To help combat the spread of West Nile Virus through mosquitoes, the Oxford Village Council Tuesday voted unanimously to authorize the DPW to ‘acquire and apply? larvicide to storm water retention areas on village property at a cost not to exceed $1,315.28.
The village will request reimbursement for the project from the county under the ‘West Nile Virus Fund,? recommended by County Executive L. Brooks Patterson and approved by the county Board of Commissioners on March 20.
The policy distributes $500,000 to the county’s cities, villages and townships to combat the West Nile Virus. According to an April 9 letter to Manager Mark Slown from County Commissioner Bill Patterson, the village is eligible to receive $1,315.28.
‘It’s a good deal for us,? Slown told council.
Slown said he recommended the larvicide option to help prevent the spread of mosquitoes (which carry and transmit the virus to people) as opposed to spraying insecticides because it seems to be ‘an acceptable and prudent course of action? and is ‘non-controversial.?
Larvicides are designed to kill mosquitoes while they’re in their larval (or immature) stage of life which takes place in standing water, while insecticides are aimed at eradicating them as airborne adults.
Slown said spraying insecticides is the ‘most controversial? option and generates both strong support and strong opposition from the public.
He said that he’s read numerous ‘pro and con? arguments on the subject and was ‘not advocating not spraying.? However, Slown did note that the funds county is offering are insufficient to implement a village spraying program. The manager acknowledged that the application of larvicide is a ‘minimum measure? and ‘limited resource? that’s not going to completely stop the spread of mosquitoes, but it would be ‘irresponsible not to? do it. Councilwoman Renee Donovan said the larvicide option ‘sounds like the least offensive, but still has some effect.?