The board of the Marin/Sonoma Mosquito and Vector Control District voted to approve its $8.6 million budget Wednesday night, and also discussed ways to improve accountability and transparency about the district's spending.
The budget for the financial year that began July 1 provides for a 12 percent increase over what it budgeted last year.
The board also adopted a policy that the executive committee would review the accounts payable, expenditures, revenues and correspondence of the district four times a year.
"The public wants to know that their money is properly spent and well spent, and personally I'm not comfortable without more. I think we should be digging down deeper," said Paul Libeu, a board member who represents Rohnert Park and who introduced the proposal. "The committee ought to be able to say this is a real expense, it's part of our policy, and it's not a misuse of public money."
The district also discussed a proposal by Sebastopol Mayor Guy Wilson to hire an attorney to be present at board meetings to provide advice on how to handle issues like financial disclosure and awarding contracts.
"I think it's a very important, so we know how to run a meeting and how to notice a meeting," said board member Ed Schulze, who represents Marin County.
Board member William Ring said he wanted documentation on what information the district needs to post, and in what forms and where. The board agreed to consider the proposal at a future meeting.
Frank Egger, who represents Fairfax, questioned why the district is planning to spend $30,000 on a public relations firm, $70,000 for a new research foundation, $25,000 on new manager relocation costs and $240,000 on new trucks.
"I'm not sure what our policy is on replacing vehicles. Is it 100,000 miles? 200,000?" Egger asked.
General Manager Jim Wanderscheid said the staff examines any of the district's 40 vehicles that have logged over 100,000 miles for safety, and then sells the vehicles being replaced at auction.
Ring noted that the district is planning to spend about $1 million more than it will take in next year. "It seems like we ought to plan not to have such a big deficit," he said.
Members of the public asked the district to spend more money on Lyme and other tick-borne diseases, not just to educate the public about the risks, but also to contribute to funding for diagnosis and treatment.
"In view of the fact that ticks and tick borne diseases have virtually been ignored by vector control, a remedial gesture would be to spend some of the taxpayer's funds, now held in surplus, to help fund a monthly clinic in the Sonoma Marin county area," said Claire Werner, speaking on behalf of the Sebastopol Lyme Disease Support and Advocacy Group.
The budget was approved on a voice vote of the 22 member board, with Egger objecting.
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