Mold a growing concern at courthouse

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Mold a growing concern at courthouse

SCOTT FROST, Staff Writer08/24/2005

http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?

newsid=15087252 & BRD=1697 & PAG=461 & dept_id=44551 & rfi=6

The Trentonian - Trenton,NJ

TRENTON -- Two Mercer County judges were relocated to different

courtrooms yesterday after a county health officer found a moldy

situation on some of the wood inside, officials said

Mair, the county administrator, said judges Darlene Pereksta

and Sypek were forced to conduct court proceedings in

alternative rooms yesterday after a random search of their

courtrooms revealed mold formations on some unfinished woodwork.

Although Mair said the mold was found " scattered throughout " the

century-old rooms, rumors circulating throughout the courtroom

yesterday pointing at the woodwork on some chairs and inside one of

the jury boxes where the main mold concerns formulated.

Mair said he didn't know how much mold was found, but stressed that

it wasn't something to worry about. He said county inspectors didn't

catch that " musty smell " they expected when information leaked that

there were problems with the mold building on the exposed woodwork

in the room.

In the midst of vacation season for area judges, Mair said the mold

was able to grow because the rooms, both on the second floor of

the " old " courthouse on South Broad Street, were unoccupied last

week.

" We are right in the middle of vacation season, " Mair said. " So (the

rooms) were sitting there vacant. "

But Sypek's team of clerks yesterday said her second-floor courtroom

was still buzzing with activity while she was gone.

Even though the judges were on vacation, Mair said the rooms were

cleaned each day. He said the rooms are mostly just vacuumed on a

daily basis and that's all.

Pereksta conducted business in the fourth-floor ceremonial courtroom

yesterday, while Sypek used the " bail room " -- where arraignments

are held daily -- just feet from her courtroom " G " to conduct drug

court.

" We just took the precautions since we had other spaces, " said Sue

Regan, the trial court administrator, who surveyed the mold problems

after lunch yesterday. " The county has responded very quickly and

they'll take it from there. "

Both rooms appeared safe yesterday, in fact, prosecutors and Mercer

County Sheriff's Officers were seen conversing in the room in the

afternoon while Sypek was completing drug court proceedings. The

rooms were open, the lights were on all day, and officials who

walked in yesterday weren't wearing any sort of protective

gear.Clean up crews will be detailed today to tackle the mold

issues, Mair said. In the meantime, crews will fully inspect the

rooms and test the air quality.

AbateTech, a certified cleaning company, will assist county

employees with the cleanup, Mair said.

The county administrator said he received no reports of anyone

getting sick from the moldy wood.

Mair hoped the judges would be back in their assigned courtrooms by

today, but didn't want to put a timetable on how long it will take

the crews to finish the job.

©The Trentonian 2005