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OCW chair says district rebuilt operations after loss of records, asks towns to help recruit seasonal staff
Summary
Joe Freeman, chair of the regional insect-control board (OCW), told the Lester Selectboard the district ran 92 spray events this summer, recovered from lost records and tools, bought equipment using a mix of grants and donations, and is seeking candidates and possible financing to cover remaining capital needs and a $50,000 running-water/septic installation at a facility.
Joe Freeman, chair of the regional insect-control district, told the Lester Selectboard that the district rebuilt much of its program this year after arriving to "no reports, no records, no tools" and had to restart operations from scratch. "Once we got them rolling, we did 92 spray emissions this summer," Freeman said, adding that the program used a combination of state grant funds, a private loan and donations to make key upgrades.
Freeman outlined two major remaining infrastructure needs: running water and a septic system for one facility, for which he said there is a plan and a permit but not the roughly $50,000 needed for installation. He also said the district had hired an adulticide coordinator, a lab specialist, two college interns and several applicators, and that staffing remains fragile: "We're maybe 0.5 to 2, 0.333 of the way there, about halfway there," Freeman said of their capital position, and urged the selectboard to help identify seasonal candidates and retirees willing to work.
The presentation covered budget mechanics and reimbursements: Freeman and OCW representatives said about $70,000 of capital work was done this year, with much of the cost covered by grants and donations and roughly $9,000 net out of pocket. They also described $14,000 in loaned funds for a truck purchase and a $75,000 grant held by a related district that could subsidize drone larvicide demonstrations next year. "If we can get that done, we can get it done for 50¢ on the dollar," Freeman said of a potential state/private match for drone applications.
Board members pressed for clearer accounting of carryover and reserve funds ahead of town budget hearings, and OCW representatives agreed to provide more detailed balance-sheet information before voters are asked to approve assessments.
