George Young

The district is mourning the passing of longtime City of Fremont Trustee George Young. George served as a trustee for the district from January 2013 to October 2023. George’s support of ACMAD’s work was shaped by his years of experience working in Alameda County Environmental Health. He supported the district as President of the Board in 2015 and was a long-standing member of the Finance Committee at the district, always with a keen eye towards efficiency, transparency, and money management best practices. General Manager Ryan Clausnitzer recalls “George was an advocate for the district wherever he went and cared deeply about his community; from broader public health concerns to ensuring he could grow fresh vegetables in his garden to share. We miss him very much.” The Board of Trustees along with staff from the district were able to share their appreciation for George in person at his final meeting in October. 

ACMAD again earned Certificate of Achievement

The District once again earned the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting from the Governors Finance Officers Association. The certificate is awarded to agencies that demonstrate full transparency and accountability in all financial bookkeeping and reporting. This is the third year in a row the district has received the recognition of achievement. To learn more about the award, see Certificate of Excellence in Financial Reporting. 

Announcements

In January Trustee Welch from the City of Emeryville will begin her term as the Mayor of Emeryville, and therefore will no longer be able to serve on the ACMAD board due to schedule conflicts. We wish her all the best in her new position. To learn more about her historic role in Emeryville, see Emeryville has its first Black woman mayor. The timing is perfect (sfchronicle.com) 

At our December Board of Trustees meeting the district welcomed John Zlatnik as the new trustee for the City of Fremont. John has years of experience as a science teacher, curriculum developer and serving as a mentor teacher in California. Welcome John! 

California King Tides Project 2024

ACMAD will participate in the California King Tides Project in 2024 by contributing pictures of high tides during specific days in 2024. From the website, “While the term "King Tide" isn't a scientific term, it is used to describe very high tides, caused when there is alignment of the gravitational pull between sun, moon, and Earth. When King Tides occur during floods or storms, water levels can rise higher and have the potential to cause great damage to the coastline and coastal property." To learn more about the project and to contribute your own photos: https://www.coastal.ca.gov/kingtides/learn.html 

Events and Outreach

Our outreach program grew in 2023, from new events in Oakland, Fremont and Emeryville, to expanding classroom education into Oakland and Alameda schools. If you have a classroom that would like to learn a hands-on mosquito life cycle lesson, or have an event you would like us to participate in, reach out to Public Outreach Coordinator Judith Pierce at judith@mosquitoes.org 

West Nile Virus recap for 2023

2023 was an extremely busy West Nile virus year throughout the state, and ACMAD was no different. Our season began early with the first WNV detection in the state, in mid-January. Throughout the year we monitored traps, collected dead birds and treated all parts of Alameda County. We conducted a few adult mosquito control operations this year in Livermore and Fremont. As before, we will continue to  test suitable dead birds for West Nile virus (WNV) and trap for mosquitoes throughout the county. Mosquitoes can breed all year long in the Bay Area, so preventative activities such as removing standing water, adding mosquito fish to ponds, troughs, and neglected swimming pools will reduce our risk of West Nile virus. Now is a great time to check for standing water in your yard, sump pump or gutters and drain or cover anything that will hold water longer than 4 days. This is especially true when we have days of heavy rain in followed by days with lots of sunshine. Visit our backyard checklist to see common places where mosquitoes produce. 

More WNV information