Mold takes hold in Grant County D-Home

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Mold takes hold in D-HomeDepartment may have to be moved out By PAUL MCKIBBENmckibben@...

Jeff Morehead / Photo editor Dark spots believed to be mold mark the wall of an office in the probation department of the Grant County Community Justice Center.

Mold has developed in sections of the Grant County Probation Department, located in the Community Justice Center. The mold has prompted concern from Grant County Commissioner Bostic Weaver who is worried about employees getting sick from it. "The mold is still there," she said. "It's not going away. It needs to be gone." In the Center, more commonly known as the D-Home, several offices in the probation department have mold visible on their walls about a foot off the floor. The area is in the facility's basement. The department started using dehumidifiers Monday when water seeped into offices after heavy rains this weekend. McCoy, the county's director of correctional services, said she noticed the mold within the last month and wants the problem fixed. Officials have mentioned moving the department, but that's something McCoy would like to avoid. "I do not relish at all the prospect of relocating," she told commissioners, noting that the department has moved three times in the past 10 years. "On the other hand, I'm concerned about issues that might come up if we don't either get it repaired or get relocated." McCoy said there is not any mold where juveniles detainees are kept. Inspectors from the county's Area Plan department, who have undergone training about mold, are expected to examine the problem at the probation department. In 1998, county employees moved back into the county complex after spending several years in temporary rented facilities around downtown. Before more than $3 million in renovations, some county workers experienced rashes and blisters while working in the building. The building which houses the detention center and probation department is not part of the old county complex, but a new facility. Mold in a building can cause medical problems for individuals. Stachybotrys chartarum, a type of mold that has a greenish-black color, grows on material that are exposed to consistent moisture or water damage. Health problems that can occur include cold-like symptoms, rashes and aggravation of asthma, sinusitis and conjunctivitis, according to the Indiana State Department of Health.