Summit Hill borough council members have heard numerous complaints at recent meetings about neglected properties, with some residents saying those properties are attracting rats and other vermin.

On Wednesday, interim zoning officer Danny Matika and Mayor Jeffrey Szczecina held an informal discussion with residents and pledged to do what they can to combat the problems.

Matika told about 20 people who attended the meeting, held in the borough hall, “What we need from the public is a commitment to work together.”

“Summit Hill is still a nice town but with the influx of rental properties, absentee landlords and some residents that don’t know the quality-of-life Summit Hill residents are used to, it has taken quite a step backward,” Matika said.

“We as a group can get it back, but it’s going to take time, communication and a willingness to work together for the common good instead of pointing fingers,” he said.

Residents echoed many of the same complaints they’ve voiced at council meetings regarding specific properties, especially some in the 100 block of East Ludlow Street.

Matika said he personally observed a dead rat on the pavements there.

“During the next six to eight weeks as I fill in until the new police/zoning officer is appointed, I will be working diligently with the mayor and police to clean up as many of the quality-of-life issues the public brings to the table tonight,” Matika said.

Besides the issues on East Ludlow Street, other matters brought to the attention of Matika and Szczecina were junk cars at one location and garbage and weeds on properties at about five or six other properties.

“We will check all these within the next week and report back to the borough council,” Matika said.

The council will hold its next meeting at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 10.

Matika, who had previously served as the zoning officer, was replaced when the council earlier this year hired a police officer to work jointly as a policeman and zoning officer. However, that police officer was released in August. Matika was named interim zoning officer until another full-time police officer is hired who also will then be the zoning officer.

There were suggestions made by council members to keep Matika on as an alternate zoning officer, but no official action was taken.

Matika said he and the mayor plan to hold another such discussion period with the public next month.

At the onset of the meeting, Szczecina stressed that the conversation would be cordial; that there would be no yelling, raising of voices or vulgar language.

“I’m pleased with the way the meeting went,” he said afterward.