Twitching whiskers and scurrying gray tails have chased dozens of residents to their phones. The calls have gone directly to Ward 2 Alderman Maryann M. Heuston.

“When I go home at night, I’ve got 10 calls about rats,” she said.

The problem is largely a result of the Somerville Avenue reconstruction project. As the ground gets shaken up, the rats seek out more settled corridors. The biggest problem is they don’t travel too far.

In a highly dense community like Somerville, these little critters are taking it upon themselves to mix, mingle and coexist with their human neighbors. However, no one paying Somerville real estate prices finds it acceptable to share their land with rodents.

City officials say baiting is done to try and prevent these creatures from spreading. However, Heuston said it is probably not being done often enough based on the high call volume she has been recently handling from her constituents.

“It may have to happen more often, and the city may have to pick up the slack,” she said.

She said she also believes the city should switch to a local vender who knows the areas and would have an upper hand on taking a proactive approach and knowledge of the best rat hangouts around.

Citywide there has been progress in the battle between residents and rats. The city passed an ordinance not to long ago, dictating trash must be put out in cans and lids must cover the outside barrels.

There was also a Rodent Task Force formed back when the problem seemed more widespread throughout the city.

According to Noreen Burke, the city’s health director, the task force has fallen inactive after achieving “most of our short term goals.”

Heuston said the problem with rats is that is just how hard they are to get rid of once and for all.

“Once you get the problem, the cat’s out of the bag,” she said.

We, at The Somerville News, ask, on behalf of any resident who has shrieked at the site of a scampering rodent or recently had to cross paths with a dirt rat, that the Rodent Task Force be made active again or officials come up with some other way to combat the problem. This is an ongoing issue, and if we look away, it won’t be the rats walking off with their tails between their legs.