Committee Report - Rodents - 3-17-14 — File 196466

March 17, 2014 Rodent Issues Special Committee Page 1 of 2 Printed 3/24/2014 REPORT OF THE RODENT ISSUES SPECIAL COMMITTEE Attendee Name Title Status Arrived Maryann M. Heuston Chair Present Matthew McLaughlin Vice Chair Present John M. Connolly Alderman At Large Present Others present: Ald. White. Ald. Niedergang, Ald. Rossetti, Michael Glavin, Goran Smiljic, Paulette Renault-Caragianes, Ed Nuzzo, Omar Boukili and Skye Stewart. Dr. Loretta Mayes, CEO and Marketing Director of SenesTech, participated in the meeting via Skype. 195722 - That the Director of SPCD (ISD) perform rodent baiting around Orchard Street and Cottage Avenue, and that the Commissioner of Public Works pave the area behind 240 Elm Street to prevent rodents from nesting there.: RESULT: WORK COMPLETED 195793 - That the Director of SPCD (ISD) bait the sewers around Dartmouth Street and Broadway.: Alderman Heuston requested that the city maintain a map relevant to activity and baiting. RESULT: WORK COMPLETED 196294 - That the Director of Health appear before this Board's Rodent Issues Special Committee to present the work of the Rodent Task Force and new programs to address rodent issues.: See item 196294, below. RESULT: KEPT IN COMMITTEE 196301 - That the Rodent Task Force present its findings and recommendations at the next scheduled meeting of this Board's Rodent Issues Special Committee.:

Committee Meeting March 17, 2014 Rodent Issues Special Committee Page 2 of 2 Printed 3/24/2014 After meeting for several months, the Rodent Task Force has proposed 3 initiatives to deal with the rodent problems in the city: 1) registering dumpsters, 2) rodent population control and 3) property owner assistance program, which only be available to owner occupied 3 family or less properties who meet certain hardship guidelines. Dr. Mayes’s company, SenesTech, patents and licenses technologies to larger companies for use in controlling rodent populations. Dr. Mayes explained that fertility control has been around for 60 years and has been successful at decreasing the damage done by rodents by 80 - 90%. An edible product was developed by SenesTech that is neither lethal nor harmful to rodents, humans or other animals. The effect of this product is to sterilize the rodents that ingest it within a few days. Dr. Mayes noted that other, lethal means, should also be employed to reduce the rodent population. Past experiences have indicated that approximately 85% of the rodents become sterile, with the remaining 15% not having ingested enough of the product. Rats have a life span of 8-9 months and the plan is to disperse the fertility control product twice per year. New York city used a $1.1 million grant to deal with their rodent problem in the subway system. It was determined that 62% of the rodents consumed the bait, thereby reducing the rodent population by 43% in a 3 month period. At the present time, this product is not EPA approved and is only used in study cases. The EPA will issue a waiver for the product to be used, however, certain information cannot be released due to the study use. Mr. Boukili stated that the cost of the program to the city is $150,000 this year and $205,000 - $220,000 in total. The City of Somerville plans to use this product only in areas of high infestation and may begin in mid May of this year. Additionally, 25,000 barrels will be delivered to residents in May or June and vendors will be required to maintain and power wash big belly receptacles around the city. Somerville is conducting an inventory and creating a database for the 512 dumpsters in the city. There were discussions about the licensing of dumpsters prior to 2013, the abatement process for tickets, posting the proposed plan and the incident map on the city’s website, undertaking an education campaign in the school system and possible reimbursement to the city for services provided at vacant and bank owned properties. Alderman Connolly’s motion that the items dealing with rodent fertilization be referred to the Finance Committee, was approved. Alderman Heuston will schedule a public meeting on this matter. RESULT: KEPT IN COMMITTEE