CHEEKTOWAGA, N.Y. (WKBW) — Ray Jensen has lived on Donald Drive in Cheektowaga for 13 years. A stretch of property behind his home, running from the Kensington Expressway to Genesee Street, is maintained by the town — but this year, he says, it has not been mowed once.
Jensen said he has called the town's Highway Department six to 10 times asking for the nearly 6-foot-tall grass to be cut.
"We just want answers. We pay our taxes. We just want services that are supposed to be provided to us," Jensen said.
According to Jensen, the overgrown grass has created conditions for mosquitoes and rats in the neighborhood and Erie County has already been out to bait for rats.
"I've never seen it this bad," Jensen said. "The town normally comes twice a year to cut it. They have not been here once this year. As you can tell, the mosquitoes are bad. There's rats running around, and I've called the Highway Department six to 10 times, and they just keep kicking the can down the road."
WATCH: 'We just want answers': Cheektowaga residents demand town mow overgrown grass
When Jensen contacted the Highway Department, he said he was told the department was backed up.
"The woman in the office said that they're backed up and they can't get to it right now. And I said, 'Well, what does that mean?' And she said, 'We're just backed up,' and they just won't give me the answers," Jensen said.
I called the Highway Department directly from Jensen's backyard. A woman in the office transferred the call to the highway supervisor. I left a message and have yet to receive a response.
Jensen also spoke directly with Cheektowaga Town Supervisor Brian Nowak, who promised to contact the Highway Department.
Nowak told me he did not have time to meet but said he passed Jensen's concerns "directly to the town highway superintendent."
Jensen said the town's inaction stands in contrast to how residents are treated when their own grass grows too tall.
"Could you imagine if we left our grass like this, we would have code enforcement, or they would be here leaving notes on our door? We should not have to deal with these mosquitoes and these rats on a daily basis," Jensen said.
Other residents were not able to meet on Monday, but Jensen said he and his neighbors have repeatedly contacted the town's Highway Department for help.
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