Cover Letter to the
Sedona Herbicide Petition (5/22/06)
Contact: Email [email protected]
May 22, 2006
Dear
Council Members,
Thank you
for your recent decision to fund the Public Works Department’s planned study of
herbicide-free weed control methods. It
is our hope that the widespread public concern demonstrated by the attached
petitions will encourage you to continue moving toward a goal of herbicide-free
weed control for the City of Sedona.
To that end, we request that the city not renew its current contract
with Verde Valley Weed Control. Instead,
we suggest that the city either:
- Go without a contract, as you
have in the past. The $15,489 saved could be used to hire an additional
part-time employee to remove weeds.
or
- Put the contract out to bid
again, this time considering only bids from contractors who are willing
to use herbicide-free methods exclusively, and who display a strong
interest in making them work.
Acceptable methods would include cutting, pulling, and spraying
with a vinegar-based product such as Burnout.
In
addition, we propose that the city consider the following measures:
- Appoint an independent horticulturist
or advisory board to oversee any work, whether done under contract or done
by city employees. This would
ensure that treatments are strategically timed and targeted to maximize
cost-effectiveness.
- Establish a volunteer weed
removal program, co-ordinated by a city
employee. The city could invite
individuals, groups and businesses to participate in ongoing or seasonal
pulling, special events, and a program similar to adopt-a-highway
programs. (Several of us, indicated
by asterisks below, would be interested in assisting the volunteer
coordinator.)
- Re-introduce low-maintenance
native plants in appropriate places.
At the very
least, we request that the city postpone signing any contract that involves the
spraying of herbicides until there has been time for formal public input.
We would
welcome the opportunity to elaborate on and discuss these ideas with you in the
very near future.
Respectfully
submitted,
(Names of
10 sedonasprayfree members)
Cc: Eric Levitt, Charles Mosley, Dan Neimy