Teresa Goldstein, a Saint Ann resident, pressed the Board of Aldermen on July 7 to halt or re-evaluate the city’s mosquito-spraying program, saying the notification and authorization process and some operational practices were improper.

Goldstein told the board the program’s spring newsletter said spraying would occur “Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays after sundown” to avoid harming honeybees, but she said she observed spraying in her neighborhood before sunset and wants proof that applicators are certified under state law. “If it was approved by the voters…they were spraying my neighborhood at 08:32. Sunset was at 08:30 that day,” Goldstein said during public comment.

The resident also criticized the city’s use of an informal paper poll printed in the city newsletter to gauge resident preference, saying the poll was inconvenient, lacked a public tally and was not posted on the city website. “There was no accountability of votes cast,” Goldstein said, and asked for the raw tally and the specific vote she submitted.

Aldermen and staff responded that the newsletter poll was nonbinding and arranged as a lower-cost way to gather resident input during the budget process; they said the poll folder is retained at city hall and that staff will produce the tally on request. City staff also said applicators receive training from the chemical supplier and that machines are calibrated to apply recommended droplet sizes; aldermen said they will ask the city attorney to review the relevant state statute for applicability to the municipality.

Alderman Matt (first name not stated during the meeting) and other board members said they would investigate the timing of the spray runs, the certification status of the applicators, and provide Goldstein the information she requested. “We will investigate what you’re saying about the legalities of the spraying,” a board member said.

No formal motion to change the spraying program was made at the meeting; aldermen described the steps as an investigatory follow-up. Goldstein suggested petitioning and asked how residents could stop the sprays; aldermen repeated that the board can decide whether to continue the program after the investigation and additional information are produced.

Why it matters: Mosquito spraying can affect pollinators, public health perceptions and municipal budgets. Goldstein’s comments prompted the board to commit to document disclosure and a legal review, steps that could change how the city communicates and authorizes future spraying.

What’s next: City staff said they will gather the poll submissions and will ask the city attorney to determine whether the Missouri statute cited by Goldstein applies to Saint Ann. The board did not schedule an action item or vote on suspending spraying at this meeting.