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School employees sickened during remediation of mold-ridden building purchased by Manatee School District in FL for $15.8 million.
Posted on Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Mold irritates employees
Manatee school district replacing pieces of wall at newly obtained Superior Electronics building
http://www.bradenton.com/local/story/150314.html
TIFFANY TOMPKINS-CONDIE
Tim McGonegal, assistant superintendant of Business Services for the School District of Manatee County gestures toward an area of wall where mold was found and remediated in a newly-purchased building.--PHOTO BY TIFFANY TOMPKINS-CONDIE/
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By NICHOLAS AZZARA
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MANATEE --Four school district employees have suffered minor respiratory symptoms and watery eyes, but missed no time from work, because of the moldy walls inside a building the district purchased almost three months ago.
School board officials knew the Superior Electronics building off U.S. 301 had some mold damage, and that they would need to spend more to clean up the problem. Between 30 and 40 people were working in the building, and four of them reportedly complained of minor irritations they experienced when crews began to replace pieces of wall.
"I told the school board there was some remediation we had to do to that building," schools Superintendent Roger Dearing said Tuesday. "We knew we had mold problems in the exterior walls, and that's what it's confined to. It was not a surprise."
The Manatee County School District on June 18 closed on two buildings and 18 acres at the northwest corner of the U.S. 301 and 63rd Avenue East intersection. The district purchased the property from Superior Electronics Partnership for $15.8 million.
The building will be used to consolidate school employees who are now scattered in various locations throughout the county.
Dearing said he told board members in March that an additional $2.2 million would be required for interior remediation, road exits and parking.
The source of the problem, according to Assistant Superintendent Tim McGonegal, was leaky window seams. Moisture slowly seeped in through tiny cracks in the wall and became trapped behind drywall, which was covered with vinyl wallpaper.
McGonegal said the situation created an aquarium effect and the walls essentially became "a little hothouse." He said employees were apprised of the building's condition.
"We didn't think anyone would have a reaction," McGonegal said. But Dearing noted that "some have a different tolerance level" from others.
In recent weeks, moldy portions of three walls downstairs and four rooms upstairs were removed. Air-conditioning ducts were cleaned and carpets shampooed. While the work is completed, the affected employees, who are instructional technology specialists and information systems staffers, have returned to their former offices at Matzke Complex off 27th Street East.
Dearing said more than $20,000 has been spent to remedy the mold situation - much more than what was required.
"We've done everything to make the building as best as it can be," Dearing said. "We want our employees to be safe. We're self-insured. Was there mold? Yes. Is it remediated? Yes."
Nicholas Azzara, county reporter, can be reached at 745-7081.
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Building with mold sickened workers
School district must pay for removal; cost unknown
http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20070918/NEWS/709180322
BY KEVIN O'HORAN
BRADENTON -- Mold found in a newly acquired office building has sickened four Manatee County School District employees.
The employees started showing symptoms of exposure to mold shortly after moving into the former Superior Electronics Corp. building, a 115,000-square-foot, two-story structure at 2501 63rd Ave. E. The district paid $15.8 million for two buildings there in June.
"We have had some employees who have had reactions to the mold, and we worked with them right away to get them out of the building," said Tim McGonegal, the district's assistant superintendent of business services.
Mold exposure can cause ailments ranging from the relatively minor headaches and sneezing, to more chronic illnesses like lasting fatigue, bronchitis and nausea or vomiting, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. In extreme cases, exposure to mold can cause lung infections.
The Manatee employees had only mild symptoms and were not hospitalized.
The district relocated at least four other employees who were concerned about working in an environment where mold is present.
About 40 people are working in telephone support, computer systems and instructional technology at the buildings, in which the district eventually plans to house more than 200.
The possibility of a mold problem first surfaced during a routine pre-purchase inspection of the building. That survey found vinyl wallpaper in offices and conference rooms on the building's first floor.
"In Florida, that's not good, because water gets trapped behind it," said Forrest Branscomb, the district risk management manager.
That water can soak drywall or other building materials, creating a breeding ground for mold.
The district removed the wallpaper and drywall from problem areas on the first floor during a $30,000 project finished three weeks ago, Branscomb said. But air samples taken from the second floor and water stains found on the walls there led to more mold concerns.
The district expects it will have to do more mold removal and rebuild more walls; that cost is still unknown.
Despite the extra work, and the mold findings, district officials do not see cause for alarm.
"There hasn't been a lot of evidence that would make us be very concerned to where we would require everybody to leave the building," Branscomb said. "That's not the case here."
Last modified: September 18. 2007 4:40AM
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