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Brookline presents rodent-control action plan; town reports hundreds of complaints and stepped-up enforcement
Summary
The public-health and DPW directors updated the Select Board on a multi-pronged rodent-control initiative: Smart City trapping, targeted restaurant inspections, education campaigns and increased enforcement. DPW reported 734 rodent complaints in the tracking system with 351 enforcement actions and about $2,415 in fines recovered during the recent period.
Brookline public-health and public-works officials told the Select Board on July 23 that the town is intensifying efforts to manage rodent activity through a combination of data-driven trapping, targeted inspections and stepped-up enforcement.
Director of Public Health Seagal (presenting the plan) said the town deployed a Smart City trapping system in December 2022 and continues to adjust trap locations and public reporting. "We report monthly on the website," Seagal said, and emphasized prevention: secure trash and reduced food sources.
Kevin Johnson, Deputy Commissioner of Operations (DPW), provided enforcement statistics and operational details. He said FY23 recorded 175 rodent-related complaints that led to targeted follow-up and that, in the more recent tracking period, the town has logged 734 rodent-activity reports, taken 351 enforcement actions (including warnings) and collected approximately $2,415 in fines. Johnson said the town has added inspection and sanitation resources, new code-enforcement staff and an additional sanitation truck to address overflowing or clogged "Big Belly" containers during off hours.
Officials stressed cross-department coordination: public-health-led inspections for food establishments, DPW enforcement for solid-waste storage, and shared case tracking in the Brook Online system. Seagal and DPW staff said outreach materials (multilingual infographics and videos) and training for restaurant staff are part of the effort, and urged residents and businesses to follow dumpster and trash-container rules.
Board members asked for clearer published metrics on the town web pages and pressed officials to prioritize problem "hot spots," provide regular updates to the Select Board and consider a dedicated enforcement presence for chronic violations.
What happens next: Town staff will continue trap-location adjustments, strengthen cross-department response to Brook Online complaints, expand late-hour collection for big-belly containers and return with periodic enforcement metrics for the Select Board.
