Loading...
Agenda 09/27/2002 ECollier County Government Q Department of Public Information 3301 East Tamiami Trail Naples, FL 34112 (941) 774-8999 Contact: Deborah Wight, Coordinator Public Information 774-8308 Sept. 26, 2002 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE NOTICE OF EMERGENCY MEETING OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS Notice is hereby given that the Board of County Commissioners of Collier County will hold an emergency meeting on FRIDAY, September 27, 2002, at 1 p.m. in the Boardroom, 3r~ Floor, W. Harmon Turner Building, Collier County Government Center, 3301 East Tamiami Trail, Naples, Florida. The Board's agenda will include: A. Discussion and approval of funding for the Mosquito Control District to spray the portions of Golden Gate Estates and Immokalee areas outside of the current spraying areas due to concern for citizens' health, safety and welfare as it relates to the West Nile Virus. All interested parties are invited to attend, to register to speak and to submit their objections, if any, in writing, to the Board prior to the emergency meeting. All registered public speakers will be limited to five (5) minutes unless permission for additional time is granted by the Chairman. Any person who decides to appeal a decision of the Board will need a record of the proceedings pertaining thereto, and therefore, may need to ensure that a verbatim record of the proceedings is made, which record includes the testimony and evidence upon which the appeal is to be based. Collier County Ordinance No. 99-22 requires that all lobbyists shall, before engaging in any lobbying activities (including, but not limited to, addressing the Board of County Commissioners), register with the Clerk to the Board at the Board Minutes and Records Department. If you are a person with a disability who needs any accommodation in order to participate in this proceeding, you are entitled, at no cost to you, to the provision of certain assistance. Please contact the Collier County Facilities Management Department located at 3301 East Tamiami Trail, Naples, Florida, 34112, (941) 774-8380; assisted listening devices for the hearing impaired are available in the County Commissioners' Office. BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA JAMES N. COLETTA, CHAIRMAN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY APPROVAL FOR FUNDING FOR EMERGENCY MOSQUITO CONTROL SPRAYING TO PROTECT ADDITIONAL POPULATIONS IN THE COUNTY FROM WEST NILE VIRUS ENCEPHALITIS OBJECTIVE: To protect the population in Immokalee and the Golden Gate Estates area by providing the funds needed for emergency spraying conducted by the Collier County Mosquito Control District to include these areas. CONSIDERATIONS: West Nile Virus (WNV) can cause encephalitis and death in vulnerable populations. Florida has had seven human cases to date in counties including Sarasota and Miami. In addition, Collier County has now identified six positive sentinel chickens for WNV, three in Immokalee and three at thc Fairgrounds. Three additional birds found and reported by the public have also tested positive. Mosquito Control has light traps in Immokalce that are reporting excess numbers of culex mosquitoes known to be the carrier and transmitter of this disease. Many gulf coast counties have already been placed under medical alert by the State Health Department, including Hillsborough, Pinellas, Sarasota, Charlotte and Lee. GROWTH MANAGEMENT IMPACT: There is no growth management impact associated with emergency spraying. FISCAL IMPACT: One time spraying of 26, 298 acres or 41 square miles in Immokalee by the Mosquito Control District is $13,159. This is based on the costs of two aircraft for 3.3 hours at $500/hour. The cost of the insecticide used for spraying is 113 gallons at $101.85 per gallon. A tOtal materials cost of $11,509 plus the $1650 for the aircraft is $13,159. The cost for spraying a similar size area in the Estates would be an additional $13,159. The total estimated cost of additional emergency mosquito control spraying in Immokalee and Golden Gate Estates is $26,318. Funds are available in General Fund reserves. RECOMMENDATION: The Collier County Health Department and the Mosquito Control District recommend that emergency spraying be conducted to reduce mosquito counts and decrease the probability of human cases of West Nile Virus in the areas described herein. Submitted by: ~-~virector, Colliei' County Health Department 9aplesnews.com I Printed story Page 1 of 3 To print this page, select File then Print from your browser. URL: http:/(www,nap!esn~,com/O2/Og/nap!~s/d834233a,htm [] J~L ~) Naples front I Nap!¢~ archive I help Emergency mosquito pesticide spraying sought for Immokalee, GG Estates Friday, September 27, 2002 By LIZ FREEMAN, epfr~¢~ma~.