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City staff: annual herbicide spraying of drainage ditches is ongoing; some protests may pause current cycle
Summary
Public Works staff told the council that herbicide spraying of drainage canals and ditches is part of an annual maintenance cycle (typically four cycles); staff said recent protests may require pausing the current round.
Mobile City Council members asked July 22 about a purchase order for herbicide treatment on drainage canals and ditches. City staff said spraying is a routine activity and typically occurs in four cycles each year.
When Councilmember Ronald asked where the spraying will occur and whether it is new, a Public Works representative replied, “No. We do spraying every year. We usually do 4 cycles. We're hearing we may have to hold on this 1 because someone is protesting the process, but we do we do spray herbicide into the ditches as another way to keep the growth down.”
Councilmembers requested maps or lists of targeted spray areas so crews can prioritize ditches that have drawn complaints; a staff member said they could provide the spray locations to council offices.
Why it matters: herbicide application affects maintenance costs, roadside safety and vegetation management; community members have raised objections that may delay a scheduled cycle.
The packet included a purchase order entry for herbicide treatment applications (amount read into the record). Council did not take an action on the spraying during the pre-meeting; staff said the matter could be paused while protests are considered.
