Mold may force offices to move

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Mold may force offices to move

Shenandoah Valley News Today

By BECKY SYNACEK, Staff Writer

Mold found in the building at 815 West in Shenandoah may

force some offices to relocate.

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

newsid=18461017 & BRD=2703 & PAG=461 & dept_id=555139 & rfi=6

Page County Public Health, Page County Civil Defense and Disaster

Services, General Relief and Veterans Affairs, and Zion Recovery

Services are currently located in the building.

Page County Public Health is currently in the process of moving to

new offices next to Nishna Valley Pharmacy.

Public Health director Belinda DeBolt said their move has nothing to

do with the mold.

" We agreed back in December that we were going to move and allocated

the resources then, " she said.

Rod Riley, Page County Homeland Security Director said he just

recently learned about the problem.

" I don't know who discovered it, but I just recently found out about

it, " he said.

Margaret Wenstrand, an outpatient counselor at Zion Recovery

Services said she thinks the Occupational Safety and Health

Administration (OSHA) discovered the problem.

" I knew there were leaks upstairs, and I know someone from OSHA in

Des Moines came to check out the building, " she said. " My

supervisors and directors are aware of the problem and are looking

at finding another location, but right now I have no idea of the

time frame. I'm told if the screen comes back as dangerous, I may

have to move right away. "

Harold DeCuir of Manpower, who once occupied the second floor of the

building, said roof leaks had been a problem for a while.

" We knew about the leaking problem because every time it rained we

had to put out buckets, " he said. " I didn't know about any mold, but

I suspected there might be some mold because of the leaking. "

DeCuir said Manpower moved not due to the leaks, but for

accessibility.

" Our old office was not handicapped accessible, " he said, " We

started preparation to move back in summer of 2006 and opened in our

new location in January 2007. Right now I feel like we dodged a

bullet. "

, Iowa Occupational Safety and Health Administrator, said

a complaint was made about the building to OSHA on May 17 and an

investigation began on May 23. Mold was discovered and the

investigation is ongoing.

The Page County Board of Supervisors has not yet determined where

the Page County Civil Defense and Disaster Services, General Relief

and Veterans Affairs office will be located if a move is necessary.