The DNR stated to the village that if it were to reintroduce fluoride to its water supply, it would need to do so for the entire service area.
Additionally, the DNR advised the village that wells which had not added fluoride previously would need to have a fluoridation room installed to begin doing so.
This is due to updated requirements that came into effect in 2024 regarding the safe storage of fluoride solutions separate from other chemicals.
Meanwhile, wells that previously added fluoride would not be held to the same standard of separation, though the DNR would still recommend the action. Chang noted that this approach would be recommended by staff as well to preserve their health and safety.
Original article online at: https://www.hngnews.com/the_star/local_news/deforest-village-board-votes-to-begin-fluoride-reintroduction-process/article_5f78f7b7-bfd2-4f08-9019-16937b86e392.html