Finance Committee opposes warrant article for Grafton mosquito control

In the wake of a EEE outbreak that has infected 12 people in Massachusetts, including a Grafton man, the Board of Health is holding an informational session on the Central Mass Mosquito Control Project Wednesday.

But while the session, scheduled for 7 p.m. at the Grafton Municipal Center, Conference Room A, proposes to outline CMMCP’s mosquito prevention methods in advance of Oct. 21’s Fall Town Meeting, the Finance Committee recently recommended against spending $71,000 a year for the next three years, given the town’s projected $800,000 revenue shortfall in Fiscal Year 2021.

EEE is transmitted to humans by mosquitoes. In Massachusetts alone, three people have died of the virus since late July.

“The Finance Committee does not believe that this expenditure is a high priority and could negatively impact other budgets,” the FinCom notes on Article 25. “The effectiveness of this program is uncertain and the funding needed for this program could be better utilized supporting other
essential Town functions.”