SWATARA TOWNSHIP, DAUPHIN COUNTY, Pa. - A severe problem with mice. That's what one woman from Steelton says she's dealing with. She blames the problem on a past neighbor, but says after three years she's still having a hard time getting the problem under control.
“I was catching up to 10 to 15 a night," said Rodica Mihalis.
After living in her Steelton home for about seven years, Mihalis is now dealing with what she calls a mice problem.
“It started 3 years ago. This is where I could pinpoint the start of the problem when neighbors moved out of Steelton and they were feeding their snakes with live mice," said Mihalis. “There is no food source. The house is clean and I keep all the food I have in Glass containers.”
Mihalis says she feels like she finally has the problem under control but it's because she's spent thousands of dollars on traps and Terminix.
“I can not maintain this for the rest of my life if there is not something done on a larger scale," said Mihalis.
Steelton Borough officials say they've been working with people living near Mihalis to address the problem.
“So we did some inspections, there wasn't a massive amount of violations," said Keontay Hodge, Council Pro Tem. "So we did the citing and got all that stuff together.”
Currently, there isn't a fine for infestation violations. Borough officials are working to update their codes that would require landlords to submit information on who their tenants are, increase fines for violations, and have violators show they've taken care of any problems by having reoccurring inspections and pest control.
“For us we’re trying to do it to where it’s fair for everybody," said Hodge. "Because we want everybody to feel comfortable and at home in our community.”
Hodge encourages everyone living in Steelton to feel comfortable contacting anyone at borough hall anytime you have a problem whether it's with mice or not.