2003-07-07 Regular - Laserfiche WebLink

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Session 1891 July 7, 2003 that it puts these citizens at a greater risk without the mosquito spraying. This is unfair. We should not be telling County how and when they should spray. Mr. Sharpe said that we have heard from several authorities and experts and citizens in opposition to mosquito spraying. He remembers a time when we thought DDT was the best chemical to use for weeding. Now we find that it is very harmful. We may learn eventually that permethrin is detrimental to our health. Mr. Sharpe reminded Council that he was the one that initiated the research and discovery on this issue with individuals in his ward. We are not saying that we should never spray. We are saying that we should not consistently spray through a contract with the County. We are only saying that we should spray only if there is some type of logical reason to do so. Mayor Adams says he does not understand all the issues, however, he does agree that you should do all those other things to try and control the mosquito population, which includes larvaciding and public education. He thinks that this resolution says, and the reason why he disagrees with its proponents, until there is a significant presence, which has not been defined yet, of West Nile before we can spray. It has not been proven that mosquito predators successfully control the mosquito population. Mr. Lieberman would like to propose that the first "Therefore be it resolved" paragraph, which seems to be key, be amended to read: Therefore be it resolved that the City Council of University City hereby supports the position of St. Louis County Health department relative to their policy on the adulticide spraying. Next he would eliminate the last "Be it further resolved" paragraph. The amendment died for lack of a second. Mayor Adams said that someone earlier mentioned that the adulticiding did not control the adult population. If the County information was accurate, they said they trapped a large amount of mosquitoes that carried the virus last summer. After they came through and sprayed, their traps showed a significant decrease in the number of those mosquitoes. Are we saying that they are lying and their methods are wrong? Ms. Welsch wondered how long we needed to discuss this issue. She had no question that if you set up a mosquito trap and catch a number of mosquitoes and then spray in the area of that trap, that the next time you check that trap that there will be less mosquitoes. Her point has been that when you spray through the streets of University City, the pesticide is not reaching the entire population. She feels that it is more important that we strengthen our education program, which Mr. Ollendorff and his staff are doing well, and improve a larvaciding program, as well. The Mayor asked for a roll call vote. Ayes: Mr. Munkel, Mr. Wagner, Ms. Welsch, Mr. Sharpe. Nays: Ms. Colquitt, Mr. Lieberman, Mayor Adams. The resolution passed four to three. Page 9