Mosquito concerns
“I’m concerned about mosquito larvae that’s in standing water. I’ve been reading the paper and it’s a real problem. We live at the bottom of the hill and there’s a drainage ditch that goes through our yard because the catch basin on the street is always clogged up with pine needles and properties along the ditch. We want to know who do we call to get this taken care of? We’d appreciate an answer. Thank you.”
Red Phone:
You got it, caller.
Firstly, you’re going to need to get that catch basin cleared of those pesky pine needles and such. Your best bet is to contact Gilroy’s Operations Department at 846-0444. If you want to talk to a live person, call them Monday through Friday, between the hours of 8am and 5pm. Not only is that department in charge of storm and sewer drains, but they also take care of water maintenance issues, streets and signs, traffic signals, landscaping and city trees.
For concerns about mosquito larvae and information on abatement, contact the Santa Clara County Vector Control District. They can be reached at 792-5010 or (800) 675-1155.
Vector Control’s mission is to detect and minimize vector-borne diseases, to abate mosquitoes and to assist the public in resolving problems with rodents, wildlife and insects of medical significance. The district’s primary services include detection of the presence/prevalence of vector borne disease through planned tests, surveys and samples; inspection and treatment of known mosquito and rodent sources; response to customer initiated service requests for identification, advisory and/or control measures for mosquitoes, rodents, wildlife and miscellaneous invertebrates (ticks, yellow jackets, cockroaches, bees, fleas, flies, etc.); and promotion of public awareness through outreach and educational services.
The Red Phone also checked out the Internet. If you have access to the Web, visit www.scc.gov and search for vector control. The site is chock-full of information and also offers online service requests.
Barking dogs
“I’m calling in regards to barking dogs during the night. Is there anything that can be done with them? Is there any ordinance that can be enforced on the people that let their dogs bark constantly through the night? You’re doing a good job Red Phone.”
Red Phone:
The Red Phone has been working on this question for some time now, and the caller has grown impatient …
“I’d like to know why you don’t respond to my question about barking dogs in the neighborhood … I’ve never gotten a response from you on it. I do have problems with it and I’d like to find out what we can do about it. Please answer, thank you.”
OK, OK. The Red Phone apologizes for the wait, but it had issues making contact with someone for comment on your question. At long last, here you go:
According to Gilroy a police dispatcher (who preferred not to give her name), there is a noise ordinance officers can and will enforce.
“If there is someone that wants to file a complaint, whatever the noise is – whether a barking dog or loud music – we can go out there and enforce the ordinance,” she said. “We get those calls all the time … We’ll go out there, contact the owner and give him a warning.”
Failure to comply with the warning could result in a citation, depending on the circumstances.
Good caller, to get things rolling, you must file a noise complaint with the police department. The first step is to call the police non-emergency line at 846-0350 or visit police headquarters at 7370 Rosanna St.
