Noting he had received “a lot of calls” recently regarding mosquito control in the rural areas of the parish, Juror David Savoy, who chairs the Mosquito Control Committee, said he wanted to review the criteria used to determine the necessity of aerial spraying. Saying he has fielded lots of requests for aerial spraying, Savoy asked, “Do we have to change the criteria? We need a better view of what we’re doing for aerial spraying.”
Savoy asked Glenn Stokes, who heads MCCI, to draw up specifications for aerial spraying and present them to interested residents at the regular Jury meeting, Tuesday, Sept. 11.
Stokes responded by reporting the nation’s largest aerial application firm had submitted a low bid ranging from $1.50 to $1.67 per acre.
He explained the major criteria used to implement aerial spraying was when mosquitoes were “a nuisance for more than 72 hours.” He added, however, that mosquitoes are known to quickly move from one area to another.
Regarding the threat of the West Nile Virus, Stokes reported there have been no case of the virus in humans in Acadia since 2006 and no cases reported in horses.
To give jurors a basis of judging the cost of aerial spraying Stokes detailed the cost for several parish communities, including $17,000 for one aerial spraying of the 11,712 acres encompassed by the Town of Church Point. He also commented aerial spraying “got about 48 hours of control.”
He also reiterated that regulations forbid his company from ground spraying whenever the winds exceed 10 mph or it rains.
Stokes also noted he responds to every telephone calls to 785-4456 from citizens asking for ground spraying.
In other committee action, Juror Dale Trahan, chair of the Road and Bridge Committee, asked Road Manager Michael “PeeWee” Schexnider to present some criteria for the installation of speed bumps on parish roads.
Trahan said he doubted speed bumps could be installed on Standard Mill Road because of the level of speed by motorists.
Schexnider discussed installing warning strips on Standard Mill Road as an option.
In other action, the committee recommended the sale of surplus road department and jury office equipment.
Noting the condition of the Iota Highway “was really bad,” Juror Trahan said the roadway is a top priority on the next road improvement list.
Parish Engineer Karl Aucoin confirmed the road was among those at the top of the road improvement list. He noted engineering data has been readied and is awaiting the awarding of contracts.
The parish bridge inspector reported that once a bridge is put on the off-system bridge list, it comes under the sole control of the state until the work contract is completed and control reverts back to Acadia Parish.
Members of the Airport Committee recommended President A.J. “Fatty” Broussard be authorized to sign a final change order for $6,358.38 and accept the drainage improvement project at LeGros Memorial Airport.
A representative of the Egan Water Corporation reported the corporation was taking full responsibility for brine which was accidentally released on airport property in 2008. However, because the brine has not resulted in any “dead vegetation” the soil may not be contaminated now. Jurors were told soil samples may prove removal of affected soil may not be required.
Acting on Finance Committee items, jurors recommended an intergovernmental agreement with the Jeff Davis Parish Jury to equally share the cost of purchasing, insuring and maintaining a truck to be used for crop inspection service in both parishes.
Engineer Brett Bayard discussed three projects the Jury might consider in applying for state capital outlay funding: roadwork on the Old Spanish Road (Hwy 92 to 13th Street in Mermentau, improvements to the Rice Arena, and purchase of eight acres located behind the parish jail on Capitol Drive in Crowley.
Bayard told jurors the applications are due Nov. 1 and the process was very competitive for state funds.
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