Dehumidifier decision delays courthouse cleanup

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Dehumidifier decision delays courthouse cleanup

By Jr.

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/localnews/content/local_news/epaper/2005

/04/23/s1c_courthouse_0423.html

Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

Saturday, April 23, 2005

WEST PALM BEACH — The federal courthouse in West Palm Beach will

remain closed for months because U.S. court officials have delayed

the cleanup while they review whether to dehumidify the mold-

infested building, the district court administrator said Friday.

Clarence Maddox, federal courts administrator for South Florida,

said the plan to clean up the courthouse has been approved in part.

Last week, federal court administrators in Washington approved

paying for removing the mold in the courthouse at 701 Clematis St.

But federal court officials are undecided on whether to install new

equipment that will help prevent future mold growth.

Without a decision, no mold cleanup will take place at the 32-year-

old courthouse because the work must done in tandem, Maddox said.

" They're still a lot of unknowns right now, " Maddox said. " We don't

know how much time it's going to take. That's going to depend on the

offers. "

If the decision is made to dehumidify, the cleanup would be done in

two phases: The first phase is ridding the courthouse of the

hurricane-related mold. The second phase involves installing

dehumidifying equipment, he said.

" The purpose is to add a function to the air-conditioning system

that dehumidifies the air at intake so the main system doesn't have

to work as hard, " Maddox said.

For fear of giving bidders an edge, Maddox would not disclose the

amount of money federal court officials approved for the project.

They expect to solicit bids for the project in coming weeks, he said.

Hurricanes Frances and Jeanne damaged the courthouse, including

knocking out a fourth-floor window.

After the hurricanes, employees returned to the building but

complained of sinus problems and headaches.

Tests revealed the presence of mold. Chief U.S. District Judge

J. Zloch ordered the building closed on Nov. 19.

Five months have passed without any work being done on the building.

Meanwhile, federal court officials based here are traveling to

courthouses in Fort Pierce, Fort Lauderdale and Miami for hearings

and trials.

Federal judges, lawyers and litigants are living in hotels and

spending many more hours traveling throughout the Southern District,

which spans from Fort Pierce to Key West. The prolonged closing of

the courthouse has created a buzz in the legal community, which

surfaced last week during a speech by U.S. Rep. Clay Shaw, R-Fort

Lauderdale, before the Palm Beach County chapter of the Federal Bar

Association.

Shaw promised to look into the courthouse matter and expedite its

cleanup.

A spokeswoman for the congressman said he is working on taking a

tour of the building with Zloch.

Shaw expects to see the courthouse damage sometime next week.