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Council declares necessity of spongy moth suppression program; special-assessment roll to be set April 6
Summary
The Wyoming City Council voted to declare the 2026 Spongy Mass Suppression Project a municipal necessity and signaled it will consider the special-assessment roll that would assign costs to property owners at its April 6 meeting. Council members debated whether the program’s cost should be borne by assessed property owners or by the city at large.
The Wyoming City Council on March 6 adopted a resolution declaring the necessity of the 2026 Spongy Mass Suppression Project and establishing the framework for related Special Assessment Districts 206-823 and 206-824, while deferring final approval of the assessment roll to the April 6 meeting.
Council members and staff said tonight’s vote does not set who will be charged; it only affirms the city’s need to undertake the suppression program and authorizes the process that will lead to the assessment roll being prepared and publicly noticed. A council member noted that if the council rejects a special-assessment approach in April, the city would have to identify alternate funding sources.
The debate centered on how to distribute program costs. Supporters said targeted assessments are appropriate because the spray program provides direct benefits to properties with susceptible trees, while critics said the program can create a broader citywide benefit in property-value protection and questioned whether special assessment is the fairest funding method. Council members cited prior work sessions and public input; staff said the matter has been discussed at multiple sessions in the past year.
Council members referenced a piece of correspondence from a resident who wrote that a roughly $38 charge would be “a steal,” and members emphasized that public hearings on the assessment roll will provide more opportunity for input before any charges appear on tax bills.
The council’s vote on the resolution finding necessity passed (recorded roll-call: Postler yes; DeKryger yes; Brethauer yes; Hill no; Postema yes; Mayor Vanderwood no), with the final assessment decisions scheduled for the April 6 meeting.
Next steps: staff will prepare the proposed special-assessment roll, publish required notices and conduct the public hearing on April 6, when the council will vote on whether to place the assessment on property tax bills.
