Madison Utilities sets public meeting, potential revote on end to fluoridation

Madison Utilities will hold a public meeting this month ahead of a possible revote on a March decision to stop adding fluoride to the water supply.

The decision came Monday after the utility’s board of directors heard from over 30 people, about half of whom called for the decision to be reversed. Another third lauded the board’s actions, while a handful criticized directors for what they called a lack of transparency in taking a step that would affect so many people.

Effective June 16, the utility will stop adding fluoride to the water it sells to nearly 19,000 customers in the city and parts of Madison County. Fluoride is a chemical that U.S. public health officials have recommended including in public drinking water since the 1940s to combat tooth decay, particular in children. Madison has fluoridated since 1991.

The utility’s attorney, Woody Sanderson, dismissed the idea of a referendum on the board’s decision, which some of the speakers had suggested. The board members are appointed by the city council, and the council itself seats a delegate who keeps the city informed of the board’s actions, but the utility is not under city control.

“There is no legal mechanism in the state for a referendum on issues related to how you deliver water,” Sanderson said.

Nevertheless, Connie Spears, the city councilwoman who also sits on the water board, suggested a public hearing “before we take a vote one way or the other to either … reverse the decision to remove the fluoride or to continue down the path to removing the fluoride.”

The board has tentatively scheduled the hearing for May 13 at 5:30. The venue has yet to be determined.

The comments Monday were similar in tone to those aired last week at a meeting of the Madison City Council, where utility officials were summoned to explain the decision to stop fluoridating the water.

After hearing from the public, directors discussed how to improve the utility’s communication with the public. Director Kerry Straub proposed delegating a staff member to “put information out so that we’re not [accused of doing] something under the cloak of darkness.

“These meetings are public … you can come to a meeting and we’re posting stuff,” he said.

That echoes a statement posted to the utility’s website late last week, stating MU is working on “a more effective and accessible way” for customers to receive information.

Yet as of late Monday afternoon, the utility had not posted the agenda for Monday’s board meeting. The March 17 vote to stop adding fluoride was listed on the meeting’s agenda as “Chemical Feed Discussion.”

And as AL.com has reported, Madison Utilities lags its peers in the state’s Big 10 cities when it comes to posting financial reports on its website.

Utilities serving the Big 10 cities all fluoridate their water, and the Alabama health department recommends the practice.