An old South Carolina Governor's Mansion story.

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An old South Carolina Governor's Mansion story.

Mulvey son

http://www.charleston.net/stories/071404/sta_14mold.shtml

Mansion mold tab a costly headache

BY CLAY BARBOUR

Of The Post and Courier Staff

COLUMBIA--The mold that caused a year's worth of headaches, sinus problems

and mysterious illnesses now is causing empty wallet syndrome.

Officials with the State Budget and Control Board announced Tuesday that

repairs at the Governor's Mansion and its two outlying houses will cost the

state slightly more than $1 million.

Earlier estimates had been as low as $30,000. But Risk Tech LLC, the

ton-based company hired to fix the problem, put the cost of repairs in

the

mansion alone at about $550,000. The Lace, Boylston and pool houses will cost

another $502,360.

The board voted Tuesday to hire the ton law firm of Young, Clement

and Rivers, in case any of the repairs to the mansion can be traced back to a

mistake made by contractors.

" Obviously mistakes were made and fingers will be pointed, " said Gov. Mark

Sanford's spokesman, Will Folks.Gov. Mark Sanford's spokesman, Will Folks.

In 2000, the mansion underwent a massive $7 million overhaul, which expanded

the historic building to more than 16,000 square feet and mixed old world

with new -- allowing the elaborate moldings and fancy mantels to complement the

new elevators, kitchen and heating and air-

conditioning units.

First lady Sanford first reported the mold problem to Budget and

Control last August, after members of her family and staff began suffering from

various ailments.

The problem chased the first family from its home in June. Earlier this

month, Risk Tech officials uncovered two different types of airborne mold in

the

mansion -- aspergillus and penicillium -- as

well as a large amount of cladosporium in the ventilation system. They also

found mold in the Lace and Boylston houses.

Mike Sponhour, Budget and Control Board spokesman, said if contractors can

prove something was done incorrectly during the installation process, the

state would go after the guilty party.

The state, however, would be eligible to make up only the money being spent

on the mansion itself. Problems in the Lace and Boylston houses, though also

dealing with mold, are not directly related to the problems in the mansion.

Money for the repairs will come out of the state's Depreciation Reserve

Fund, which has about $5 million set aside to deal with maintenance issues.

Sponhour also said the state has $130,000 from a grant that can be used toward

the

repairs and could apply for a $500,000 federal energy loan, since the

repairs will make the mansion more efficient.

When in Columbia, the governor is bedding down in the mansion pool house.

His family has remained behind, at the family's Sullivan's Island home.

Preparations have been taken to move the entire family into the pool house if

school

starts before the repairs are completed.

The mansion is expected to reopen Sept. 1. School starts in August.

Clay Barbour covers the Statehouse. Contact him at (803) 799-9051 or

at cbarbour@....

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