Council Member Schulz introduces ordinance to privatize mosquito control

Council Member Chris Schulz introduced an ordinance that would authorize mosquito abatement through engagement of Vector Disease Control International, dissolve the Plaquemines Parish Mosquito Control Department and reallocate revenues from the existing Mosquito Control Fee to pay a contracted vendor.

The measure was presented during the agenda’s ordinance introductions and drew a lengthy discussion earlier in the meeting during the District 1 update. Schulz described the ordinance as a conversion of the parish’s mosquito program from a parish department to a contracted service, using the existing fee revenue to fund vendor operations rather than in‑house staffing.

The nut graf: if adopted, the ordinance would change the delivery model for mosquito abatement and redirect Mosquito Control Fee revenue to an outside contractor. That shift affects operational responsibility, staffing and the funding flow; however, the ordinance was introduced for consideration and the council did not take a final vote on the measure at this session.

Details and next steps: the ordinance was placed on the agenda as item 14 for introduction and will return for further consideration on a subsequent meeting agenda; no implementation actions, contract award or personnel changes were finalized at the April 23 meeting. Council members discussed the proposal during the District 1 update but the transcript records discussion only — no recorded motion, amendment or formal vote on the ordinance was taken at this meeting.

Clarifying details: the ordinance’s digest (as read into the record) states it would use existing Mosquito Control revenues to pay the contracted vendor; the transcript does not record contractual terms, price, contract length, or any specific staffing impacts (those items are not specified).