Six months after a surprise vote to put fluoride back in the Village of Cobleskill’s water, there’s still no fluoride in the water.
That’s because there’s nothing in the budget for the chemical Water Superintendent Jeff Pangman must use to deliver the fluoride.
Convinced that the reported dangers of fluoride and the risks of over-flouridation outweighed its benefits, the village in 2007 decided to stop fluoridating its municipal water supply.
The move prompted an outpouring of concern from local dentists and doctors and in April the village agreed to dentist Gary Surman’s request to put the fluoride back in.
The village’s 2009 budget, however, didn’t include anything for fluoride—estimated at $7,500 a year—and so it has never been added.
“There was no money in last year’s budget,” Mr. Pangman told trustees last Tuesday when parent Dawn Fiorillo asked about the fluoride, however the 2010 budget he’d submitted that day includes the $7,500 for it.
Trustees briefly discussed taking the estimated $2,500 needed to treat the water till December 31 out of its reserve fund, but decided to wait till 2010.
Notices to that effect will go out in the next water bills.
“I consider myself a pretty informed individual,” Ms. Fiorillo said, “but is it added or isn’t it?
“You’ve made the decision to do it, you should do it—not just vote to do it. If you’re not going to put it back in, you need to notify people as well.”