Gretna puts fluoride before voters

Residents who live within the Gretna city limits will vote again on whether to add fluoride to the city water system.

The Gretna City Council agreed this month to put the question on the May 11 primary ballot.

In the November 2008 election, Gretna residents voted to reject an ordinance to override a state requirement that all cities with more than 1,000 people add fluoride to their water systems by June 1.

Gretna voters said “no” to an override of state law by a 1,179-to-756 margin. However, City Administrator Colleen Lawry said the ballot question was confusing: A “yes” vote meant overriding the law and not adding fluoride, and a “no” vote meant letting the state law prevail and adding fluoride.

She said some voters thought the “no” vote was saying no to fluoride. Lawry said that since last November she and council members have heard from a number of residents about the issue.

The wording of the May ballot question will be the same, but the council also wants to add this explanation:

“If you do not want the City of Gretna to fluoridate its water system, vote ‘YES.’ ”

“If you want the City of Gretna to fluoridate its water system, vote ‘NO.’ ”

The proposed explanation still must be approved by county and state officials.

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