Cockroaches can be seen crawling on the outside of a rental property in Moundsville last October. Treatments to kill the roaches are underway. (File Photo)

MOUNDSVILLE — The city of Moundsville is still working toward remedying issues with cockroach-infested rental properties that residents complained about in recent months.

City Manager Rick Healy said the city temporarily footed the bill for the first three treatments to kill the bugs at the problem properties.

“The city paid for, to be reimbursed by the owner, three treatments for each structure. The owner is now responsible to take over those treatments,” he said.

The rental properties people complained about last October are located on Cedar, Center and Cypress streets. At that time, some residents took to social media and posted photos of thousands of cockroaches on the exterior of one of the buildings along with dead rats.

“The city’s Building Enforcement Agency has met and reviewed the inspection reports for each house,” he said. “The results of the BEA will be completed soon after the first of the year. In the meantime, the owner has applied for permits to begin replacing some windows.”

Healy said previously the property owner was compelled by a court order to start cleaning up the properties. After the problems persisted, the city decided to use its nuisance property ordinance, giving the city the ability to start the roach treatments and bill the owner for reimbursement.