Pittsfield Council Rejects Mosquito Spraying Despite West Nile Risk
The Pittsfield City Council narrowly rejected a request to resume mosquito spraying, with a vote of 5-6 against repealing the 2021 decision that discontinued adulticide spraying. The Board of Health had urged the council to bring back spraying due to the presence of West Nile virus in mosquito samples, although no human cases have been reported. Some councilors argued that the truck spraying is ineffective and expressed concerns about a BCMCP board member's ties to the pesticide supplier. The council referred the matter to the Board of Health and the Conservation Commission to develop guidelines and protocols for future applications.