Paonia Mosquito Control District

Paonia Town Hall


I.    Call to order
    7:05 p.m.

II.    Announcements
    Kevin introduced and moved to elect Robin Smith as fifth board member.  
    Robin Smith elected as fifth board member and duly sworn in by Kris Kropp

III.    Approval of minutes
    No corrections to minutes.  Unanimously approved (not read aloud). 

IV.    Officers’ Reports
    A.    President’s report
        Kris congratulated volunteers, contributions from the community.  Viva Kellogg and Mike Smolen have helped with trapping.
        Trapping numbers highest of the season now, especially Culex, but numbers lower than in Delta and Cedaredge.  Larviciders getting through the routes in about three days.

    B.    Treasurer’s report - Gordon McAlpine (see attachment)
        Short for month of July by about $4000.  August has 3 payrolls, will be higher expenses.  Mike moved to approve report.

Committee Reports

     A.   Public Education Committee-

           Tara gave report.  New this month:  Weekly updates on website, newsletter pilot funded by the Lambert       Grange, monthly articles in the Merchant Herald, school education programs for the future?

     B.   Notification Committee-

        Kevin reported on evolving system of communication to receive calls and         respond to them. 

     C.   Finance Committee-

Funds running short.  May depend on weather.  Fogging expensive.  Looking at possibility of raising outside funds - underwriters from industry.  Will probably cost more than our budget to make the full transition to IPM.  Mesa Co. budget 8 times as much although their district is only about 30% larger.

      D.   Trapping & Surveillance Committee-

Routes and days of week.  Monday - Paonia to Bowie and Pitkin Mesa.  Tuesday - Paonia to Hotchkiss along 133 and Back River Road.  Wednesday - Hotchkiss and surrounding areas.  Thursday - mesas surrounding Paonia.
Trapping much more intensively than even 2-3 weeks ago.  Many new volunteers doing a wonderful job helping us out.  Very conservative thresholds - 10 Culex or 25 total.  Now we have 13 traps, 10 of which were donated in the past couple of weeks.  Kris qualified his remarks last meeting regarding doubts about trapping.

VI.    Old Business
    Kevin brought up annexation of Beck property SW of Hotchkiss on J80 Road encompassing about 100 acres.  The Becks submitted a written request last meeting.    Viva asked if it would cost more to treat it than we would receive in taxes.  Ron Seipel says we have treated it before.  Michael suggested we may do a site visit and suggest changes before accepting properties.  Suzanne had suggestions regarding property owners managing their own properties.  Michael moved to accept the annexation pending a discussion with the landowners regarding managing the water on their property.  Michael withdrew  the motion after discussion that we need more information.

VII.   New Business
    None

VIII.    Public comments

        Ron Wist asked about Biomist, thinks it doesn’t work.  Kris explained that the swath made by the truck is too narrow and the mosquitoes, if thick, can fill in from areas not fogged.  Michael reported a good kill rate at one trap set before and after spraying, but his observation is that with the cover and the vagaries of the wind, it is very hard to get all the mosquitoes with fogging.

    Celia Roberts suggested bats would be helpful.  Michael stated that the best program takes advantage of all approaches, including encouraging mosquitoes’ natural predators.

Billy Marta - ” Wasting time trapping in Hotchkiss because everyone complaining of mosquitoes and wants to be sprayed.”

    Viva Kellogg reported some people think they have lots of mosquitoes, but the traps counts don’t always agree.

    Celia Roberts - Supports experience of people in Hotchkiss - their concerns need to be addressed.

    Someone asked about Bill Kolb’s place, as he is not to be fogged tonight (trap results just below threshold).

    Ron Wist said he hadn’t seen the larviciders.  Ron Seipel said he’d been out last week.  Kevin said larviciders will leave calling cards.

    Suggestion from the audience to post trap results.  Perhaps could be posted in paper or announced on radio.  Michael says we’re working on a format to post results, but there is no easy or quick way to do it yet. 

    Question from audience about Lamborn Mesa.  How are we going to teach people to control their irrigation water?  Tara suggested it would be a good long-term project for the Public Education committee.

    Lulu - PSA on KVNF and shopper - Lulu soliciting ideas.  Hot areas in town - people may not be aware of them.  May need better way to warn public where the hot spots are.  Red flag alert?  Lulu reported mosquito counts in her yard are constant regardless of weather or fogging.

    Member commended the Board on using science and reducing fogging,

    Member commented on butterfly larvae not metamorphosing into cocoons starting four years ago.  He inquired to entomologist about whether one of our larvicides might have such an effect - answer was yes.  Tadpoles were effective in his pond. 

    Sid Lewis - Data on bees?  Michael reports they think it’s due to a disease related to a pesticide, but he doesn’t know which one.

IX.    Michael moved we adjourn.  Meeting adjourned at approximately 8:40 p.m.