Horizons West clears bedbug inspection
TONY BROWN/DAILY FORUM
After more than five months municipal code enforcement “substandard” tags have been removed from the exterior doors of the Horizons West apartment complex, a group of five privately owned residential buildings occupied mostly by international students attending Northwest Missouri State University. The complex was tagged in mid-July following discovery of a bedbug infestation. However, tenants wishing to do so were allowed to remain in their apartments.
Maryville City Manager Greg McDanel said Thursday that a five-and-a-half-month bedbug abatement process at the Horizons West apartment complex, located at 1121 North College Drive just across the street from Northwest Missouri State University, is complete, and that municipal code enforcement “substandard” tags have been removed from exterior doors.
The bedbug infestation at the five-building, 108-unit complex was discovered last July, and about 150 Northwest international students, who made up a majority of the tenants, were briefly evacuated while city and university officials decided on a plan of action.
A number of non-student tenants were informed about the situation but were told either to stay in their apartments or seek other lodging on their own.
In the event, since de-infesting clothing and personal belongings was determined to be an integral part of the cleanup process, the students were allowed to return to their apartments the following day after spending the night in an empty residence hall, which was hastily configured to provide controlled conditions under which students showered and had their clothes laundered.
Since then, the city has been working with the Horizons West landlord, Bryan Belcher of Des Moines, Iowa, and Alert #1 Termite & Pest Control of Maryville to get rid of the stubborn pests.
Bedbugs are parasitic insects that feed on human blood. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, they are not considered a public health hazard and are not known to spread disease.
However, bedbugs can cause itching and excessive scratching that sometimes leads to secondary skin infections.
Mostly eradicated in the developed world by the early 1940s, bedbugs have made a comeback over the past 20 years, possibly due to bans on effective pesticides and growing resistance to chemicals.
After the bedbugs were discovered at Horizons West last summer, McDanel said all 108 units were inspected, and a total of 51 infested apartments were treated with chemicals and heat. Only 43 of those dwellings were occupied.
McDanel said the elimination process included treatment of affected units at two-week intervals until the exterminator had “obtained control.”
As “control was established” in each unit, visual inspections were conducted after 45 days, ending the mitigation process.
McDanel said Alert #1 determined the abatement was complete on Wednesday, and that the city subsequently removed “substandard” tags from all five buildings.
He urged Horizons West residents — and residents of any rental properties in Maryville — to contact their landlord in the event of future infestations. He said tenants may also call the Department of Public Works’ Code Enforcement Division at 660.562.8012.
