News Briefs | July 21, 2021
Nominating Committee Report
The Nominating committee is pleased to announce the following board member nominations:
  • President- Ken Klemme
  • President Elect- Wakoli Wakesa
  • Vice President- Conlin Reis
  • Immediate Past President- Truc Dever
 
Trustee representative nominees:
  • Sabru Bhat from Alameda County MAD
  • Tamara Davis from Marin Sonoma MVCD
 
Per the MVCAC Bylaws, please reach out to Peter Bonkrude (pbonkrude@shastamosquito.org) if you have any nominations from the floor. Nominations will be closed August 13th and ballots will then be sent to all the districts for voting.
NPDES Update
The State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) is behind schedule on issuing the new permit. We've communicated to them the proposed changes we would like to make and are now waiting for their go ahead to proceed. The SWRCB confirmed we can continue to operate under the expired permit until the new one has been approved and we are continuing to engage with them and will update the membership as things evolve. That being said member agencies will need to resubmit their NOI and should continue to update their current one. There is a 30-day posting period of NOI's and the fee structure may change should the SWRCB deem it necessary. Below is a link to the SWRCB Vector Control website. 
Upcoming MVCAC Meetings
Fall Meeting
October 26-28, Hilton Costa Mesa
*planning in person meeting

Hotel Booking Information:
RATE: $181
BOOKING CUT-OFF: SEPTEMBER 26, 2021
PARKING: $18 SELF

Zoom login info is behind the member login here.

Register:
Click here to register online.
Please click here to register via mail/fax.

AMCA Final Push for Federal Funding – We Need Your Help
From AMCA July 16, 2021

Dear AMCA members, 

We want to thank you for your continued support in promoting enhanced funding for the CDC and specifically the SMASH Act.   We have some good news. Yesterday, the House Appropriations appropriations committee approved the FY22 L-HHS-ED bill and its report. The House included strong language in support of funding as a result of AMCA’s efforts. While direct funding for SMASH is unclear, the language puts us in a position to work with CDC to better prioritize mosquito-borne diseases within the Zoonotic program. Additionally, this is only the House version of the bill and we have an opportunity to impact the Senate baseline bill to encourage definitive funding in addition to strong report language mirroring the House language. 

To this end, we encourage AMCA members send an email to all Senators as soon as possible before July 30th. While the Senate appropriations deadline has passed, they can still markup their appropriations requests because they are still in session until August 6th, and this is what we want to remind them to do.  

If you have already sent letters to your Senators in the last two weeks, that is terrific, and we are asking you to remind them again with the following language and three attachments.  Thank you for your continued support and help in our federal funding efforts.  

Subject: AMCA Support for Public Health Funding

Hi X,

I hope you’re doing well. I’m reaching out on behalf of the American Mosquito Control Association (AMCA) and the (insert local district) to follow up on our FY22 appropriations request and provide a quick update. It’s my understanding that the member deadline to submit requests to the subcommittee has passed, and I really appreciate your prior consideration of including our request in your submissions. That said, if you did send along our request, I would appreciate any help you can give us in weighing in with the subcommittee to include the request in the bill prior to the markup, which I understand has yet to be scheduled. As a reminder, our request is to fund the Strengthening Mosquito Abatement for Safety and Health Programs (SMASH) Act, which authorizes CDC grants to local mosquito control districts for enhanced surveillance and abatement activities. Language directed at implementing the SMASH Act was included in the FY22 House L-HHS-ED report (I’ve attached the language in the event you’re interested). I understand that the House is very different from the Senate in terms of priorities and procedures, but I really appreciate any help you can give us to include similar language in the Senate bill and report, along with dedicated funding to implement SMASH. Any funding for this purpose would have a tremendous positive impact on public health and our operations in the state. I’ve also attached a letter of support to the subcommittee, and an issue brief that highlights our request. Thank you for your consideration of this request.
Call for Papers, Presentations and Posters
The Mosquito and Vector Control Association of California (MVCAC) will hold its 90th Annual Conference February 6-9 2022 at the Sacramento Convention Center and Sheraton Grand hotel. You are invited to submit a paper or poster for presentation at the conference. Presentations should be related to mosquitoes or other vectors, the disease organisms they transmit, or their surveillance and control.
 
