Lee commissioner questions use of mosquito control funds

Published: Updated:

LEE COUNTY, Fla.- It’s your money, and a newly-elected public official believes a Lee County agency is wasting some of it.

Commissioner Richard Paul says the Lee County Mosquito Control District is set to spend nearly $300,000 a year for three people to teach about the insects.

The district has its own tax on property to fund its $24 million a year budget. Around $291,000 goes toward paying for the work of three teachers.

Mosquito control does more than just spray, to kill mosquito larvae. Two people teach science classes in Lee County public and private schools, another is an instructor at Florida Gulf Coast University.

Paul is stunned that the district has paid for teachers since 1987.

“I feel like we can do this a whole lot cheaper. We’ve have a website that’s got a ton of information, but we don’t have any kind of educational links at all on there.

The district justifies the money, to push education.

“The children do not make the connection with the mosquitoes until you physically are coming in and have live mosquito larvae in the container, now they know exactly what to look for in their house,” said Shelly Redovan with the mosquito control district.

The pay to teach about mosquitoes is good; one of the teachers makes $62,000 a year. The district notes she has 28 years of experience and advanced degrees.

Taxpayers have different opinions about this.

“To me, it’s common sense. To be paying teachers high salaries just to teach about mosquitoes is a little out there, isn’t it?” said Stevie Clark.

The FGCU instructor makes $84,000 a year, plus benefits. The district justifies that by saying the person also recruits college students to be interns for the district.

The district board has approved $291,000 for the teachers and their back-up costs, for the budget year that begins October 1.

Copyright ©2024 Fort Myers Broadcasting. All rights reserved.

This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without prior written consent.