Mosquitoes Swarm Shore Acres

by Cindy Goldstein and Kathy Savolt -

More than 30 residents arrived at the July 13, 2026, Board of Trustees (BOT) meeting hoping to hear one thing: that Village officials had found a way to restore the environmentally friendly mosquito-control program that had protected the neighborhoods around Otter Creek and Guion Creek for more than 35 years.

For more than 90 minutes, residents described what they called an unbearable mosquito season that has transformed daily life in Shore Acres and other neighborhoods bordering Otter and Guion Creeks.

Residents told of children with multiple bites, some severe enough to become infected.  They lamented the loss of use of their yards and described swarms following them as they rushed from their homes to their cars.  They also expressed concerns for Village workers, gardeners, mail carriers, and other visitors to the neighborhood.

How We Got Here

The Village handled mosquito control in the Otter Creek Preserve for over 35 years by applying Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (Bti), an environmentally friendly larvicide. 

To apply the Bti program, the property owner must obtain a permit from the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), and a licensed applicator must follow proper procedures.  When asked for prior DEC permits, the Village located only one previous permit from 2016.  See HERE.

In a phone interview with The Mamaroneck Observer, Tony Iacovelli, former Foreman of the Village’s Department of Public Works, confirmed that he filed permit applications with the DEC beginning in 1991.  He asserted that there should be paper copies of every application.  Iacovelli also stated that he filed the permits for the Village to be the “agent” and obtained permission each year from the property owner.

The 2024 permit application does not have a place for a permit seeker to indicate they are acting as an “agent.”  The choices are either “riparian owner” or “lessee.”  The form indicates it was revised in 2022.

Recent Permit Applications

Another permit application signed in February 2024 for work done in 2023 has been obtained by The Mamaroneck Observer.  It was a request to apply the larvicide at Otter Creek Preserve and represented that the Village of Mamaroneck was the riparian owner, which is incorrect.  See HERE.

In 2024, the Village applied again for a DEC permit. The DEC would not issue the permit because the Village does not own the property.   It is owned by the Westchester Land Trust (WLT), a not-for-profit organization.  Although the Village did not own the property, treatments were applied in 2024, and WLT granted permission for the permit application.  See HERE.

During this time period, the Village had virtually no continuity in senior management.  Mayor Sharon Torres was elected in November 2023, and three new trustees joined the BOT in December 2024.  Deputy Manager Dan Sarnoff passed away in May 2024.  Village Manager Jerry Barberio left the Village in January of 2024, and an interim manager was hired until Gill came in December 2024.  

In 2025, the Village did not apply for the DEC permit after it had been rejected in 2024 and did not conduct the program.  The Village said it had not received complaints from residents regarding mosquitoes.

Many More Mosquitoes in 2026

This year has been very different.  Residents reported a dramatically increased mosquito population, and many characterized the situation as a significant quality-of-life and potential health crisis.

A number of residents expressed frustration that they were never informed the longstanding mosquito control program had been suspended and learned about it only after noticing it had disappeared from the proposed 2026-27 Village budget.  See HERE.

The Board subsequently restored and approved a $20,000 budget line that Village officials say is intended to fund catch-basin larvicide, mosquito-control efforts on other Village-owned property such as Harbor Island, and potentially reimburse services performed at Otter Creek if legally permitted.

VOM Explains the Issue

Gill stated the Village’s position in a release published ahead of the meeting.  See HERE. Because Otter Creek Preserve is privately owned by the Westchester Land Trust, she said the Village “must carefully review whether public funds may legally be used to pay for or reimburse mosquito control work on land the Village does not own or maintain.”  

Gill said the Village has requested guidance from both the New York State Comptroller and the Attorney General regarding whether public funds may legally be used for this purpose.  Until that guidance is received, she said, the Village cannot determine whether reimbursement is lawful.  She emphasized that the administration must follow the law in providing municipal services.

In addition, Gill stated that she made attempts to work with the WLT, but the organization is not interested in signing a contract with the Village.  A June 23, 2026, email (see HERE) indicates that WLT is waiting for an opinion from NYS.

In a subsequent interview with the Mamaroneck Observer, Gill emphasized that her priority is to fix the problem.

Residents at the BOT meeting complained that the Village is not doing enough to combat mosquitoes.  Repeatedly, speakers asked what additional agencies had been consulted, what legal options had been explored, why the Village had not publicly shared more information about its efforts, and why documents such as the Village's request to the State Comptroller had not been released.

Several residents have also questioned whether legal concerns alone prompted the program's suspension or whether budget considerations played a role as well.

What About Village-Owned Land?

During the evening, residents inquired why mosquito-control efforts have not been made on Village-owned property since that would not present the same legal issues associated with the Otter Creek Preserve.

Administration officials told The Mamaroneck Observer that Guion Creek has not been treated with Bti for several years because Village staff concluded the treatment was not effective there.

They also said the Village no longer applies Bti to catch basins because they are now cleaned monthly as part of the Village's flood mitigation program to keep them clear of debris.  Since the larvicide must remain in place for approximately 30 days, Gill said that staff informed her that the cleaning schedule prevents it from being effective.

Letter to the Comptroller

The Mamaroneck Observer has obtained a copy of the Village Attorney's request to the State for guidance. See HERE.

In the email dated April 6, 2026, to both the Comptroller and Attorney General, Village Attorney Steven Pambianchi explains that he became concerned that the Village's application of larvicide on privately owned property could violate Article VIII, Section 1 of the New York Constitution, commonly known as the Gifts and Loans Clause.  The letter states:

"This constitutional provision requires that municipal actions serve a public purpose rather than primarily benefiting private property owners."

It later continues:

"My concern here is the spraying of mosquitoes that primarily benefits certain private property owners, but arguably not the greater public."

Attempts to Reach an Agreement with WLT

The Village’s initial outreach to WLT proposed an agreement where the Village would provide $14,000 of funds for environmental education services – a proposal that follows the conventional arrangement between government and not-for-profits of fees for services.  The Land Trust declined the proposal, explaining that it lacked the staff capacity to provide this kind of programming, and instead suggested a straightforward agreement specifically covering mosquito treatment.  See HERE.

Village Manager Gill responded with revised language that more generally refers to the maintenance of publicly accessible areas of the preserve.  In response, WLT Vice President Janelle Robbins replied that she was "not in a rush to hammer out the agreement" until the Comptroller issued its opinion because that decision would likely influence the agreement's wording.  See HERE.

Despite the absence of a reimbursement agreement, the WLT, as the property owners, obtained a DEC permit this year and has applied Bti twice this month using its own funds.

In a phone call with WLT, Vice President Janelle Robbins confirmed to The Mamaroneck Observer that they have a contract with a licensed provider to continue larvicide application through October.  She also indicated that WLT is open to entering into an “open and transparent agreement” with the Village of Mamaroneck.

Officials Acknowledge Residents’ Frustration

As the meeting continued, it was clear that residents were frustrated not only by the loss of a program that had quietly protected neighborhoods for decades, but also by what they viewed as a lack of transparency and urgency on the part of the Village.  

Mayor Sharon Torres assured the residents she understood their frustration and said the BOT was prepared to take another look at the issue.  Gill said she will be the point person for residents' inquiries and will communicate the Village’s progress in tackling this situation.