Travel Keeps Vector Control Up to Date

* I serve on the board of trustees of the Orange County Vector Control District and am proud of it. I am chairman of the policy committee that revised our travel policy, which was the topic and concern of an article (“Pest-Fighting District Limits Staff Travel,” June 20).

Our travel is for several reasons.

We buy our insurance from a joint powers agency formed by many vector control districts in the state. In three years, we have saved $100,000 on premiums. We pay for our manager to attend these meetings--well worth the cost. Our technical staff is licensed. They must continue education to maintain their licenses. We pay travel and registration fees to attend classes.

We employ several scientists and we pay for the cost and travel to and from seminars and workshops. Scientific progress depends on the free flow of information.

We upgrade the computer skills of our secretarial staff.

We do have a very large board of trustees. Every city in Orange County is represented, plus the county of Orange. As we have added several new cities to the list in the past few years, we decided we had to put a limit on the trustees who attend the once-a-year meeting of the California Mosquito and Vector Control Assn. In the process, we reviewed our whole travel policy. We are currently discussing all policies for the district and considering whether we should have policies where none existed before.

I am proud of the district. We provide an efficient and vital public health service. Our enthusiastic staff delivers necessary service for a fee of somewhere between $1.50 and $3.19 per parcel, per year. What a bargain.

FLORENCE CAVILEER

Fullerton