Williston, ND Active Issues

SKM · Senior Member

RE: Moquitoes in Williston...

vko · Senior Member

Great I hope - wish - and pray they the airforce can help us out. Without the Game and Fish tying their hands. We can only hope for the best. smile

gundo · Senior Member

ok they are censoring the english verison of cucaracha

gundo · Senior Member

they censored ****roach? WOW

brandyri23 · Veteran Member

You crack me up!

gundo · Senior Member

only you my dear. ;) that ****-a-roach(scareface style) was tasty tho. lol (creaper creaper creaper)

brandyri23 · Veteran Member

your funny gundo......chased anyone around on a creeper lately? LOL Take care!

gundo · Senior Member

long sleeve pants, not a favorite of mine..... just kidding brandi.... ;)

brandyri23 · Veteran Member

SKM wrote:

LOL!!!!!!! Brandi, that went right over your head. LOL

Ugh...no it didnt...I realize that in my original post I forgot to put a comma between, long sleeves and pants.....

SKM · Senior Member

LOL!!!!!!! Brandi, that went right over your head. LOL biggrin

brandyri23 · Veteran Member

i HAVE TO GIGGLE WHEN I THINK ABOUT IT TOO.....MY BROTHER IN LAW WHO LIVES WITH US CAME OUT THE DOOR AND WAS LIKE WTF????? THE ONLY NON FUNNY THING WAS.....I WASNT TRYING TO BE FUNNY, IT WAS LITERALLY WHAT I HAD TO DO TO NOT GET ATE UP! OH WELL! ITS OVER FOR THIS YEAR! (I HOPE)!

Carnell · Veteran Member

I'm sure you were a sight with long sleeve pants on. biggrin

(Kidding of course.) It did put a smirk on my face when I read that though. Yes! mosquitos suck! (Pun intended.)

Steve Powell · Guru

So...you're saying you adapted? Well done!!!

Haven't you seen the commercials??? 4 Dollars can buy you 8 all beef patties and stuff like that... biggrin

I'm only kidding, Brandy. I feel your pain. biggrin

brandyri23 · Veteran Member

Ok so here is my 2 cents.....Most people LOSE $4 worth of change each month! In the couch, car wherever......so whats the big deal? Especially with West Nile....those of you who are complaning obvoiusly dont know someone who has had it.....and Im sure we all agree ANYTHING would be better than what we had to put up with this year! One evening I went out to water my garden and I had to put on long sleeve pants, a hooded sweatshirt tied closely around my face and a winter scarf wrapped around my face as well! And it was 90+ degrees out! Im sure I was a sight, but I got the job done!

SteveKemp · Veteran Member

Steve Powell wrote:

If I might add, contrary to what many believe regarding our taxes next year, the city mil (from what I understand) is actually going to drop...making a yes vote that much easier of a pill to swallow. However, I would like to hear some guarantees from the vc. Steve? Where's my guarantee?
Will my 4th of July next year be close to, if not mosquito free?

-- Edited by Steve Powell at 23:46, 2008-09-15

Steve, I'd be a damned fool to guarantee you anything except that we will try our darned best to make it mosquito free. If you recall we were initially trying to get the Air Force to commit to 40,000 acres, which was deemed too much to attempt on the first year, not to mention too expensive to start off with. It will make sense for the Air Force to come in conservatively and see what kind of impact they can make before selling the farm to pay for the project. The 10,000 acres that we will be spraying will be polygons that we define in our GIS software of the mosquito larva hot spots within the river bottom from the confluence to the beginning of the lake. We will then give the Air Force the polygons that we defined and they will load that information into their computers on their planes.

Keep in mind that on this request for the additional $2 there is a sunset clause of two years. That means that if you don't like the results you can vote it down in two years. It keeps us honest, and the power rests in the hands of the people.

