By Donnelly Clare

A mobile home park in the Town of Plover is facing the music over a rat- infested residence.      

Plover officials Wednesday agreed to delay renewing the 2013 trailer park license for Birch Tree Estates because of this park’s failure to act over a resident who allowed over 300 rats to live in her trailer home as pets. Several county agencies have become involved over the course of several months to trap the rodents and assess public safety.

The resident who lived in and owns the trailer, Darlene Flatoff, has since been evicted.

Flatoff was also arrested several weeks ago for attempting to break into the home after it had been sealed off by county health officials as uninhabitable.

The owner of Birch Tree Estates, Luke Hilgers, has been a problem for town officials in the past due to repeatedly late license fees and incomplete paperwork. Hilgers said the problems arose because he became distracted by family issues.

Town of Plover officials have said Flatoff’s pet rats have likely spread to neighboring homes and other buildings. Flatoff’s trailer is slated for destruction once all the rats living inside her trailer have been exterminated or trapped.

The town is awaiting a decision from the Portage County Health & Human Services regarding the status of the trailer and immediate area. The board said it will make a final decision at its April meeting.