With recent cases of the West Nile virus in Lincoln County and across the state and country, leaders are continuing mosquito control efforts and urging people to take precautions.

     Billy Case with the Brookhaven Street Department, which is over the city’s mosquito spraying program, said the city operates two trucks four nights per week when weather allows.

     “The whole city gets sprayed at least twice a week, minimum,” he said. “This year’s spraying started in the middle of March.”

     The trucks roll at varying times, based on when sunset occurs, Case said. Usually, they spray from between 5 and 11 p.m.

     Case said he can recall spraying for mosquitoes within Brookhaven for at least 16 years, but he was unsure when the program began.

     Lincoln County has had five cases of West Nile virus and one death. The death was one of two in the state so far this year.

     Brookhaven Mayor Les Bumgarner said the West Nile virus is something city leaders take seriously.

     “We have two trucks going as much as we can,” he said. “They can’t do it every night based on weather conditions.”

     Bumgarner noted the city has recently added some more money to the mosquito control budget, but said it would be up to the board if they wanted to spray more.

     “I’d think the more you had the better it would be,” he said. “We added around another $20,000 for next year in addition to the $20,000 we added for current budget.”

     The mayor said while what the city does now is good, more would be better.

     “I think it would help if we all made a concentrated effort and sprayed,” said Bumgarner, talking about all of Lincoln County.

     But he noted that there’s only so much the city can do.

     “We’re going to do as much as we can as a city and we need the individuals to do as much as they can,” he said. “I don’t think there’s any one solution to it. I would think every yard in Brookhaven has mosquitoes in it. It’s just a matter of if they have the West Nile virus or not.”

     The mayor advised citizens to avoid being out at peak mosquito hours, such at dusk, and to empty any containers that have standing water in them.

     At Thursday’s work session, aldermen discussed the city’s efforts to combat mosquitoes.

     Ward Four Alderman Shirley Estes expressed concerns about retention ponds in the city. These ponds typically collect water and allow it to slowly drain out, but Estes said some of the ponds may be holding water too long.

     Ward Five Alderman D.W. Maxwell agreed and pointed out that a retention pond on the site of a Holiday Inn Express being built near the interstate is particularly troublesome.

     “That’s a problem that needs to be addressed,” he said.

     Building Inspector Chip Gennaro has warned about the problems with the site’s retention pond before, and has said the builders plan to fix the problem once work on the grounds begins.

     City aldermen also briefly discussed the need to ensure enough funds were in the budget to cover the costs of chemicals the city’s mosquito trucks use. However, alderman conceded that there’s a limit to the success city spraying efforts can achieve as no spraying occurs in the county.

     “There’s mosquitoes out there, too,” Ward One Alderman Dorsey Cameron said.

     Lincoln County Board of Supervisors President Nolan Williamson confirmed the county does not spray for mosquitoes at all.

     “I wish there was some way we could,” he said. “I wish there was some way the state could do it. It’s all a money thing.”

     Williamson said the county is very large and doubted they could spray it all, especially with all the streams that exist.

     “There’s no way we could spray the dense area we have,” he said. “It’s just too much. I just don’t know of a way you could do it.”

     He advised people to prepare themselves the best they can.

     “Wear long sleeves, spray and go around your house and empty any standing water that is in use,” he said. “If there is standing water for animals, change it out every few days. That prevents giving mosquitoes a place to breed.”

     Williamson admitted that the current outbreak of the virus is something to take note of.

     “It’s scary,” he said. “I’m scared myself. I’ve got kids and grandchildren who love to stay on the creek.

     “Just the other day we had a problem with the wild hogs and had to set traps,” he continued. “But the first thing I told them was to put on long sleeves and spray themselves. You have to be conscious of it.”