Thursday, October 26, 2000 Older Editions

Selectmen vote swats mosquito-control plan

By Rebecca Piro

Whether the town decides to join the Northeast Mosquito Control District should not be based solely on the town's fear of the West Nile virus, a mosquito-control expert told Selectman Mary French this week.

As a result, selectmen unanimously recommend that Special Town Meeting disapprove the article that would give selectmen permission to enter into a three-year contract with the district.

A crow that tested positive for West Nile was found earlier this month on the Indian Ridge Country Club's golf course. The town will not take any safety measures against the mosquito-borne virus this year, because it is too late in the season to worry about mosquito breeding, Selectmen Chairman Brian Major has said in an earlier interview.

But Health Director Everett Penney suggested last week the town might want to prevent the potential health hazard of mosquitoes with West Nile returning in full force next year.

However, selectmen on Monday decided it's best for Andover to wait and review a Mass. Dept. of Public Health report on the hazards of pesticides, due this winter, and perhaps revisit the contract at the spring Town Meeting.

Selectman Mary French and Chairman Brian Major both stated reasons to delay a vote on the contract, having researched the issue on their own time.

French discussed the matter with Northeast Superintendent Walter Montgomery, who told her he would never recommend that a town join the contract just for West Nile control. The program is a broader-based preventative program that is meant to provide protection from all types of mosquito-borne diseases.

"That left me a little confused, because I thought (the town's interest in the program) was based 100 percent on West Nile," said French.

While the program is designed to control all types of mosquitoes, it is still effective against mosquitoes carrying West Nile, said Montgomery, who could not be reached for further comment.

Major reemphasized his concern that spraying for mosquitoes in Andover might not be effective, because several of the towns that border Andover are not participating in the program.

The hazards of chemical spraying weighed heavily on Major's mind as well, he said.

"Do we feel that these chemicals are really going to be safe?" he asked.

Ultimately, the board decided not to recommend approval for November. "This would be an article that we would like to see readdressed for spring Town Meeting when we have more information, when the recommendations from the Mass. Dept. of Public Health are available," said Major.

But it is not guaranteed that Northeast district will have time to get the program up and running for next season if the town waits until April to vote on the contract, said French.