Commissioners pass bedbug ordinance

The spread of bedbugs has become a serious problem within the city, and officials gave final approval to an ordinance to deal with the situation during a regular meeting of the Maysville Board of Commissioners on Thursday.

The ordinance makes it the property owners' responsibility to remove infested furnishings that have been placed on the curb by themselves or tenants and to also treat the structure for bed bugs before the property can be rented again.

During last month's city commission meeting, City Manager Ray Young said there has been a drastic increase of bed bugs in recent months and he's worked with the Buffalo Trace Health District to find some solution to the problem. He said BTHD Executive Director Allison Adams found an ordinance adopted by Chicago officials addressing the issue and the ordinance has been revised for adoption in Maysville.

The ordinance makes it the property owners' responsibility to remove infested items and allows the property owner to be fined $100 per day plus court costs for furniture and bedding that isn't removed after three days of being set on the curb. The problem has been related primarily to rental properties.

The ordinance will be enforced by the city's Codes Enforcement and Police departments. A citation will be issued to the property owner by the police, who will in turn have three days to remove the discarded items from the curb. The property owner will also be required to file paperwork with the city and health department proving the property has been treated for bed bugs.

Young said employees of the Codes Enforcement office will monitor the property on a daily basis to make sure a new tenant doesn't move into the house or apartment before it has been treated and the paperwork filed.

The ordinance was questioned by two property owners and an owner of a second-hand shop during the meeting. One property owner said he didn't feel it was fair to make the property owner responsible for the tenant. City officials stressed the $100 per day fine will not be imposed if the property owner removes the infested item within the three day time frame. Property owners were told they must take the item to the landfill, instead of the item being removed city employees.

Officials were asked if the ordinance was meant to penalized the owners and tenants or if it was really an effort to stop the spread of the bugs. Young said the ordinance is designed to stop the spread of bed bugs and it's a first step in addressing the problem, which is occurring all over town.

At last month's meeting, Young said the problem is so bad, police, firefighters, EMTs and public works employees are coming back into the station or garage with bed bugs on them. Police officers now carry a 99 percent alcohol spray with them to use after being in a building suspected of having an infestation, said MPD Chief Ron Rice. Rice also said property that has been taken in as evidence that may be infested, is now stored in metal containers in a separate area of the department's property room to keep them from spreading.

For more information about the proposed ordinance, contact Young or the Codes Enforcement office at 564-9091.

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Commissioners pass bedbug ordinance