9/2/08

New Cumberland, Oh - A growing problem of mold at the county's bus garage was discussed at a special meeting of the Hancock County Board of Education Tuesday.

Superintendent Suzan Smith said the mold problem stems from the ground around the building being higher than the building itself, allowing water to come in. "It was set low to begin with," Smith said of the garage.

Smith said that the county's maintenance department has removed some drywall from an added-on section in the back of the building used for storage and that mold has been found growing on the wooden beams inside. Mold has also been found on the second floor of the building, which is used as office space.

"It has become a problem, and we are going to have to address it," said Smith. "We almost have to just gut the whole building," including all the wood and drywall.

Board member Chris Fair asked why they could not just tear down the building, but Smith said the garage area itself is fine, since its floors and walls are concrete and can simply be hosed down or painted.

The board passed a motion to rent a trailer, at a cost of about $250 a month, to be used as office space until the mold problem could be addressed.

Board president Jerry Durante said that in addition to solving the problem of water from the ground, they will also have to address the fact that water leaks in from the ceiling. "It's constant water," Durante said. "That building was just not very well constructed."

Board member Laura Greathouse asked if there was any possibility of being compensated by the construction company who built the garage, but Smith said they had gone out of business some time ago.