Latest tests fail to detect 'bad' mold in Nye County complex

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Holsinger: Latest tests fail to detect 'bad' mold in complex

By RICH THURLOW, Editor January 31, 2002

The county commissioners will get the chance to participate in the latest

round of unsolved mysteries Tuesday when General Services Director Steve

Holsinger presents them with the latest information regarding the status of

the county government complex in Pahrump.

The complex was evacuated a second time in late September, less than a month

after employees were brought back into the building after extensive work to

rid it of mold spores that had sickened workers.

On Tuesday Holsinger will tell the commissioners that mold and spores are

still in the complex, but the type detected does not contain the mycotoxins

that are believed to have made employees ill.

Since the second evacuation at least two series of tests have been

conducted, and the latest results were forwarded by UNLV microbiologist Dr.

Stetzenbach in mid-January.

" There does not appear to be any significant contamination in the building, "

Holsinger said of the test results. In fact, there is very little difference

between the environment inside and outside of the building.

" The issue may or may not be unique to Pahrump, " Holsinger said.

Stetzenbach and Dr. Craner, the sick building specialist hired by the

county to resolve the situation, plan to discuss the test results today,

Holsinger said. They make come up with a new testing strategy, or make plans

for re-entry into the building.

Craner is considering asking the 14 or 15 county employees who volunteered

to go into the complex in July, before the cleanup was completed, to do the

same again. The plan is to examine them again after the employees spend

several hours in the complex.

Holsinger said he was " opposed to the guinea pig standard " of putting

workers back in an environment that previously made them ill. " I think there

are better ways to do that rather than with an employee group. "

The test results that indicate there are no mycotoxins in the building run

counter to Craner's previous experience. " I don't think he's seen anything

as perplexing is the impression I get, " Holsinger said. " I think he still

believes there is no other explanation for the types of (symptoms) the

employees are experiencing. "

That being the case, Holsinger said he would update the commissioners, and

let them participate in the decision-making process.

" The last time (after the first evacuation) I thought we did everything we

were supposed to do, " Holsinger said. " This time I won't make the decision

(to reoccupy the building). "

Craner could be at the Feb. 19 commission meeting in Pahrump, as well as an

attorney that the commissioners have hired to pursue litigation in order to

recover costs associated with the evacuation and work to clear the complex

of mold.

It has been an expensive process. Costs have included portable office

trailers arrayed around the old county complex near Petrack Park, as well as

cleaning surfaces that could host the spores and replacing all the ceiling

tiles, carpet and upholstery. With the latest evacuation and the continuing

expenses related to it, the cost is expected to be well in excess of $1

million.

Leaky valves are believed to be responsible for creating the environment

that allowed the mold to develop.

For that reason, Holsinger said the current situation at Pahrump Valley High

School and the complex should not be compared.

" The water intrusion issues are very different, " he said.

The east end of PVHS flooded during heavy rains in the late summer of 1997,

and later that year the west end was drenched by a broken water pipe.

©Pahrump Valley Times 2002