Mosquito Program Proposed For St. James Parish

VACHERIE, La. (AP) — St. James Parish government is considering a parish-wide mosquito control program.

The Advocate reports (http://bit.ly/SdsAty ) the proposed plan was one of the major issues that came up Monday during a special Parish Council meeting held to discuss Parish President Timmy Roussel's proposed budget for the 2013 fiscal year, which begins Jan. 1.

In this year's budget, the parish provided $101,000 from its general fund for mosquito control.

The proposed 2013 budget plans for the parish to apply most of the $225,000 in savings from its new solid waste contracts to fund a parish-wide mosquito control program.

The program would utilize three employees and chemical spraying from pickup at a cost of $308,800.

The council will meet Dec. 5 to vote on the budget.