Mosquito Control in Town Creek?

[desertrat (Premo)]

Originally Posted by Ken King

I've had the sprayers come down my street every year for as long as I can remember and I have never been billed or asked to pay for it (usually weekly, like a Tuesday evening). Isn't this what some of our property taxes go for?

I've been asking around and so far no one who lives outside of TownCreek has ever heard of being billed for spraying. Anyone out there not living in TownCreek get a bill?

[FastCarsSpeed]

Golden Beach does the spraying up here in the north part of the county but we pay yearly dues for them to do it. Part of the HOA.

[DoWhat (Premo)]

I run the mosquito control for my community.
Thet actually start spraying tomorrow evening.

I walk around (door to door) prior to the start of the spraying season, and ask who wants to get sprayed. If they say Yes, than it's $30(recommended amount from the county mosquito people) for the season, if they say No, then we skip that house.
The community gets billed at the end of the season. If there is extra $$ at the end, it gets applied to the account for the next season.

Our driver goes down driveways and will also drive around the house.
I think it makes a big difference.

We only have 9 houses in our community.

[DoWhat (Premo)]

Originally Posted by Ken King

I've had the sprayers come down my street every year for as long as I can remember and I have never been billed or asked to pay for it (usually weekly, like a Tuesday evening). Isn't this what some of our property taxes go for?

State pays 1/2 of the community bill to the county.
Community is made up of the houses in the neighborhood.

[BuddyLee (Premo)]

Originally Posted by DoWhat

I think it makes a big difference.

Especially in my infested hood.

[Ken King (Premo)]

Originally Posted by DoWhat

State pays 1/2 of the community bill to the county.
Community is made up of the houses in the neighborhood.

What does the money in the county budget for mosquito control go for? And what does the money you collect go for?

[DoWhat (Premo)]

Originally Posted by Ken King

What does the money in the county budget for mosquito control go for? And what does the money you collect go for?

Ya got me. I just pay the bill at the end of the season (Oct.).

[MikeyBash]

I moved to Town Creek about 10 years ago from Montgomery County and was very surprised at the things my property taxes were NOT used for.

Every property owner in Town Creek already pays thousands of dollars per year to the local government. What are they using this money for that's more important than mosquito eradication?

A few weeks ago, I saw the big white St. Mary's County Heath Department truck parked in front of Chick-Fil-A. Several county employees were handing out goodie bags that contained stuff to use in case of a hurricane. Are cheap first-aid kits and flashlights more important than preventing West Nile, malaria and dengue fever?

I believe in limited government, but mosquito control is a legitimate government function. Mosquitoes are powerful disease vectors, and getting rid of them is a public-health necessity.

Mosquito control only works if it is done consistently and universally. Only spraying where people choose to pay guarantees that the mosquitos will still be nearby. In the past, some solicitation letters have implied that if not enough people ponied up, their street would not be sprayed. I don't know if this was serious, or just a threat to scare people into paying. Whatever the reason, private funding of mosquito spraying should stop, and the countyshould pick up the entire tab, even if it means the commissioners will have to settle for a cheaper hotel on their annual junket to Ocean City.

[woogie]

Doesn't sound like too bad of a deal if they will spray all around
your house and down your driveway. Most government funded
spray programs just go down the road. I know when I lived in the
Ranch Club they just went down the street (about 30mph!) and
sprayed on a VERY irregular basis. Didn't seem to do much good
in the 17 years I was there.

What are you expecting Roy Dyson to do about the program?
Just curious. More funding? Less taxes? What?

It does seem like the new billing person could use a slightly
better approach to his/her task rather than "threaten" to
add a penalty. Maybe a better approach would be to talk
to a County Commissioner concerning this since the County
seems to be overseeing the program?

[BS Gal (Premo)]

Originally Posted by MikeyBash

I moved to Town Creek about 10 years ago from Montgomery County and was very surprised at the things my property taxes were NOT used for.

Every property owner in Town Creek already pays thousands of dollars per year to the local government. What are they using this money for that's more important than mosquito eradication?

A few weeks ago, I saw the big white St. Mary's County Heath Department truck parked in front of Chick-Fil-A. Several county employees were handing out goodie bags that contained stuff to use in case of a hurricane. Are cheap first-aid kits and flashlights more important than preventing West Nile, malaria and dengue fever?

I believe in limited government, but mosquito control is a legitimate government function. Mosquitoes are powerful disease vectors, and getting rid of them is a public-health necessity.

Mosquito control only works if it is done consistently and universally. Only spraying where people choose to pay guarantees that the mosquitos will still be nearby. In the past, some solicitation letters have implied that if not enough people ponied up, their street would not be sprayed. I don't know if this was serious, or just a threat to scare people into paying. Whatever the reason, private funding of mosquito spraying should stop, and the countyshould pick up the entire tab, even if it means the commissioners will have to settle for a cheaper hotel on their annual junket to Ocean City.

I couldn't agree more. It only kills the skeeters it hits. They used to blast you at about 5 0r 6:00 p.m. when you were walking the dog or working in the yard. Now they've moved it to 10'ish so if your windows are open, not only do you get awakened, you also get the chemicals up your nose. I'm not paying. I'm still referring to my hubby as HOMAS, his new name on the new billing. That ALMOST makes it worth paying the $15 for my entertainment. His name is THOMAS!