dentist beverly hills
A drive by dentists to oust two commissioners behind the move is here as expected.
Not as predictable: Implications that Commissioner Ken Welch, a fluoride supporter, is aiding dentists' attempts to unseat his colleagues, Nancy Bostock and Neil Brickfield.
A chain of emails reveal several local dentists' call to give to Welch's re-election being a "cornerstone" from the effort, strategies to lobby for a turnaround of the fluoride decision, and biting criticism of Commissioner Norm Roche, a fluoride critic, as an "uneducated fool."
Amid that, dentist Johnny Johnson of Palm Harbor wrote that he attended a Welch fund-raiser and was seeking potential election rivals for Bostock and Brickfield, Republicans who voted against adding fluoride.
"We have to ROCK & ROLL!!! Help!!!!!" Johnson wrote.
But when he hit send Jan. 27, Johnson inexplicably emailed the tactic to Roche.
Roche read the email and saw proof a political campaign involving one colleague (Welch) against another rather than further discussion about improving dental care within the county.
"I cannot and won't - either directly or indirectly - be associated with any opposition effort against any one of my Board colleagues," Roche warned in a Sunday email.
Roche, a Republican who recently joined the county's Election Canvassing Board, cited that role like a legal dependence on distancing himself from the activity linked to political campaigning.
Roche did not return a message seeking comment, and Johnson wouldn't agree to be interviewed concerning the email.
Brickfield expressed surprise to have read that Welch could may play a role inside a campaign against him.
"There's always been a culture about the Pinellas County Commission that incumbents don't get involved in races along with other incumbents," said Brickfield.
The dentists haven't registered a political action committee, nevertheless they have met regularly about how to upend the vote. Most health experts credit fluoride with helping improve dental health for many years.
The audience split and failed to back a referendum to overturn the fluoride votes. Welch, a fluoride supporter and also the board's only Democrat, opposed a ballot measure as risky. He's caused it to be remove the 2012 election would have been a referendum on fluoride.
"I'm not organizing any other campaign, I'm organizing my own campaign," Welch said. "Other candidates are coming forward for their own reasons, and it's no secret that the removal of fluoride is a big issue within this county."
Johnson attended Welch's campaign kickoff Jan. 26, and wrote that Welch's "first point" in his speech was fluoride. Johnson recommended lining up experts to satisfy with commissioners to better explain fluoridation. He also urged contributions to Commissioner Karen Seel, a Republican who backed fluoridation, and Welch.
Another attendee, Mark Weinkrantz, a Democrat on East Lake's fire commission, said Welch never spoke about an agenda to oust Brickfield or Bostock.
"As far as Ken being involved with any operation? I'm sure Ken has preferences who however assist, I'm certain anybody would," said Weinkrantz.
At Welch's campaign kickoff at the Hangar Restaurant in St. Petersburg, Johnson met former state Sen. Charlie Justice, a Democrat, whose expected run for that commission spawned from anger within the fluoride vote. Johnson also tried to touch base with former lawmaker Janet Long, another Democrat considered prone to run for commission after the fluoride votes. But she wasn't around.
They would face Bostock and Brickfield, respectively.
After Johnson's initial email, rhetoric escalated. Roche chided dentists' commitment to helping poor children when most don't accept Medicaid patients. Johnson replied with an apology and worried the e-mail would impugn the dentists' effort as "poor and under-handed."
Then dentist Ed Hopwood of Clearwater - who denies any Welch involvement organizing opposition - upped the ante against Roche.
"He is surely an uneducated fool that is playing the political game towards the better of his ability," Hopwood wrote, zinging Roche to be "incapable to getting past high school."
Concluded Hopwood: "Hang inside, we will all be better off when Roche is not in office."
Roche comes to an end in 2014.
Bostock brushed from the re-election threat, saying she could defend her vote as providing people with "individual freedom" to decide on whether to consume fluoride.
But after acrimony dominated the commission this year, she wants an even more civil tone before November's election.
"We don't absolutely need this all type of infighting," she said, "because it doesn't serve anyone."
