Mold plagues Beacon courthouse

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Saturday, August 27, 2005

Mold plagues Beacon courthouse

By Dan Shapley

Poughkeepsie Journal

http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?

AID=/20050827/NEWS01/508270307/1006/NEWS01

Poughkeepsie,NY

BEACON — City workers responded to mold in Beacon's court building

Friday, one day after court officers complained about the problem.

Workers used bleach and water to clean the mold, city officials

said. The building remained open Friday.

The Poughkeepsie Journal learned about the cleanup from police Chief

Sassi, who is concerned the building has a chronic mold

problem caused by moisture from the air conditioning system.

" We've had a mold problem here, going back easily five, six, seven

years or more. Usually when they turn the air conditioning system

on, the mold problem develops, " Sassi said.

City Administrator Joe Braun said mold has occasionally appeared in

the building, and the city has addressed mold anytime it appears.

" I think these are relatively minor issues that crop up in any

building that has air conditioning and where humidity control is not

optimum, " Braun said.

The three-story municipal center was completed in 1996, at a cost of

about $1 million more than originally estimated. It houses offices

for various city departments and its courts.

Sassi said about five people in the police department have at times

complained of symptoms such as headaches, fatigue and burning eyes.

He suspects mold caused the symptoms. The city has replaced ceiling

tiles that get moldy since Sassi complained last year, the chief

said.

Sassi wants the city to test the air, and identify and fix the root

of the problem.

" Stop treating it with a Band-Aid and let's solve the problem, "

Sassi said. " Why should anyone get sick when we can prevent it? "

Dan Shapley can be reached at dshapley@...