Government Center undergoes mold, leak repairs

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4/14/2007 6:55:00 AM

Government Center undergoes mold, leak repairs

By Jim Good

Staff Writer

Times Community Newspapers of Greater Dayton - Dayton,OH

http://www.tcnewsnet.com/main.asp?

SectionID=15 & SubSectionID=260 & ArticleID=143825 & TM=25447.18

Due to leaks caused by ice dam build-up this winter, the Washington

Township Government Center became contaminated with mold and other

water damage.

As a result, the township has removed the mold, started removal of

contaminated materials and will soon contract for architectural

services and construction and bidding documents on the two-story

building, according to Huff, township administrator.

At the Washington Township Board of Trustees meeting on April 2,

trustees passed a motion contracting with Helix Environmental Inc.

of Dayton to provide an environmental assessment of the government

center and sheriff's office for water damage and potential mold

problems at a cost of approximately $3,000.

Trustees then passed another motion to contract with A.E. Fickert of

Dayton to provide remediation and removal of contaminated materials,

including drywall, insulation and carpet in the detective's office,

the roll call room, the sergeant's office, the human resource

technician's office and the public information manager's office, at

a total cost of approximately $13,698.

Huff said that even though the mold has already been removed and

that they've started removing contaminated materials, that the

actual cost of both processes will be determined upon completion.

He also said that it will cost " a few thousand " to replace the

drywall, insulation, carpet, etc.

And lastly, the board authorized contracting with Levin Porter

Associates of Dayton for architectural services and redesign of the

internal gutters of the government center, building repairs and tuck-

pointing, masonry cleaning and water repellent in other areas at an

approximate cost of $10,800.

Huff said that the government center, built in 1987, had significant

ice dam build-up this past February due to the extreme cold that

affected the PVC gutters. He said that the design of the gutter

system, which runs through the brick, has always been a problem and

causes significant leaks to the interior of the building when ice

thaws after the weather has been near zero and below.

Trustees said that this is the second time the government center has

had this problem to this degree. They said the problem is caused not

just by the poor gutter system, but also by the louvers on the front

of the building and the moisture that can penetrate the brick,

particularly on the western face.

Due to the physical removal of the mold, which Huff said wasn't a

serious problem and posed no health concerns, four township

employees were removed to other locations until work is completed.

In other township news, Hoying of Troop 530 of Centerville

received his Eagle Scout Award from the Boy Scouts of America. For

his Eagle project, Hoying cleared a 250-foot section of old trail in

Grant Park that had been badly eroded. He cut a new trail parallel

to the old one and used the brush from the new one to fill-in the

old trail.

Also, Fire Chief Ken Parks was officially recognized as Firefighter

of the Year. He was awarded a trophy in the form of an ornate

firefighter's ax mounted on wood.