SKM · Senior Member

which 10 thousand acres are going to be sprayed? I dont understand why any of us should be paying for this anyway!! The Government messed this all up and now were stuck to pay the price! I feel like Williston is North Dakotas doormat!! AND WE SIT and TAKE IT. And we're left to clean up the aftermath! AM I alone here? OH, Minot and Bismarck dont have this infestation problem why care about us? Here we are, supposted to care about each other and yet Williston gets the shaft yet again. Good thing Williston cares about Williston!! SO yes I vote, yes. No one else is going to help us. We have to do this on our own,...Like we always have.

Steve Powell · Guru

If I might add, contrary to what many believe regarding our taxes next year, the city mil (from what I understand) is actually going to drop...making a yes vote that much easier of a pill to swallow. However, I would like to hear some guarantees from the vc. Steve? Where's my guarantee?
Will my 4th of July next year be close to, if not mosquito free? confused

-- Edited by Steve Powell at 23:46, 2008-09-15

Thatguy · Newbie

The Mosquito Control Charge Measure adds a $2 per month charge not exceeding $4 per occupied unit in Williston, and $2 per month for cities outside of Williston but within Vector Control District #1.

This charge would be reflected on the water bill within the Williston city limits and on the electric bill outside the limits.

If approved, the measure gives vector control sufficient funds to spray up to 10,000 acres. “We are counting on the public to vote for this...if they vote no, our hands are tied,” said Vector Control Board Secretary Steve Kemp.

I agree with this, and I am going to vote for this.
The way I see it, if you dont vote, or vote against it, dont complain about the skeetos next year!

vko · Senior Member

Thank You. Steve I truly appreciate your answers and realize that it is a very frustrating job. My questions here -- but when I ask some people in our Blessed Little Town would rather not answer .. Thank You Again. Vicki

SteveKemp · Veteran Member

vko wrote:

Thank You for your response. Have already written Senators and Congressmen. Have supplied our guys with Tempo and huge spray bottles for a few homes in Williston. And my question about bills: when our house was in Williston - we paid 24 dollars also our building 24 dollars... so we paid 48 dollars a year. (Now so you know I am not complaining about this amount) Now I don't know how this is distributed among the City and your Mosquitoe control - but there has to be many water bills in Williston. That was my question - Now I only pay 24 dollars per year. So I will leave my fine tooth comb at home, Thank You. And I never thought anyone was getting rich, but someone had to pay for our Mayor to go to Washington DC and I don't know if I missed it or if the results weren't published. Just wondered who paid for that.. Was it the City of Williston or the Mosquitoe Control? I think that there is alot of misused funds given to Williston and anywhere else in government.

The $2/month paid by everyone in the City of Williston raises approximately $150,000/year. All of the $150,000 goes to the Vector Control District and none of it goes to the City of Williston. I don't know how the trip to Washington DC was paid for but I wouldn't expect them to pay for their own way, and I believe that they go to Washington with a laundry list of requests and not just for more mosquito money.

vko · Senior Member

Thank You for your response. Have already written Senators and Congressmen. Have supplied our guys with Tempo and huge spray bottles for a few homes in Williston. And my question about bills: when our house was in Williston - we paid 24 dollars also our building 24 dollars... so we paid 48 dollars a year. (Now so you know I am not complaining about this amount) Now I don't know how this is distributed among the City and your Mosquitoe control - but there has to be many water bills in Williston. That was my question - Now I only pay 24 dollars per year. So I will leave my fine tooth comb at home, Thank You. And I never thought anyone was getting rich, but someone had to pay for our Mayor to go to Washington DC and I don't know if I missed it or if the results weren't published. Just wondered who paid for that.. Was it the City of Williston or the Mosquitoe Control? I think that there is alot of misused funds given to Williston and anywhere else in government.

SteveKemp · Veteran Member

I will try to answer both posts.

