County sending a plea to city for mosquito dollars

By Andrea J. Cook, Journal staff | Wednesday, July 02, 2008

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Pennington County is taking the state's advice to heart by asking the City of Rapid City to share the $79,685 it has received from the state for mosquito control.

On Tuesday, commissioners authorized weed and pest supervisor Scott Guffey to ask the city for $20,000. 

Last week, Guffey told the Journal that the state Department of Health apparently "randomly decided" which local mosquito control programs should be funded.

The Department of Health eliminated counties from the application process this year, a move that left Pennington County, several municipalities and Rapid Valley without supplemental funds for mosquito control.

"In other words, the Department of Health has chosen to decide who's expendable and who's not," Commissioner Jim Kjerstad said Tuesday.

In a news release issued on Monday, Department of Health Secretary Doneen Hollingsworth, defended the state's distribution methods.

According to Hollingsworth, funding was based on six years worth of historical data on communities in South Dakota that have experienced the most cases of West Nile virus.

"Simply put, dollars were directed to areas which have had more cases," Hollingsworth said.

Hollingsworth said that Rapid City and Pennington County did not apply for any funds in 2007.

According to her figures, the city received $61,952 for mosquito control efforts from 2004 to 2006. The county received $15,988.

Guffey told commissioners that the county only received funding in 2004, the year West Nile broke out in the state. The county shared that grant with Wall, Hill City, Keystone, Box Elder and New Underwood, he said.

Only Wall and Rapid City received funds this year. Wall did not even apply for the funding, according to Guffey.

"I still say it's a waste of taxpayers' dollars," he said.

More Culex tarsalis mosquitoes are showing up in mosquito traps located throughout the county. Culex tarsalis is the most common carrier of West Nile.

County crews will begin fogging between dusk and dawn on selected county roads this week.

Guffey encouraged the commissioners to write a letter to Gov. Mike Rounds protesting the methods used to allocate funding this year.

Meanwhile, officials are urging the public to take precautions against mosquitoes when spending time outdoors by using insect repellant and wearing loose fitting clothing.

Contact Andrea Cook at 394-8423 or andrea.cook@rapidcityjournal.com