Dear Editor, EddieFleming.com
On Mon, Nov 3, 2014 at 2:34 AM, jjryan2000 <[email protected]> wrote:
Write this Editor to respond to Mr. Ryan.
I submitted this to the Historic city news, but it look like it will not go anywhere if anyone can use it or pieces of it welcome.
Attention Residents of St. Johns County, Ponte Vedra, Ponte Vedra Beach, Vilano, Julington Creek, Hastings, St Augustine, St Augustine Beach, Crescent Beach, South Beach, Summer Haven, Lincolnville, West St. Augustine, Butler Beach, Switzerland, Fruit Cove, St Johns Florida, Palencia, Nocatee, Palm Valley, Flagler Estates, North Beach.
What bugs me about Mosquito Control?
Few jobs in government are less glamorous then a being a mosquito control board’s commissioner. However, few jobs in our government are more important to the health of our citizens and of our economic health then that of a mosquito control commissioner.
So when read an article that supports her opponent for Anastasia Mosquito Control District (AMCD) attack Commissioner Jeanne Moeller for attending too many informational conferences normally called workshops, I felt I had to say something. To be clear, her opponent Cory Mara did not attack Commissioner Moeller, but it is begging the question, is it wrong for commissioners to attend workshops.
If the attacks on Jeanne are motivated by partisan politics then they should stop. Just because the AMCD is an elected position does not means it is fare game for the political tactics of character assassination and innuendo. I may disagree with Jeanne Moeller on most political issues, or I may not. It does not matter because the AMCD board is non-partisan because it needs to be filled by qualified people. Mosquito control is too important to filter out candidates or to be used a stepping stone for a political career. Mosquitoes carry diseases that kill people. Even if no one dies, a small outbreak would cripple our tourist industry and all who depend on it. So I am presenting this to defend my Party’s character by defending innuendo with facts.
I talked to Jeanne Moeller after a chance encounter and asked her about attending conferences. I said that she had been accused of attending conferences at “a rate disproportionate to the other Commissioners” in the Historic City News. She simply said that she was fortunate to be able to take vacation time to attend the workshops, which may not be the case with other members. She seemed to think that it was her responsibility to be as informed as possible. She acknowledges that the Director Dr. Rui-De Xue attends the workshops and seemed to have a great respect for him. She said nothing negative about other commissioners or her opponent, Mr. Mara.
She said that the conventions or workshops were a great way to share knowledge with other districts and to establish mutually beneficial relationships. I asked if other district commissioners attended the workshops and she said yes. Apparently the scientists and the commissioners sometimes broke off into separate groups with each concentrating on their areas of interest.
I asked her if any benefit to AMCD came as a result of this interaction between commissioners. Jeanne did not take credit for any accomplishments made possible by the conferences, she used the word “We” much more than ‘I”, but she mentioned a few things. One innovation that someone had shared was a method to more precisely narrow down the location of a CDC report. Instead of having to spray the entire district or zip code, they could go to the affected area first, and work out from there. The AMCD save 50% of the chemicals needed by treating areas unnecessarily.
Other results of attending the conferences and workshops are having opportunities to see new products and methods. AMCD is currently getting paid to pilot test a new wind monitoring system and tracking system. We are benefiting form the day with more accurate spraying while becoming safer for the environment and people.
I would add that having at least one board member understand what Dr. Xue is saying provides a bridge between his scientific understanding and the Board’s experience.
Jeanne, also would make trips to Washington or Tallahassee when are necessary to advocate for the districts. Recently the Federal government was creating restrictions that would have prevented the AMCD from doing its job. Jeanne was part of the delegation.
If you want a commissioner that is paid $4,800, and basically attends meetings, you will pay $100/hr. hour, for an uninformed opinion. If you want informed activity informed people on the board, then it will cost $2000 in expenses, but they will work for less than $25 an hour. What we have is Jeanne Moeller who is someone who attends the board meetings and conferences, workshops and participates in legislative delegations, who possess a wealth of knowledge, all for the love of the job, than keep Jeanne Moeller.
P.S. From my research I found that most of the workshops are relatively small and generally run 2-3 days, but you can go for one day. They cost about $50 a day, normally including lunch, and attendee are provided with material to take back to their districts. Most of the workshops are within a one day driving distance, and if lodging if needed it runs from $110 to $150 a night. Our AMCD hosted a 2 day work shop with such topics as “New Insights into the Ecology of Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus Transmission in the Southeastern USA”. Anyone who can get excited by THAT topic, needs to stay on the board
As someone who went to conventions in Las Vegas, I can say, conventions are hard work, exhausting and certainly no fun, even in Vegas.
Joe Ryan, St. Augustine