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Bedford council adopts revised mosquito-response plan, directs staff to evaluate in-house spraying
Summary
The council approved changes to the city's Integrated Mosquito Management Program that shift from half-mile radii around traps to zone-based treatment and adopt clear viral detection triggers; staff will evaluate buying a sprayer (estimated $18,000'$20,000) to improve responsiveness.
The Bedford City Council on March 11 unanimously approved revisions to the city's Integrated Mosquito Management Program, adopting a zone-based approach to adulticide application and formalizing trigger levels tied to virus detection and nuisance activity.
Public Works Director Joe Schwitzer told the council the program will use three risk levels (low, medium and high) and that the city will move away from the previous half-mile-radius treatment areas to larger coverage zones tied to trap locations. At "medium" risk the city would spray a virus-detected zone when any trap has tested positive within three weeks or when mosquito activity is above normal; at "high" risk the city would spray when two of five traps test positive within two weeks or if there is a confirmed human case.
Schwitzer said last year's testing produced the highest number of West Nile positive mosquito samples in seven years, which prompted the rewrite. He told council that under the prior half-mile-radii approach the city sprayed the equivalent of roughly 13.9 miles and spent about $5,500; applying the new zone model to last year's triggers would have required about 32.8 miles of coverage and municipal contractor costs closer to $36,000. Schwitzer said the city is evaluating buying a GPS-controlled sprayer—estimated at $18,000 to $20,000—that would make in-house spraying more nimble and could break even in one to two years depending on usage. He also noted staffing would require overtime for night operations and that certified applicators and license supervision remain necessary.
City Manager Andrea Roy told council the funds for equipment and operations can be located within the current budget and would not require cutting existing services. Council members pressed staff on life expectancy and warranty for equipment (Schwitzer estimated 5'10 years with proper maintenance) and on whether truck-based spraying reaches back yards; staff said ATV- or skid-mounted sprayers can improve coverage in parks and other tight areas while aerial application remains a separate option for county-directed large-area responses.
Councilman Farco moved to adopt the revised plan; Councilman Donovan Brandon seconded. The motion passed unanimously.
Why it matters: the change is intended to make the city's response faster and more consistent with neighboring jurisdictions, and it creates a path to locally controlled spraying when trap data or human cases indicate elevated risk.
What happens next: staff will implement the revised triggers and zones, obtain formal quotes for equipment, return with any required budget amendment and, if directed by council, pursue purchase and in-house deployment plans.
