USA - Fluoride Question Goes to Edgartown Voters

The decision about whether to add fluoride to Edgartown’s public water supply will now go before voters next April, following a successful petition effort by residents.

The Edgartown town clerk’s office confirmed Wednesday that a petition had been certified with enough signatures to place the fluoridation question before voters at the annual town meeting next spring. The question will require a vote on the town meeting floor and by ballot at the annual town election, assistant town clerk Karen Medeiros said.

Board of health chairman Harold Zadeh (right): "Let's move ahead." — Mark Lovewell

Meanwhile, at a meeting Tuesday, the Edgartown board of health stood by its vote last month to take steps to add fluoride to the water supply. The vote has sparked heated debate at meetings before the board of health and water commission in recent weeks.

Board of health members Harold Zadeh and Dr. Garrett Orazem reaffirmed their Oct. 10 vote to fluoridate the town water supply. The third board member, Kathie Case, abstained from the original vote and was not at the meeting.

The board’s decision was published Oct. 20. Under state law, town voters then had 90 days to gather a petition to bring the matter before town meeting.

And while the successful petition ensures a binding vote in the spring, members of the town water commission and other residents at the meeting Tuesday again called on the board of health to rescind its vote. Critics have cited both concerns about the health effects of fluoridation and what they claim was a flawed process.......................