NEWS BRIEFS
March 27 , 2020
MVCAC Office Modified Operations
Due to COVID-19 concerns and the declaration by California with mandatory shelter in place, the AMG office and your MVCAC staff are working modified schedules remotely from home.   We are mostly able to operate business as usual, with some functions being more modified than others.   Please do not hesitate to reach out to us for any items needed.
2020 Sentinel Chicken Orders

Chickens are being supplied by Haley Farms in Modesto for Northern California and Southern California this year.

Pick-up dates:
Northern Region - April 23, 2020 (7 a.m.- 9 a.m.)
Please note: At this point the April 23rd date is still on. MVCAC staff have spoken with all parties and there isn't a problem. We will keep everyone updated if this changes.

Modesto Haley's Egg Farm
1030 Ladd Road
Modesto, CA 95355
In case of issue their phone is: (209) 649-4579
Statewide COVID-19 Response Discussion

Occurs every Tuesday effective 3/24/2020 until 4/11/2020 from 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM (UTC-08:00) Pacific Time (US & Canada).

Join Zoom Meeting

Meeting ID: 981 828 657
Password: 020005

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In This Issue
WNV Dead Bird Call Center starts April 13; response requested

West Nile virus season is fast approaching, and the California WNV and Dead Bird Call Center (877-WNV-BIRD; 877-968-2473) will be live Monday, April 13th Public online reporting (www.westnile.ca.gov) will also continue. Call center hours are 8:00 am to 4:30 pm, Monday through Friday; Sunday staffing will likely be added later.

Please send Leslie Foss a brief email at  leslie.foss@cdph.ca.gov to state:
  1. Which species of dead birds you would like to pick up for WNV sampling/testing
  2. If you can start April 13th
  3. Any modified operations due to Covid-19
Margaret Kerrigan will be responding to many dead bird reports in April-May. Her desk line is 510-412-6251; Leslie Foss' number is 510-412-6255. You can reach the call center staff at the direct agency line: 510-412-4601, and at  arbovirus@cdph.ca.gov.

Click here to login and view more information.
MVCAC Summer Board Meeting

SAVE-THE-DATE

The MVCAC Summer Board Meeting will take place on July 7 th  at 9:00 AM via conference call. 
Governor's Executive Order on Brown Act
Yesterday, Governor Newsom adopted a new Executive Order (#N-29-20) concerning the suspension of certain portions of the Brown Act. It is available here . It supersedes the Brown Act suspension-related provisions of the Governor's March 12, 2020 order. Significantly, the new order:
 
  • Authorizes governing board meetings entirely via teleconference and making meetings accessible telephonically to members of the public seeking to listen to the meeting or address the board. The regular meeting agenda or special meeting notice must notify the public about the conference call number and other information about how to call in to the meeting. If the board plans a closed session at the meeting, you should provide a separate call-in number for the closed session to avoid the risk of a member of the public calling in to the closed session. 
  • No longer requires a physical meeting location for the public to be able to attend.
  • Waives the Brown Act requirements about providing notice of each teleconference location, posting notice at each teleconference location, making each teleconference location accessible to the public, and participation from teleconference locations within the jurisdiction. 
  • Imposes a new (and somewhat vague) requirement that the agency "(i) Implement a procedure for receiving and swiftly resolving requests for reasonable modification or accommodation from individuals with disabilities, consistent with the Americans with Disabilities Act and resolving any doubt whatsoever in favor of accessibility; and (ii) Advertise that procedure each time notice is given...." To comply with this requirement, I recommend that any regular meeting agenda or special meeting notice include "If you are an individual with a disability and need assistance or accommodation to participate in this teleconference meeting, please call or text [insert name and cell phone no. of appropriate staff person] or email [insert name and email address of appropriate staff person]."
  • Requires continued compliance with the 72-hour (for regular meeting agendas) and 24-hour (for special meeting notices) notice and posting requirements. 
  • Provides that the Brown Act suspension continues in effect during the period that state or local public health officials recommend social distancing.
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.
Mosquito Impact of Puerto Rico Earthquake/ Request for Assistance
Update From Legal Counsel on New Laws Affecting Special Districts
PDF Available for Mosquito Identification Key

Identification of the Mosquitoes of California by Richard P. Meyer and Stephen L. Durso is available for download at no cost after logging in to the MVCAC web site.  Because this key lacks Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus, the sections that contain those species in Regional Guide to the Common Mosquitoes of California by Richard Meyer is appended to the PDF.  The entire PDF is key word searchable so that the diagnostic characteristics of each species can be found easily.  MVCAC thanks Richard Meyer for providing a pristine copy of Identification of the Mosquitoes of California that was scanned to produce the PDF.  Please follow this link to access the key: https://www.mvcac.org/resources/member-publications/
Submit your district for the next Agency Spotlight

D oes 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.
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.


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
Jobs

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.
FOR SALE: 2013 ARGO XTI Titan 8x8 
OFFERED FOR SALE : $15,000
 
2013 ARGO XTI Titan 8x8
487.2 Hours              
Comes with 2 new tires and spare parts  
 
Contact:     
Douglas County Mosquito Abatement District
Krista Jenkins
dcmosquito@gmail.com or 775-790-2558

Click here for more information
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.