HomeMy WebLinkAboutRes2010-015 Sponsored by: Oates
CITY OF SEWARD, ALASKA
RESOLUTION 2010 -015
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SEWARD,
ALASKA, AFFIRMING COUNCIL SUPPORT FOR FLUORIDATION OF
THE PUBLIC WATER SUPPLY TO IMPROVE ORAL HEALTH, AND
DIRECTING THE CITY MANAGER TO DETERMINE THE
REQUIREMENTS AND COSTS FOR SAFELY ADDING FLUORIDE TO
THE COMMUNITY WATER SYSTEM AND REPORT ON GRANTS AND
OTHER FUNDING SOURCES FOR SUBSIDIZING THOSE COSTS
WHEREAS, the Seward City Council is the governing body of the City of Seward and
recognizes that there is community support for the fluoridation of the City of Seward public water
system; and
WHEREAS, the Seward City Council recognizes that dental tooth decay is a chronic disease
and that community fluoridation is a public health measure that benefits all individuals; and
WHEREAS, fluoridation of community water supplies is supported by numerous
professional heath organizations including the American Public Health Association, American
Dental Association, World Health Organization and the American Medical Association; and
WHEREAS, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention has named water fluoridation as
one of the ten greatest public health achievements and in 2005 marked the 60 anniversary of water
fluoridation in the United States; and
WHEREAS, SGS (the City's certified lab) conducted a standard water test aimed at
detecting fluoride levels of 0.1 parts per million and higher on March 9, 2009, and fluoride was not
detected in the Seward City water; and
WHEREAS, the United States Public Health Service (USPHS) established the position that
the optimal concentration for fluoride in the United States should be in the range of 0.7 to 1.2 parts
per million; and
WHEREAS, fluoridation of community water supplies at an optimal level has been shown to
reduce the incidence of tooth decay; and
WHEREAS, community water fluoridation simply adjusts the level of fluoride that occurs
naturally in water to the level considered optimal in helping to protect against tooth decay as shown
in 72.4% of the U.S. population served by public water systems that are optimally fluoridated; and
WHEREAS, the Council of State Governments resolution on community water fluoridation
supports state efforts to provide community water fluoridation; and
CITY OF SEWARD, ALASKA
RESOLUTION 2010 -015
WHEREAS, the Indian Health Service may contribute up to 21% of the capital infrastructure
costs for the fluoridation of community water; and
WHEREAS, there are pros and cons to adding fluoride to community water supplies and
there is passion among both the proponents and opponents of fluoridation; and
WHEREAS, resolution 2009 -043 addressed the issue of whether fluoride should be added to
the City of Seward water, and authorized placing the question on the ballot as an advisory vote to
allow the qualified voters to advise the City Council on whether or not to fluoridate the water; and
WHEREAS, resolution 2009 -043 advisory ballot was titled as follows: "Proposition 1.
(Advisory) Shall fluoride be added to the City of Seward water to the level of (0.7 -1.2 parts per
million) recommended by the U.S. Public Health Service "; and
WHEREAS, the results of the October 6, 2008 regular election which included an advisory
vote were as follows: Election Day votes (Yes: 229 versus No: 206); after canvass votes (Yes: 50
versus No: 28); and the total votes were (Yes: 279 and No: 234); and
WHEREAS, the advisory vote on adding fluoride to the City of Seward's water was non
binding; and
WHEREAS, at the January 11, 2010 council meeting the Seward City Council was given
information concerning the pros and cons of fluoridating the City of Seward water supply in the
range of 0.7 to 1.2 parts per million.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY
OF SEWARD, ALASKA, that:
Section 1. The city council recognizes and supports the public health benefits of community
water fluoridation for preventing dental decay and is committed to the safe and effective practice of
water fluoridation as defined by the Centers for Disease Control Preventions' Engineering and
Administrative Recommendation to Water Fluoridation.
Section 2. The city council directs the city manager to hire a qualified professional
engineering firm for an amount not to exceed $50,000, to determine the impacts and requirements in
terms of equipment, training, infrastructure, and safeguards of adding fluoride to City of Seward
water system. The findings and conclusions from this study, and other requirements for the water
system, shall be considered by the city council prior to the appropriation of funds for adding fluoride
to the City of Seward water supply.
CITY OF SEWARD, ALASKA
RESOLUTION 2010 -015
Section 3. The city council also directs the city manager to report back to the city council all
grants and funding sources that maybe available to subsidize the costs of adding fluoride to the City
of Seward water supply.
Section 4. Once the city council appropriates funds for the fluoridation of the City of Seward
water supply, the city manager will initiate actions for fluoridation of the water supply to a minimum
level of 0.7 and not to exceed 1.2 parts per million, the recommended fluoride level of fluoride in
public water supplies according to the U.S. Public Health Service.
Section 5. This resolution shall take effect immediately upon its adoption.
PASSED AND APPROVED by the City Council of the City of Seward, Alaska, this 22nd
day of February, 2010.
