Milton (Wisconsin) school's mold problem mushrooms

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Milton school's mold problem mushrooms

(Published Wednesday, May 29, 2002 11:41:51 AM CDT)

By Carla McCann/Gazette Staff

MILTON--An environmental laboratory has identified five types of mold, all

of which can be toxic, growing in high concentrations at Harmony Elementary

School.

Tests showed that such fungi as amerospores, cladosporium, memnoniella,

aspergillus and penicillium are growing in the school's hallway and kitchen

ceilings and gym storage wall.

These types of mold can produce a poison, resulting in allergic reactions,

Dianne Meyer, business manager for the Milton School District, told the

school board Tuesday.

The most common symptoms are a runny nose, eye irritations, cough,

congestion and asthma attacks. Exposure also can lead to infections, she

added.

The mold problem poses a dilemma for the district, which owns the rural

school on Rotamer Road.

The district had discussed reopening the 43-year-old school to house four

sections of kindergarten if the board approved an all-day kindergarten

program. The board approved the program Tuesday.

But Harmony can't be reopened until the mold is abated.

And the mold isn't the only concern. When a gym baseboard was pulled away

from the wall, pieces of floor tile containing asbestos were discovered

underneath, Meyer said.

The tile apparently was left behind during a previous asbestos removal

project, Meyer said.

It's also possible that paint, which is peeling on the north wall of the

gym, may have a lead content that's higher than acceptable. It will need to

be removed and tested by a certified contractor and the building will need

to be evaluated for any residual lead dusts, Meyer said.

The costs for removing the floor tiles, paint and minor mold is estimated at

$25,000 to $30,000, she said.

The mold was caused by water leaking many places in the building.

" If there are any continuing roof leaks, they need to be repaired, " Meyer

said. " Also, the exterior of the north gym wall needs to be tuckpointed to

eliminate future water infiltration. "

Freeman of Environmental Management Consulting, a commercial

building inspector, recommended several options for eliminating the mold.

The options include:

--Painting or sealing the ceil ings, which has not been effective in past

projects.

--Installing a contiguous drop ceiling and introducing exhaust ventilation

to the area between the ceiling and drop space.

--Removing and replacing the roof and ceiling.

The costs vary according to which option is selected, Meyer said.

" The board has generally indicated this site is valuable to the district in

the foreseeable future, " Meyer said.

This alone justifies looking into the options and costs for addressing the

problem, she added.

Freeman doesn't recommend painting the surface as a solution, Meyer said.

The ceilings are porous and would require more than a few coats of paint.

Plus, no guarantees exist that the mold wouldn't seep out, she said.

Another type of tile designed to act as a barrier to the growth could be

installed. Little is known about the new tile, however, except that it would

cost $33,000 to $35,000, Meyer said.

" At this time, we are unable to determine if this product would

satisfactorily remedy the condition at Harmony, " she said.

Removing and replacing the entire roof is another option. The estimated cost

would be $188,837, which includes lighting replacement.

" By complete removal and replacement, we will have eliminated the mold host,

eliminated the leakage via the roof and thus, eliminated the liability to

the district, " Meyer said.

The total cost for the abatement and capital project improvements is

estimated at $260,000, or about one-third the cost of replacing the

building, she said.

If the building were razed and rebuilt, the cost would be $743,270 for the

same square footage of space, Meyer said.

Razing the building, however, is not required, Meyer said.

To finance the abatement projects, the district could take money from the

fund balance, which isn't recommended; use tax-incremental financing money

that is earmarked for the fund balance; borrow from the state trust fund; go

to a referendum; or look into grant possibilities.

The district already has applied for a $320,000 grant, Meyer said.

The board's budget and planning committee will discuss the options for

removing the mold and make a recommendation to the board at a later date.