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Mosquito Abatement District proposes $9.2 million facilities, lab and chemicals plan; tax hike would add about $7.92 per homeowner annually
Summary
Davis Mosquito Abatement District is asking voters for a tax increase to pay for a new pesticide storage building, on-site lab, expanded chemical purchases and seasonal employee facilities. The district says higher chemical costs, drone operations and quicker virus testing require the expansion; a public hearing is set for Dec. 11, 2025.
The Davis Mosquito Abatement District is proposing a roughly $9.2 million capital and operations package that would be funded by a tax increase, the Kaysville City Council heard Thursday.
Council Member Blackham, who serves on the mosquito abatement board, told the council the request stems from several operational changes: an aging 27‑year‑old pesticide storage building that lacks modern spill containment and forklift access; rapidly rising chemical costs and larger container purchases; the shift to drone-based adulticide applications in more densely developed areas; and a new in‑house laboratory to speed virus detection.
Blackham said changes in chemical choices have driven much of the cost increase. He said the district previously bought an adulticide at about $75 per gallon and now is purchasing a product called Remolatry at roughly $295 per gallon. Buying larger volumes to obtain better unit pricing has created storage and handling needs the current facility cannot meet.
Drone use, Blackham said, became necessary as development made airplane spraying impractical in many smaller, built-up parcels. That change has increased the need to store more product locally rather than relying on centralized stockpiles in Ogden.
The proposal also includes an on‑site lab for quicker mosquito pool testing. Blackham said the district used to send samples to the state lab, but turnaround could be a week or more; an in‑house PCR lab would let technicians test pools the next day and deploy crews immediately when a positive pool appears.
Seasonal staffing needs are another driver. Blackham told the council the makeup of seasonal crews has changed, with roughly half of a typical 25‑person seasonal complement now female; the district needs locker, shower and changing facilities to avoid employees taking contaminated clothing home.
Blackham laid out the estimated fiscal impact: the capital and related costs total about $9,200,000, to be financed with a roughly 15‑year bond that would carry an annual debt service of about $855,000. He said an additional roughly $150,000 a year would be used to offset higher chemical and inflationary costs. The District projects the tax increase would generate about $1 million per year.
Under the plan Blackham described, the average Davis County homeowner with a $600,000 home would see their mosquito abatement levy rise from about $30.69 a year to $38.61 a year — an increase of $7.92 annually (about $0.66 per month). Business levies would rise from about $55.80 to $70.20 annually (about $14.40 per year, or $1.20 per month).
Blackham said the Mosquito Abatement District will hold a public hearing on the proposed tax increase at 7 p.m. Dec. 11, 2025, at 85 North 600 West in Kaysville. He also said the increase is a countywide matter — the district serves all of Davis County — and that the district’s manager, Gary Hatch, is available to answer questions.
No formal action by the Kaysville City Council was taken; Blackham’s presentation was informational as required by state procedure for notice of taxing‑entity proposals.
