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4 Rivers Vector Control reports financial recovery, new equipment and no-spray option ahead of mosquito season
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Summary
At a Deschutes County commissioners meeting, Eva Wild Crane of 4 Rivers Vector Control said the district stabilized its finances, added vehicle tracking and upgraded foggers with pesticide-tracking and a homeowner no-spray option, and that audits remain behind but are on a timeline for completion.
The Deschutes County Board of County Commissioners heard an annual report from 4 Rivers Vector Control on operational changes and financial stabilization ahead of mosquito season.
Eva Wild Crane of 4 Rivers Vector Control told commissioners the district had been “headed towards bankruptcy” but is now “back on track” after reducing payroll costs, hiring an outsourced contractor as district manager and instituting tighter fiscal controls. She said the board is full and the district has begun monthly meetings to increase transparency.
The report outlined several operational changes the district has implemented: vehicle and fuel tracking for all vehicles, upgraded foggers that record pesticide usage and include a homeowner no-spray option, an auto-response phone/text system that maps service requests, and renewed Forest Service permitting that will allow aircraft support if needed. “We are ecstatic with the current direction of the district,” Crane said.
Commissioners and district staff emphasized customer service and early-season inspections. District staff reported they have already begun larval inspections, finding some mosquito larvae but not at the high levels seen in recent bad seasons, and they plan to use resident reports and proactive inspections to reduce later fogging. The district also described a separate budget line for private contract work (for communities such as Sunriver) and an a la carte pricing approach so taxpayer funds are not used for private services.
District representatives acknowledged a backlog of audits: when the current board took over, audits were seven years behind; they said they are now two years behind and that the auditor has promised to complete work between mid-April and May. The district estimates audit costs of about $40,000 for the current fiscal year with recurring audit costs expected to be approximately $8,000–$9,000 thereafter.
Commissioners invited the district to report back after the busy season; district staff suggested an October follow-up meeting to review outcomes and the work plan for the next year.
The presentation closes a period of operational restructuring for the district; commissioners praised the board’s progress and emphasized continued oversight as audits and seasonal operations proceed.
