HONESDALE, PA — Following on Pike County’s recent action, the Wayne County Commissioners on July 16 approved a resolution creating a tick-borne diseases task force for Wayne.

Commissioners’ Chair Brian Smith said discussion of responses to tick-borne diseases has become a “huge issue,” among northeastern county members of the state commissioners association. “We’ve recognized West Nile Disease, the emerald ash borer and gypsy moths and now tick-borne diseases need to be addressed,” he said.

“Pike was first, now we’re following suit,” he added.

Jamie Knecht of the county conservation district will chair a group of yet to be named task force members, who will act as “an educational arm of the county to provide the best and most complete information available as to the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of tick-borne illness.”

Smith said he wanted to enroll the parents and victims of tick-borne diseases on the panel as well as members of the medical, scientific and health insurance communities.

According to the resolution, the panel will also “work in concert with other bodies and organizations such as the Pike… Task Force, the Wayne Memorial Hospital, the Penn State Cooperative Extension board, the Wayne Conservation District and other similarly focused organizations in order to promote public education and awareness….”

The commissioners highlighted past complaints received about tick-borne diseases being misdiagnosed.

Along with the resolution, the commissioners provided an information pamphlet about ticks, the diseases they carry, prevention and treatment methods.

Commissioner Jonathan Fritz said, “There have been misunderstandings and misdiagnoses of these diseases. We got angry, ticked off,” he said (pun intended).

“We want our counties to recognize that better tests exist, which can lead to better diagnoses,” Smith said.

Smith said the commissioners have not budgeted funding for the task force, which is expected to act as a volunteer force. “We’re looking for volunteers,” he said.

In other business, the commissioners approved a Human Services application for $148,597 in state Emergency Solutions Grant funding to aid residents with temporary housing issues. The grant is matched with local in-kind services.

They also approved a letter of support for Texas Township’s application for state Multi-Modal Grant funding of $217,430 towards the anticipated $337,000 replacement cost of the bridge connecting Old Willow Street and Brook Road.

Cannonsville Dam ‘problem’

Smith began the meeting on July 16 with the announcement that Commissioner Wendell Kay was absent, attending and emergency services meeting called by New York City water supply safety officials to detail a problem with the Cannonsville Dam, which was briefly discussed at the meeting (see page 1 story for further details on the Cannonsville Dam.)

City officials have planned a series of meetings with downstream emergency management officials, and it was one of these meetings that Kay was attending There will be another such meeting on Thursday, July 23 in Deposit, NY at the State Theater, 148 Front St. at 8 p.m.