Health Board wants mold scrubbed out. MA.

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Health Board wants mold scrubbed out

By Shaw Israel Izikson, North Transcript

http://www.thetranscript.com/headlines/ci_3249183

North ,MA,USA

Thursday, November 24

ADAMS— The Board of Health has given the town 60 days to fix a mold

problem in its Town Hall office.

The board's chairman, J. Mendel, also the town's code

enforcement officer, cited the town for a violation of a state

Sanitary Code, listed under minimum standards of fitness for human

habitation, for allowing an apparent mold problem to go undetected

in the board's basement office.

" It is the owner's responsibility to maintain structural elements,

and the basement has chronic dampness and mold that is growing on a

rug in the corner office, " Mendel said in a letter delivered to the

town administrator. " (This condition) could endanger or materially

impair the health, safety, and well-being of the occupants and shall

be corrected within (60) days. "

The town has appealed the citation and requested a hearing.

" As a basis for the appeal, the Town asserts that the affected

structure is not a 'dwelling unit' and is, thereby, exempt from the

provisions of (the state Sanitary Code). Therefore, the Board of

Health does not have the statutory or regulatory authority to issue

such orders to the Town of , " Town Counsel Edmund St. III

stated in a letter responding to the citation.

Town Administrator F. Ketcham said he has investigated the

Board of Health's office.

" What it seems to be is water getting in due to heavy rains in

October, thanks to rain-gutter problems on the Town Hall that were

not looked at, " Ketcham said. " Really, at this point, it is a matter

of going in there and determining the extent of the problem. "

Ketcham said the town was determined to resolve the problem.

" I don't think the Board of Health cited us properly, but we take

very seriously any employee complaint that may involve mold, and we

certainly do not ignore it, " he said.

Mendel could not be reached for comment; the other two members of

the Board of Health refused to comment.

Built in 1907, Town Hall was formally the old Plunkett

mansion, as well as the former home of American Legion Post 160. In

1996, a $3.5 million project moved Town Hall from 4 School St.,

which now currently houses the police station. Ketcham said this was

the first time that there has been any known problem with the

building since Town Hall was moved there.