Mosquito Spraying Approved for 2013 in Brookfield

Brookfield has been battling mosquitos through a formal treatment program since 1998, and will continue to do so once the snow disappears and the ground actually thaws.

The mosquito control program costs $118,500 and includes a surveillance permit and program fee of $47,000, which had some on the Finance Committee questioning if there was a way to skip that part of the treatment plan to save on costs.

"It seems that we do this every year, and it's such a large part of the cost — do we really have to test and perform surveillance year in and year out?" asked Alderman Jerry Mellone.

Bill Kolstad, director of Parks, Recreation and Forestry with the city, explained that the surveillance, which determines which species of mosquitos are present throughout the season, is required by the DNR before the larvicide can be sprayed. Last year surveillance was done for the same cost, but no treatments were used due to the drought.  over as much as 555 acres of land.

Application of the larvicide includes aerial spraying by helicopters over certain areas of the city, with ground treatments as needed. Residents will be given advanced notice of the spraying dates.