THE CITY OF SEWARD, ALASKA
Willard E. Dunham, Mayor
AYES: Bardarson, Keil, Shafer, Dunham
NOES: Valdatta, Amberg
ABSENT: Smith
ABSTAIN: None ed®wasa
0, ov ATT "{� ^` ' 0 _
k I' , w M
J Lewis CM' Ww.
a
•. y Clerk
®p er® .B9 ®QO ay ��; °� '�a o N gti. ,`'►
(City Seal) . ae ® wrauai a`��
Council Agenda Statement
r 4 Of Sew
Meeting Date: February 22, 2010 v 97a
44•2‘
To: City Council q
Through: Phillip Oates, City Manager
Agenda Item: Resolution 2010 - /5, affirming council support for fluoridation ofthe
public water supply to improve oral health, and directing the city
manager to determine the requirements and costs for safely adding
fluoride to the community water system and report on grants and
other funding sources for subsidizing those costs
BACKGROUND & JUSTIFICATION:
Providence, the City of Seward, and other Health and Wellness Entities have met to discuss how to
improve the health and wellness of the Seward community. This "Wellness for All" initiative
originated with the 2008 publication of Seward Region's Community Needs Assessment and the
information in the report. The Wellness For All Group's overarching goal is to improve wellness in
the Seward community. Four sub - groups were created focusing on smoking cessation, obesity,
increasing awareness of programs and opportunities available in the community, and improving oral
health.
The improving oral health subgroup focused on water fluoridation as a preventative tool against
dental disease. The fluoride issue has gathered a lot of attention both for and against putting fluoride
in the City of Seward water. Based on over 60 years of research, the United States Public Health
Service (USPHS) established the optimum concentration for fluoride in the United States in the range
of 0.7 to 1.2 parts per million. Fluoridation of community water supplies involves the addition of
fluoride to the public water supply to an optimal level to reduce the incidence of tooth decay.
Community fluoridation is a public health measure that benefits individuals without access to regular
dental care. Fluoridation of community water supplies is supported by numerous professional health
organizations including the American Public Health Association, American Dental Association, World
Health Organization, and the American Medical Association. The Center for Disease Control and
Prevention has named water fluoridation as one ofthe ten greatest public health achievements and in
2005 marked the 60 anniversary of water fluoridation in the United States.
On March 9, 2009, SGS (a certified testing lab) conducted a standard water test for fluoride. This test
did not detect fluoride under .10 parts per million in the Seward City water. The United States Public
Health Service (USPHS) established the opinion that the concentration for fluoride in the United
States should be in the range of 0.7 to 1.2 parts per million. Fluoridation of community water supplies
at an optimal level has been proven to reduce the incidence of tooth decay. Funding from the Indian
n ..
67
Health Service may be available to contribute up to 21% of the capital infrastructure costs for the
fluoridation of community water systems.
There are pros and cons to adding fluoride to community water supplies and there is passion among
both the proponents and opponents of fluoridation. Resolution 2009 -043 placed the issue ofwhether
fluoride should be added to the City of Seward water on the ballot as an advisory vote allowing the
qualified voters to advise the City Council on whether to fluoridate the water or not. The advisory
ballot was titled as follows: "Proposition 1. (Advisory) Shall fluoride be added to the City of Seward
water to the level of (0.7 -1.2 parts per million) recommended by the U.S. Public Health Service."
The results of the October 6, 2008 regular election were as follows: Election Day votes (Yes: 229
versus No: 206); after canvass votes (Yes: 50 versus No: 28); and the total votes were (Yes: 279 and
No: 234). This vote was non binding, letting Council consider the voting results as a recommendation
for action. The Seward City Council is the governing body of the City of Seward and the Seward City
Council has recognized that there is community support for the fluoridation of the City of Seward
public water system. The Seward City Council also recognizes that dental tooth decay is a chronic
disease and the most common chronic disease found in rural Alaska children.
At the January 11, 2010 council meeting the City Council was given information concerning the pros
and cons of fluoridating the City of Seward water supply in the range of 0.7 to 1.2 parts per million.
At the council meeting the city council directed the city manager to bring back a subsequent
resolution supporting the fluoridation of the City's water supply to a minimum level o f 0.7 and not to
exceed 1.2 parts per million and begin the actions that are necessary to safely add fluoride to City of
Seward water with the following conditions:
1. The city council directs the city manager to hire a qualified professional engineering firm for
an amount not to exceed $50,000, to determine the impacts and requirements in terms of
equipment, training, infrastructure, and safeguards of adding fluoride to City of Seward water
system. The findings and conclusions from this study, and other requirements for the water
system, shall be considered by the city council prior to the appropriation of funds for adding
fluoride to the City of Seward water supply.
2. The city council also directs the city manager to report back to the city council all grants and
funding sources that may be available to subsidize the costs of adding fluoride to the City of
Seward water supply.
3. Once the city council appropriates funds for the fluoridation of the City of Seward water
supply, the city manager will initiate actions for fluoridation of the water supply to a minimum
level of 0.7 and not to exceed 1.2 parts per million, the recommended fluoride level of
fluoride in public water supplies according to the U.S. Public Health Service.
CONSISTENCY CHECKLIST:
Where applicable, this resolution is consistent with the Seward City Code, Charter, Comprehensive
Plans, Land Use Plans, Strategic Plan and City Council Rules of Procedures.
Other:
FISCAL NOTE:
This resolution authorizes expenditures not to exceed $50,000 for hiring an engineering firm. Costs
exceeding $50,000 will necessarily com before council for approval.
Approved by Finance Department: 4.te.
ATTORNEY REVIEW: No 0 L
RECOMMENDATION:
City Council approve Resolution 2010- 0/6 , affirming council support for fluoridation of
the public water supply to improve oral health, and directing the city manager to determine
the requirements and costs for safely adding fluoride to the community water system and
report on grants and other funding sources for subsidizing those costs
67