Leechburg officials concerned about ongoing rat sightings in borough near Kiski River

An uptick in rat sightings in a concentrated section of Leechburg has caught the attention of some residents — and borough officials.

Leechburg Mayor Anthony “Tony” Roppolo addressed recent resident reports and complaints of rats at June’s council meeting.

Referencing two blighted and abandoned buildings and one occupied home as “grossly neglected properties,” Roppolo described a recent complaint from a resident in which a woman said she saw a “pack of rats” near the bottom of Siberian Avenue.

“This was while the resident was walking her children to the playground,” Roppolo said. “This is our town. I don’t want this to be happening here. For the most part, our town is really neat and clean, with well-kept homes. These blighted properties are affecting others, and we’re in a bind.”

The primary areas of concern are parts of Adams Avenue, Third Street and Siberian Avenue, the only section of the borough that has issues with blighted structures, according to Roppolo.

Additionally, a large building along Kiski Avenue, heavily damaged by fire March 31, is believed to be contributing to the rat problem, Roppolo said.

The building has not been torn down, renovated or rebuilt since the blaze.

In addition, a resident on Third Street reported to the mayor that she used traps to kill 11 rats in her basement.

The woman, a renter, declined to give her name because she said she fears negative consequences from her landlord.

The woman pointed out several areas in her front yard where rat traps and rat poison pellets had been used on the property at the bequest of the landlord.

The woman declined to identify her landlord.

Roppolo said he vows to get the properties cleaned up and wants to assure borough residents that the affected areas are isolated and the borough hasn’t had a large rat problem in a very long time.

“It is only in this sector here, and I feel the main reason is because of the blighted homes,” Roppolo said.

During the meeting, Councilman D.J. Zelczak emphasized the rat issue is not all over the town of Leechburg.

“I want everyone to be aware that this is a very small and specific part of town,” Zelczak said.

Councilman John Mrvan said he heard a piece of property is a health hazard and expressed concern about the issue.

“We must make a motion to demand cleanup or condemn these properties and remediate this situation immediately,” Mrvan said.

Council approved a motion during the meeting for Leechburg’s solicitor to formally send letters to the property owners, urging them to address the problem.

During the meeting, council members shared their hope that a new borough property ordinance, which states estate owners of such properties must maintain properties to health and safety standards, will aid in the situation.

Included in the rat-sighting area is a blighted property slated for demolition at 255 Pershing Ave.

Other problematic properties Roppolo said may be contributing to the rat problem are at 18 Adams Ave., 59 Kiski Ave. and 61 Kiski Ave.

One of the homes has sat vacant for years following the homeowner’s death.

Homeowner and Leechburg native Patrick Daugherty lives next door to an abandoned building with extreme vegetation overgrowth.

Vegetation has grown over a fence adjacent to his property that’s more than 10 feet high.

Joyce Hanz | Tribune-Review

Overgrowth from an abandoned and blighted property is seen Wednesday encroaching on the property of Leechburg homeowner Patrick Daugherty.

Daugherty, 51, said although he has yet to see a rat on his neatly kept property, he takes precautions to keep his residence and surrounding grounds as unappealing to rats as possible.

He doesn’t leave trash or litter out and keeps the grass mowed.

“This area, some people ride through and toss out trash. All I do is pick it up if it’s in my yard,” he said.

“I’d like to see this get cleaned up for sure. It’s great the borough officials are trying to help. The mayor came by and visited me about this issue,” Daugherty said. “They definitely should get rid of the rats. If they need to, hire an exterminator and clear up the problems of where the rats are.”

“When you have areas where the owners are deceased, it can get tied up,” Roppolo said.

The structure at 59 Kiski Ave. is overgrown with vegetation.

“I’m working with the code enforcement people, but it’s up to the legal process. I’m working with Armstrong County to see if they can take this under their wing,” Roppolo said.

Leechburg contracts with Building Inspection Underwriters of Pennsylvania for its code enforcement.

Rich Roberts, BIU representative/landlord/property maintenance officer, did not return multiple requests for comment.

The borough joined the Armstrong County Land Bank in April.

James Frye, 56, known as “Jim Frye the Bug Guy,” owns Frye Pest Management, based in Saxonburg.

Frye said about 75% of his business is spent handling calls for rodent management.

“Rats can reproduce rather quickly — in about a month — and, when you see a rat, it’s almost too late because seeing them in the daytime means the rat population has gotten so high they are seeking what they need during the day instead of the usual nocturnal habits shared by rats.”

Rats search for water, food and a place to nest, and blighted buildings often fit the bill, Frye said.

“They roam from nest sights 50 to 100 yards, and their numbers can get out of hand rather quickly,” Frye said. “Why would they want to leave if they can have food, water and shelter (in a blighted building) and areas with no human activity? That’s attractive to rats.”

The average life span of a rat is about a year, and their gestation period is mere weeks.

Frye said rats can be hesitant to eat poisoned bait or to investigate baited traps, sometimes taking weeks to engage with such bait or traps.

“It’s called neophobic (meaning fear and avoidance of new objects), and rats are one of the most intelligent animals on the planet,” Frye said.

Leechburg resident Dustin Waldenville is a father and resides in the rat-affected area. He said he read about the rat issue on the private Facebook group, The Leechburg Beat.

“I’m a bit concerned because I have kids, but I haven’t seen any rats. I think the borough should focus on how high people’s grass gets, that could help. Some of our neighbors around here don’t cut their grass, and it gets way too high,” Waldenville said.