The lawsuit is a great idea, but can be expensive with no guarantee of a beneficial outcome. We have talked about this and the best bet for us is to try to convince the Attorney General to spearhead our cause. He has experience fighting the Corps of Engineers albeit a losing cause but experience counts. If we can convince him that this is a worthwhile cause then I think it is an avenue worth pursuing. We still need to commit to attempting a political solution, even though our political clout is strong it may not be enough to get us where we need to be.

Vicki to answer your questions, as best I can: Since you live out of town you still may be in the vector district, however you would only be paying about $3/year for vector control. The WVCD #1 extends from Legion Park in McKenzie County to Carolville in the North and from Stony Creek in the East to 141st Ave NW in the west (1/4 mile west of Highway 85). If you are somewhat close to town there is a good chance you still live in the district.
Air Force - we have met with them and yes we will get them here as long as we can pay for the chemical that will go into their plane. Keep in mind that these guys come out of Ohio not Minot, they come and spray Minot and Grand Forks. They met with us in July, and have agreed to come here providing we meet their criteria and can pay for the chemical they will use in their plane. To do this we will have to ask the public for more money in order to continue what we have been doing and pay for the Air Force to come here to spray.
Would you like to see all of our bills individually or just the totals, I can give you both or one or the other, you can go through them with a fine tooth comb, by the way they are public record so they are for you to see any time you want. No one is getting rich from this program, I can assure you, well, except for the chemical companies, and I would encourage you and anyone else to convince them to give the chemicals to us for free.
Our plans are this, 1 educate the public, 2 do source reduction of habitat where ever we can, including everyone's back yard, 3 larvacide with the help of the Air Force, 4 adulticide via truck fogging and the Air Force. The key to our plans would be to get more money to be able to pay for the Air Force to come to town; and could you imagine seeing a big ol C-130 flying over town and knocking the life out of the mosquitoes, it gets me pretty excited.
I don't feel that you have been attacked... unless you mean by mosquitoes. By the way, we are looking for any video, audio, or any other evidence that we can show the legislature in Bismarck to prove how bad of a problem we have. If anyone has any video or pictures that would be best, then they can see how bad our problem is first hand. We have plenty of recorded audio from the "interesting" messages people left us this summer on the Vector Comment Line.

We can't do this without your support, so if you think it is time to take a step forward then please support our efforts to raise more money, both from writing congressmen and legislators to spending a little more ourselves.

-- Edited by SteveKemp at 03:03, 2008-09-05

Steve Powell · Guru

Steve-o....a lawsuit against the corp might earn enough cash for the cause...no?

vko · Senior Member

Thank You for the Information, but still have questions. I can't vote in the City anymore, as we have moved out of City Limits. But we still have a Building in Williston which uses water.

Is there anywhere in Williston or the Williston Herald that Publishes what WVCD receives per year off the Water Bills and exactly what the costs are? And I hope that Williston continues to help with rising costs.

Will the Minot Air Force Base be able to put Williston on the List , so we can get in line for next year?

What were the results from the Washington, DC trip?

I do not want to be on a Wait and See List - Everyone know we will have mosquitoes whatever the River does. It is just how horrible are they going to be.

I know costs are going up, but when I asked last time about costs and accountabilty on what is being generated, I got jumped on and letters. I know Mr. Benth did great and can't understand why people did to him what they did. I put my venting in front of all - Williston Herald and Here.

I appreciated the websites, but what is Williston's immediate plans for this year for next Year?

I have asked these questions before, but all I get is history, rising costs and inflation, and attacks.

Like I say - Pretty much doesn't matter as I no longer live in City of Williston Limits. But whatever Williston has to do to Get the Air Force to Help would be a Huge Plus.

-- Edited by vko at 21:08, 2008-09-03

SteveKemp · Veteran Member

vko wrote:

Haven't you already paid for the mosquitoes over the last few years. Even when it wasn't bad. When people are getting West Niles because they have to work outside for a living - it is a issue. They went from a dollar to two and tried three. Everyone would pay this IF it wasn't going into a few pockets. It has been at least TEN YEARS that I have followed the mosquitoes problems. Get ready to pay Higher Taxes for your home apprarently their are deep pockets in Williston. I would not have a problem IF I saw a few improvements. All I see sometimes is what YOU have in YOUR pocket -- They want. I Love Williston - Born and Raised - But am tired of the BS.

