Courthouse cleared for cleaning

By Christina Calloway ccalloway@pntonline.com

Roosevelt County employees were putting their paperwork in boxes and packing desk knickknacks Friday, chased from the county courthouse by the discovery of mold throughout the 76-year-old building.

Roosevelt County Manager Charlene said county administration has decided to proceed with remediation, or a thorough cleaning, of the courthouse next week to ensure public and employee safety. Eight types of mold, including a strain of toxic black mold, were found in the building, according to a recent lab report.

A second round of testing was conducted Thursday, but as Webb waits for results, she says there are no other alternatives to the remediation. Webb said 34 people work in the courthouse.

The report showed the most significant amount of mold being found in the District Court area.

The courthouse will be closed from Monday through Friday and is scheduled to reopen for business on May 12, according to a press release from Webbs office. Most offices will be relocated to the Jake Lopez Community Center at the Roosevelt County Fairgrounds.

The remediation cost is not to exceed $175,000, according to Webb, who said the money will come from reserve general funds.

The scope of the cleaning will include replacing ceiling tiles, steam cleaning carpets and sanitizing all the flat surfaces in the courthouse, according to Ninth Judicial District Judge Donna Mowrer.

Webb said the molds source has yet to be discovered, but said a variety of factors, such as high wind, could have played a role.

Webb said an environmental consultant will test the facility again to make sure the building is safe before reopening it.

Read this article:
Courthouse cleared for cleaning