Juvenile facility shut down for mold testing

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Juvenile facility shut down for mold testing

By Jess Sullivan

FAIRFIELD -- A musty smell and an employee's concern about toxic mold has

forced the closure of Fairfield's Day Reporting Center.

The center, a doublewide mobile home next to juvenile hall, is a place where

juvenile offenders on court probation go after school.

" The closure is in response to concerns about potential mold contamination,'

said Cliff Merrill, acting chief probation officer. " An initial inspection

this week of the facility showed potential contamination. We closed the

facility in an abundance of caution in light of our preliminary findings. "

Results of testing and sampling done Wednesday by a private contractor could

take as long as three weeks, according to Bill Sorrick, the county's risk

safety officer.

In the meantime the 15 to 20 juveniles who spend their afternoons at the

center have been relocated to large meeting rooms at probation's Courage

Drive office. Because the juveniles are transported from school to the

center and then to home in the evening, the disruption in their program is

minimal, according to the program manager, Bill Haden.

" Every one is safe. This is just a precautionary measure., " Haden said.

If the samples prove to be mold, the trailer would remain closed until any

effected parts of the trailer were torn out and replaced and any leaks

repaired, Sorrick said.

Jess Sullivan can be reached at jsullivan@....