A Starting Plan to Combat Mosquitoes
by Cindy Goldstein and Kathy Savolt -
After hearing from members of the public, a majority of the Board of Trustees (BOT) voted to approve a resolution for a Mosquito Remediation Plan by a 3 – 2 vote. Trustees DeRose and Silver voted no, saying there was no rush and that more time should be taken to develop a plan.
Plan Details
The plan stems from work done this year, discussions among the four parties who own property where mosquito breeding areas were found by the Westchester County Department of Health: the Village of Mamaroneck, Town of Rye, Westchester Land Trust and private owners of Magid Pond, Barry and Barbara Novick. Village Manager Kathleen Gill and Trustee Nora Lucas reported that the Village is willing to work with all parties. Each party is responsible for their property.
At this point, the Village and the Town of Rye have agreed to work cooperatively to develop a more comprehensive plan. Gill and Lucas reported that discussions among all four parties are ongoing.
The adopted plan outlined in the resolution is considered a starting point, with more details to be added so it is in place before the 2027 mosquito season.
The plan has five areas of detail as outlined in the resolution (see HERE). They are:
· Larvicide treatment in catch basins throughout the Village to be started no later than May 1st.
· Larvicide treatment in Guion Creek as recommended by the contractor to be done no later than May 1st.
· Larvicide treatment in other breeding areas in the Village following inspection and recommendation by the Village Contractor.
· Spraying the catch basins Village-wide, the median along The Parkway, Guion Creek and streets along the Taylors Land and Guion Creek Village-owned properties, as needed.
· In order to start this work no later than May 1st, the Village intends to apply for any necessary permits by February 1st.
Adopting this resolution allows the Village Manager to solicit proposals from qualified contractors, which will provide more specific data and details for the plan. One key aspect is that all materials will be biologically based, not chemical.
Reaching this point, which is necessary to move forward, was not without hurdles, some of which continue as residents appear skeptical of the Village’s actions. This was evident at the meeting. On the other hand, some speakers were more positive.
Part of the problem was that a draft resolution had been posted on the Village website last week that mentioned all four participants (the Village, Town of Rye, the Westchester Land Trust and the owners of Magid Pond) as part of a coordinated plan. This caused some confusion among some in the audience who apparently did not realize that a recent meeting with the participants had prompted a last-minute change. (See first draft HERE.) According to Village officials, the edits to the original resolution came at the specific request of WLT representatives.
Claims That WLT Was Not Consulted
Some residents speaking during the public comment portion of the meeting criticized the BOT, claiming WLT was not consulted and that the resolution required them to act.
Alex Panlilio, who stated he was a resident and WLT board member and was sharing information on behalf of WLT Vice President of Conservation Janelle Robbins, welcomed the commitment and progress included in the resolution but said WLT was not a party to it and that it came as a surprise. While WLT is dedicated to working with the Village, Panlilio said that any plan must “make fiscal and ecological sense for the organization”. He also criticized the resolution for lacking sufficient detail and said WLT had no part in drafting it.
Later in the meeting, Gill reported that all the parties had met four times to date.
Owners of Magid Pond Pledge Cooperation
John Murtagh of Murtagh, Cossu, Venditti & Castro-Blanco represented the Novicks and addressed the BOT. He reported that they had been at the meetings with all involved parties and they are committed to working in coordination with the Village.
CFTE Recommendation and Resolution
Resident David Freeman spoke as an 8-year member and representative of the Committee for the Environment (CFTE). He reported that at their August 6th meeting, the Committee discussed a resolution recommending that the VOM establish a task force with specific charges to address mosquitoes. He emphasized that the VOM needed a comprehensive program, as this is a shared problem and the community needs to come together.
Editor’s Note: At the August 6th meeting, although the CFTE had a quorum to conduct business, the resolution to make the recommendation to the BOT did not pass because it did not receive a majority of the votes based on the total committee membership.
Treatment Effectiveness Questioned
Local resident Katie Turo, an entomologist and professor at Fordham University, said that the prevalent mosquitoes are Salt Marsh mosquitoes who are very aggressive during daytime hours. She mentioned that Suffolk County has a great program and may be a resource. She also urged the BOT that different areas will require different treatments and mentioned fresh, brackish and salt water as examples. Turo also said that monitoring after treatments is necessary.
Confusion Continues Regarding the Village’s Ability to Respond
Some members of the public continue to insist that the BOT can act as a Board of Health, even though NYS law precludes it and Westchester County has exercised its exclusive jurisdiction by citing 4 landowners and ordering mosquito treatment and remediation. See HERE and HERE.
Next Steps
Before the vote, Village Manager Kathleen Gill reported that after a meeting of the parties, everyone wants to be in compliance and not have another year of residents struggling with the scourge of mosquitoes. This resolution is the starting point for continuing talks with Cornell Extension, issuing an RFP (request for proposal) to potential applicators, and ensuring supplies are on hand in time for next year. It also creates a timeline for larvicide treatment on Village property and the deadlines for obtaining the required DEC permits. It will also kick off efforts to gather more information on how best to safely combat mosquitoes next summer.
Editor’s Note: Co-author Kathy Savolt is a resident of the Shore Acres neighborhood.
