September 2009 Council Mtg.

Issue 1: Whether to purchase property for the future expansion of the City's sewer services.

Rule 1: The City is entitled to purchase property through Idaho Code for its needs.

Analysis 1: This property is offered at an incredible price. It is larger than 20 acres for a total of approximately $800,000. It is located right outside the City. I voted for this because it is a great deal for the City. EPA standards for point of discharge permits (the type of permit that the City has for sewer discharge into lake Pend d'Oreille) will continue to grow more stringent. It is likely that the City will need to move to some land application

Issue 2: Whether to remove fluoride from the drinking water.

Rule 2: The City is permitted by federal regulations to add fluoride to the water in certain amounts.

Analysis 2: I support taking fluoride out of the water but it’s a difficult issue. My grandfather was a dentist in town and the person who asked the Council originally to put fluoride in the water. Dentists, including my Dad, overwhelmingly support fluoride in the water. In addition, fluoride – if it were effective by being ingested and not by topical application as we now know – is aimed at helping kids and specifically kids who don’t regularly seek dental treatment. So, if fluoride in the water works, it helps poor kids. These are compelling reasons.

The reason that I voted against fluoride is two-fold. I don’t think that the studies show such significant health benefits for children - through ingestion of the water- that it is worth medicating the entire population with possible harmful consequences. Secondly, it’s a freedom of choice issue. I should have the option to choose what medications go into my body. So those are the reasons that I am against fluoride.

Fundamentally, this is a public health issue. For that reason, I initially voted to place the measure on the ballot for a public vote. When that failed, I voted to remove fluoride from the water. This also failed and fluoride will remain in the water.

Issue 3: Whether to allow skateboard, horse-drawn carriages and other non-motorized multimodal transportation in the downtown.

Rule 3: In the 1980's the City passed an ordinance banning non-motorized multimodal transportation from 1st Avenue, 5th Avenue, Cedar and Pine.

Analysis 3: I voted to approve all forms of non-motorized multimodal transportation in the downtown. Practically, people are already doing this. I doubt that people will intuitively understand that they must carry or walk their non-motorized vehicle on these streets. Further, the City police have never issued a single citation for a violation of this ordinance. Finally, the streets listed above are public highways. Public highways have their own safety requirements under state law. Therefore, any nonmotorized user of the state highways would be required to abide by those state laws.

Issue 4: Whether to approve fire department user fees.

Rule 4: Under state law, the fire department is permitted to charge user fees.

Analysis 4: I don't approve of any type of fire fees. In my opinion fire fees are to be supported by property tax. We have always supported our fire department equitably. This last budget year, the Council approved payment of $40,000 for the fire department's volunteer program.

I also think that fire user fees have the largest impact on the people least prepared to pay them. By that I mean that it is difficult for me to understand how we will send a bill for payment of services to someone who just lost their home to fire.

Finally, I find that the user fee proposal was incomplete. A large part of the fire department's duties are in responding to medical emergencies. However, the user fees focus only on fire fees which don't make up the bulk of the fire department's use. There was no effort to address the emergency medical aspect of user fees.

I voted against the fire user fees because they don't attempt in good faith to implement user fees for the bulk of the fire department's responses. Most importantly however, the user fees are unnecessary. The fire department is well supplied each year by the City of Sandpoit.