Ordinance pondered after bed bug infestation | News, Sports, Jobs – Alpena News

HARRISVILLE The Alcona County Commission on Aging is so frustrated with an improperly treated bed bug infestation at Lincoln Manor that the agency broke its own policy against serving residents in infected homes just so one senior could get a bath.

Commission on Aging Executive Director Lenny Avery told the Alcona County board on Wednesday that one client at Lincoln Manor requires a bath three times a month, but hadnt received a bath in two months until officials went in on Tuesday.

We went in there and we provided some bathing assistance for her yesterday, and we performed some other assistance for her today, he said. As of today in about an hour and 25 minutes we saw six bed bugs in her apartment.

The county Board of Commissioners on Wednesday recommended Avery contact the Village of Lincoln to see if a renters protection ordinance could be written.

Avery told the board Prime Properties Management, owners of the Lincoln-based senior living facility, is playing Whac-A-Mole by treating one apartment at a time instead of spending the money to treat the entire building.

Prime Properties has not responded to repeated requests from The News for comment.

Every time bed bugs are found in an apartment, the Commission on Aging has to suspend its services to the residents there. Avery said staff do not want to spread the infestation to other seniors.

Avery told commissioners Prime Properties Management was uncooperative. He said the company has told him the commons and laundry room are clear of bed bugs, but will not say whether apartments are still infested.

Avery said he has reached out to local government officials, such as District Health Department No. 2 and the Michigan State Housing Development Authority.

Im at the limit of what I can do, which is to be the squeaky wheel in the room, he said.

That isnt unheard of, county board Chairman Craig Johnston told Avery. There are ordinances written for renters protection, and perhaps they could get some advice and craft a renters protection ordinance and begin the process of putting some financial hurt on anybody who doesnt keep their rentals up to snuff.

Johnston said it would take months, though, until an ordinance could be adopted.

In the meantime, commissioners said they would make calls to state representatives and consult with legal counsel to see if there was anything more the county could do. Johnston noted there are bed bug laws on the books.

Avery said he is going to continue to squeak until we get this resolved.

Crystal Nelson can be reached at 989-358-5687 or cnelson@thealpenanews.com.

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Ordinance pondered after bed bug infestation | News, Sports, Jobs - Alpena News