TWINSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio — News 5 is committed to helping our viewers solve problems they’re dealing with in their communities.
That’s why we’re following through on this situation in Twinsburg Township that deals with some uninvited creatures.
We don’t just report the initial story—we follow through to its conclusion. Read and watch our previous reporting on this story below and see more stories that we've followed through on here.
News 5 first reported on the story last month and is now back in the community because neighbors say they are fed up that the issue has not been resolved.
“It’s an embarrassment,” said Lawrence Fitzgerald. “I don’t understand why they can’t exterminate over and over until the issue is dealt with.”
Fitzgerald said he’s not pleased with how the township has responded to this issue.
“You sit out here, and you’ll see roaches in broad daylight just waking, like, 'Honey, I’m home,' and it’s like you have to kill them constantly,” said Fitzgerald.
Fitzgerald first reached out to News 5 last month when his property became infested with roaches after his former next-door neighbors fed cats, raccoons and even opossums.
The Summit County Health Department responded by issuing a warning notice to the landlord about the issues the home has caused.
Shortly after that, Twinsburg Township’s Board of Trustees declared the home at 2133 Cambridge St. a nuisance and ordered emergency abatement of those conditions.
As the city began the process of boarding and cleaning up the property and initial extermination treatments, Township Manager Rob Kagler told us in a statement Tuesday that the property owner appeared and expressed his intention to proceed directly with abatement.
But after weeks of waiting, Fitzgerald says the problem is getting worse.
“Pretty much a month later, this is the bag of roaches literally coming up the driveway that I keep killing consistently,” said Fitzgerald.
Fitzgerald even says he hasn’t seen any further mitigation actions from the township or the owner.
We asked if Fitzgerald had seen anyone come out to do an extermination or other work since July 15.
“No, and I was told after 14 days you can exterminate again, according to the exterminators that I use,” he said.
Fitzgerald wants the township to do more.
Yet, Kagler says it is up to the property owner to work with the health department to satisfy their orders.
We asked Fitzgerald if the Township should be held accountable for the issue.
“Yes, I feel like they could do more because I feel like if it was any of them and it was their house, it would’ve been handled already," Fitzgerald said.
Kagler understands this is a frustrating situation.
But due to state law, Kagler said this is how the nuisance abatement process is supposed to work. He assures the problem will be resolved. However, it’s unclear when those results will come.
“It’s just frustrating. You know, sleepless, restless, but still, I have to keep going,” Fitzgerald said.
