Alpha mold meeting 2013
Alpha Council discussed remediation of mold that forced the closure of the municipal building on Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2013.
ALPHA —Alpha Borough Council awarded a bid and passed a remediation plan last night to remove mold in the municipal building after extreme levels were found in air quality tests in the council meeting room.
The municipal building closed Tuesday, Sept. 10 following the discovery of a "grayish, powdery substance" on surfaces Councilman Craig Dunwell said during the emergency special meeting held last night in the Alpha Fire Station.
The environmental consultants tested the air and surfaces, but a cause of the mold is still unknown.
Air sampling results in the council meeting room ranged from 170,000 to 410,000 fungal structures per cubic meter of air which is extremely high, according to Mike McGuinness, principal consultant with R K Occupational & Environmental Analysis.
"I don't get into medical aspects, but if I see levels as high as 400,000 there shouldn't be people in that room, McGuinness said.
The lowest levels were found inside the library, despite mold's attraction to paper, and McGuinness said he believes this points to the cause being the HVAC unit making the council meeting room too cold, creating condensation in a room that is not heated by the natural temperature of bodies because it is infrequently used.
He suggested that the borough is wasting a lot of money by cooling a room no one is in, and explained that this could be solved by using carbon dioxide sensors.
Council members discussed various types of remediation with McGuinness, and he explained that killing the mold does not remediate it, leaving harmful allergens in the air.
They approved a $6,638 bid for the remediation of the north end of the building, where the levels were highest. The south end will remain closed until remediation is complete.
Residents were concerned about the cost and questioned whether or not the company that installed the HVAC system would be involved in litigation for payment, but borough attorney Chris Troxell said he wouldn't discuss that.
Mayor Ed Hanics Jr. said that the borough will do all it can to reduce the cost for the taxpayers.
McGuinness said that the area will be reopened once more tests are completed and a partition is developed to create negative pressure and prevent the back flow of dirty air or cross contamination.
Library Director Carla Roselle was initially concerned about re-opening the library and raised health-related questions during public comment, but later said her concerns were addressed by McGuinness.
While the building remains closed, meetings are being held in the fire station and municipal tickets can be paid at the clerk's office in Belvidere.
McGuinness estimated the process of remediation would be completed before October.
The next regularly scheduled council meeting is Tuesday, Sept. 24 at 7:30 p.m. in the Alpha Fire Station.
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