A challenge to the fluoridation of the Randolph village water supply may become the subject of a public information meeting of the water district, in the aftermath of a selectboard discussion of the issue Aug. 5.

Selectman Joe Voci, according to the minutes, questioned whether there would be any follow-up to an earlier public information meeting held Feb. 26. That meeting included three Randolph health practitioners who favored continued fluoridation as an effective way to combat tooth decay.

A noted anti-fluoridation speaker, Dr. Connett, then made a video-aided presentation opposed to the fluoridation of public water supplies, referring to research and positions of the organization FluorideAlert and offering case studies from Europe, Asia, and Australia.

The hearing lasted an hour and a half.

It was held at the request of Stewart Skrill of Randolph Center who opposes fluoridation, though he is not a resident of the water district.

It was also Skrill who addressed the Randolph Town Meeting during the “Other Business” segment and proposed a non-binding resolution that Randolph should stop fluoridating. The resolution was favored by a split voice vote.

Skrill, who is running in the Republican primary for state representative, was also at the Aug. 5 selectboard meeting, continuing to speak against fluoridation. The issue, he said, should not be approached as a medical issue but as a derivation of liberty and rights, since individual water users do not get to choose whether their tap water is fluoridated or not.

The selectboard decided to form a committee to investigate fluoridation, according to the minutes, which would include “social issues,” with representatives from both sides of the issue.

The fluoridation issue is likely to come up again at the selectboard meeting next Tuesday, Aug. 19, which is scheduled for 6 p.m. at the Randolph Technical Career Center.

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