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Isanti council discusses ending fluoridation; staff asked to draft resolution and request state variance
Summary
After public concern, the council discussed stopping addition of fluoride to Isanti’s public water and directed staff to draft a resolution and a request to the Minnesota Department of Health to allow municipal variances. No formal vote was taken; next steps are staff drafts for council consideration.
The Isanti Committee of the Whole reopened discussion on fluoride in the public water supply and directed staff to prepare paperwork for council consideration. A staff speaker told the council that, if the city wants staff to 'not feed fluoride in the public water supply,' that change would need to be adopted by formal resolution and that staff could draft a resolution for council consideration and, separately, a request to the Minnesota Department of Health seeking variance authority.
The discussion recapped prior local and state action. A staff presentation said Minnesota Rule 4720.003 previously allowed public water supplies to approve a variance and that the city adopted a lower target range in 2015; the state later held a public hearing and set a new official level in 2019. One council member and other participants noted that '37 states have decided it's not necessary in the water' and said that local residents raised concerns during outreach.
Not all speakers supported immediate removal. One attendee or staff member said, 'I carry a Minnesota Department Health card, so I legally cannot say remove it,' explaining a professional licensing constraint. Department of Health guidance was cited by staff as saying no other Minnesota city has yet chosen to stop feeding fluoride, a reason state officials may not have imposed fines or pursued enforcement actions to date.
Council members indicated they could support drafting both a resolution directing staff to stop adding fluoride and an accompanying letter or request to the Department of Health asking the state to allow variances for municipalities that choose not to treat with fluoride. There was no formal vote recorded on a removal action during the Committee of the Whole; the direction was to return with drafted documents for formal council consideration.
What happens next: staff will draft a resolution and a request to the Minnesota Department of Health for council review and possible formal action at a future meeting.