You are absolutely right, we have got deep pockets, but that is because we have spent so much time pulling our pockets out looking for loose change to pay for this program. Vicki, WVCD got the 2nd dollar back in 1991 and it hasn't been increased since then, and yes they attempted to get to $3/month and that failed. In June 2008 people "renewed" the 2nd dollar because it has a sunset clause on it.

The inflation calculated since June of 1991 is 55.21% (http://inflationdata.com/Inflation/Inflation_Calculators/Inflation_Rate_Calculator.asp), so if I understand inflation correctly that means our spending power has decreased by more than half, if we are to maintain the dollars spend we would have to double the $2/month to $4/month. We are 45% of the program that existed in 1991.

This year we did get an addition $150,000 from the City of Williston as a one time infusion of cash so that we could larvacide the acreage immediately to the south of Williston in the river bottoms giving us approximately a 5 mile radius of protection to see if that would be enough. Obviously it wasn't enough, and that is why we feel we need to spray the entire river bottoms from the confluence to the beginning of Lake Sakawea. Aedes Vexans (our problem mosquito) has a range of 14 miles unaided by the wind, and with the wind can travel as far as 100 miles (Clarke 1943; Horsfall 1955). The 5 mile buffer wasn't enough to stem the flow of adults, however we feel that if we can spray the entire acreage we feel that can make an impact.

Now as far as getting flooding the same as we got this year for next year, I sure hope you are right because we all could sure use a break. Unfortunately, it seems that if you look at historical data (USGS web site) we have been in the driest 9 year pattern that the Yellowstone river has had in recorded history, it appears that we are coming out of the cycle and we could see 6-10 years of higher than average water levels. Check out this web page: http://mt.water.usgs.gov/images/annual_departures/06329500.annual.departure.png

vko · Senior Member

Haven't you already paid for the mosquitoes over the last few years. Even when it wasn't bad. When people are getting West Niles because they have to work outside for a living - it is a issue. They went from a dollar to two and tried three. Everyone would pay this IF it wasn't going into a few pockets. It has been at least TEN YEARS that I have followed the mosquitoes problems. Get ready to pay Higher Taxes for your home apprarently their are deep pockets in Williston. I would not have a problem IF I saw a few improvements. All I see sometimes is what YOU have in YOUR pocket -- They want. I Love Williston - Born and Raised - But am tired of the BS.

lifetimeres · Newbie

As far as calling in the airforce, I hope Its going to be a wait & see before the citizens are asked to pay for all this. Its Common sense it was a bad year for skeeters because of the missouri flooding. Chances are it wont be next year,We sure dont need to be taxed more for some service we wont need.

Steve Powell · Guru

brandyri23 wrote:

Hate to be "debbie downer here" but the vanishing of the mosquitos has ALOT to do with the weather.........not the spraying

Really? weirdface wink

brandyri23 · Veteran Member

Hate to be "debbie downer here" but the vanishing of the mosquitos has ALOT to do with the weather.........not the spraying ........LOL cant wait for next year!

Steve Powell · Guru

Hey Kemper! Just thought I'd let you know, the mosquitos appear to be just about all gone! You guys are doing a great job!!! wink

Lonewolf · Senior Member

lifetimeres wrote:

looking at the fogging map, Does that mean theyve only fogged one day ? Why wasent the ne city fogged? I live in the NE part of town, Howcome ive only heard the fogger going by blocks away one time all summer? I hear alota people wanting to know where the foggers are , nobody ever answers this, Didnt VC get enought money from the city to do so?

Ya, they only fogged the entire city once this summer............

