Mold cleanup at Lely Elementary to cost more than $1,000

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Mold cleanup at Lely Elementary to cost more than $1,000

Faulty air-conditioner blamed for mold found in 14 classrooms

By TRACY X. MIGUEL, tmiguel@...

September 18, 2005

http://www.naplesnews.com/npdn/news/article/0,2071,NPDN_14940_4089645

,00.html

Mold was found growing underneath kids' desks, shelves, walls and

along the doors at Lely Elementary School.

A faulty air-conditioner has been the cause for several years, from

compressors not working to valves not opening, causing the

classroom's temperature to go up along with high humidity to create

the potential health risks.

Officials of the Collier County Education Association and teachers

said it has been a problem for four years.

" The lack of getting proper working conditions is just appalling, "

said Von Jeffers, president of the Collier County Education

Association, the teachers union. " I think it's deploring that they

left this go on since 2001. "

In a site inspection performed in 2001 by Apollo Environmental Inc.,

the finding included temperature, relative humidity and carbon

dioxide concerns.

Among several recommendations were the following: removal of mold-

contaminated and water-damaged ceiling tiles from three rooms,

maintain humidity, routine inspection, service and clean unit

ventilators and supply additional fresh air to two rooms.

Eli Mobley, director of security and environmental management for

the Collier County School Board, said the district responded to the

recommendations.

" We felt that we were able to service and maintain the air-

conditioner, " he said.

Mobley said that one of the challenges they had was keeping the

humidity below 60 percent.

He said mold is difficult to keep out of classrooms when the weather

is hot and humid.

Despite the first report in 2001, the school continued to use the

same air-conditioning system.

" We are a government entity and we have to go by phases.

Unfortunately it (a new air-conditioner) didn't come on the line

quick enough, " Mobley said.

During the summer, the mold problem returned.

Staff noticed the mold since the first day they returned, Aug. 8,

and contacted the CCEA on Sept. 2.

Principal Karey said on two occasions the air-conditioning

compressors stopped pumping cold water around the school, which

caused humidity and created the mold.

In late July 2005, the breakdown was caused by lighting and another

in early August 2005, due to the bypass valve not opening.

" The trouble with the air-conditioner is its age. It was installed

in 1989. It's old, " said.

When staff returned to school, less than a week before classes

started, they discovered mold in 14 classrooms.

At that point the district brought in Fire Water Restoration

Services, said Clukey, the Collier County School District's

executive director for support services.

Fire Water Restoration Services was at the school Aug. 11 and

returned in early September. He estimates that the cleanup will cost

more than $1,000.

Both times the district responded to the school's concern,

said.

For the past two weeks, dozens of Fire Water Restoration Services

employees haven't left the classrooms until every item, wall and

floor are spick-and-span, which at times has been until midnight.

They thoroughly scrubbed each item where unhealthy levels of mold

were growing with Microban, an anti-bacterial chemical.

" I really think we responded as soon as we found out, " Clukey said.

He estimates that the cleanup will cost more than $1,000.

" We did have the air quality tested and it passed, " Clukey said.

He said the air quality doesn't mean that a person who is more prone

will not react to the mold.

" Our number one concern is to put students and staff in an

environment that is as safe as it can possibly be, " Clukey said.

Yet, several teachers disagree.

" It's too little, too late, " said second-grade teacher Amy Murray,

who has been teaching at Lely for four years.

Murray, union Lely Elementary representative, said two teachers were

admitted into the hospital with respiratory and heart problems

earlier in September.

" The fact is that it's not soon enough for the problems that are

going on, " she said.

Students and teachers in the first eight rooms to be cleaned were

placed in portables from the start of the school year.

said the district has given her permission to clean any

other rooms that need to be done.

She said she is in the process of assessing which rooms will be

cleaned next.

said no students have been absent from getting mold-related

illnesses caused by mold exposure.

acknowledges that people who are allergic to mold will have

a reaction, therefore the school is offering worker's comp and a

flexible schedule for teachers who have doctor's appointments.

So far, four teachers have applied for worker's comp.

Murray said 95 percent of the staff attended a meeting this past

Monday. Apart from Lely Elementary staff, representatives from Fire

Water Restoration, Walt Black, a microbiologist of American

Management Resources Corporation, Bosse, supervisor of

maintenance, Mobley and Clukey attended the meeting.

Murray said Mobley talked with staff about similar issues that were

discussed in 2001.

Next month, the school will get a new air-conditioning system and a

new roof.

" I think conditions will improve with the air-conditioner, " Mobley

said.

It is estimated the new system will cost $4.5 million.

" It's frustrating that no action seems to take place until we

contacted the media, " said Lyle Farmar, CCEA service unit director.

More than a dozen teachers have visited a doctor for feeling ill

caused by mold exposure, he said.

" The teachers were continuously told that help was on the way, "

Farmar said.