A scant majority of 52% voted to start adding fluoride to the water supply back in 1992--and now, common council is revisiting the idea of whether the chemical should still pumped into the domestic water supply.
City Manager Bill Edwards explains the fluoride itself costs $177,000 each year--but less than 1% of that water actually ends up being consumed, instead going to industry and other uses. He likened the current expenditure to buying a new bottle of 100 asprin every time you need to take a single pill.
The Mayor says the city will be seeking medical advice on whether fluoridated water is a good thing in a blue collar town where some don't have access to dental care.
Another fact to consider is that fluoride is acidic and hard on pipes, so currently another chemical is added to balance the ph level. Council will vote on the issue after hearing more information in February.
A group made up of hundreds of women will soon be cutting a check to give to their charity of choice.
It's the third meeting of 100 Women Who Care in Greater Saint John, which has grown to nearly 270 members. With each member giving $100 each quarter, Rathwell says they have the ability to donate $27,000 to a local charity this time around.
They will decide who gets the money at their meeting on Tuesday, which is happening on the Main Floor of the Lily Lake Pavilion at 55 Lake Drive South from 5:30pm to 6:30pm.
Provincial NDP leader Dominic Cardy says municipalities around the province are being hamstrung because they don't know until late in the year how much money they'll have to work with.
Cardy says the provincial Department of Economic Development should be scrapped and that money, amounting to hundreds of millions of dollars, should be divided up among the various municipalities.
Cardy says the current system with the provincial government giving out unconditional grants, which can change drastically from year to year, prevents long term planning from taking place on the municipal level.
If the municipal politicians don't spend the money wisely, Cardy says voters can then give them the heave ho.
Saint John is getting more money from the province next year but, despite that, the city's tax base is declining.
Premier David Alward attracting a large crowd to speak of the pros and cons of the provincial economy and the many projects on the horizon.
He was asking about when SWN resources might return now that testing in finished and he tells us he feels very good that they were able to finish their exploration phase.
He says now they will go back and analyze their information and making a decision on whether or not they would put in test wells but he adds he is hopeful.
Alward says he looks forward to meeting with company representatives in the coming weeks to hear about their results.
Dr. Ed Doherty, who served as a cabinet minister in the previous Liberal government under then Premier Shawn Graham, will be going after the party's nomination in Saint John Harbour.
Dr. Doherty tells CHSJ News a lot of people in the riding are having a tough go of it these days and he hears from people in the riding they're disappointed with the Alward Government.
He thinks Conservative M-L-A Carl Killen is vulnerable in the next provincial election.
Former Mayor Ivan Court earlier said he would be seeking the Liberal nomination in the riding of Saint John Lancaster, now held by Conservative Dorothy Shepherd.
Realtor Don Ketchum will also be the Liberal nomination in that riding and there has been speculation former Common Councillor Peter McGuire is, at least, considering a run.
We are not going to be inundated with snow and freezing rain, unlike large portions of the U.S. and Ontario.
That word coming from Claude Cote of Environment Canada who tells CHSJ News light snow will continue through tonight with ice pellets in the overnight hours as it warms up. The forecast is calling for a couple of centimeters of snow later this afternoon and from 2 to 4 centimeters of snow and ice pellets tonight with the precipitation ending overnight.
Beginning later this week, a cold spell will descend on the region with below normal temperatures. The average daytime high for this time of year is expected to be around the freezing mark.
A cold snap later this week means the city's homeless will have to find somewhere to go for the night.
The Out of the Cold shelter at Grace Presbyterian Church doesn't open until January and is looking for volunteers.
Volunteer recruiter Tony Dickinson tells CHSJ News they have four people volunteering at night and two that stay overnight.
He says ideal conditions are a man and a woman or two men for the overnight shift adding they never have woman working alone.
He tells us the evening shift is busier and about four hours with a lot more to do because the guys are awake and active.
The shelter can use donations of socks as the men who use their services often walking around all day and during the winter months it can be in slush so they often come in with wet feet.
Socks can be dropped off anytime at the church and they ask you to specify that they are for the Out of the Cold shelter.
Dickinson says if you attended the first session you don't need to attend the second one. The training session is coming up on Thursday night at Grace Presbyterian Church at 7pm.
You are asked to use the Hazen street entrance.
The Liberals have chosen their candidate for the next provincial election in Saint John East.
Simonds High Principal Gary Keating who says the state of the economy is the number one issue. Keating, who talks to students all the time as part of his job, tells CHSJ News we need jobs, jobs and more jobs to keep talented young people from moving away. One of Keating's own sons has left the province for work in Toronto.
Provincial Liberal Leader Brian Gallant was in town for the nomination meeting and he tells CHSJ News one of his top priorities is to train New Brunswickers for jobs that are going unfilled because of the skills gap.
Gallant says New Brunswick is the only province to have lost jobs every year since 2010 and the Premier, who will be speaking to the Saint John Board of Trade today, will have a tough time defending his economic record with the slowest growth rate in the country since 2011.
If Common Council approves, you'll be paying 7.1 per cent more for your water next year.
Common Councillors are being asked to approve a 72 dollar increase next year for those Saint Johnners who are on the flat rate for their water. The rate would go up from just over a one thousand dollars a year to $1,080.
Plans call for the flat water rate to increase to $1,296 a year by 2017.
Metered rates will also be going up by anywhere from 2 cents to just under 7 cents depending on what block under in.
City staff are recommending the city stop fluoridating the water, calling it an inefficient program. The fluoride, itself, costs $177,000 and continued fluoridation would add $650,000 to the design costs of the new water treatment plant in east Saint John.
A scant majority of 52% voted to start adding fluoride to the water supply back in 1992--and now, common council is revisiting whether or not the chemical should still pumped into the domestic water supply.
City Manager Bill Edwards explains the fluoride itself costs $177,000 dollars each year--but less than 1% of that water ends up as drinking water. He advised from a financial perspective the practice is a huge waste, akin to buying a new bottle of asprin every time you need to take a single dose.
The Mayor tells CHSJ News the city will be seeking medical advice on whether fluoridated water is a good thing in a blue collar town where some don't have access to dental care.
Another fact to consider is that fluoride is acidic and hard on pipes, and currently another chemical is added to balance the Ph level. Council will vote on the issue after hearing more information in February.