Just wondering if anyone knows any effects the fog would have on someone with asthma.
Oh, and thanks guys for fogging during the Relay For Life event we had at the cutting feild. It really helped allot and was greatly appreciated!!!! Thank you guys very much from the Holland America relay team.

SKM · Senior Member

-- Edited by SKM at 03:33, 2008-09-02

-- Edited by SKM at 03:37, 2008-09-02

vko · Senior Member

Thanks for the laugh. I watch the clip on mad as hell. sorry new to this - don't really know how it works.

-- Edited by vko at 21:04, 2008-07-30

lifetimeres · Newbie

looking at the fogging map, Does that mean theyve only fogged one day ? Why wasent the ne city fogged? I live in the NE part of town, Howcome ive only heard the fogger going by blocks away one time all summer? I hear alota people wanting to know where the foggers are , nobody ever answers this, Didnt VC get enought money from the city to do so?

SteveKemp · Veteran Member

http://www.williamsnd.com/DepartmentDisplay.aspx?ID=21

I put the first map of the truck fogging out there. Without the map being interactive it is difficult to gain a lot of information from the map. Since people are concerned mostly about the speeds that is what I put on this map. We are working on a different way to display these maps so you can see everything, when the fog is on, what speed they are going, and what time of the day they went by.

http://www.williamsnd.com/usrfiles/7-3-2008-Fogging.pdf
That link will take you directly to the map.

SKM · Senior Member

-- Edited by SKM at 03:34, 2008-09-02

SteveKemp · Veteran Member

Think this, for next year http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upkO53qCRus.

I have had a lot of questions about why we don't have the Air Force bomb us this year: they are already scheduled out, so that is why we are working on them this year to make sure that we get on their schedule for next year. It is an all volunteer unit so we have to work around their schedules as well.

Lonewolf · Senior Member

Goes to the window and yells...
"IM AS MAD AS HELL AND IM NOT GOING TO TAKE THIS ANYMORE!!!"

Carnell · Veteran Member

This is THE classic clip from the movie "Network." I don't know why I posted it on the Mosquitoe furum...but I did... Do you know why? evileye

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QMBZDwf9dok

Good Stuff.

Jibslider · Senior Member

jd powell wrote:

I had 3 days of freedom from the mosquitos. Those mornings the sprayer came by at about eleven PM. The last 2 mornings have been hell. I retire usually
around midnight. I have not heard the sprayer at all so know it had to be in the AM. I have sprayed the lawn myself until it is killing the lawn. This morning, tuesday, it is unbearable. The street is 4th and 6th ave and I still have all the little SOBs. What the h--- is goling on. This is not called success. It is failure in the first degree and unlike some others, I see no solving of the problem now or in the future.

This just adds to the list of reasons I only go home at Christmas. :)

SteveKemp · Veteran Member

brandyri23 wrote:

So there is some talk going around in Trenton that "someone" found a "nest" of mosquitoes down by the pumphouse at the Confluence and that all of the mosquitoes tested in this "nest" had West Nile............Can anyone tell me who this "someone" was that tested this "nest" and if there is any truth to it? I am thinking myself that this area down there isnt done by the Vector in Williston..........is this true?

No, this is not true and no our district ends at 141st Ave NW. The only pump house that I am aware of is in our district but it is nowhere near the confluence so this is very confusing to say the least. The map is up on our web site of the Vector District.

Mica · Veteran Member

OMG Steve you made me laugh out loud - and yes it sounded like Butthead. Huh hhuh huh huh. .. I need some TP for my ................

brandyri23 · Veteran Member

So there is some talk going around in Trenton that "someone" found a "nest" of mosquitoes down by the pumphouse at the Confluence and that all of the mosquitoes tested in this "nest" had West Nile............Can anyone tell me who this "someone" was that tested this "nest" and if there is any truth to it? I am thinking myself that this area down there isnt done by the Vector in Williston..........is this true?

jd powell · Member

I had 3 days of freedom from the mosquitos. Those mornings the sprayer came by at about eleven PM. The last 2 mornings have been hell. I retire usually
around midnight. I have not heard the sprayer at all so know it had to be in the AM. I have sprayed the lawn myself until it is killing the lawn. This morning, tuesday, it is unbearable. The street is 4th and 6th ave and I still have all the little SOBs. What the h--- is goling on. This is not called success. It is failure in the first degree and unlike some others, I see no solving of the problem now or in the future.

