Out with the mold, in with the new

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Out with the mold, in with the new

Denver Post - Denver,CO,*

By Bunch

Denver Post Staff Writer

09/17/2007

http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_6913580

Elbert County commissioners signed a $3 million contract last week

to replace a moldy justice center in Kiowa after years of complaints

from public officials and workers and a pending lawsuit by a county

judge.

Judge Sidel filed suit against the County Commission a year

ago claiming negligence, shoddy construction, lax inspections and

an " unclean environment " until the courthouse was closed because of

mold in September 2004.

The suit cites " dangerous conditions of a public building. "

The mold was found inside walls of the courthouse and in old law

books that had gotten wet but were not discarded.

Prosecutors, judges, clerks and probation officers moved to Castle

Rock in 2004, but the County Commission left its 34-member Sheriff's

Department in the leaky justice center.

" I asked a number of times for an alternative location, but got no

response, " said Sheriff Bill Frangis. " In reality, my staff was very

seriously considering a lawsuit against the County Commission. "

Frangis said several members of his staff have claimed illnesses

related to mold spores, but all of their workers' compensation

claims have been denied by the county's insurer.

" The County Commission just keeps claiming the building is safe, " he

said.

But the roof has continued to leak, he said.

" Whenever there's a wet ceiling panel, their solution is to just

replace the ceiling panel, " Frangis said.

Conditions at the building motivated deputies to unionize, he said.

Commissioners Suzie Graeff and Hope Goetz would not comment on the

mold issue.

" We're under a gag order at this time, " Goetz said, citing Sidel's

lawsuit.

Sidel, Elbert County attorney Mark Scheffel and Commissioner

Metli did not return calls for comment.

The mold was discovered three years ago when a justice center

employee complained of an allergic reaction. Soon after, four more

people claimed mold-related health problems, including headaches,

muscle aches and problems concentrating.

The American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine

estimates that 10 percent of people are sensitive to mold spores,

particularly those with allergies and asthmas, and about half of

those may need to see a doctor as a result.

The county has spent more than $150,000 attempting to seal leaks

that contributed to mold in the 22-year-old building over the past

three years.

Elbert County residents have been making a 48-mile round trip

between Kiowa and Castle Rock to use County's court system

since the mold issue first arose three years ago.

" It's a total pain, " said , a resident of Simla in

south Elbert County, a 130-mile round trip to Castle Rock, as he

waited in line to view a court file. " Who ever heard of a county

that doesn't care if it has a courthouse? "

Under the new contract, the existing justice center would get a new

roof, new windows, new insulation and waterproof exterior siding.

The Sheriff's Department would occupy the entire building before

Christmas, expanding law enforcement's existing space from about

2,200 square feet to more than 7,000, Frangis said.

A new 13,000-square-foot justice center for court operations will be

built next door. Construction is expected to take a year and a half

to two years, and then court operations would return to Kiowa, said

Rob McCallum, a spokesman for the State Court Administrator's

office.

District Attorney Carol Chambers, whose protests about the unhealthy

conditions first led to the justice center's closure three years

ago, said the delays have been a disservice to Elbert County

residents.

" We've been able to make do in Castle Rock, " she said of her

staff. " But the hardship has been on the people of County. "

Staff writer Bunch can be reached at 303-954-1174 or

jbunch@....