CENTER — Center Town Trustees heard reports from department heads on crime and fluoride levels in water during their meeting on Jan. 12.

Center Police Department Chief Dale Meek discussed the crime report. Many crimes decreased in the second half of 2021 as compared to the first half of 2021. Burglaries dropped from 10 to two, shoplifting dropped from 38 to 29, trespassing was nearly identical, criminal mischief did not rise or decrease and drug trafficking arrests rose.

“Sgt. Fresquez and the dog have made an impact on our drug problems in town,” Meek said.

He explained that the addition of the drug K-9 has enabled the officers to catch people who are trafficking drugs in the Center area resulting in more arrests.

Chief Meek also discussed that Neighborhood Watch has continued to grow over the past year and now has over 90 members and that those members are active and help the Center Police combat crimes by giving information regarding criminal activity.

During the Public Works report, a question was posed as to the amount of fluoride in the water provided to the citizens of Center through municipal water.

Municipal water is obtained through a well and is treated before being sent to homes in the area. The amount of fluoride is on the lower end of the permissible spectrum, according to David Mehaffie, Public Works Director.

Several Town Trustees questioned whether the amount was sufficient to protect the dental health of the citizens.

The State of Colorado recently lowered the amount of fluoride that was permissible in the drinking water supply of all municipalities, due to research by the Centers for Disease Control.

The Town of Center was still below this acceptable level, and several trustees asked Mehaffie to research the best amount of fluoride for human health in drinking water.

Mehaffie said that once they have the data regarding the best amount, the Town may need to install a fluoride injection system to raise the amount in the municipal water.

Also discussed was the needed training for the future annexation of the North 90 property.