Presentations may be about research results, the development and testing of new methods, equipment or products, education, community outreach and the adaptation or development of new technology relating to vector research, surveillance or control, or the administration of a vector control agency.

All presenters must register for the conference and are responsible for registration and arranging their own travel.
 
Deadline for submission of the completed “Request to Present a Paper” form is Friday, October 8, 2021. Requests received after the deadline may not be accepted.
2022 William C. Reeves New Investigator Award Applications Due 10/4/21
Applications for the 2022 William C. Reeves New Investigator Award will be accepted through Monday, October 4, 2021. The William C. Reeves New Investigator Award, memorializing Dr. William C. Reeves, who was a renowned University of California entomologist, is sponsored by the Mosquito and Vector Control Association of California (MVCAC). The award is presented to the best scientific paper submitted and presented at the annual MVCAC conference.
 
Please click here for more information.
2020 MVCAC Proceedings On Sale!
MVCAC has extra 2020 Proceedings and Papers for sale and we are slashing the prices!
 
Prices have been reduced to $10/each including shipping!
 
Please email this form to mvcac@mvcac.org to order.
MVCAC Corporate Member
Fiscal Status Report Submission for 2021-22 Dues
It's that time of year again! Please fill out and email or fax back this year's MVCAC Fiscal Status Report Form for your district's MVCAC dues to be calculated.

Dues for Corporate Members are due on July 1st of each year for the fiscal year ending June 30th of the following year. Unpaid dues will be considered late on September 1st. After September 1st, a late notice will be sent which will include a $50 late payment fee. Corporate members that do not pay their dues and late fee by October 31st will be dropped from the membership rolls.

Please feel free to contact the office if you have any questions. Thank you for supporting MVCAC!
MVCAC Monthly Committee Meeting Information
MVCAC All Hands Call: Third Tuesday of every month at 9am
The MVCAC is now holding monthly statewide Zoom meetings to engage, inform and support our members. Join us on the 3rd Tuesday of each month at 9am for an Association update and discussions on topics of importance including legislative and regulatory matters, outreach efforts, committee projects, continuing education updates, and COVID-related activities.
 
If you have a topic you would like to discuss, please email mvcac@mvcac.org with “Monthly Meeting Topic” in the subject line.

PR Committee: Second Thursday of every month at 2pm
The MVCAC PR Committee is now holding monthly Zoom meetings to exchange information, provide updates on subcommittee progress and to support each other as communications professionals. 

VVBD Committee: First Tuesday of every month at 8am
Committee members are not required to make every meeting, but are required to check in prior to any meeting they cannot attend. 
If you are interested in being on the VVBD email list please email Mir Bear-Johnson (mirbearjohnson@deltavcd.com). The email list is notified of the meetings.

Ad hoc Drone Committee: Second Wednesday of each month at 1pm
Please contact Eric Haas-Stapleton if you would like to be included on email notifications sent by this committee (Eric.Haas@mosquitoes.org).

Laboratory Technologies Committee: Fourth Wednesday of every month from 2pm – 3pm
Please contact Eric Haas-Stapleton if you would like to be included on email notifications sent by this committee (Eric.Haas@mosquitoes.org).

MVCAC New Professionals Virtual Lounge: Second Tuesday once a quarter from 11am – 12pm
This is a networking hour for vector control professionals with less than 5 years of industry experience.
Click here for more information and upcoming topics.

