Mosquito abatement program outlines drone plan and a Pentagon‑approved USAF training partnership

Herff Jones, executive director of the Iberia Parish Mosquito Abatement District, briefed the finance committee on program operations and the proposed budget. Jones emphasized the scale of the program — ground crews, ATVs, fixed‑wing aircraft and shared ownership of an aircraft purchased with grant funds — and noted rising insurance and chemical costs that modestly increase the budget.

Jones said the district is pursuing a Federal Aviation Administration certificate of authorization (COA) to operate a drone for targeted treatments; the district has submitted documentation and is awaiting the final COA. He stressed the program will not operate drones until all federal and state authorizations are in place.

A notable announcement was an Innovative Readiness Training approval from the Pentagon to host a U.S. Air Force 757 spray wing as part of a joint training exercise with participating coastal parishes. Jones said the air wing will provide aircraft, personnel and fuel while the parish supplies target areas and the chemical to be applied under local decisions; the partnership bears no aircraft or fuel cost to the parish when it operates. Jones described the arrangement as a legacy program that will aid readiness and emergency response in future hurricanes or storm events.

Jones also reported a long‑term surplus in the program’s finances and outlined capital needs including future engine refurbishments for aircraft (estimated at roughly $115,000 per engine) and a small ($500k) contingency within the budget. He said the district typically operates six trucks nightly at peak staffing and maintains spare vehicles for continuity during operations.

Jones requested the council keep in mind the district’s fund structure during adoption and noted the planned outreach that will precede any major USAF operations next summer.