HomeMy WebLinkAbout07.19.2004 (2)• •
COUNCIL WORK SESSION
July 19, 2004
4:30 p.m.
Council Chambers
Mayor Hurley called the meeting to order at 4:50 p.m.
Members present: Mayor Hurley, Kincaid, Cole, Greenwood, Clark, Schmitt, Gunderson,
Welper.
Moved by Welper, seconded by Kincaid that the Agenda, as proposed, be approved. Ayes:
Seven. Motion carried.
Tom O'Rourke, Director of Black Hawk County Health Department, updated the council on the
Black Hawk County Health Department. Mr. O'Rourke reviewed the organizational chart and
the FY 1983 — FY 2003 Budget History. County tax payers are asked to provide only 34 percent
of the total Health Department budget. Other revenue is derived from grants, contracts, fees and
donations.
The city contracts with Black Hawk County Health Department at an annual cost of $75,000.0
per year for numerous contractual services, including mosquito/West Nile surveillance and
control, restaurant/grocery inspections, food borne illness investigations, lead -based paint hazard
testing/inspection, public swimming pool inspection, salvage yard and pawn shop inspection,
vehicle for hire inspections, etc.
Mark Linda, Manager of Environmental Health Division, reported there are about 54 species of
mosquitoes. Mr. Linda reviewed a graph showing the mosquito population weekly report and
weekly mosquito collection. The graph shows there was quite a boost of mosquitoes in June and
a reduction of overall mosquitoes by the end of June. Mr. Linda reviewed larviciding vs.
adulticiding. Adulticiding involves using a spray to kill mosquitoes. These operations
continuously expose the public to pesticides. The effects of these chemicals may be particularly
severe for those people who already suffer from asthma or other respiratory problems.
Larvicide programs are targeted at controlling mosquitoes before they leave the water. A
larvicide's program allows the use of biological methods to control pests without jeopardizing
non -pest and beneficial organisms. Larviciding is the use of a relatively safe product to kill
mosquitoes in the larva stage in standing water and thus reduce overall mosquito populations.
The best mosquito control program is an integrated program that includes point source reduction
of breeding areas, routine larviciding in those breeding areas that cannot be eliminated, and
adulticiding only when necessary.
Fifty-four species of mosquitoes live in Iowa. The majority of these species have little impact on
our daily lives because they are rarely encountered. They prefer to take blood from sources other
than humans or they are not important vectors of diseases that affect us or our domestic animals
and are only a nuisance. The Black Hawk County Board of Health operates mosquito light
collection traps in Waterloo, Cedar Falls and Evansdale as part of the Encephalitis and West
Niles virus surveillance program. Black Hawk County Health also monitors a flock of sentinel
chickens in Waterloo as part of that same effort.
There are two kinds of mosquitoes: flood water mosquitoes and container mosquitoes.
Black Hawk County Health Department, in a joint project with the State of Iowa, collects dead
birds to check for the West Niles disease. This program draws blood from a bird once per week
and the test results are submitted to the State Hygienist to check for the East Niles disease. A
case was reported in Black Hawk County last week.
With no further business before the council, it was moved by Gunderson, seconded by Welper
that the meeting be adjourned at 5:10 p.m. Ayes: Seven. Motion carried.
Nancy Eckert
City Clerk