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R-91-707• CITY OF CLERMONT RESOLUTION NO. 707 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CLERMONT, LAKE COUNTY, FLORIDA, URGING OUR ELECTED STATE OFFICIALS TO MAINTAIN THE EXISTING STATE SUPPORT FOR MOSQUITO CONTROL PROGRAMS; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. WHEREAS, the Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services has recommended the elimination of all state support for mosquito control; and WHEREAS, these cuts would eliminate all funding and staffing for the mosquito control functions of the Office of entomology, eliminate the John A. Mulrennan, Sr. Research Laboratory in Panama City, except for one bio-control position, eliminate the Dog Fly Aerial Control Operation in the Florida Panhandle, and eliminate the Epidemiology Research Center in Tampa; and WHEREAS, if programs in Entomology Services are eliminated, Florida and the cities in Lake County will suffer severely; and WHEREAS, the elimination of the Epidemiology Research Center would make it impossible to obtain coordinated serological results needed to identify arthropod-spread epidemics and conduct Florida's St. Louis Encephalitis surveillance program; and WHEREAS, elimination of Mosquito Programs in Entomology Services would remove the independent monthly and yearly review of Florida's fifty-five (55) organized mosquito control programs, deprive smaller, poorer counties of critical financial support for mosquito control, which would lead to higher risks of disease and unsafe pesticide applications, eliminate funding of legally mandated training and certification programs, and abolish the only guaranteed source of grant funding for applied mosquito-oriented research; and WHEREAS, the elimination of the John A. Mulrennan, Sr. Research Laboratory would weaken environmental safety by removing the only state laboratory that has the task of evaluating mosquitocides, and leave a single, inadequately staffed biological research position; and WHEREAS, the elimination of the Dog Fly Program would significantly increase the cost for dog fly control in north Florida, force individual counties to purchase aircraft, or use contract services at higher cost, diminish scientific oversight of broadscale insecticide application for dog flies, adversely impact tourism- related income because of the dog fly annoyance, and weaken Florida's ability to respond to St. Louis Encephalitis and Eastern Equine Encephalitis outbreaks; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CLERMONT, LAKE COUNTY, FLORIDA: 1. That the City Council of the City of Clermont, Florida, calls upon our elected state officials to maintain the current level of aid to local governments for mosquito control programs. 2. That a copy of this Resolution shall be sent to Governor Lawton Chiles, Senator Richard • CITY OF CLERMONT RESOLUTION NO. 707 PAGE -2- Langley, Representative Everett Kelly and Representative Stan Bainter. In addition, copies shall be sent to the Board of County Commissioners of Lake County, municipalities in Lake County, and the Lake County League of Cities requesting support in this matter. 3. This Resolution shall take effect upon adoption. DONE AND RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CLERMONT, LAKE COUNTY, FLORIDA THIS 26th _ DAY OF March , 1991. CITY OF CLERMONT ATTEST: ,- / / V J E H VAN E, CITY CLERK ~ ~, ~"~ .i ROBERT A. POOL, MAYOR