Nebraska rebellion

A group of residents came before the Gering City Council Monday night requesting the city remove fluoride from its potable water supply.
Gering resident Loretta Roth began the almost one hour session with pages of information garnered from various sources on the Internet.
"I think it's time our fluoridation policy was updated," Roth said. "We used to think chemicals like DDT and thalidomide were safe, but we were wrong."
Some of the maladies she claimed were caused by fluoride in the water system included various cancers and tumors, weakened bones, and immune system malfunctions.
She said the American Dental Association and other medical groups were deliberately deceiving the public about the health hazards of fluoridation, calling positive data "questionable at best."
She added that lawsuits have already been filed over the practice in other parts of the country.
Loretta Muhr agreed, saying that fluoride is concentrated in the thyroid gland. "My daughter developed thyroid cancer, and I can't help but wonder if our fluoridated water was a contributing factor."
Sandy Briggs said she wondered why Gering resident were never given the chance to vote on fluoridation when it was implemented in 1997.
"Some people are sensitive to fluoride, so there's no way of knowing how this will affect people in the future," Briggs said. "I think people would have voted against it if they had the choice. It's poison."
Local dentist Todd Pieper said he's always seen fewer cavities in children in towns that had fluoridated water. "I'm seeing a lot of soft teeth here, so there a distinct advantage to fluoridation."
He added that because kids and adults don't always have the best brushing habits, fluoridation is an effective method to promote dental health.
County Health Director Bill Wineman said that according to documented, peer reviewed research, most major medical associations agree that fluoridation is the right thing to do. "I know you can find all kinds of information on the Internet, but a lot of it isn't valid," he said.
Wineman added that if Gering stopped fluoridating its water, flouride would still be there as a naturally occurring element.
Gering resident Bob Roth asked what were his options. "You're forcing me to drink bottled water at an added expense," he said. "Why should I spend extra for what I'm already paying for? I want a choice. We should at least put it to a vote."
Gering began fluoridating its water in 1997. Several public hearings were advertised to receive input, but few people attended. The council then voted to begin the practice.
City Attorney Jim Ellison said he's still doing research on the issue. But it appears that removal of the fluoride would require a vote of Gering residents. That would involve gathering signatures and getting the measure on the ballot.
The council referred the fluoridation issue to the Public Works Committee for further discussion.