Council Pre-Approves Request for Proposal on Rodent Control Expert Contract

WARWICK, RI — Usually, department heads issue requests for proposal (RFPs) for a task or service, then present the winning bidder to the City Council for their approval, but on Monday, councillors signaled the last part of that process will be easier than usual as they OK’d a resolution supporting an RFP for a rodent control expert.

“This is just the Council saying yes, we’re willing to appropriate money for this problem,” said Councilman Jeremy Rix, who sponsored the resolution offering the RFP support. The resolution passed unanimously, Rix said.

Rix said the City does have a trained expert who can advise residents and business owners on how to mitigate rat populations, but that person, a DPW foreman, is only on the clock from 7 a.m. till 3:30 p.m., which means there are a lot of people at work he can’t speak to during his shift. Also, Rix said, someone has to fill in for the foreman’s regular duties at a higher pay than they usually receive.

So, Rix said, a contractor who would take that off the foreman’s hands would wind up saving the city money, and they could schedule the person to work starting at 3:30 p.m. so they could speak with people while they’re home.

Rix noted the contractor would be focused on setting traps and educating people throughout the city, not just in his district in Norwood, which made the news in June for their efforts at rat control.

Rix  said Councilwoman Donna Travis also noted she’s gotten complaints about rats from her constituents in Ward 6. Travis could not be immediately reached Tuesday afternoon.

Rix said he will meet with the City Building Officer and Mayor Scott Avedisian this week to discuss the need for the contractor.