Video:Milton Meets About Mold

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Milton Meets About Mold

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Milton, Vermont - August 10, 2006

More than 100 people showed up at Thursday night's school board

meeting in Milton about mold in the elementary school. An

environmental consultant brought in to assess the damage found the

mold was even more extensive than originally thought.

" We have taken out the entire wall of this bathroom, " explained

consultant Todd Hobson.

Cleanup is underway, but there's still no end in sight. Classroom by

classroom, Hobson detailed just how bad the mold problem is at

Milton Elementary School.

" The carpets in this area all did support visible mold growth, high

odor. If I sound like a broken record, I apologize. "

There's mold in the carpeting, the walls, the ceiling-- about two

dozen classrooms and offices are off limits. Experts say

thunderstorms and hot, humid weather last week left moist air in the

building-- prime conditions for mold.

" Face it, the roof is old and tired and it's leaking. Anytime you

have a water intrusion onto these materials, it's likely to cause

mold growth, " explained Hobson.

The mold has left 1,100 kids in limbo. They're supposed to go back

to school in less than three weeks.

" When are we as a community going to know where our kids are going

and when? " asked Milton parent Tina Willis.

Parents and teachers told the school board the mold seemed to be a

chronic problem-- not one that just popped up because of the weather.

" My son has never had so many sick days in his life until he moved

to this school. And I know mold doesn't just start one day, " said

Willis.

" I have increased sinusitis difficulties, as have other teachers,

and have experienced discomfort, especially when building is closed

up over the wintertime, " said Milton Teacher Ginny Yandow.

The environmental investigation should be done by the middle of next

week. That will tell the board what can and cannot be cleaned up,

whether the roof can be repaired and whether a marshy area next to

the school is causing problems with moisture. People at the meeting

said they didn't want to throw money at a short-term fix when a long-

term solution is needed.

" I suspect we're going to run into more problems in the long range.

If we look 10, 20 years down the road, you're going to continue to

have that problem in that area unless there's substantial ground

work to help redirect that water, " said Milton resident

Schnader.

The school board has scheduled another meeting for next Thursday

night. They'll have a better idea then about when school might open--

and what steps have to be taken before it's safe to do that.

If they can't open the building on time, the superintendent

suggested they may be able to use the high school gym, local

churches, or the grange hall for temporary classroom space. Modular

classrooms were another idea, but that would be expensive.

Kate Duffy - Channel 3 News

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In a message dated 8/11/2006 3:44:32 P.M. Pacific Standard Time,

tigerpaw2c@... writes:

_http://www.wcax.http://www.http://wwwhttp://ww & <WBR>nav=men_

(http://www.wcax.com/Global/story.asp?S=5268237 & nav=menu183_2)

Allergies? Steroids? Inhalers? Arghhhhhhhhhhh! Glad I have no children

going to school - or to the doctor in Milton.