Published: Thursday, July 12, 2012, 10:52 a.m.
Anti-fluoride activists return; City Council stays put
As promised, the anti-fluoride activists were back at Everett City Council Wednesday night. This time, all four of the council members present stayed put and patiently listened.
A story that ran yesterday about a few of the council members walking out on anti-fluoride activists during a meeting last week drew a lot of eyeballs and comment.
Last night, Annie Lyman of Everett gave the council a tongue-lashing about not listening to citizens -- on whatever the topic. She was followed by about 20 minutes of comments from anti-fluoride activists, who continued to make their arguments for taking fluoride out of the water. One Everett woman said her cat wouldn't drink the tap water and she had to buy bottled water for it. Another said the council shouldn't listen to mainstream medicine, which had been corrupted by a government and corporate conspiracy.
Council president Ron Gipson did have a message for the activists: if the issue is so important, get signatures and put it on the ballot.
When activist James Deal again asked the council to direct the city attorney to write the suppliers of the city's fluoride, Gipson responded that he had no plans to do so.
“I won't ask the city attorney to do that,” he said. “That's not our job to do that, sir.”
Gipson went on to say that the council has an obligation to listen to the majority of citizens, who in 1993 voted 61 percent in favor of keeping the water fluoridated. He encouraged Deal and his fellows to take the matter to voters, to see what they think.
“If you want it so bad, you should go out and do it yourself,” Gipson said.
A story that ran yesterday about a few of the council members walking out on anti-fluoride activists during a meeting last week drew a lot of eyeballs and comment.
Last night, Annie Lyman of Everett gave the council a tongue-lashing about not listening to citizens -- on whatever the topic. She was followed by about 20 minutes of comments from anti-fluoride activists, who continued to make their arguments for taking fluoride out of the water. One Everett woman said her cat wouldn't drink the tap water and she had to buy bottled water for it. Another said the council shouldn't listen to mainstream medicine, which had been corrupted by a government and corporate conspiracy.
Council president Ron Gipson did have a message for the activists: if the issue is so important, get signatures and put it on the ballot.
When activist James Deal again asked the council to direct the city attorney to write the suppliers of the city's fluoride, Gipson responded that he had no plans to do so.
“I won't ask the city attorney to do that,” he said. “That's not our job to do that, sir.”
Gipson went on to say that the council has an obligation to listen to the majority of citizens, who in 1993 voted 61 percent in favor of keeping the water fluoridated. He encouraged Deal and his fellows to take the matter to voters, to see what they think.
“If you want it so bad, you should go out and do it yourself,” Gipson said.
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