CHARLEMONT — A town plan for mosquito control that centers on education has been proposed as an alternative to a state Department of Agricultural Resources program that several local towns have opted out of due to public health concerns.
The state’s program includes an option for aerial spraying of insecticides in case certain viruses are found in local mosquito populations. Several Franklin County towns have proposed their own mosquito control programs instead, typically citing concerns related to public health and potential effects on the environment.
“None of us are really keen on spraying,” said Doug Telling, co-chair of the Charlemont Board of Health. “The spraying is fairly indiscriminate in the area that’s being sprayed. It doesn’t just spray mosquitoes. It kills other animals. It can get in the water.”
The Board of Health voted in April to recommend that the town opt out of the state’s program, and then developed an alternative proposal to submit to the state, Telling said. He explained Charlemont’s proposal emphasizes public communication as a relatively low-cost way of addressing the state’s requirements.
“The essence of it is education, education, education,” Telling said.
The plan is to provide information on the dangers of mosquitoes and the environments where mosquitoes tend to breed, Telling said. That would likely include a chart showing the worst times of day to be outdoors, which would be distributed for display at local retail stores and recreation areas, Telling said.
A website with information on mosquito safety may also be part of the town’s campaign, he said, as well as some sort of effort to directly contact people who live near water, as standing water often attracts mosquitoes.
The mosquito control program’s expenses would likely be covered by the town’s existing Board of Health budget, Telling said. There is also potential for financial support from the Franklin Regional Council of Governments (FRCOG).
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