Mold in Lathrop city offices?

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Mold in Lathrop city offices?

http://www.mantecabulletin.com/articles/2006/03/12/news/news1.txt

Manteca,CA

LATHROP — Some Lathrop city employees say it's mold. City officials

say it's not.

The object of their contention is the roof above the Parks and

Recreation offices at the Community Center in Valverde Park where

the recent rains have caused some leaking, leaving discolorations in

the ceiling which employees say is mold but which city officials say

is just water stains.

Now, the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 790, the

union representing the city employees, has obtained a piece of the

material removed from the waterlogged ceiling when the leaking was

temporarily repaired last week and plans to have it analyzed and

tested for mold.

" I have a piece of the damaged area to provide to whomever wishes to

view it, whether that be media, OSHA, or the City officials, " said

union field representative and organizer Bill Petrone told the

Manteca Bulletin Friday night.

" It's a piece of dry wall from up in the ceiling. There's definitely

all these black spots on it, around the edges and underneath it

which, to me, indicates mold, because it's from the inside. "

However, he admitted that as yet " there is no positive determination

if that piece has mold, but also we don't have a positive

determination from the City of Lathrop that it is not mold. "

Nevertheless, Petrone pointed out that in talking to some of the

city employees concerned, he said he received reports of " scratchy

throats, runny noses and sinus problems " which were " the same type

of symptoms that were experienced by (San Joaquin) county employees "

who had problems with mold in the portable office where they worked

at the Public Health Office last year.

County employees are also represented by SEIU.

" I've had this situation in the county before; the county came in

and had inspections done and moved the employees out of the

portables. They've been out ever since; that was six to seven months

ago, " Petrone said.

He said the union has contacted the state Occupational Safety and

Health Agency (Cal/OSHA), " and I guess OSHA has contacted the

roofing contractor, " and that representatives of both may go down to

the Community Center on Monday to have a firsthand look at the

situation.

A city employee who asked not to be identified told the Bulletin

that City Inspector Fred went down to the Parks and Rec

offices at the Community Center last week and told the employee

that " there was mold. "

Contacted on Friday, said that what he actually told the

employee was, " stuff like that could lead to mold; you do need to

address them because they could lead to other problems. "

He also added: " I didn't see any evidence of mold. "

Public Works Director Cary Keaten, who said he and Assistant City

Manager Quiring went to the Community Center to personally

look at the leaking problem, said that while there was actually some

water damage, " it's not mold, it's water stains. "

He said, " All we saw is water damage, and when you have water on

wood you can see the stains. "

There were also some rust stains where the nails were, " but there's

no mold, " Keaten said.

He said the city is actually in the process of getting the three old

skylights in the covered breezeway or foyer located between the gym

and the Parks and Rec offices repaired. One of the skylights has

apparently cracked, which Councilman Steve Dresser said may have

been caused when it was struck by a golf ball. When the rains came,

that crack caused rain water to back up in the ceiling and into the

area above the employees' office which caused leaking there as well

as in the foyer.

Safety concerns at rec hall,

new City Hall also leaking

Petrone said the union's concern is the safety and welfare of the

city's employees.

" Employees' safety is paramount to us, " he said.

However, there is also the issue of public safety since the

Community Center is used by the public as well, he added.

In fact, Patrone said he communicated that concern to city officials

in a Feb. 28 e-mail he sent regarding the mold problem. In that e-

mail, Patrone stated that " the employees are concerned for their

safety and that of any of the public who come into the area. "

The city's Kid Club, the highly popular before- and after-school

program, is located in the Community Center as well as other Parks

and Rec classes, not to mention the various games and activities

held in the gym.

The response from Human Resources Director Lemons to whom

Petrone sent the e-mail revealed that the new City Hall at Mossdale

Landing also had leaking problems.

Lemons, who responded to Petrone's e-mail immediately the same

morning, said: " Everyone is aware of the leakage, including the

leaks here at City Hall that need to be looked at as well. Since the

roof at the rec center is still under warranty we have contacted the

contractor to go out and check the leaks. "

She also promised to keep the union posted on the developments.

Possibility Community Center

to be vacated due to leaks

While city officials indicated last week that the water leaks at the

Community Center were caused by the old skylights in the foyer and

not the new roof that was just installed last year, a copy of a

March 1 letter sent by the city to Western Roofing Services in San

Francisco indicated otherwise.

The letter, a copy of which was obtained by the Manteca Bulletin,

quoted the letter from Chief Building Official Matt Brown as stating:

" The Community Center roof is still leaking at the previously

reported lower roof section which was installed by Western Roofing

Services. The exact location is above the southwest office space

located below the newly installed roof.

" Please contact me as soon as possible to remedy this issue as the

City is concerned that there is a possibility that the office spaces

will no longer be habitable, the electrical power to the office

circuit will need to be de-energized for safety purposes and the

office space abandoned until the necessary repairs are executed.

This will cause a great deal of time and expense if relocation of

the office personnel and equipment becomes necessary. "

Browne ended the letter by advising the company that " the City will

execute all reasonable remedies provided by the contract to make the

necessary repairs to secure occupancy of the Community Center. "

Keaten said Friday the city is doing its best to make sure that the

Community Center is " a safe and dry area " but that there are

still " some small leaks " and they are in the process of getting

those fixed. However, the dilemma is that they need the rains to

stop to get all the repairs done, he said.

" We need a week or two weeks of dry weather " before they can start

tearing up the building for repairs, Keaten said.

To reach Rose Albano Risso, e-mail ralbanorisso@...