TIMES-UNION: Former Army Captain and Pilot Don Girvan's Letter re: Anastasia Mosquito Control District Purchase of $1.8 Million Bell Jet Helicopter

MOSQUITO CONTROL
Helicopter is over the top

I want to correct a detail that was in the July 23 Point of View column by St. Johns County Commissioner John Sundeman about mosquito control.

I spoke to Sundeman about a conversation that I had with an old Army friend, retired Col. Bob Gross, an aviation battalion commander, about the $1.8 million Bell Jet Long Ranger Helicopter that is being purchased by this independent taxing district.

Gross said, "That is a really nice helicopter, but for mosquito spraying it is about as smart as buying a new Rolls Royce to put a snow plow on it."

Sundeman and I attempted to advise the Times-Union about this before publication. The balance of the article covering squandering our taxpayer money was accurate.

DON GIRVAN, St. Augustine