After being named one of the rattiest cities in the country, Boston is looking to stomp out pests.
Rats in the hub have gone viral for their size and brazen behavior but a new ordinance could put someone in charge of the vermin vexation.
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Boston has held on strong at number 13 on Orkin's list of rattiest cities. The pest control company puts that list out every year and Boston has made it four consecutive years.
That ranking is based on the number of rodent removal treatments reported in each metro area. Boston public 311 service request database cataloged roughly 3,900 rodent-related complaints last year.
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The ordinance that City Councilor Ed Flynn plans to bring forth Wednesday will be his second attempt at creating a "rat czar" position. A legitimate position within the city to tackle the rodent crisis that appears to have gotten worse during the pandemic, when many restaurants shut down and people created more waste at home.
Currently, pest control is tackled by the Department of Public Works, inspectional services and the water and sewer commission. But Flynn is pushing for one office to handle the rat issue, hoping it will centralize it and become more efficient.
The city councilor has support from Mayor Michelle Wu, who backed him on this the first time he attempted to get the proposal passed.
A city council meeting is scheduled for noon Wednesday.
