People living in one Ozarks city will get the chance to make a major decision that would affect the entire community.

In Buffalo, fluoride is in the city’s water supply. But some people don’t want it there. Joe Jenkins is one of those people. He’s called Buffalo home for eight years and still isn’t used to that unique taste of city water.

“It’s a taste of it’s own. I don’t know exactly what to say it tastes like, but it’s just a taste of it’s own that does not taste good,” says Jenkins.

To get around that, “my wife and I can definitely tell a difference. My wife and I both grab the water bottles until the fluoride is out again,” he says.

Jenkins might not have to do that anymore.

“I wanted to let the people decide because it is something that would potentially affect their health in a negative or positive way,” says Board of Alderman member, Brandon Kenall.

Next month, there will be  something extra in the water bill.

“I am going to get some information together with the pros and cons of the fluoride we put in the water. That’s going to be sent out with a ballot with their next water bill. People can decide yes they want it or no they don’t,” says Kenall.

“I am going to vote against it because it tastes terrible when they put it in the first of each month,” says Jenkins.

Barbara Goodwin, another person who lives in Buffalo, also weighed in.

“I don’t think it should be in the water. I think there’s fluoride in toothpaste and I think people are teaching their children to brush better,” says Goodwin.

The city has about 4 months of their fluoride supply left. But depending upon what the surveys say when they come back, that would be put into place as soon as August.

Buffalo splits the cost of fluoride with the health department. It totals out to $3,000 yearly. The city’s share is $1,500.

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