Greg Cabose, environmental health director of the Barry Eaton District Health Department gave an update of the rat infestation in a shuttered feed mill on Railroad Street to the Hastings City Council Monday. Cabose said the department first became involved Aug 2, with a site visit to the mill where they saw rats and grain that could feed them. The same day, they talked to the owner, who told of his efforts to rid the area of rats.

Cabose said the owner was completely cooperative, but after two weeks, and complaints from residents, there were still too many rats and he agreed to hire a professional firm to handle the problem.

The Orkin Company from Kalamazoo was hired, gave the health department its plans and began working on the problem about a week ago. They are focusing control of the rats in the building next to the silo, using baits and traps to get the rats and take them off site. Asked about long term control, the exterminator said the rat population will spike before it goes down; typically it is 30 days to knock the population down and 60 to 90 days to eliminate the rats, he said.

Orkin is disposing of the rats before they remove the grain. If they take the food source away, the rats will go elsewhere looking for food, spreading the problem. The exterminators visit the mill once a day and sometimes twice a day, Cabose said, and the department will make weekly checks on the status and provides a report to the Hastings Police Department.

Councilman Bill Redman asked for an ongoing count of the number of rats disposed of; Cabose will get the information from the exterminator and pass it on to Redman and the police department.

“It didn’t happen overnight and it won’t be cured overnight, either,” Cabose said.

He urged residents with questions to call or visit the health department offices at 330 West Woodlawn Street to get answers. "We’re open all day…We have nothing to hide, we’re here to help,” he said.