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Resident tells Burton council weekly mosquito spraying makes her sick; urges alternatives
Summary
During audience participation, resident Melinda Ben told the council she is chemically sensitive and that weekly mosquito spraying "will make me sick," cited a study she said linked pesticide exposure near golf courses to Parkinson’s risk, and urged the city to avoid blanket spraying.
At the Burton City Council meeting, resident Melinda Ben told elected officials that weekly mosquito spraying in the city is making her ill and urged the council to reconsider or limit the program.
Ben said she has severe chemical sensitivities and described the spray as a petrochemical-based product mixed with mineral oil. “This product is gonna make me sick,” she told the council, and she said she had opted out of receiving sprays on her own property. She also said she had consulted a specialist and referenced a study she said appeared in the Journal of American Medicine linking pesticide exposure near golf courses to an elevated Parkinson’s disease risk.
Ben asked the council to prioritize alternatives and individual responsibility, noting that some residents may choose repellents or other personal measures. She said she had discussed her concerns with a staff member named Benjamin, who she described as helpful but whose job involves spraying.
Council members did not take formal action on the complaint during the meeting; the comment concluded during the public-comment period. The administration or public-works staff did not present a health-safety assessment or a technical report on the pesticide during the meeting.
The council’s agenda advanced to voting items after public comment; no follow-up directive regarding the spray program was recorded in the meeting minutes.
