Colorado:Elbert County Courthouse is closed indefinitely

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Mold problems close Elbert courthouse

Judges, deputies and inmates moving to temporary digs

By Tillie Fong, Rocky Mountain News

September 24, 2004

KIOWA - The Elbert County Courthouse is closed indefinitely after

health officials confirmed mold in the building.

" At this point, with the potential that there is a health risk, we

had to take immediate action, " Salaz, spokeswoman for the

Colorado Judicial Department, said Thursday.

Until the problem is resolved, court will be held in a fairground

exhibit hall and sheriff's deputies and jail prisoners will have to

be relocated.

" We're in the process of evacuating it now, " said Suzie Graeff,

Elbert County administrator.

" The courts had a reason to evacuate. When they evacuated, we have to

evacuate (the sheriff's office and jail) also, " she said.

The courts in the Elbert County Justice Center, 751 Ute Ave., were

closed Wednesday after a state risk-management report verified that

mold was found in several locations in the building.

The report indicated that the possible source of the mold came from

moisture that seeped into office spaces and into the cinder-block

walls from a leaking roof.

Cracks had formed in the cement foundation of the brick courthouse,

which was built in 1985 with a flat roof. The roof was later replaced

with a sloping one.

A risk-assessment study was ordered Aug. 14, after an employee in the

courts section of the justice center filed a workers compensation

claim for injuries caused by exposure to contaminants in the building.

A mold-sniffing dog was brought into the courthouse on Sept. 14, but

the report verifying the presence of mold in several locations was

not received until Wednesday. The report recommended that staff and

the courts be relocated during remediation of the mold problem.

Since the sheriff's office and jail share the same ventilation system

with the courts, it was determined Thursday that sheriff's personnel

and inmates be relocated as well.

Twelve inmates were transferred to the Washington County Jail in

Akron and about three dozen staff members and deputies with the

Elbert County Sheriff's Office were in the process of being moved to

a temporary building behind the courthouse.

" We're working on it as fast as we can, " Graeff said, with as little

disruption as possible.

The 911 system also was being rerouted Thursday.

The county has hired an independent company, Excel Environmental

Inc., of Aurora, to retest for mold, gauge the effect of the mold and

suggest ways to get rid of it.

Officials at the company did not return calls Thursday.

In the meantime, county and state officials are scrambling to arrange

for the relocation of Elbert County employees and services.

Calls to the courts will be forwarded to an Elbert County employee

who will be based in the County court building starting today.

Callers should not call the County courts directly. Instead,

they should call the Elbert County courts at 303-621-2131.

Starting Monday, court hearings and trials for Elbert County cases

will be held just down the street at the Elbert County Fairground

Exhibit Hall, 95 Ute Ave.

The exhibit hall has been used previously for jury selection, Salaz

said.

Paper records from the courthouse will not be available for use by

the public or the courts until the mold problem is resolved.

" Paper is considered a porous substance that the mold would attach

to, " Salaz said. " We'll be relying on our electronic databases, which

are maintained in real time. "

About 10 employees who work in the courts will be relocated to the

exhibit hall.

It was not known Thursday how well the move was going for the Elbert

County Sheriff's Office. Calls to Elbert County Sheriff

Frangis were not returned.

fongt@... or 303-892-5489