Update - District wants $17M to fight Corona del Sol mold

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District wants $17M to fight Corona del Sol mold

East Valley Tribune, AZ*

Natekar, Tribune

http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/107397

Adolph and other officials from the Tempe Union High School District

asked the judge to force the Arizona School Facilities Board to give

them roughly $17 million in emergency funding to fix the poor air

quality at the school.

Tempe battles school's air quality woes

But the state board, which denied the district's request for the

money, maintains that while the school's poor air quality is a

problem, it's not an emergency.

Judge Kowal said he will make a decision in the case within

the next 20 days.

The hearing, which lasted less than three hours, was the district's

last attempt in a long battle to obtain the funds officials say they

need to prevent further mold and air quality problems at Corona del

Sol.

Adolph and district officials have reassured parents that the school

is safe enough to remain open, but they do think the building's

conditions are presenting " serious health issues " for both staff and

students, especially those with medical conditions. They pointed to

elevated carbon dioxide levels, which were found to be above the

state's acceptable standard, as well as mold growth and unpleasant

odors that plague hallways and classrooms.

Staff and students have complained about the atmosphere for years,

but the numbers have risen sharply in the past two years, said Diane

Meulemans, chief financial officer for the district.

Thursday night, Tempe City Council members called the conditions at

Corona del Sol " inexcusable " and " ridiculous. " The council wrote a

letter in support of the school's petition to the court — but the

judge refused to consider the letter, calling it irrelevant.

Attorney Debra Sterling, representing the state board, also said

none of that matters.

" Public perception in and of itself is not a health emergency at

school, " she said. " There is nothing in this report that indicated

this is an emergency...It does not in any place say this is a health

emergency. "

The facilities board inspected the building and concluded that,

while the air quality does need " immediate and proper attention, " it

was not dire enough to require emergency state funds.

District officials disagreed and, in the fall of 2006, hired an

outside firm, Health Effects Group, to study the air quality. That

group found levels of carbon dioxide that exceeded the board's own

standards.

" I've had complaints from parents and students about an increase in

breathing difficulties, increased instances of allergy problems, of

headaches they say are there at school but then go away when they

leave school, " Adolph said. " We get a couple of complaints on a

weekly basis, more when the weather is warmer. "

He said the health concerns hamper the students' and staff's

abilities to " learn and work in the environment. "

The root of the air problems, said Bob , director of plant

operations, is the 30-year-old heating, ventilating and air-

conditioning system — equipment that's too old and too small for the

school and its 2,700-student population.

" It's like taking a '56 Chevy and deciding you'll go drag-racing

with it, " he said. " In its day, it might have done a good job, but

not 30 years later. "

The worst is during the hot and humid days of late summer and early

fall, he said, when the system simply can't cool the building and

can't remove the moisture from the air.

For example, he said, when custodians steam-clean the carpets, the

system doesn't stir enough air to remove the moisture from the

carpets, causing a musty smell.

And the carpet around the drinking fountains gets wet — and never

dries out.

" Because of the ventilation system, you can't exchange or evacuate

the moisture enough, " he said, " so you have the potential for

breeding mold. "

The district has removed mold when it's detected, ripped out

carpeting from trouble spots and replaced leaky ceiling tiles before

mold grows — but officials say that's just fixing the symptoms, not

the problem.

Now, Principal is waiting for the judge's verdict to

figure out what, if anything, will be done to fix her school.

" This is all about air quality for us. It's a huge issue, " she

said. " All of our faculty, students and staff know this is a problem

and it needs to be taken care of right away. "

If the appeal fails, the district will recommend that the Tempe

Union governing board enter into an existing lawsuit filed by the

Arizona Center for Law in the Public Interest, which is challenging

the state for not fully funding repairs in public schools.