@ naplesne~Ls.com The number of birds and mosquitoes testing positive for West Nile has increased, so public health officials are asking for emergency mosquito pesticide spraying in Immokalee and areas of Golden Gate Estates. The Collier County Commission will consider the request during an emergency meeting at I p.m. today in the commission chambers. The Collier County Health Department wants to have the Collier Mosquito Control District do a onetime spraying program in Immokalee and a portion of Golden Gate Estates east of Orangetree to DeSoto Boulevard. At issue is the steady increase in the number of birds and mosquitoes in the county that are testing positive for West Nile. "We did it last October," Frank Van Essen, executive director of the mosquito control district, said of an emergency spray program in Immokalee last year because of West Nile. A 42-square-mile area of Immokalee was sprayed last year, and the same region would be sprayed now if the commission gives its approval, he said. Van Essen said Golden Gate Estates from the Orangetree community to as far east as DeSoto Boulevard likewise is under consideration for spraying. That area is roughly 40 square miles. Both regions are outside the regular spray areas of the mosquito control district. Last year's spraying program in Immokalee cost $13,000 and was paid for by the county, Van Essen said. The cost to spray both areas now would be about $26,000. If approved by the board, the spraying likely would be done Monday or Tuesday "but I can't say for sure," Van Essen said. Dr. Joan Colfer, director of the health department, said her staff got word Thursday that four more chickens with the department's sentinel chicken flock have tested positive for West Nile. Flocks of chickens are stationed around the county so that their blood may be drawn and tested for mosquito- http://cfapps.naplesnews.com/sendlink/printt his.c fm 9/27/2002 naplesnews.com I Printed story Page 2 of 3 borne viruses. In the latest results, she said, two of the birds testing positive were kept with the chicken flock in Immokalee and the two others were with the flock at the Collier County Fairgrounds 'south of Immokalee. Earlier this week, a crow found in the 600 block of Gulfshore Boulevard North in Naples tested positive, as did another chicken in the flock in Immokalee. Three other birds tested positive since July. One was a dead jay found near the Palm River community in North Naples. Another was a crow found on Goodlette-Frank Road in Naples and the third was one of the health department's chickens at the fairgrounds. So far, Collier hasn't been added to the state Department of Health's medical alert for West Nile. Twenty-four of the state's 67 counties are on the alert. Colfer said her staff is trying to get in touch with state health officials about being added to the medical alert but can't say whether that will happen. The state updates its list of counties on the alert every Friday. Van Essen said his agency learned Wednesday that four pools of mosquitoes trapped by the mosquito district and sent to a Tampa laboratory returned with positive test results for West Nile. The areas that would be sprayed are in Commission Chairman Jim Coletta's district. "We have talked to Commissioner Coletta, who is supportive (of doing the spraying)," Colfer said. Coletta said because the issue deals with the public's health and safety, he expects the commission will approve the request and pay for it. "Eventually I'd like to get these areas under mosquito control," Coletta said. Most people bitten by an infected mosquito never get sick. A small percentage will develop encephalitis, a potentially fatal infection of the brain. Anyone is at risk for West Nile encephalitis but people over age 50 have the highest risk of developing encephalitis, along with others with weakened immune systems. The incubation period in humans is three to 15 days Most West Nile infections are mild, and symptoms include iow-grade fever, headache, body aches, and occasionally a skin rash and swollen lymph glands. Symptoms of encephalitis include severe headache, high fever, neck stiffness, stupor, disorientation, coma, tremors, convulsions, muscle weakness, paralysis and rarely, death. Here are tips to avoid mosquito bites: · Minimize outdoor activities between dusk and dawn when mosquitoes are most active. · When outdoors, wear shoes and socks, long loose pants and a long-sleeved shirt. · Use mosquito repellent containing DEET on exposed skin when it is necessary to be outdoors. http://c fapps.naplesnews.com/sendlink/printthis.cfm 9/27/201)2 ~naplesnews.com I Printed story Page 3 of 3 · Check residential screening, including porches and patios, for tears and other openings. Make repairs to the screens. · Eliminate stagnant water in bird baths, lily ponds, flower pots, tires and any other containers that hold water where mosquitoes breed. · Wear light-colored clothing because mosquitoes are attracted to darker colors. To report a dead bird or other animal, call the health department at 403-2499. Format this story for printinq~. Search our archive fo~ related stories: adva~nced search Navigation: Go__to _t_od_a_y's_N. ap_es section fr_o_n.t G~o_t_o 9gr~-~da_y Na_ples~a_rchi_v_e IGo to another section... Also in today's Naples section: Accused swindler Pentz transported to Florida Collier County has 21 Commended National Merit Students D.e_p q t_ e s_ s~e_e~k _f!a_ s h i p g ~u_spect Educat _oD .F_oun_dat~ on unve s 'Promise to the Community' Eme-rqency mosquito pest~icide sprayinq sgu~qh~t for Immokalee GG Estates Football hero ns~p_i~or_ts-~mLnd_ed., t~e~ns Local deaths Hedian work means lane closures along Airport-Pulling Mudd moves embattled former EMS chief to transportation NNFD Seeks help in determining legality of Tobin compensation package Permit fip~e_latest snag delaying restaurant's opemng Photo:. S-7[-R-E-T-C-N Police Beat: Crime reports for Collier County~ Rambosk clarifies ci~ty's liv_e entertainment_per~mi~t ppli~cy Two Collier res d_en~t_s e~iected t~o_ECC Foundation board Feedback: E-mail the naplesnews.com staff Write a letter lo the editor View our directory of Daily News staff Sign UP to receive our free Digital Digest by e-mail Send a Daily News reporter a story suggestion iii Copyright © 2000 Naples Daily News. All rights reserved. A Scripps Howard newspaper. Please read our user agreement and privacy policy. http://cfapps.naplesnews.com/sendlink/printthis.cfm 9/27/2002