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Residents press Monte Vista council to restore no-spray opt-out and publish pesticide information
Summary
Public commenters urged the council to revisit its decision ending a voluntary no-spray option for mosquito control, to publish chemical labels and hazards on the city website, and argued the council’s March 20 action lacked notice under local rules and Colorado law.
During citizen comments, Monte Vista residents raised objections to the city’s recent change in mosquito-spraying policy that removed a voluntary “no-spray” opt-out list for individual properties.
Resident Matt Nerin said he was "dismayed and disappointed" that the council had unanimously approved the new mosquito spraying plan at the March 20 meeting without providing community notice or further discussion. Nerin said he would pay $122.40 for three residents’ pest-control fees if that would preserve an opt-out option and urged the council to reexamine the policy.
Nerin also alleged the city failed to post meeting notices on the web consistent with the city’s resolution on public posting and cited what he called Colorado Revised Statute "24 dash 6 dash 4 0 2 8" (as read in public comment) to argue that meeting notice failures could invalidate actions taken at meetings if timely public notice was not provided.
Resident Laura (last name not provided) told council she was disappointed the opt-out option was removed and asked the city to publish the names and hazard information of chemicals used for spraying, to describe ecological impacts on gardens, pollinators, and water, and to make that information available on the city website.
City staff responded that the city has moved to a new website (monavista.gov) and that meeting agendas had been posted there; staff said the front door of City Hall remains the official posting location. City Manager Gigi Dennis said the website transition and redirection of the old site to the new address is managed by the state and the city's IT team is working on it.
No council action on mosquito policy occurred at this meeting; residents asked the council to revisit the opt-out policy and to update online information on spraying chemicals.
