Residents urge Mamaroneck trustees to restore mosquito control at Otter Creek amid West Nile concerns

Dozens of Mamaroneck residents pressed the Village Board on July 13 to reinstate or fund larvicide mosquito control at Otter Creek Preserve, saying the summer infestation is a public‑health risk and has made yards and public spaces unusable.

"West Nile virus is in our region right now. This is a public health crisis and not a legal technicality," said Soojin Park, a Shore Acres resident, during the meeting's extended public‑comment period. Park and several other speakers said the village terminated a multi‑decade mosquito program this year and that residents now face swarms, allergic reactions and safety hazards for children and older residents.

Residents described repeated personal impacts: sleepless children, swollen insect‑bite reactions and outdoor gatherings canceled because of mosquitoes. "We were besieged by mosquitoes, making it extremely unpleasant to spend any time outdoors," said one resident who urged the board to reinstate the long‑running program. Several speakers, including physicians and public‑health‑trained residents, warned that larval control prevents disease and argued that treating the breeding sources protects the broader community.

Speakers repeatedly addressed the village's legal rationale. Staff and the village attorney told residents at earlier points in the meeting that village funds cannot be spent on private property unless there is proper statutory or permitting authority. Residents and some trustees countered that state case law and comptroller opinions include a public‑benefit carve‑out that can permit municipal spending on private land when the public gain is substantial.

"For 40 years, this was handled as an annual budget item," one resident said. "Now it's become a public uproar because the village terminated a program without a replacement plan or timeline." Another resident urged the board to commit to funding the land trust to treat the preserve annually rather than offering a one‑time gesture.

The board said the money to reimburse a third party is in the budget but that they are awaiting written guidance from the New York State Comptroller's office to confirm whether the village can legally reimburse treatment on land owned by the Westchester Land Trust. "The money is in the budget if we are given the okay to pay. If it's legal, we will reimburse the land trust. If it's not, we will not," the mayor said during the meeting.

Trustees and staff reported that the Westchester Land Trust applied for permits and began larvicide applications on July 1. "The land trust has applied for the permit and is doing the application. The application happened nearly three weeks ago—July 1—and it has to happen on an ongoing basis," a trustee said. Several residents said the land trust's work is welcome but argued its fundraising and mission do not substitute for a permanent municipal program.

Residents asked the village to: (1) state whether it will fund the land trust this year and in future budgets; (2) fully engage Westchester County public‑health authorities; and (3) release the written comptroller opinion and any correspondence with state or county agencies bearing on the legal question. Several speakers specifically asked the board to make a clear, public commitment rather than leaving the status uncertain.

The mayor acknowledged the strength of public feeling, apologized for the disruption to residents' summers and said trustees would take the public comments under advisement. She said staff and trustees would continue reviewing options, including public‑property treatments and pursuing necessary DEC permits.

The meeting record shows the village is awaiting a written comptroller opinion before committing to reimburse the land trust for treating Otter Creek Preserve; meanwhile, the land trust has arranged treatment under its permit.

Next steps the board identified were internal follow‑up with the comptroller and the possibility of a staff or trustee briefing with residents; no formal board directive or new funding commitment was made during the July 13 meeting.