Village Manager's Message

News flash: Dateline Villa Park! “We have a rat problem!”

On January 26th, 2026, we had Villa Park residents come to the Village Board Meeting and state during public comments that there is a serious rat infestation on the north side of the Village. I have had others come forward to talk about the same issue. We were given pictures and videos of numerous rats. The only thing I could think about was the 70’s horror movies: “Willard” and “Ben”. We will have to be aggressive and swift with our public information and actions to make sure the problem does not become greater than we can handle.

This week, Village Staff held a meeting to go over everyone’s role in combating the rat problem. First, our Communications Specialist posted on social media and on our Village Website, very informative, detailed information on how we could all do our part to combat the rat infestation problem. The Villa Park Fire Department will correspond with the County Health Department and the County Emergency Management agencies for any additional resources or information. The Public Works Department will reach out to all multi-unit buildings with dumpsters to make sure they are all using our garbage vendor, LRS, so we can have better responsiveness and accountability. We will also make sure that if additional garbage pickups are necessary, we will hold the building owners accountable. Our Code Enforcement Officers in the Community and Economic Development Department will enforce all health and sanitary violations for excess, overflowing garbage, and abandoned vehicles. The Police Department will handle all abandoned or inoperable vehicles that become a breeding ground for rat infestation. Our Village Engineers will create a “heat map” to show locations of garbage bins with an overlay of rat infestation reports. The Village Parks Department will ensure the public areas around the train station are kept clean and tidy. Parks will also look at possible environmentally safe substances to combat the rats. We are also bringing in a local pest control service to consult with us on our approach.

Why go to all this trouble you may ask? Rat infestations are a serious problem that poses health risks and impacts community well-being. Rats are attracted to areas with abundant food sources, water, and shelter. Common contributing factors include overflowing garbage bins, improper disposal of food waste, and neglected properties with overgrown vegetation or clutter. Construction projects and sewer system disturbances can also displace rodents, pushing them into residential neighborhoods.

Rats are carriers of diseases such as leptospirosis, salmonella, and hantavirus. Their presence can contaminate food supplies and damage property by gnawing on wires, insulation, and structural components, creating fire hazards and costly repairs. By combining proactive community engagement, strict sanitation practices, and professional intervention, Villa Park can significantly reduce rat populations and prevent future outbreaks. We sincerely hope all will join us in our fight against this community problem.

Respectfully,

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Mike Rivas

Village Manager