Several citizens spoke at a recent City Commission meeting regarding the addition of fluoride to Arkansas City’s water.

Most of the public comments opposed the idea.

The city currently adds fluoride to its water supply and has since the 1950s.

Plans for a new water treatment plant allow for the removal of the process by which the city adds fluoride to the water.

This would be an approximate savings of $58,000 in the construction of the new plant, should the commission vote to move forward with the plant.

“With my time, at my expense, I filter out your added fluorines and chlorines — even for my plants and animals — because I realize that health is a habit, not an event,” Cindy Current said.

Current attends commission meetings regularly, but rarely addresses commissioners.

“I’ve done my due diligence and am satisfied within myself that I’ve left no stone unturned,” Current said, reading from a statement.

“The data is copious. Simply put: there is an expert who will lend authority to support whatever position your bias holds. Unless you are an expert on experts, if you’re not careful, you will become exhausted and left paralyzed — and of two minds — aware of the risks, yet inattentive to the hazard.”

Will Linker also is opposed to adding fluoride.

He brought information about fluoride, but could not give the commissioners the source of the information.

“You say those are slides that you got off of Facebook?” Mayor Chad Giles asked.

“Yes,” Linker replied.

Local dentist Scott Rogers voiced the opposite opinion.

“The only constant study (says) fluoride does help prevent cavities and does strengthen enamel,” Rogers said.

He also said that many dental organizations support adding fluoride to drinking water.

The City Commission is scheduled to consider hiring a company to build the roughly $17 million water plant at its 5:30 p.m. meeting on April 5 at City Hall and could consider the fluoride issue at that time.

Editor’s note: Current’s statement to the city can be read on Page 4 of today’s Traveler.