Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Health topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Residents urge Ishpeming to maintain fluoridation during council public comment
Summary
Multiple residents addressed the council during public comment to speak in favor of continuing fluoridation of city water, citing historical use, dental health benefits and trust in water professionals and scientific consensus.
Several residents used the council’s public‑comment period on Wednesday to urge the City of Ishpeming to continue adding fluoride to the municipal water supply.
Health and history arguments Rebecca Mino, a registered dental hygienist and health educator at the Marquette County Health Department, told council that Ishpeming and neighboring Negaunee have fluoridated water for more than 70 years and that the local water authority tests and maintains fluoride at the recommended 0.7 parts per million. “The truth is that fluoride in our drinking water at the recommended level of 0.7 parts per million is safe and effective, and it helps prevent cavities,” Mino said. She urged reliance on peer‑reviewed science and national public‑health guidance.
Personal testimony Kathy Houghton, speaking as a resident and former volunteer hospice worker, described her experience growing up before community fluoridation and said she believed fluoride reduced cavities across generations. “I never had another cavity,” Houghton said, describing the change in dental health after fluoridation took effect in the 1950s.
Other comments and outreach Speakers also noted a community artesian well where residents can obtain fluoride‑free water and encouraged people to rely on reputable scientific sources when evaluating studies. Council did not take action on the comments; public comment sessions are a nonbinding forum for residents to address the council.
