Board questions pesticide and cedar‑oil tick treatments at Becker, Peter B. and high school fields

Board members reviewed planned pest‑control treatments for several district properties at the May 21 meeting and requested material safety data sheets (MSDS) and clarifying information before approval.

Staff described two planned treatments: a cedar wood oil application intended to reduce tick activity around building perimeters at A.W. Becker and Peter B., and a separate pesticide application for athletic fields at the high school and Peter B. Staff said the cedar oil treatment is applied after hours and that the field herbicide is intended to manage weeds and maintain play surfaces.

“It's just the wood oil — cedar wood oil — and then the next one on there that's the pesticide one that's going to be doing just for the fields here at the high school and at Peter B.,” said Jesse, district staff. Board members and others asked Jesse to provide MSDS documents so they could review ingredients and safety implications for nearby houses and pets. One board member noted that even natural products do not guarantee tick elimination long‑term and that ticks typically reappear in the fall.

Several board members reminded staff that school‑approved products must meet New York State Education Department requirements for schools and that some products commonly used outside schools are restricted indoors or on school grounds without prior approval. The board asked staff to obtain and circulate the MSDS and to confirm application timing, notification processes to neighbors, and whether applications would be limited to specific sites.

Ending: The board asked staff for the MSDS for both treatments, a clear schedule of after‑hours application, and confirmation that products meet school safety requirements before any further action.