BY JEFF CHUDZINSKINorth Country This Week

STOCKHOLM -- After public debate and significant pushback, the Stockholm town board has reversed course on a proposed plan to hire a company to conduct an aerial spray of pesticides to kill mosquitos and ticks throughout the town.

The topic was raised at the previous month's meeting where most board members said they were open to the idea but wanted to conduct more research. Board member Jed Arquitt was in opposition during both meetings, he said.  

The town board ultimately voted unanimously against the proposal on March 12, saying the potential impact to the environment, coupled with the expense to spray led to the decision.

Over 30 residents crammed into the meeting room, including organic farmers, beekeepers and concerned citizens who wanted to voice opposition to the idea. No residents spoke in favor of the idea to spray pesticides.

Janet St. Pierre, a self-described organic farmer, told board members and meeting attendees about her findings after researching the chemicals that would be used and the effects they may have on other animals in the spray zone.

According to St. Pierre, she found that the pesticide is extremely toxic to aquatic organisms, including fish and aquatic invertebrates, as well as blooming crops or weeds.

St. Pierre said she weighed the pros and cons of the potential plan, including the financial impact to taxpayers.

Of note, St. Pierre touched on one ingredient of the spray, a petroleum distillate "that helps it stick to things."

The petroleum distillate, coupled with the synthetic compounds could have deadly consequences for more than mosquitos and ticks, she said.

"It would only target the mosquitos currently flying but would not kill the larvae. The spray would also impact our bird populations, fish populations, bees, everything," she said.

St. Pierre also questioned whether the spray would even be able to penetrate the foliage to reach ticks that are on the ground.

She said the highly toxic compound would also wreak havoc on the bee population and aquatic organisms when it reached waterways. St. Pierre likened the chemicals to DDT or Agent Orange.

"All of these warnings that make you think DDT or Agent Orange is coming out of the sky," she said.

Residents were previously told that they would have to remain indoors for several hours while the plane sprayed the designated areas. Pets would also not be allowed outside and windows and vents needed to be shut even several hours after the spray was applied.

Other requirements prior to spraying included covering all outdoor furniture and toys, as well as closing vents when driving through the area.

"We're also supposed to cover gardens, rinse our homegrown fruits and vegetables thoroughly before cooking. This is a potential health hazard for all of us," she said.

St. Pierre also raised concerns over the idea that a property can be omitted from the spraying schedule at the request of the property owner.

"I heard at the meeting that they said they could put the coordinates in and when they get to Blind Crossing Road they just turn off the taps. All I could think about was the plane as it's flying and everything follows behind it, drifting towards our property," she said.

She said aerial drift is a very real concern, one that is totally out of the control of the town and pilot alike. "We think about the wildfires last year, we all lived through it. They were 200 miles north (of us) and yet we were in a big haze because what goes up, eventually moves around," she said.

Other organic farmers and beekeepers spoke at the meeting as well, saying the possibility of eliminating the food source for many insects, including those that pollinate crops.

Town Supervisor Chad Colbert said he spoke to Andrea Malik in Colton about a potential bacterial solution that could be used to eliminate mosquito larvae in water. That solution, he said, would not harm any aquatic life.

Malik has been the director of the Town of Colton's BTWI Black Fly Control Program for nearly 30 years.

"It attacks the larvae of the mosquitoes and black flies, anything waterborne. I called Andrea about that and I got some information on that. You do treat the water and its direct treatment of the water sources, no spraying, nothing aerial. It will be significantly more expensive. She did not have an idea how much it would cost but it would cost significantly more due to the labor," he said.

Mark St. Pierre also raised concerns about the potential immunity that insect populations could develop from receiving the same spray every year.

"Eventually, you get King Kong mosquitoes and it doesn't affect them," he said.

St. Pierre said other farms have seen bugs develop immunities to certain treatments after years of use, forcing farmers to pivot to new techniques to irradiate the insects.

Though Stockholm will not hire a company to conduct the aerial spraying, Colbert did say that Brasher will continue to do so.

Board members say they were informed that Brasher conducts the practice twice per year at a cost of about $15,000 total.

"I just want to say I appreciate people coming and this is one place where we still have a voice. I appreciate you giving us time out of order," Janet St. Pierre said.

Colbert and town board members also voiced their appreciation of residents who attended the meeting and were willing to have a conversation with town officials.

"Thank you everyone who has done the research and referred it to us. Your insightfulness is appreciated," he said.