Bats are seen in this file photo.

KIMBALL, Tenn. - The two-year effort to rid a couple of city buildings of a bat infestation has been largely unsuccessful.

In September 2011, the Kimball Board of Mayor and Aldermen voted unanimously to pay $3,300 to Lookout Pest Control Inc. in Rossville, Ga., to remove the bats.

A year later, with the bats still hanging around, Lookout Pest Control agreed to waive a $300 annual renewal fee for one year.

Vice Mayor Rex Pesnell said on Thursday that the bats are still there.

"I've called, and they haven't taken care of the problem," he said. "[The bats] are still in the maintenance department and the fire department."

Pesnell said Lookout Pest Control is supposed to return to make another attempt to solve the problem, but since the weather will be turning cold soon, the bats will be "leaving on their own."

The city was supposed to pay the $300 annual renewal fee last month, but officials said they had not received a bill.

Pesnell said he will inform the company that the city does not intend to pay that fee.

"Since they haven't accomplished their job yet, I think we need to not pay the renewal fee on it until they get it corrected," he said.

"They guaranteed to fix it," Alderman Johnny Sisk said.

If the bat problem persists, Pesnell said he is not sure how to ask for the initial payment back since the company promised to come up with a solution.

"Demand it," City Attorney Billy Gouger said.

The board plans to wait until the spring to see if the bats return to the buildings again.

"It's probably going to be the spring before we'll know if [the next attempt] worked or not," Pesnell said. "We'll give them a little bit more time and see."

Ryan Lewis is based in Marion County. Contact him at ryan lewis34@gmail.com.