Next meeting topic:
Fall Lounge
Sept 14 – Bring it back to the Aedes
  • What are some gaps of information you need?
  • What’s your favorite Aedes species?
  • How does your prior experience guide you on where you are now as a new professional?
  • Invite Vector & Vectorborne Disease Committee chair/members
  • Invite PR Committee

All meeting zoom login information is behind the member login, please click the button below to access it.
Share Your Post COVID-19 Exposure Methods With Us
MVCAC is looking for member districts to share with us their post COVID exposure methods and logistics. Please email the methods you have in place to mvcac@mvcac.org and we will add them to the COVID-19 page on the MVCAC website.

Thank you!
MVCAC Member Resources Re: COVID-19
MVCAC will be assembling and posting some information and templates of what some Districts have created and shared as they manage their operations. Items like sample document for field staff to carry in addition to their ID to validate status/purpose and actions related to seasonal hires. It will be posted as it becomes available to a new members-only page on the MVCAC website.

Click the button below to login and view.
“The only constant in life is change.”

Whether it’s changing sources, zones, products or even species of mosquitoes, anyone in the world of mosquito control knows this quote very well. And now the Delta Vector Control District has a new change to announce—the District has a new name. Delta Vector Control District is now Delta Mosquito and Vector Control District (District).

According to District Manager Mustapha Debboun, Ph.D., the reason for the change is rooted in increasing constituent understanding.
“I felt the residents of the District did not understand the word, “vector” by itself and didn’t have a clear understanding of our mission until we explain to them that we are providing mosquito surveillance and control services. Adding the word, “mosquito” better reflects and publicizes the primary purposes and goals of the Delta Mosquito and Vector Control District and illustrates that the District’s services and responsibilities include both mosquito and vector surveillance and control activities.”
Submit your district for the next Agency Spotlight
Does your agency have a success story, a staff member you would like to publicly recognize, or an innovation by your agency that you would like to highlight? "Agency Spotlight" on the MVCAC website is one way to share your story! Each submission which meets the specified criteria will be reviewed and posted on the MVCAC website on the Agency Spotlight page and highlighted on the homepage in the rotating feature box. Each story will remain posted for 1-2 months before being moved to a publicly archived page. 

Interested? Click here to fill out an application!

Applications can be submitted to the MVCAC office at mvcac@mvcac.org
HR resources for districts to use and to upload information into
District Managers - Please upload your HR resources and information into this Google Drive along with using it for your own district.

Click here to access the Google Drive.
News Headlines
MVCAC News Briefs - Giant Asian Hornets
Please note: The items contained below are not the views or opinions of MVCAC but they are what is being reported in the media. The goal of MVCAC providing this information is to keep MVCAC members informed of all news articles that are being presented regarding Giant Asian Hornets.

CSDA Giant Asian Hornets Video: 

 
MVCAC News Briefs - Zika Updates
Please note: The items contained below are not the views or opinions of MVCAC but they are what is being reported in the media. The goal of MVCAC providing this information is to keep MVCAC members informed of all news articles that are being presented regarding Zika.



MVCAC News Briefs - Other Outbreaks
Please note: The items contained below are not the views or opinions of MVCAC but they are what is being reported in the media. The goal of MVCAC providing this information is to keep MVCAC members informed of all news articles that are being presented regarding other outbreaks.





7/14/2021: Mosquito activity on the rise this summer - Turlock Journal
Do you have important news to share about your district or mosquito and vector issues? 
If you would like your news to be included in the MVCAC News Briefs, please send press releases and/or links to relevant news articles to mvcac@mvcac.org
MVCAC Jobs Board
Interested in a career in mosquito and vector control? Check out the MVCAC Jobs Board at www.mvcac.org
 
Have a Job or RFP to post to MVCAC.org? 
Requests to post job listings (no more than 500 words in length) should be submitted to the webmaster at mvcac@mvcac.org.
MVCAC Sustaining Member Corner
Note: MVCAC does not endorse the products below, but we do support our Sustaining Members

Central Life Sciences has announced the release of Aqua Zenivex™ E20, a reduced-risk adulticide for mosquito control professionals.