Steve Powell · Guru

<sound like butthead> Uhhh, huh huh, uhhh....you said promiscuous male and screwworm. Uhhh, huh huh.

SteveKemp · Veteran Member

Steve Powell wrote:

That's actually a good idea. I'd think it would prevent quite a number of phone calls.

Quick question that just popped into my head. How does it work that we pay the extra money out of our city water bill yet you guys are able to spray city and county? Shouldn't that mill come from a county mil so you can get more money?

I think that is a good idea as well JD, I think that may well be handled by having Fran send a quick email to them when those decisions are made and KEYZ or any of the other radio stations could do a public announcement stating what the scoop is.

To answer your question Steve here is goes as simply as I can. First let's define the district (we'll be making a PDF map of the district tomorrow), the vector district extends from Legion Park in the south to Carolville in the North and from Stony Creek in the East to 141st Ave NW in the West (just to the West of Highway 85). The city of Williston is the only place we do any fogging because the citizens of Williston pay the extra $2/month on the water bill. The whole district pays 1 mill off their property taxes, which is capped at 1 mill by the state legislature, the 1 mill raises approximately $25,000.00/year. The $2/month raises about $150,000/year and has been that way since 1991. Steve, since you live in town you pay about $27/year, and I pay about $3/year because I live outside of town. In November you may see an effort by Williston Vector control to get the rest of the District (outside of city limits) to pay the additional $2/month and that would be put on the REC electric bill, which would then allow us to fog the rest of the district, or at least where there is a concentration of housing as it would be far too costly to fog a single house. With any luck next year we won't need to do much fogging with the help of the Air Force.

Lonewolf, we are still working on the maps of the fogging, it is hard to put them in a static format because you can't tell when the fogger is on or off. We are working on a long term solution to that by allowing the public direct access to our GIS system via the web. Then you will be able to click on the dot that the GPS makes by your house and see how fast the truck was going and at what rate the spray was coming out.

Here is a great new idea out there that sprouted from a post from Carnell, an example of some very useful and helpful information. http://www.oxitec.com/ This company specializes in genetically modifying male mosquitoes (or any other nuisance insect) to make them infertile and more promiscuous than the average male mosquitoes and thus they breed themselves out of existence. This has been successfully done before with the screwworm, which was successfully knocked out of existence in the US, Mexico and most of Central America by using the SIT (Sterile Insect Technique). I encourage you to read about it at their web site. I have contacted them to get more information on how we can do this with our mosquito problem here, I am anxiously awaiting their reply.

Also, for those of you who are interested in how fogging works please watch this video at our web site: http://www.williamsnd.com/video/7-17-2008FoggingProject.wmv

Remember it is my own home video so it is cheesy as heck, but it is informative.

-- Edited by SteveKemp at 21:30, 2008-07-21

Steve Powell · Guru

That's actually a good idea. I'd think it would prevent quite a number of phone calls.

Quick question that just popped into my head. How does it work that we pay the extra money out of our city water bill yet you guys are able to spray city and county? Shouldn't that mill come from a county mil so you can get more money?

jd powell · Member

Steve Kemp, have you considered having KEYZ giving you 5 minutes or so each morning. There is still a lot of people in Williston that do not have pc's.
You could then explain each morning after spraying or not spraying the why-when or wheres of the situation the night before. Just prior to "The Trading Post" would be an ideal time.

SKM · Senior Member

-- Edited by SKM at 03:35, 2008-09-02

NaderMoore · Member

http://www.dictionary.com