Mold problem closes Pascagoula Public Library

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Mold problem closes Pas library

09/27/03By BRAD CROCKER

PASCAGOULA -- The Pascagoula Public Library will be closed to rid the 17-year-old building of mold and further possible repairs will also be considered.

City Manager Kay said Friday an employee at the Pascagoula branch became sick this month after being exposed to mold. She was moved to another branch and is no longer ill, library officials said.

"There's no reason to be alarmed," said , who held a press conference Friday to declare an emergency situation so she did not have to wait for the next City Council meeting Oct. 7.

Environmental engineer Steve Oivanki with Compton Engineering was contracted to inspect the problems.

He said mold was detected in the atrium lobby beneath the library's large upper floor decorative skylight, in both of the conference rooms on the ground floor behind the wall and on the air conditioning vents and behind the library's vinyl wallpaper, which he said was "a bad idea" for Southern climates.

"All of the rooms in question had a distinct odor, probably associated with active mold growth," Oivanki said.

Areas affected were sealed off, said.

"As soon as we found out we had a problem we closed the meeting rooms," said.

The air-conditioning system was the likely cause for the mold damage, said Oivanki, adding that most of the damage was mold spores and not high enough concentrations to cause health problems.

"No one lives there. It's not a health problem," he said.

Treatment and removal will cost about $10,000. said budget amendments may be made to the city's Community Development Block Grant fund to pay for the services.

said the roof leak, mold and a leak in the air-conditioning system will all be reviewed.

"We want to go in and correct all the problems," she said.

Oivanki said the air-conditioning unit may be contaminated with mold and recommended air ducts be thoroughly cleaned and inspected, wallpaper replaced to prevent moisture buildup and other library rooms cleaned as well.

City Building Official Steve has worked on the studies and inspections and will assist engineers in finding solutions, including ones for the leaky atrium which has caused water leaks for years.

Mississippi Power will assist in reviewing the air-handling system and see if any changes may be needed, said.

Bob Willits, executive director of the - Regional Library System, said the library was scheduled to close beginning Monday anyway for a comprehensive staff meeting about a modified software system being put in place.

The library should reopen Oct. 6.

Willits also said that a number of employees who work in the Pascagoula branch, which is the library system headquarters, have not experienced problems resulting from mold exposure.

Between 800 to 1,000 meetings are held at the library each year. About 50 or 60 have been canceled due to the mold problem, Willits said.

Brad Crocker can be reached at 934-1431 or bcrocker@....