TOWN OF RYE
MOSQUITO CONTROL COMMISSION MEETING
August 17, 2010
PRESENT: Chairman Tom Aspinwall, members Ted Merritt and Charles Moore, Sarah
MacGregor of Dragon Mosquito Control, Inc., and town residents Dr Marilyn Svrihovec and
Diane Cavaretta.
OLD BUSINESS:
MINUTES: Motion by Aspinwall, seconded by Moore to accept minutes of July 20,
2010, corrected as to Walter Montgomery’s status. All approved.
MARSH MANAGEMENT: MacGregor reported that Montgomery will not be available
for marsh site walks until late October due to EEE and WNV in MA. His retirement is
scheduled for January 1, 2011.
NEW BUSINESS:
INVOICE: Dragon invoice of August 2, 2010 in amount of 18,356.25 received. Motion
by Aspinwall, seconded by Merritt, to accept for payment. All approved. (Had already
been paid per advice of town Finance because of contractual obligations.)
ADULTICIDING: Wide ranging discussion consumed the better part of this meeting. Dr.
Svrihovec raised a number of health concerns described below followed by Dragon/
RMCC commentary:
1. SVRIHOVEC: Residents not knowing of need to notify Town each year to continue
on No Spray List. RMCC/DRAGON RESPONSE: No Spray List needs annual update;
form included in June Town Newsletter.
2. SVRIHOVEC: No notification to residents when street spraying is to be conducted.
RMCC/DRAGON RESPONSE: MacGregor establishes street spraying schedule each
Monday of week when spraying is needed based on previous week’s mosquito samples
and prevalence. Specific dates and times are weather dependent. Web site notification of
week but not date may be possible.
3. SVRIHOVEC: Pesticide chemicals can cause illness, e.g. allergy and asthma, are
considered estrogen disturbers possibly inducing cancer, and no leukemia/cancer patient
should ever be exposed. RMCC/DRAGON RESPONSE: When public health is
threatened, US Center for Disease Control recommends identification of number and
species of mosquitos found in traps and, based on findings, adulticiding should start before
mosquitos have opportunity to bite and infect people. Last year Anvil (CDC-approved
adulticide) with LD50 of 10,000 mg/kg was used at level equivalent to 1 molecule/ sq ft.
Anvil becomes inactive after 4 hours. This year Zenivex, LD50 45,000 mg/kg, even safer
than Anvil, is being used. Aerial spraying ,if mandated by State, is last resort in
widespread epidemic but has never been used in NH. No Spray List properties can be
avoided by street spraying but not by aerial.
4. SVRIHOVEC: Efficacy of expenditure for street spraying against extremely low
incidence of infection over many years. RMCC/DRAGON RESPONSE: Efforts
underway in attempt to reduce/eliminate street spraying. Education of public needed. This
Page 2
Rye Mosquito Control Commission Meeting August 17, 2010
subject tabled for further consideration at next meeting.
5. SVRIHOVEC: Recommends more dependence on pesticide alternatives such as
better marsh management, dragonflies, bats, more selective spraying. RMCC/DRAGON
RESPONSE: Aspinwall has long promoted better marsh management. Dragonflies have
been used in Town experiments but naiads were unavailable this year. New England bats
(brown ones being eliminated by white nose disease) feast on larger bugs than mosquitos.
More selective spraying a definite option to be considered.
PROGRESS REPORT SUMMARY: Submitted by Dragon.
EEE & WNV UPDATE: No Rye or NH mosquito samples tested positive to date, but
could be expected soon.
NEWSLETTER ARTICLE: Aspinwall expressed thanks to Moore for article in
upcomingTown Newsletter.
SCHOOL AND RECREATION AREAS: Assuming positive EEE mosquitos soon,
Aspinwall to contact Dr Snow (Town Health Officer), Dr Cushing (Supt. SAU), and
Recreation Department prior to start of school to arrange approval for supplemental
perimeter spraying of athletic areas to be scheduled by MacGregor based on conditions.
STREET SPRAYING: Discussed under 4. above.
2011 BUDGET: Aspinwall will prepare flat-lined budget (due in September) for upcoming
RFP (due in October). Provision needed for more greenhead traps (37 now, need twice
that number).
MISCELLANEOUS: Cavaretta suggestions:
1. Tree swallow houses in marshes, formerly supported by New Heights children, and
now underfunded, need repair and maintenance. Swallows, abundant this year, are
mosquito feeders. Requested RMCC become involved. More information needed on
numbers, locations and cost.
2. Have Town pay for dragonfly naiads for residential use. Town paid for naiads for
Town forest experiments previous four years.
3. Phragmites are growing in marsh behind her house. This invasive species is being
worked on by contractor Jeff Wilson under Rye Conservation Commission jurisdiction and
this request should be referred to RCC.
NEXT MEETING: September 21, 2010, Rye Town Hall, 6 PM.
Respectfully submitted,
Ted Merritt
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