After months of public outrcy over what some are calling a public health crisis, Suffolk County Legislator Jay Schneiderman announced last week that the first meeting of a new tick control advisory committee will meet at the Riverhead County Center on Wednesday.
The meeting is open to the public and begins at 11 a.m.
The committee was created to advise the county’s division of vector control on developing a plan to reduce tick-borne illnesses in Suffolk County, he said.
“A primary function of government is to protect the health and welfare of residents of Suffolk County,” Schneiderman said. “This committee will help vector control develop a plan to reduce the incidence of Lyme disease and other tick borne-illnesses.”
“I want to thank Legislator Schneiderman for continuing to keep the health of our residents on the top of his mind,” County Executive Steve Bellone said. “Lyme disease, babesiosis and other tick-borne illnesses are real concerns. I am confident that this committee will help produce practical recommendations to help address this issue.”
The committee is made up of 12 members, including Chairman Dr. Jorge Benach, director of the Center for Infectious Diseases and Distinguished Professor of Molecular Genetics & Microbiology at Stony Brook University. Dr. Benach was designated by Dr. James Tomarken, the Commissioner of Suffolk County Department of Health Services. In addition, the tick control advisory committee will include Dominick Ninivaggi, director of division of vector control, Dr. Ilia Rochlin, laboratory director of division of vector control, representing Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone, Brian Kelly of East End Tick & Mosquito Control, representing Suffolk County Presiding Officer DuWayne Gregory, Jason Hann, legislative aide, representing Suffolk County Deputy Presiding Officer and Legislator Jay Schneiderman, Gwynn Schroeder, legislative aide, representing Suffolk County Legislator and chair of the legislature’s Public Works & Transportation Committee Al Krupski, Dr. John Rasweiler, representing Suffolk County Legislator and chair of the legislature’s Health Committee William Spencer, Nick Gibbons, representing Commissioner Greg Dawson of Suffolk County Parks & Recreation, Jeremy Samuelson, executive director of Concerned Citizens of Montauk, representing an environmental advocacy group, Dr. Scott Campbell, health professional, Shelter Island Supervisor James Dougherty, representing the East End Supervisory and Mayors Association, and Dan Gilrein, representing Cornell Cooperative Extension.
In 2013, Legislator Schneiderman sponsored a resolution that requires the division of Suffolk County Vector Control to submit a yearly plan to reduce the incidence of Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses. Under Schneiderman’s legislation, the yearly Suffolk County Vector Control plan would include a section on the steps being taken to reduce the incidence of tick-borne illnesses.
Tick-borne illnesses in Suffolk County including Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Babesiosis and Ehrlichiosis. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention CDC reports 300,000 yearly cases of Lyme disease.
