Gypsy moths, EMS proposal to be discussed

JACKSON - Two public meetings of interest to Jackson residents will be held in the coming week.

At 7:15 p.m. Jan. 22 at the municipal building, West Veterans Highway, township officials will discuss gypsy moth spraying. It is expected that there will be a presentation by representatives of the state Department of Agriculture and the state Department of Environmental Protection.

Council PresidentAnn Updegrave said she attended a meeting on the matter in Trenton this past week. She said she learned that Bt, which is what the state sprays from the air to suppress gypsy moths, is not effective.

"Dimilin [on the other hand] has been sprayed in four or five different states and has been sprayed for over 20 years and there have been no ill effects whatsoever. They have done testing and there have been no ill effects ever reported back from spraying Dimilin," she said.

Updegrave said Jackson officials have not received permission to spray Dimilin from the air, although she said that possibility exists.

"Right now the Department of Agriculture is going to come to our meeting and just discuss other ways besides Bt," she said. "We have to address this gypsy moth situation almost like it's a health, safety and welfare issue for the whole northeast section of the United States," Updegrave said.

She said all regular council meetings in the future will begin at 7:15 p.m., regardless of whether or not the council's 6:30 p.m. caucus and executive sessions end earlier.

"The Jan. 22 meeting will not start prior to 7:15 p.m." Updegrave said.

The next night, Jan. 23 at 7 p.m., a special meeting will be held at Jackson Liberty High School, 125 North Hope Chapel Road, to discuss the provision of emergency medical services in Jackson. Residents are expected to hear presentations from representatives of MONOC and Quality Medical Transport and be informed about a municipal medical services option.