After moving out of her home for more than a month because of rat infestation, Keyser resident Christie Lyons will be able to return to her recently exterminated Carskadon Road apartment next week.
Lyons’ landlord, Paulette Athey, was also forced from her home last month when rats appeared in the 84-year-old woman’s apartment complex, originating from an April 1 fire at a neighboring vacant South Mineral Street home owned by Burlington resident Paula Piehl.
Since that time, Athey has returned to her residence after staying with her two daughters, Nicole Vandevander of Route 46 and Danielle Kunis of Keyser.
“She returned to her home 12 days ago,” said Kunis. “The exterminator came to my mom’s house and took down the trees and came back a second time and got rid of the trees, which made a vast improvement.”
Kunis added the she is hopeful that the visits from the exterminator to her mother’s apartment complex, the large amount of rat poison consumed by the rats, and the removal of trees (which the rats were using to access her mother’s property) will take care of the problem.
“After about eight days of no activity, my mother moved back into her home, but very cautiously,” said Kunis.
Athey is now residing in her own quarters, but not before shelling out money to have her apartment complex exterminated and paying for the cost of tree removal.
Altogether, Athey had to pay $1,400 to cover the expenses, said Vandevander.
Piehl, a former Potomac State College biology professor, denied there were any rats at the residence that she once used to rent out to college students.
“She said there were no rats in her house,” said Kunis.
Lyons, whose apartment was considerably more deeply infested with the rodents, is taking her time before moving back in.
“I am staying with my mother in Elk Garden,” said Lyons. “I’m hoping to be back in by the middle of next week. I’m not done all of my cleaning yet. I’ve got to clean blankets and scrub the furniture.”
This matter was first taken to the Keyser city council at a June 23 meeting where Lyons, Athey, Kunis, Vandevander and another resident living in a neighboring apartment, Francine Shanahan, were in attendance to discuss this issue.
Mayor Glen “Bunk” Shumaker sent a certified letter to Piehl on June 24 requesting that she address the problems at her property.
The letter also stated that Piehl had 30 days to clean up her property or the city of Keyser would make an itemized statement, clean it up, and put a lien against the real estate.
At a more recent meeting, a special work session held on July 7, the city of Keyser decided to give the owner of the vacant, fire-gutted residence on South Mineral Street up to 90 days to either repair or raze the structure.
At that time, the owner indicated that the building will likely be demolished.
Meeting in the city council chambers, the building commission voted unanimously to accept the recommendation of city attorney Cody Pancake, who said the owner is moving to address the problem. According to Pancake, Piehl has made arrangements to have an exterminator begin working on the property that day.
“She can tear it down or she can fix it up. I don’t care as long as it’s done timely,“ Pancake told the News- Tribune after the meeting.
As part of the order approved by the building commission, the property owner agreed to submit proof by July 17 that an exterminator had been to the property, and that a contractor has been retained to evaluate the condition of the building.
Currently, the property owner has not shown proof that an exterminator visited the property. However, Kunis said she talked to a town official in the maintenance department who verified that an exterminator was at Piehl’s home last Friday working to rid the rodents.
Piehl, who did not attend the meeting, was represented by attorney Tim Sirk, who said the property owner wants to fully cooperate with the city.
“At this point she’s leaning toward selling the property,” Sirk said. “Whether she maintains the property or sells it, the building will have to go. She realizes that.”
The attorney described the building as “deplorable.”
“We’re not contesting that,” he said.
The city’s building commission is comprised of the mayor, chief of police and building inspector. Mayor Glen “Bunk” Shumaker said he was satisfied with the property owner’s response.
“I believe they’re showing good faith, and plans are more than likely to tear it down,” he said.
Vandevander, who had also attended this meeting, inquired about the $1,400 in expenses that her mother had incurred because of the rat problem.
Told by city officials that reimbursement would be a civil matter, Vandevander said it wouldn’t be cost effective to retain an attorney and seek compensation, leaving her mother to bear the expense herself.
“I’m glad that she’s finally doing something,” Vandevander said. “At first she denied there was a problem. It’s unfortunate it took so long, and that the expenses can’t be shared.”