County says courthouse air is safe

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County says courthouse air is safe

Gazette Online - Solon,IA*

By Gregg Hennigan

gregg.hennigan@...

http://www.gazetteonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?

AID=/20070906/NEWS/70906031/1006/NEWS

IOWA CITY - An air-quality survey shows that conditions inside the

County Courthouse are not the cause of health problems some

courthouse employees have complained of, county officials said today.

The survey, undertaken June 28 and released this week, found no

significant air or mold problems inside the 106-year-old building.

Fungus was found in the Courtroom 3A judges' office, the report said.

County facilities director Kempf shared the results with the

county Board of Supervisors today.

It was the third air test the county has ordered in recent years,

with the previous two also showing little or no problems. The 6th

Judicial District ordered a separate test and is still awaiting the

results.

Courthouse employees have complained for years about health

problems, especially sinus infections, scratchy throats and watery

eyes they say started after they began working in the building.

The courthouse is a county building that by law provides space to

the state courts and its employees.

Several peopled attended a supervisors meeting June 28, the same day

the most recent air test was conducted, and described mold

infestations, bad odors, water leaks and other problems. Judges also

complained that they are getting sick.

Since then, the courthouse has undergone what Kempf has described as

a ``100-year clean'' from top to bottom.

Kempf and the supervisors said today that, outside of continuing to

keep the courthouse clean, the county had done about all it could to

address the concerns of the workers there.

" I just don't know what more we can do. ... It is a safe environment

for individuals to be working in that building,'' supervisors

Chairman Pat Harney said in an interview after the meeting.