Riverwoods board weighs options as South Lake Mosquito Abatement District faces dissolution

Mayor Ford and trustees devoted a lengthy portion of their meeting to the possible dissolution of the South Lake Mosquito Abatement District and what that could mean for Riverwoods’ mosquito control and public-health protections.

The mayor said the county audit of the district may be completed in September and warned that the timeline could affect whether Lake County proceeds with dissolution and how Riverwoods should budget if the district’s services end. “We certainly want to maintain a high level of service because it is a vector disease issue,” Mayor Ford said.

Trustee Eastman and Trustee Raff described recent participation on county committees and urged persistent engagement with the county process. Trustee Raff, who identified professional experience in infectious disease, said residents contacting Lake County could be useful and raised the possibility of organizing a referendum if dissolution proceeds. Trustee Trevino said the village should examine alternatives and consider cost and service levels: she said North Shore Mosquito Abatement District is being contacted to explore what services and costs it might offer Riverwoods if South Lake services end.

Village officials described how mosquito control work is organized and funded: the village has been part of Lake County’s Emergency Telephone Systems Board surcharge arrangement and has relied on the South Lake district for larvicide, surveillance traps, helicopter and ground inspections of potential breeding sites, and targeted spraying when surveillance thresholds are met. The board noted that the district’s services are science-driven and include surveillance traps; a speaker said spraying thresholds are triggered when more than about 100 mosquitoes are captured in a trap.

Trustees, the mayor and residents expressed concern about political dynamics at the county level, including recent board appointments and differing views among county entities. Several trustees urged the village to examine budget contingencies for 2026 and to pursue intergovernmental discussions so Riverwoods would not be left without mosquito control if the district dissolves.

The mayor said Riverwoods will continue outreach to neighboring municipalities and to county officials and will assess contracting options and budget impacts before the village’s 2026 budget is finalized.

Less-critical meeting items followed the mosquito discussion, including routine approvals and department reports.