History of Carlsbad Mold Problem

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Friday, August 30, 2002 - 2:44:50 PM MST

City panel looks at black mold; fire chief aims to spread word about local

problem

By Umut Newbury

Current-Argus Staff Writer

CARLSBAD - A city committee is now officially addressing the black mold

issue, both in Carlsbad and statewide.

Councilman Jeff Diamond, the chairman of the Carlsbad Stachybotrys (Black

Mold) Ad Hoc Committee, said the public should be aware of mold assessment

and remediation matters.

" We need to find out what the standards are on assessing mold and what

agency regulates it, he said at the committee's second meeting Thursday.

Diamond said he contacted the local office of the state Department of Health

to see what kind of resources are available to local residents.

" What do you do if someone who's of low income is renting a house and wanted

to get information on mold and its impact on health and property? he asked.

" I was told that the county health department refers residents to their

local physician.

Diamond said when he contacted the state health department, he also

discovered most of the department's information relies on other states'

regulations.

" The stuff they sent me was from the Minnesota health department, he said.

" They said the science on it is still pretty questionable.

The first priority of the committee, Diamond said, should be to gather

resources. " We are going to have some local experts come to our meeting so

we can find a direct pathway on where to get help, he said.

and Jinks, Carlsbad renters, said when they had problems with

black mold, they found very little local help.

" My physician said he didn't know anything about it and told us to go to

Lubbock, Jinks said.

" We've had nose bleeds, and our daughter's asthma, which she used to be able

to control, has gotten worse, he said.

Fire Chief Mike Reynolds said he was planning to hold a mold

assessment-training program for his hazardous materials team so the team

could start taking samples for analysis.

" We won't be able to get the material analyzed, he said, " but we can

interpret the results and give some direction to people.

Reynolds said he also hopes to develop a public information packet,

available both electronically and in hard copy.

The problem with mold issues, Diamond said, is the lack of an accreditation

agency for those who assess and remediate the mold.

" I'm going to call the attorney general's consumer affairs division to see

if there is any way to set some standards, he said. " Maybe they can make

recommendations to the Legislature or the state Department of Health.

The committee will also contact the California and Minnesota state health

departments and investigate accreditation procedures for laboratories

involved in analyzing the mold, he said.

" It seems we are doing the footwork on this for the whole state, said Larry

, city councilman and committee member.

The black mold committee's next meeting is set for 5 p.m. Sept. 12 at City

Hall.

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August 20, 2002 - 10:56:00 PM MST

County reviews courthouse problems

By Stella

Current-Argus Staff Writer

CARLSBAD - The major problem at the courthouse since it reopened after a

yearlong, $5 million overhaul is its new elevator, County Manager Steve

Massey said.

At the direction of the County Commission, Massey toured each floor of the

courthouse last week to evaluate the visible problems and visited with

courthouse personnel about the problems they have experienced in the

building since it reopened six months ago.

" The major issue is the elevator, Massey informed the commission Tuesday.

The downtime is unacceptable. The architect and the contractor have sent

letters to the subcontractor - the elevator company - apprising them that

they want a replacement for the elevator that was installed. Greer

Construction (the courthouse contractor) said the problem will be corrected.

Massey said the most visible problem - mold on a few ceiling tiles - stems

from the condensation leaked from the new air conditioning system.

" There are a few areas in (Sheriff's Department) dispatch, court security

and Judge (Jay) Forbes' entry area that have remained damp and began to grow

mold, Massey said. " I instructed the maintenance department to remove any

tiles with mold, even though it is the responsibility of the air

conditioning contractor.

He said another problem with the air conditioning system involves noisy

blowers and faulty valves, which will also be addressed by the air

conditioning contractor.

Massey said another concern voiced by courthouse personnel is the lack of

air conditioning vents in the second-and third-floor hallways.

" The situation in the hallway is actually very uncomfortable compared to the

rest of the building, Sheriff Kent Waller said. " It gets warm out there for

the people waiting in the hallway when court is in session.

Other problems at the courthouse that have been brought to the commission

include a few areas where the new carpet has bubbled and the seams are

fraying, some minor cracks, along with some water damage that will need to

be repaired.

Massey said one of the magnetic door locks in the district attorney's office

occasionally malfunctions and the door entering the law library sticks to

the door jamb.

" Most of the problems are being dealt with as they are discovered, Massey

assured the commission. " Overall, the building seems to be functioning well.

The things that need to be corrected are still under warranty, and the

contractor is taking care of that.

" We are diligently trying to take care of the problems, said Bob Underwood,

who represents Greer Construction.

County Commissioner Lucky Briggs questioned Massey on the installation of

panic buttons in each courtroom judge's bench.

" They have been ordered, Massey said. " They were not in the plans as

reported in the newspaper.

At the county's Aug. 6 meeting, District Judge Shuler said the panic

buttons were in the renovation plans, but had not been installed.

The button would provide courtrooms a measure of security, the judge said.

In the event of a problem in the courtroom, the judge would be able to press

the button and summon sheriff's deputies located on the first floor of the

courthouse.

Waller confirmed the panic button was not included in the original

architectural design.

" Installing the buttons was verbally addressed when we held a meeting at the

Eisenhower building where the courts were relocated during the courthouse

renovation, Waller said. " We had a security consultant come to speak to us

on courthouse security, and the issue was discussed, but never acted upon.

Massey said he recalled that the county decided to take a " wait and see

stance on the need for panic buttons in the courtroom.

" I know it was discussed and whether it would fit in the budget at that

time, Waller said.

Commissioner Glenn Collier said, although there have been minor problems

relating to the renovation of the courthouse, the county did " everything

right.

" Look at Bernalillo County. They spent a lot more on their new facility than

we did, and they are having problems. There is no difference between our

building and someone building a new house. You will always find some

deficiencies. We (the county) went all out and got the job finished in a

record period of time.

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