Pahrump Valley High School may be mold free soon (dream on)

[Guest guest]

http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=3422889 & BRD=1125 & PAG=461 & dept_id=9

9545 & rfi=6

High school may be mold free soon

By HENRY BREAN, Managing Editor March 01, 2002

District official: Mold removal could wrap up next week, but repair work

will take weeks more

Pahrump Valley High School could be mold free by the end of next week, but

it will take several more weeks to repair the damage and prepare the

building for use again.

Don Brod, maintenance and operations supervisor for the Nye County School

District, reported Tuesday that work crews had completed about 60 percent of

the mold removal work in the school's main building, which has been closed

to students since Jan. 23.

The 500-600 hall at the western end of the building was expected to be

declared clean by the end of this week. If samples confirm that, repair work

in that area could begin next week.

The work required to remove toxic mold around the gym at the eastern end of

the school is " a little more extensive, " Brod said. The company that is

doing the work, Valentine Construction, and the firm that is overseeing it,

Environmental Health Services, expect to have the remaining mold cleaned up

by next week.

Then comes the restoration, Brod said.

In the 500-600 hall, for example, all of the ductwork was cleaned, while all

of the ceiling tiles and a considerable amount of wallboard were removed.

All of that must be replaced, as does the carpet in that area, which was

torn up as well. New tile will be put in its place.

After all of that is finished, work crews must paint, put the lockers back

on the walls and move all the furniture and other materials back into the

classrooms. All of that should be done by mid- March, in the case of the

500-600 hall, and by the end of the month around the gym, Brod said. " It

looks very hopeful. It could be darn close. "

Of course, everything depends on the results of samples taken this week and

the next. Brod said those tests will be used to clear Valentine for the

switch from removal work to repairs.

Additional testing may be conducted before the main building is reopened to

students, as well as periodically after students return. That will be up to

Environmental Health Services President Tom McManus, interim Supt. Rod

Pekarek and the school board, Brod said. " It's very possible they'll want to

do that, " he said. " But sampling is probably one of the most expensive parts

of this whole damn thing, especially when you need (the results) in a

hurry. "

So far, Brod estimates that the district has spent $70,000 to $80,000 on

testing alone, " and we're not through yet. " Complicating both the expense

and the time it takes to get results is the fact that samples must be

shipped to a lab in Phoenix. " No one around here can test for this stuff

yet, " he explained. " That's the closest one. "

As work continues at PVHS, the district continues to receive test results

and look for mold at other district schools. Brod said Mt. ton, Manse

and J.G. elementary schools in Pahrump have been given a " clean bill

of health " by Environmental Health Services, as have Amargosa Elementary and

Beatty Elementary/Middle School.

Parts of the Hafen Elementary School and the district office in Pahrump

remain closed due to mold. The locker rooms and coach's office at Hafen and

a storage area and small office at the back of the district office were

locked down when mold was found there early last month.

Brod said he is still awaiting a plan and a cost estimate for Hafen. The

district office is a lower priority. District officials are discussing the

possibility of simply tearing down the part of the old Dodge's Market

building that is contaminated. But that can wait, Brod said. " Schools are

more important. That's been my main focus.

The district signed a contract with Valentine Construction on Feb. 8 that

called for the work at PVHS to be done in five weeks and at cost of

approximately $266,000. The schedule is pretty close, Brod said, although

the area around the gym could take about one week longer than planned.

The cost estimate appears accurate as well. " I haven't seen any change

orders yet, " Brod said. " It should be in the ballpark. "

Large concentrations of toxic mold were discovered at the school during

tests in January of two areas that were damaged by water about four years

ago.

After a short mold break, school resumed at PVHS on Jan. 30. For the most

part, the school's 900 students have been eating lunch outdoors and meeting

for classes inside the Community College of Southern Nevada's Pahrump

Learning Center and in modulars on and around the high school campus.

There are at least 100,000 different varieties of mold, and more than 1,000

commonly found in the United States. At least some mold is present in every

building. The varieties of mold considered toxic can grow in large

concentrations if supplied with enough water - usually from a flood or a

leaky pipe - and building materials containing carbon.

Information varies on the health risks associated with toxic mold exposure.

The most common complaints include flu-like symptoms, upper respiratory

problems, skin irritations and even neurological problems. Though

considerable study is still needed, it is believed that exposure to toxic

mold does not cause lingering health problems. The symptoms typically

disappear quickly when a person is removed from the source.

©Pahrump Valley Times 2002