As Spring run-off from the mountains continues, pesky mosquitoes will soon be out in force. While the problem is not likely to be as severe as last year with the lack of moisture the area has received this winter, the City of Laramie is ready to start taking preventative measures soon.
Unfortunately a few things have changed this year with the introduction of the Wyoming
Pollutant Discharge Elimination System in 2011. Because of this, the city and the city’s proposed
aerial applicator must follow the permitting requirements when applying aerial applications for mosquito control around Laramie. As a result the same mosquito control measures that were used last year would cost significantly more in 2012.
The City of Laramie has come up with five different scenarios for consideration and they have asked us to help gather public opinion on which option people in the community would prefer. In the end it could determine if your monthly city bill will be increasing.  Take a look at the options below and then vote for which one you would prefer in the poll at the bottom of this story.

Proposed Options

The first option is for the same level of service of larvicide and adulticide aerial applications as provided in previous years based upon the number of acres historically treated. This option would result in a possible $0.60 per month increase in the mosquito control fee, depending upon the approved budget for FY2013.
• This option will maintain the current aerial mosquito control program.
The second option is for an approximate fifty percent (50%) reduction in the aerial larvicide and adulticide aerial applications. This option would result in no increase in the mosquito control fee.
• This option will result in increased mosquito numbers within the city in the early control season, depending upon the weather and snowpack runoff. This option will also result in increased application of ground based (night fogging) treatments to control peak nuisance mosquitoes later in the season.
The third option is for the elimination of the aerial larvicide aerial applications with only adulticide aerial applications later in the season. This option would result in no increase in the mosquito control fee.
• This option will result in increased mosquito numbers within the city in the early control season, depending upon the weather and snowpack runoff. The adulticide aerial applications will reduce the peak number of adult mosquitoes along with reducing the first generation of vector (West Nile Virus) mosquitoes. This option will also result in increased application of ground based (night fogging) treatments to control peak nuisance mosquito later in the season.
The fourth option is for the elimination of all aerial larvicide and adulticide applications and diverting the available resources to a ground based (adult fogging) program. This option would result in no increase in the mosquito control fee.
• This option will result in significantly increased mosquito numbers within the city during the mosquito season, depending upon the weather and snow-pack runoff. This option will also result in significantly increased application of ground based (night fogging) treatments to control peak nuisance and vector mosquitoes throughout the season.
The fifth option is for the elimination of the aerial adulticide applications with only larvicide aerial applications during the mosquito season. This option would result in a possible $0.41 per month increase in the mosquito control fee, depending upon the approved FY2013 budget.
• This option will result in increased mosquito numbers within the city in the late control season, depending upon the weather. The lavicide aerial applications will reduce the peak number of adult mosquitoes along with reducing the first generation of vector (West Nile Virus) mosquitoes. This option will also result in increased application of ground based (night fogging) treatments to control peak nuisance mosquito later in the season.


We want to reward you just for answering this poll! Enter your answer to this poll in the Y95 Country Corral for your chance to win some great prizes like gift certificates, DVDs, and this month a whole slew of prizes to to get you ready for summer!
Have a local “Survey of the Day” question you want to ask about? Let us know! Survey results will be read one week after the survey start date on the Laramie Live Radio Show, so listen in to KOWB 1290 AM weekday mornings at 8:05 a.m.

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