gypsy moths - WKTV Journal

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

One resident questioned the need for spraying for gypsy moths, while a few others stated they felt there needed to be more done to control the population during a public hearing at the Wyoming City Council’s April 5 meeting.

The City of Wyoming has annually sprayed parts of the city for the gypsy moth caterpillars which have a voracious appetite and can cause quite a bite of damage to trees, especially Oak trees.

At the April 5 night meeting, the City Council had its first public hearing about the overall gypsy moth spraying project for 2021. A second public meeting has been set for April 19 which will be specifically for the special assessment to property owners to cover the cost of the sprayings.

During the public hearing, one resident who lived near Lions Park said he questioned the need for the spraying as he has not seen any gypsy moths and felt that the spraying impacted other wildlife such as butterflies and birds. The spray used is a naturally occurring bacteria called Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), which, according to information provided, is not harmful to humans or animals.

However, a couple of residents, who live near Pinery Park, expressed concern that the gypsy moth caterpillar population seemed to be growing in the city and the need for the city to do more to help control it.

Mayor Jack Poll said they appreciate residents coming forward and letting them know what they see as they do relay that information back to the company that does the spraying, which is Hamilton Helicopters, Inc., to help target the gypsy moths.

The council did approve the project. The total cost of the project is about $65,700. It covers 868 acres at about $64.10 per acre.

The cost of the spraying is passed on to the homeowners in a special assessment. At its April 19 council meeting, the council will review the special assessment to property owners for the spraying. The special assessment will be $26 per standard residential lot that is less than one-half acre. The cost is $75 per treated acre for parcels that are larger than a half an acre. The amount would be added on the 2021 summer property tax bill.

2021-2022 Budget

The Wyoming City Council will host a public hearing for its 2021-2022 budget on May 3 at 7:01 p.m. The proposed budget has more than $110 million in expenditures with the largest being for the general fund, $38.6 million, which includes all police and fire expenditures; water, $29.75 million; and sewer, $19.9 million.

The property tax millage rate proposed to be levied to support the proposed budget will be a subject of this hearing. It is currently estimated to be 11.8947 mills.

Emergency Order

The City Council has extended its citywide emergency order until July 31. Poll noted that this was so the city continue to host its virtual meetings. He did state that the council would be hitting the road this summer, hosting meetings at several locations in the city.

Poll added that he hoped by July 31, the city would be done with virtual meetings.

Other City items

The City Council did award a $1.192 million bid to Wyoming Excavators, Inc. to replace the watermain along Wadsworth Street from Division Avenue to Buchanan Avneue, Michael Avenue from 44th Street to 42nd Street and DeHoop Avenue from Burton Street to Belfield Street. According to a staff report, the watermains along those streets were built in the 1940s and 1950s and “have reached the end of their useful life.” With engineering costs, the total project costs will be $1.3 million.

Beverly Avenue will be getting a new traffic signal to alert motorists and road users of approaching trains. The cost of the project is around $30,000 which will be reimbursed by the CSX Raildroad.

With is voracious appetite, a gypsy moth caterpillar can eat up to 11 square feet of vegetation in its lifetime. (Public Domain)

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

An idea to build a silk empire has been an ongoing century-old headache for many municipalities in the United States.

Gypsy moths were introduced in the 1800s as an alternative to the finicky silkworm, which has a limited diet of mulberry leaves. Gypsy moths, on the other had, have an appetite for oak trees as well as several other species of trees and shrubs. A single gypsy moth caterpillar can consume 11 square feet of vegetation during its life time with millions of caterpillars able to defoliate 13 million acres of trees in the United State in just one season.

It has left cities, such as the City of Wyoming, with the need to spray every spring to control the gypsy moth population.

At its regular Monday night meeting set for April 5, the city council will host a public hearing for the annual sprayings which will take place in several areas throughout the city. Properties that directly benefit from this year’s spraying will be assessed fees for the project which is $26 per residential lot that is less than one-half acre. The cost is $75 per treated acre for parcels that are larger than a half an acre. The amount would be added on the 2021 summer property tax bill.

The insecticide used in the process is a naturally occurring bacteria called Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), which is not harmful to humans or animals.

For more information about the City of Wyoming’s gypsy moth suppression program, click here. The City Council meeting is at 7 p.m. in the council chambers at City Hall, 1155 28th St. SW.

In other city news

Low bids for the 2020 Wyoming Resurfacing Program has resulted in the city being able to add a 10-foot wide concrete bike path along the east side of Burlingame Avenue from Gezon Parkway to 60th Street. The bike path segment is included n the Wyoming’s Bikeways Plan and will completed a connection between the existing bike path along Gezon Parkway and an existing Kent County Parks Department bike path south of 60th Street.

The 2020 Resurfacing contract came in about $488,000 less than expect. Rieth-Riley Construction Co., Inc, which was awarded the resurfacing contract, has agreed to extend the contact to include the bike project and resurfacing of Crossroads Commerce Drive, Nagel Avenue, and Alba Avenue.