There will be no fluoride added to Nipawin’s drinking water.
The town’s council made the decision at their July 10 meeting.
Rennie Harper, Nipawin’s mayor, said the town was asked by the medical health officer to consider adding fluoride due to the new water treatment plant that’s under construction. After some research, council looked at holding a referendum, which was voted down.
At the July 10 meeting before the vote, council looked at holding a non-binding plebiscite. That was also voted down.
Harper said the decision to not hold a referendum or plebiscite on the issue affected how she voted.
“I do feel that it is a big topic, it affects people’s health and when I wasn’t able to hear from the public, the citizens of Nipawin at large, I felt a decision to fluoridate wasn’t one that I wanted to make.”
“Every member of council had their own reasons for deciding such,” said Barry Elliott, the town’s administrator, “but they did have the opportunity to consider all of the options for closure on the matter.”
According to a report to council written by Elliott, the current plans for the water treatment plant don’t have the equipment to add fluoride. The administrator said if a future council decided to add fluoride, the cost of doing so would be inexpensive.
New ventilation system for fire hall
A new ventilation system in the fire hall will make the building safer for the firefighters that occupy it.
Council voted to award an almost $20,500 contract to S.K. Valley Services at its July 10 meeting.
Elliott said the current ventilation system doesn’t allow for effective removal of carbon monoxide from trucks running in the building.
The new system will also benefit another one of the town’s changes.
“We are in the process of relocating the fire chief – his office – from the town office to the fire hall and occupational health and safety requires proper air quality to be able to house office space and that sort of thing.”
Procedure changes passed
Council voted to move ahead with changes to its procedures bylaw that reduce the number of standing committees to four, made the position of deputy mayor an annual appointment and moved back the time of council meetings from 7:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Harper said the last time the bylaw was reviewed was in 1983.
“This council has been busy with a lot of meetings,” Elliott said. “It will be a relief to council to reduce that number of commitments.”
The town administrator said there’s some work to do as council transitions from seven committees to four, adding the new committees will be structured similar to the previous ones.
