Buffalo, NY – The Erie County Legislature passed a resolution calling on the County Executive and Health Department to release the funds appropriate for rodent abatement.
On April 14, 2011 the Legislature passed a resolution that appropriated $70,000 for use in rodent abatement. The money was intended to be used to for training of town and village officials in rodent abatement methods including baiting.
At the Legislature’s annual Mid-Year Budget Hearings Legislator Lynn Marinelli (D-Tonawanda and Buffalo) asked officials from the County Health Department what steps were being taken to distribute this money to the municipalities. The Health Department officials said they were waiting on direction from the County Executive on how to distribute the funds.
“These funds should have been used for rodent abatement months ago,” stated Marinelli “I can’t understand what the Administration is waiting for, but I can tell you that the residents of my district expect this money to be spent and this problem to be confronted immediately. Saying that we are waiting on a plan is unacceptable – action needs to be taken now to control the rat population.”
The resolution also called for the addition of 2 positions in the Health Department that deal with rodent abatement to be restored. Those positions were eliminated from the County budget this year by the Administration.
“The County Executive has said this is not a state mandated service that the County has to perform,” Marinelli explained. “But I am saying that the residents of the County of Erie are the ones that are proclaiming this a mandate. Rodent abatement is high on the list of priority for the residents and that is what makes it an important issue for the County.”
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