Hebron police station's toxic mold forces move

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Hebron police station's toxic mold forces move

December 10, 2006

By CARRIE NAPOLEON Post Tribune

http://www.post-trib.com/news/167181,hmold.article

The police department will relocate to the Hebron Town Hall

indefinitely after toxic mold was discovered in the basement of the

police station. The discovery was first made about three months ago.

In a special meeting Saturday morning, the Town Council decided the

relocation, which will begin this week, was the best of several

options available.

Police Chief Steve Sibbrell, who along with two other full-timers in

the department has been sick with respiratory problems, said the

toxic mold, stachybotrys, was uncovered in the basement of the

building when he and other employees began clearing out old files

housed there.

Black mold was discovered in the files, the walls and joists.

The town received estimates on cleaning the existing building,

moving the department to a temporary trailer in the parking lot and

relocating the department to the Town Hall building. Officials

unanimously decided to relocate the department at a cost of about

$35,000.

The cost of cleaning the existing police station exceeded $40,000

and results were not guaranteed, officials said.

Board President Pete Brueckman said in order to clean the existing

department, the foundation would need to be repaired and all the

wood and drywall removed, along with all the carpet. It would also

be necessary to replace the entire heating and ventilation system.

" The building is not worth that kind of money, " Brueckman said. " The

option to repair that building is not an option. "

The second alternative, a temporary trailer, was initially

considered as a quick way to get employees out of the infected

building as soon as possible.

However, the numbers for the trailer also came in higher than

expected, Brueckman said. It was also not much quicker than

remodeling the Town Hall for shared use with the Police Department.

The trailer could be operational in a little more than a week. The

remodeling work is expected to be completed in two weeks.

Both options require completely rerouting all the electrical work,

including the 911 system. Use of the trailer also would have

required connection to the town's water and sewer system. That cost

is avoided by relocating the department.

Remodeling the Town Hall will include converting the existing

meeting room into the dispatch area and offices for the reserve

supervisor, chief and evidence officer.

The Police Department will be separated from the Town Hall offices

by a locked door, accessible via a key fob to ensure safety of the

town employees. The Police Department does not have a jail, but

suspects and detainees are brought in for questioning.

The town employees and police officers will share a lunch room.

Board member Dave Fishero said the input he has received from

residents has been to move the department into town hall. " I think

this is a viable plan. We know it's going to be two years, maybe

three years before anything changes, " Fishero said.

Patrolman Stahl urged the board to move quickly with a

decision.

" I know you are doing the best you can. They are all sick in there

and every day in there they are being exposed, " Stahl said.

Officials said the department would be housed in Town Hall the next

two to three years while the option of building a new police station

is pursued.

Country-Side Builders of Hebron will do the renovations, excluding

the electrical work. Cost is not to exceed the bid of $21,560. A

second company, Andree Builders Inc. of DeMotte, withdrew its bid.

The move will affect the town council's meeting schedule.

Meetings will now take place in the Hebron Community Center at 611

N. Main. The next regularly scheduled meeting will be at 7 p.m. Dec.

26.