WARRENTON — After receiving dozens of comments regarding water fluoridation, city commissioners have agreed to put the issue to voters on the upcoming November ballot.

Although not required by the state, the City of Warrenton currently adds fluoride as a supplement to its drinking water supply. In April, Public Works Director Kevin Gorman approached commissioners with a proposed ordinance that would repeal a portion of the city’s municipal code requiring fluoride supplementation, citing anticipated cost increases due to recent tariffs imposed against China.

Gorman told commissioners at a public hearing Tuesday that the city sources its powdered fluoride exclusively from China because U.S.-based production has diminished or ceased entirely. Although a liquid form is still domestically supplied, resources are limited and that form is less stable, has a shorter shelf life and can be harder to manage. According to Gorman’s most recent memo to commissioners, staff now anticipate a 145% cost increase due to tariffs, with the potential for further escalation.

At the same time as the city has mulled potential cost savings, members of the public have also weighed in on the issue — some touting water fluoridation as an important public health advancement proven to reduce cavities, and others raising concerns over potential negative side effects.

“The issue has gone from a matter of cost cutting to public policy, and it’s one with strong feelings on both sides,” Mayor Henry Balensifer said.

Although not required, the commission held a public hearing on the issue Tuesday to help provide transparency. At the hearing, Scott Santos and Jeremiah Shakespear — dentists from Seaside and Astoria, respectively — both spoke in favor of keeping fluoride in the water, citing its role in preventing cavities, especially in communities that lack access to dental care.

“Keeping fluoride will harm no one in the community, but removing it will harm those who need it the most,” Shakespear said. “So investment in the health of the community is worthwhile.”

Matt Sanchez, a Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Air Force who lives outside of Warrenton, encouraged the city to work through a more thorough process of consulting professionals and considering alternatives before making a decision. He also questioned whether Chinese tariffs should be a reason to stop using fluoride, especially amid a 90-day pause.

“The analysis of alternatives just kind of seems to be missing here,” Sanchez said.

Following the hearing, Balensifer and Commissioners Gerald Poe and Paul Mitchell voted in favor of continuing to fluoridate the city’s drinking water supply until voters have had an opportunity to cast a vote for or against the practice in November. Commissioner Tom Dyer was not present.

Commissioner Jess Sollaccio voted against the motion, raising concerns about residents supplied water by the city, but who live outside city limits and therefore can’t vote on city measures. She also emphasized the role of water fluoridation in preventing cavities and urged the commission to consider the downstream effects of fluoride removal. Taking such a prevention tool off the table in exchange for more direct cost savings, she said, isn’t a risk she’s willing to take

Balensifer noted that, although more than 20 people provided written comments to the city commission, only a handful of them were Warrenton residents. Although expert opinions play a role in informing the conversation, Mitchell said he feels it’s those local voices that should be prioritized.

“If you live in this community, those are the ones I care about,” he said. “Those are the ones who are going to vote. Those are the ones who are going to make a decision whether or not they want to have this.”