Mold forces Easleys out of governor's mansion for repair North Carolina

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Mold forces Easleys out of governor's mansion for repair

The Associated Press

August 6, 2005   12:03 pm

RALEIGH, N.C. -- Mike Easley is leaving the governor's mansion.

Persistent problems with mold are driving the state's chief executive and his

wife, , out of their 114-year-old official home while repairs are made.

" They didn't say I had to move. They just said they were moving out all the

furniture, cutting off the water and the electricity and bringing in the

jackhammers, " Easley told the Winston-Salem Journal this week.

The Easleys haven't left the building just yet. His security detail is still

studying potential temporary residences among other state-owned housing,

Easley said.

Mold spores can cause allergic reactions, including runny noses, sneezing,

red eyes and skin rash.

A Web site of the N.C. Office of Archives and History describes the 1891

mansion as " one of the state's finest examples of the Queen Anne style of

n architecture. " But, like many old houses and some new ones, it's had a

continuing problem with mold.

State officials spent more than two months repairing the house's ventilation

system before the governor, his wife and their son moved into the mansion in

2001. Workers tried to kill mold spores they found at the time and cover it

with a sealant.

" It worked temporarily, but it came back, like mold will do, " spokeswoman

Cari Boyce said.

Herrick, an environmental engineer from Cary, inspected the house July

18 and found active mold growth in the air ducts.

Condensed water was dripping from water lines running to air conditioning

units in the basement and attic. Herrick also found " a persistent leak " in the

attic, and a wet spot in the floor above the second-floor Rose Room that he

blamed on water dripping from cold-water pipes.

Secretary of Administration Gwynn Swinson ordered the State Construction

Office to make emergency repairs. Rep. Deborah Ross, D-Wake, said about $5

million

from the sale of nearby state-owned homes will help pay for renovations.

The problem affects more than just the Easleys' comfort. The building is used

for meetings and other government functions.

Sen. Hoyle, D-Gaston, said Easley told legislators during a recent

meeting: " This place is falling down. ... If you put your hand on the wall, be

careful - you might fall through. "

Easley said that the air in the house has gradually worsened. At a meeting

with Wake County legislators two weeks ago, one member " was coughing and

wheezing and sneezing. "

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