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How often are they spraying in your neighborhood? I think that in our neighborhood it's MWF nights after dark, but at a time when someone could be walking their dog. I'll have to double-check this.

I'm not opposed to spraying. I don't want any mosquito-borne illness. I just would like to be given the spraying schedule so I'm not out walking my dog or sitting out on the porch when they drive by.

Mosquito Control, thanks for scheduling a meeting to inform the public.
 

Bob Hudson

Beach Fanatic
May 10, 2008
1,066
739
Santa Rosa Beach
We do not spray on a scheduled basis. We spray based on "trap counts" in the monitoring stations that we have. Those traps are monitored every week day. Only when trap counts raise above a certain level do we consider spraying. We cannot spray if wind speeds exceed 10 MPH with no rain.

We spay between approximately 6:00 pm and 10 pm when mosquitos are most active.

If you want to be notified when we will spray in your area by phone or email call 267-2112 and ask to be added. These are new services that we have added and will be formally announced at the meeting. We have been testing these new services for the past few months with a test group.
 
We do not spray on a scheduled basis. We spray based on "trap counts" in the monitoring stations that we have. Those traps are monitored every week day. Only when trap counts raise above a certain level do we consider spraying. We cannot spray if wind speeds exceed 10 MPH with no rain.

We spay between approximately 6:00 pm and 10 pm when mosquitos are most active.

If you want to be notified when we will spray in your area by phone or email call 267-2112 and ask to be added. These are new services that we have added and will be formally announced at the meeting. We have been testing these new services for the past few months with a test group.
Thanks. Will do.
 

seagrovegirl

Beach Fanatic
Feb 9, 2008
3,885
454
Historic Old Point Washington
Bob...thank you. I hope to attend and voice concerns for "no spray" areas. We have a large block of them in our neighborhood and after all the rain, mosquitos will be breeding in their yards and coming over to my house. Do you have a mosquito training program, or invisible fence for them?
 

Bob Hudson

Beach Fanatic
May 10, 2008
1,066
739
Santa Rosa Beach
I have an opinion on the "No Spray Issue" but feel that I should not discuss the issue in a public bulletin board as I have no first hand knowledge of who people are due to "Screen Names" being allowed and I could potentially be violating Florida's sunshine law by discussing an issue with a fellow Commissioner that will surely come to a vote in the near future.

If your there Monday I'm sure the issue will come up and be discussed.
 

seagrovegirl

Beach Fanatic
Feb 9, 2008
3,885
454
Historic Old Point Washington
Fair enough Bob. I am not a mosquito commissioner as you know, but there could be others in this public forum. My post was intended to put the issue out there for you as I am sure it will be discussed at the forum.
 

Billie

Beach Comber
Jul 13, 2007
30
4
SWCMCD,

Tonight was gravely disappointing. We believe in a non-toxic approach to mosquito control. One that does not give people cancer. I felt like the meeting "discussion" was biased tonight with your department prompting all discussion. It was not a town hall meeting, but a lecture for an hour followed with skirting the real facts and angry dialogue about who maintains ditches. All my available time was used up by your presentation. I am not participating in this form of discussion as it was made clear any questions fell on deaf ears. Adulticides are banned in most countries besides the USA.

I am dismayed by the following:

Why is your organization considering revoking No Spray signs?

As voting residents of this county, we should have the right to choose whether or not to be sprayed with neurotoxins. My daughter has horrible allergies and sensitivities to chemicals. Doctors have recommended that we limit her exposure to chemicals like the permethrin used by the mosquito control district. I grew up in Florida and both my parents died of cancer at a young age, with links to chemical exposure such as permethrin. Are you suggesting that I cannot protect my family from the damage caused by neurotoxins? Shouldn't this be my choice?

Are you also considering abandoning the spray notification program? There are people struggling for their lives in our community. This does not seem a wise path.

There should be a link on your website so people can see the facts regarding how often in a given week, month or year they are sprayed with neurotoxins. It is far more than 24 times a year.

Why does your organization not acknowledge the EPA and other scientific reports stating the toxicity of permethrin, particularly long term exposure? Just in 2000, Dursban use was discontinued and found to cause birth defects and autoimmune disorders. There are numerous studies that report the same or worse with permethrin, but we are somehow viewed by your organization as radical for wanting change. Just because a chemical is used and approved, does not make it "safe".

Why are the "facts" contradicted at every turn of the meeting? First the mosquitos born in our backyards are the ones that are biting us, then we are told that the reason permethrin is sprayed is because the mosquitos from interior lands are biting us? Residents who want to be sprayed should have no doubts and be educated that they are still being protected with BTI's even though others choose differently.
When someone from the crowd asks: "How is this affecting our neighbors?" It should be made clear by your organization that as a community we are all getting sprayed with BTI and Round-up even though we have a No Spray sign. No Spray signs are not making the mosquito problem worse. The interior wetlands are and the standing water that abounds.

I would rather chance my child getting bit by a mosquito carrying West Nile or Encephalitis than provide her with long term exposure to poisonous permethrin. Permethrin has been clearly proven by the EPA, and the scientific community, to harm her, give her cancer, cause liver damage, neurological damage and retard her growth. How could any informed person choose this exposure for their family? This is why I will continue to educate friends, neighbors and all who will listen.

After hearing your officials threaten, in a public forum, to take away my No Spray sign I am will remind you again that your spray notification system is not working either. Both my husband and I are on the list. We do not receive notifications to both our phones ever. Only to my phone, sometimes. We are frightened. When I am away from home, my child and husband are sometimes playing outside in the evenings. Without proper notification, my husband does not know they are going to spray. This is leading to increased exposure for my child, and this is not okay.

I will not give up educating the public about what is going on. People simply don't know what they are being sprayed with daily. I won't give up hope that your organization will someday test non-toxic alternatives to adulticides. I feel saddened to live in such a heavily sprayed area as South Walton, and find out that I have no basic human rights, have my rights threatened, by law and your organization. I can't understand why money is not spent to test and research less toxic alternatives, but only that we rely on an antiquated platform of mosquito "control" that is poisoning us all and our fragile ecosystem.
 

Bob Hudson

Beach Fanatic
May 10, 2008
1,066
739
Santa Rosa Beach
Sorry you fell that the meeting was not informative and educational.

Mr Magee's presentation lasted 34 minutes followed by 59 minutes of questions answered by experts in their field.

You asked two questions that were answered by experts. You had no follow-up questions or comment.

I have received 8 emails very similar to the one below.

"Just wanted to compliment the Mosquito board on a good meeting tonight. Good presentation by John and very informative having all of the experts there. We felt it was very worthwhile. Hope you do it more often."
 
Last edited:

Billie

Beach Comber
Jul 13, 2007
30
4
Not one of my questions was answered last night and they still are not answered. You threatened to take away our basic human rights to choice and health. You stocked the audience with your paid staff and took their guided questions. Your experts did not answer my questions and only provided information that was biased to your platform of "rigid chemical control". Your paid consultants did not present the EPA or scientific community studies that clearly show permethrin as a neurotoxin even at small trace levels. That was nice of them to supply a quote for you. How about we talk about all the complaints, calls and concerned citizens in our area that your department receives daily for once and actually address their concerns and questions?
 
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