High Springs Oks Emergency Funds for Fire Station Mold Cleanup

HIGH SPRINGS ‒ The Aug. 8, 2024, High Springs City Commission meeting took a serious turn when Fire Chief Joseph Peters addressed a growing concern at the City’s fire station. Peters revealed that mold, stemming from condensation on the air conditioning ductwork, was discovered in the ceiling tiles of the bedroom and bunk room areas. The issue is significant, with humidity levels in the building far exceeding normal standards.

“So, at my direction, I had Heritage come in and look at that. He took some readings. As far as humidity, the humidity levels in the building, in the bunk room and the day room area, and the kitchen were well above 80 percent. Normal house and normal building humidity levels should be around 50–60 percent,” explained Peters.

Heritage, a local environmental services company, determined that the situation required the expertise of a mechanical contractor. It was found that the air conditioning system had likely been installed improperly, causing the widespread mold in critical areas of the fire station, including the bedroom, bunk room, and living quarters.

The mold found in the women's restroom was particularly concerning. Peters reported that it was identified as black mold, which is known to be dangerous. The mold's presence was exacerbated by a broken exhaust fan that had never been repaired. “We’ve had to completely block off our women’s restroom. So, we’re down to one restroom,” Peters said.

Peters also said that the mechanical engineer who inspected the facility recommended a complete overhaul of the air conditioning system, particularly in the bedroom, living quarters, and kitchen. The engineer also advised installing additional fans in the restrooms to ensure proper ventilation, as the current setup exhausts air into the attic rather than outside.

Peters presented the Commission with quotes for the necessary work, estimating the cost of the A/C system overhaul at $178,000 and mold remediation at $6,452, not including the cost of replacing any removed materials. “To remediate the mold, we have walls in the bedroom that are soft where the drywall has absorbed so much fluid that they’re now soft. Those will have to be removed,” Peters stated.

“Once they remediate everything, we’ll have to have a construction company come in and replace all of the drywall and replace probably the women’s shower because that’s where the black mold is,” said Peters. “So what you have in front of you is a total of $190,500 which doesn’t include the reconstruction costs.” Peters said his firefighters would do whatever painting and drywall work they could to save money for the City, but the total cost could easily reach or exceed $250,000.

City Manager Marshall inquired whether the staff would need temporary housing while the work was being done. Peters assured that the mold remediation specialist could isolate each room as needed, making relocation unnecessary.

After a discussion that included the possibility of holding the original contractor accountable, Commissioner Grunder proposed a motion to cap the spending at $250,000, with any additional costs requiring further Commission approval. The City Attorney advised that the expense be classified as an emergency purchase under city policy.

The City Attorney said the expense should be considered an emergency purchase, according to policy. Before voting to approve the motion, the mayor reminded everyone that the money would be coming from ARPA funds. The motion to fix the mold at the fire station passed unanimously.

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