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Mosquito Control Taps into Reserves

Posted on: Friday, 12 August 2005, 18:00 CDT

Aug. 12--As predicted last month, the Grand Forks Mosquito Control program has run short of money, leading city officials to tap into the program's reserves, according to Todd Hanson of the Grand Forks Public Health Department.

The 2005 budget allocation of about $613,000 will have to be amended to reflect the additional allocation, which comes from funds already within the department, he said.

So far, the city has been sprayed 16 times and it will require spraying a couple of more times to provide the same comfort level to residents, Hanson said. The city budgeted for 15 sprays this year.

Hanson attributed the frequent spraying to the many mosquitoes hatched during this wetter than average summer.

The average summer precipitation here is 10.58 inches; the city so far has received a rainfall of about 15 inches since May.

The budget amendment is scheduled to go before the city's Committee of the Whole meeting Aug. 22 and before the City Council on Sept. 6, according to Finance Department officials.

Hanson said there is no proposal to increase any fee or taxes, as the extra money needed to run the project is already available within the program. The city collects $2.50 per utility bill from every household in the city to fund the program.

The money being shifted includes $44,825 from mosquito control's Capital Replacement Fund and $40,000 additional revenue generated by new households and properties in Grand Forks this year, he said.

Mosquito control tries to spray the city every time the mosquito count exceeds an average of 100 per trap. This summer spraying has been carried out several times even when the trap count was less than 100.

The trap count Thursday was nine. The highest count this summer was registered June 23 at 438.

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Copyright (c) 2005, Grand Forks Herald, N.D.

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Source: Grand Forks Herald (Grand Forks, N.D.)

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