State looks into mold at Spring Valley Village Hall

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State looks into mold at Spring Valley Village Hall

By SULAIMAN BEG

sbeg@...

THE JOURNAL NEWS- Westchester,NY,USA

http://www.thejournalnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?

AID=/20060527/NEWS03/605270358/1026/NEWS10

SPRING VALLEY — The state has begun an investigation into the source

of mold found during an inspection this week at Village Hall .

On Wednesday, a day after the village board voted 4-1 to approve a

$600,000 bond to repair the aging roof, an inspector from the state

Department of Labor's Public Employee Safety and Health Bureau

visited the North Main Street building in response to a village

employee's complaint.

" There was a complaint of mold, and what the inspector is doing is

looking for the source of it, " said Francina Kitchen, a spokeswoman

for the state agency. " He's trying to ascertain where it is coming

from. "

Kitchen said that no matter how big or small a complaint is, " We

have to investigate any complaint made by an employee or employer. "

" It's routine, " she said.

The village board took action in response to employees' growing

concerns of health risks from water damage created by the leaky roof.

It was the third time this year that the board had voted on the

bond, which needed a supermajority to pass. Earlier attempts with a

$700,000 price tag where voted down by Trustees Bettie Brown and

ph Desmaret.

At Tuesday night's meeting, where only Brown opposed the bond, the

board also approved a contract with Best Roofing of New Jersey Inc.

of Wallington, N.J.

" It's unfortunate that we needed a supermajority to pass a bond like

this, " said Mayor Darden. " I'm not willing to sit there and

knowingly let people get sick. "

Darden said that if the board had passed the bond the first time

around, the state's involvement could have been avoided.

Village Attorney Bruce Levine said he expected work to begin within

the next two weeks and wrap up two months later.

Levine said he doubted the state would fine the village because it

had already taken action.

" We're not expecting a fine unless we dragged our feet, " he said.

Brown said she was not aware of the state inspection, but stood by

her reasoning for voting the bond down. She said money was available

in the village's surplus to pay for the project.

" It should have been done years ago, " she said of the repair

work. " I am concerned about the health and safety concerns, but I am

also concerned about village taxpayers. I did not say the work

shouldn't have to be done. It shouldn't have to be a bond. "

Desmaret could not be reached for comment.

Employees in the village's Section 8 Housing Office place blue tarps

over office furniture to prevent damage from water pouring out of an

exposed ceiling tile. A blue tarp is placed in the ceiling to funnel

the water to a wastebasket.

" One day one of these lights is going to blow out, " said Oreon

Sandler, the office's director.

Darden said the village would have to replace rugs throughout the

building and repaint walls that have been damaged by mold and water.

" We have people's health at risk, " said Trustee Philip Rosenthal. " I

don't want that on my back that I didn't do the right thing to help

people. "