Editor’s note: The writer is a former member of the Salisbury selectboard and Otter Creek Watershed Insect Control District boards. He was due to present this statement at the OCW board meeting this week.

As some of you may know, I have resigned my position on the Otter Creek Watershed Insect Control District board as of the last meeting in November 2024. I was a board member for seven-plus years as a Salisbury representative.

There are a number of reasons for this decision but certainly one of the major reasons was the lack of a decision to terminate the operations coordinator for lack of job performance. Board members were aware of my concerns regarding this issue. It is the board’s responsibility to oversee and hold accountable employees of the OCW. Employees must perform their duties fully and competently. The board must act accordingly when expectations are not met. In this situation the board has failed to fulfill its responsibility.

Selectboards of member towns along with taxpayers should be informed of this situation. Non-performance of assigned tasks would not be tolerated by the Salisbury selectboard and probably by all the other town selectboards as well. I support Salisbury’s decision to withhold funds for adulticide treatment due to nonperformance.

Another reason for resigning is the fact that two years running, funds provided by the state of Vermont were returned unused. Since the permit to operate the OCW requires an integrated pest management plan, the non-use of the funds provided by the state means that larvicide surveillance and treatment is lacking. The state of Vermont allocates $70,000 per year for larvicide and the OCW is reimbursed to that sum by providing invoices documenting completion of larvicide activities.

In Salisbury, town residents are deeply divided regarding the use of town funds, derived from taxes, for the purpose of mosquito adulticide. Salisbury received no adulticide this past season. I am sure citizens on either side would not pay $17,868.00 for services not rendered.

Paul Vaczy

Salisbury