When Pleasant View City Councilman Toby Mileski was elected two years ago, he inquired about the Weber County Mosquito Abatement District of which Pleasant View and surrounding cities are a part. Pleasant View Mayor, Doug Clifford, noticed his interest and appointed him to represent Pleasant View on the Mosquito Abatement Board of Trustees.
Mileski began digging into the workings of the Weber County Mosquito control district with a desire, as he has stated, “to run things efficiently and save the tax payers money.” Mileski says that couldn’t happen until there was a change in personnel because some of the Board members would not consider any changes. Two of the non-elected board members had been in their positions for over 20 years. Of 16 Board members, 4 were non-elected officials. Five have been replaced in the last two years—including all but one of the non-elected members. Mileski believed that elected officials should represent the people, and that expenses paid by taxpayers were extravagant.
Mileski says that the director was being paid $116,000 per year. So, changes began. Three of four non-elected Board members were replaced by the cities. After two of the long-time Board members left, the director retired, and the new director’s pay was set to $75,000.
Mileski says there are still a number of changes that need to be made to benefit the tax payers. He believes that the budget can be cut. He says that he proposed a budget cut this year, but without a second to consider his motion. He says that there is a full-time pilot on staff even though the District’s plane only flies to spray mosquitoes during the summer months. He says a recent audit showed that the County mosquito program consistently brings in more than it spends, has a plush reserve fund of $1 million, and that the full-time employees have a very good benefits package. Also, there is a $70,000 overtime/compensation time pool. Mileski says he will propose replacing some permanent employees with seasonal employees—like industry is doing where possible—and/or other cost-sharing measures. He says these proposals are not making him popular with the current employees, but he says he is doing this for the people. Mayor Doug Clifford has told the Sentinel that he shares in the desire to see things run efficiently in the Mosquito Abatement District and thinks that progress can be made in that direction.
Mileski says that if residents of other cities or the County want to find out more, he suggests they contact the Mayor or County Commissioner to find out who their representative is.
Note: After the Sentinel printed this story, Councilman Mileski contacted the Sentinel to clarify that the previous director retired before the pay was cut for the position. The Sentinel’s report indicated that the previous director resigned as a result of the pay being cut. That was incorrect. However, the previous director did retire after two long-time Board members were replaced.
