‘I felt like I was just being attacked’: County increases spending on mosquito control

The Sussex County Commissioners agreed to spend tens of thousands more to control the mosquitoes tormenting local residents.

Commissioner Sylvia Petillo said the county’s Office of Mosquito Control has received more than 500 complaints in the week leading up to the Sept. 23 commissioners’ meeting. They were working weekends and evenings on the complaints and had responded to 366 complaints as of Sept. 20, she said.

“The other night I was just trying to take a walk and I felt like I was just being attacked,” Petillo said at the Sept. 23 meeting.

The county commissioners unanimously approved a change order agreeing to pay $45,000 to Rebecca Lynn Flying Service Inc., a 75 percent increase in the contract for mosquito spraying.

Adding to the misery, mosquitos carrying West Nile Virus were recently detected in Byram Township.

“This is due to that unforeseen increase in both mosquito activity and the detection of mosquito-borne diseases here in Sussex County,” Commissioner Anthony Fasano said. “This increase in services will be aimed at treating the affected areas and eradicating the problem and the risk of disease in those affected areas.”