Cut in mosquito spraying stings county

LOS LUNAS, N.M. (KRQE) - There's a buzz about a Valencia County Commission plan to save money by eradicating the program to spray mosquitoes this summer.

Critics are complaining that makes sense in a county with miles of river and vast bosque breeding grounds.

"We're strapped for cash, and there's some items we had to reduce," commission Chairman Pedro Rael told KRQE News 13.

Out for now from the Valencia County budget is $10,000 to $15,000 for professional mosquito spraying. In later this summer could be swarms of mosquitoes in rural parts of the county.

"The commission collectively made a determination that we might not need to spray for mosquitoes this year," Rael said.

But since that time commissioners have endured stinging complaints and concerns that irrigation areas and ponds could become mosquito breeding grounds.

"There's a lot little small farms and a lot of ranches a lot of horses," county resident Dave Hamann said Tuesday. "That's where that West Nile virus comes in, and it'll hit the horses and then the people will get it.

"I think they need to get right on it."

New Mexico tallied eight human cases of West Nile virus in 2008 plus three cases in horses, according to the state Department of Health. All the patients recovered.

No cases have been confirmed this year.

Other rural residents question whether the spraying helps and think saving money is the way to go.

Gene Morgan Valencia county resident

"I'd rather fight off mosquitoes with my own spray and use the money for fixing some of the roads around or other things that have a priority," Gene Morgan said.

Either way commissioners now say they will reevaluate whether cutting the professional spraying poses a significant health hazard.

"If that's the case, I'm going to recommend to the county commission that we reinstate the spraying like we have in prior years," Rael said.

The mosquito debate will be up for public discussion before the commission votes to cut or reinstate rural spraying in this year's budget.

The cities of Belen and Los Lunas still plan to pay for professional spraying.