Mosquitoes Beware – The City of Freeport has a New Mosquito Killing Machine

In Brief:

🦟 The City of Freeport is ending its contract with Walton County and transitioning to an in-house mosquito control system effective October 1, 2025.
⚙️ City leadership, led by City Manager Mark Martin and appointed employee Daniel DeBord, secured equipment including a truck and a ULV Aerosol Generator from London Foggers.
💰 The new approach is estimated to reduce annual expenses from over $560,000 to less than $150,000, saving approximately $400,000 in the first year.

The City of Freeport will end its contract with Walton County at the end of September for pest control services. As previously reported on Mid Bay News, the annual cost for pest control currently exceeds $560,000. The City Council unanimously agreed that an “in-house” solution would be the best financial step for the City.

After conducting research and interviewing potential pest control vendors, city leadership determined that self-managing the new small department with a single employee, purchasing and maintaining the necessary large equipment (truck and sprayer), and purchasing the needed chemicals for pest eradication would save the City approximately $400,000 in the first year. Freeport City Staff estimated at a May Council Meeting that chemicals would cost roughly $40,000 per year.

With the current contract for mosquito control set to expire on September 30, a plan had to be operational by October 1.

At the June 10th City Council meeting, City Manager Mark Martin introduced Mr. Daniel DeBord as the “Mosquito Killing Machine” who will serve as the lead employee for mosquito control. The Council seemed delighted that a framework was in place for the department and Councilman Tracey Dickey welcomed DeBord and with a bit of laughter encouraged DeBord to make sure that his plan for mosquito abatement also included the eradication of yellow flies, too. The Councilman added, “If you know, you know.” He was referring to the pain resulting from the bites of the yellow fly and the need to control those pests as well.

Martin presented the equipment costs associated with the pest control plan and indicated that two essential items are needed: a truck and a ULV Aerosol Generator, commonly referred to as a ‘sprayer‘.

Martin said the City will buy the truck that ends up carrying the sprayer from a local dealership. Freeport will purchase the sprayer from a company called London Foggers.

The sprayer selected is reported to have an 18-year working lifespan. The cost of the chemical sprayer is $16,500. With the continual development and improvement of technology of mosquito sprayers and with their everyday use in urban neighborhoods – the City Manager spoke specifically about one of the popular selling features of the sprayer selected. He indicated Mr. DeBord will have complete in-cab controls (on and off switch) for the sprayer at the press of a button. This allows the driver the ability to discontinue spraying when pedestrians or bikers are in the visible range.

An overall estimate of equipment costs was approximately $58,970.00. The City Council voted unanimously for the purchase of the equipment to allow Freeport to begin work of pest control on October 1, 2025.