Del Mar College begins cleaning up mold

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http://www.caller.com/2001/july/20/today/localnew/5736.html

Friday, July 20, 2001

Del Mar begins cleaning up mold

Committee votes to get proposals; officials say case isn't threatening

By J.R. , Caller-Times

The Del Mar College buildings and grounds committee Thursday took steps

to clean up mold on campus, voting to ask for proposals to clean it up.

According to test results released earlier this year, a type of fungal

mold called stachybotrys was detected in six rooms of the Venters Business

Building on the college's East Campus. The mold is known to cause cold and

flu-like symptoms, nausea, diarrhea, nosebleeds, headaches, chronic fatigue

and hair loss.

According Mani Skaria, an expert in plant pathology from Texas A & M

University-Kingsville, the mold in this case is not airborne and doesn't

pose a risk.

But a Corpus Christi attorney who has tried mold cases said the school is

not doing enough to warn students about mold problems.

" This is a dangerous health risk that Del Mar College is exposing their

students to, " said attorney Rudy .

called upon Skaria to produce his lab results and disputed his

claim that testing outside air was not necessary.

Previous cases

A similar test late last year detected stachybotrys in the Automotive

Mechanics Building on the West Campus. When officials determined the mold

was airborne, administrators shut down the building for a couple of weeks

and began mold abatement. The building opened on time for the spring 2001

semester.

In a July 12 letter to regents, outgoing Del Mar College President Terry

Dicianna said mold infestations at two other campus buildings, including

Auditorium, have been remedied. His letter said the college is

relying on Skaria's recommendation not to close any Del Mar College

buildings.

Removing mold from the business building would not require closing it

down, said L. White, Del Mar College director of risk management.

Instead, sections of the building will be worked on at different times.

" Does Del Mar have a mold problem? Yes, " White said. " Do we have a

crisis? No. "

White said two people have come to him complaining of minor health

problems associated with the mold, one dating back to 1993.

Before officials can begin mold abatement, which is estimated to cost

about $500,000, work needs to be done on sealing the building to prevent

moisture from entering. That is expected to cost about $200,000.

100 claims a week

Elsewhere, Texas Insurance Commissioner Montemayor downplayed mold

fears before a Rotary Club meeting Thursday, saying the problem has plagued

people since biblical times.

" Some insurance companies have reported receiving up to 100 claims in a

week, " Montemayor. " Everyone is going to need to come together on this, from

insurance companies, to contractors, to homeowners so we can gather good

information to base decisions on. "

And mold will be the topic of an all-day workshop today at the Omni

Corpus Christi Hotel. Two local lawyers - who once worked together but now

are in opposition - will speak on the issue.

Corpus Christi City Councilman Brent Chesney, who ran Todd Hunter's 1988

legislative campaign, now represents homeowners as a plaintiff's attorney.

Hunter often represents insurance companies getting sued by the homeowners.

" He cuts me no slack and I cut him no slack, " said Chesney, who is

scheduled to speak at 1 p.m.

The " Breaking the Mold, " workshop costs $225 and is sponsored by the

Dallas-based BioSafety Institute. Morning sessions, which start at 9 a.m.,

focus on scientific issues and how to prevent mold. The afternoon sessions

focus on legal issues.

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Reporters Venessa Santos-Garza and Naomi Snyder contributed to this report.

Contact J.R. and L. Jordan at 886-3779 or

gonzalesj@....